Note to the Teacher

This lesson focuses on the theme of “Power of Presence,” based on Isaiah 42:1-9 and Matthew 3:13-17, highlighting the call for servant leadership and justice in our communities. The icebreaker, "Who Am I?" Justice Edition, allows students to engage with historical and symbolic figures of justice by playing a guessing game, helping them connect with the theme in an interactive way. The discussion explores the roles of justice and servant leadership, with students reflecting on how these concepts apply to their lives and the world around them. For the activity, students participate in the “Servant Leadership Role-Play,” where they work in groups to role-play real-life situations that require servant leadership and discuss how justice and compassion can be applied.

Times are based on a fifty-minute lesson period but may be adjusted.

Icebreaker: Who Am I? (10 minutes)

Print out names of famous people, figures, or symbolic characters related to justice and leadership (e.g., Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Greta Thunberg, Martin Luther King Jr., or biblical characters (Good Samaritan, Job, etc.). Select justice leaders with diverse impacts, interests, and locations. Some can be more famous than others. Give a brief description of the person underneath the name. Tape one on each student’s back without the student knowing who it is. The students then ask “yes” or “no” questions to figure out which person or symbol they are. Afterward, take time to talk about each famous person’s accomplishments or passions.

Bible Reading (5 minutes)

Read Isaiah 42:1-9 and Matthew 3:13-17.

Discussion Questions (10 minutes)

Power of Presence

How many different roles of the servant can you list from Matthew 3:13-17?
What about Jesus' baptism might be significant in terms of justice and leadership?
What makes justice described in Isaiah 42 different from a traditional understanding of justice?
If you were to write a modern "Servant Song" for today’s world, what might it sound like?
Imagine a community where everyone lived out the justice described in Isaiah 42. What actions would people take to make that happen? Can you think of someone who is doing some or all of those right now?

Active Learning Activity (20 minutes)

Servant Leadership Role-Play

Divide students into pairs or small groups and give each group a scenario related to servant leadership (e.g., a community leader organizing a food drive, a student standing up for a friend being bullied, a church reaching out to help a local family in need. These scenarios could be pulled from justice or outreach ministries already taking place in your church or broader community. Have students role-play answering how a servant leader would approach the situation and how justice and compassion could be served. Afterward, each group will explain its scenario and the response that group members came up with.