Scripture: James, I, 2 and 3 John, Jude
Learning Objectives:
- Students will learn James (the brother of Jesus), John (the Apostle) and Jude (the brother of Jesus) wrote letters to encourage Christians to lead a godly life.
- Students will learn these letters contain advice God inspired the writers to give on living a Christian life.
- Students will learn God wants us to follow the advice contained in these books on how to live a Christian life.
- Students will complete a service project where they host a gathering for widows and become prayer partners with them.
Guiding Question: How can students encourage other Christians using the letters of James, 1, 2, 3 John, and Jude as a guide?
Materials: The materials will vary depending on the kind of outreach party chosen by the students and what they want to have at it.
Procedure: Review the main ideas found in James, 1, 2, 3 John, and Jude. Explain how these letters were used to encourage Christians to lead a godly life no matter what. Tell the students some of the advice given to Christians in these letters and ask students how this advice/encouragement could be used in their own life. Explain God wants us to follow this advice and seek advice from the Word and through prayer.
Introduce the service project. Explain who widows are and how they could use encouragement from others and from the letters in James, 1, 2, 3 John, and Jude. Explain that God loves widows just like everyone else ask asks that we care for them. Have students plan or host a tea party or ice cream sundae party for widows in the congregation. At the party, have each student become a prayer partner for a widow and encourage the students to send notes, cards, check on the widow at church, etc.
Additional Questions: How can students serve as prayer partners with each other?
Supplemental Activity: Partner each student up with another student that they may not know as well. Have the students get to know each other and start off by sharing one prayer request. The next week, the students can meet to talk about the prayer request and add another request.