Youth Lessons

Note to the Teacher

This lesson includes a random act of kindness for the ending activity and can be continued to a subsequent lesson if needed. It covers the fruits of the Spirit and explains how we can rejoice in the Lord always. Times are based on a fifty-minute lesson period but may be adjusted.

NEEDED RESOURCES:

Small rocks to be painted (big enough to write words on but not too big and heavy/bulky
Paint, paint brushes, permanent markers or paint markers for writing words, and drop cloths if needed to protect surfaces.

Icebreaker - Fruit of the Spirit? (10 min.)

In this activity, students will be asked to vote if a certain virtue is a fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. Below is the list of virtues that are fruits of the Spirit and those that are not. Feel free to mix them up. You may want to let students vote by a show of hands or by walking/running to a designated corner of the room if they need to burn off some energy! After each virtue that is not on the list of fruits of the Spirit, have a quick discussion about why it’s not a fruit of the Spirit.¹

1.    Love (yes)
2.    Quietness (no)
3.    Joy (yes)
4.    Rigid Doctrinal purity (no)
5.    Peace (yes)
6.    Patience (yes)
7.    Hiding your emotions (no)
8.    Kindness (yes)
9.    Goodness (yes)
10.    Fear (no)
11.    Faithfulness (yes)
12.    Gentleness (yes)
13.    Passivity (no)
14.    Self-Control (yes)

Read Scripture (5 min.)

Our scripture reading today comes from Philippians. Paul, the author, wrote it while in prison, awaiting trial. He wrote the entire book to the church in Philippi, a young church facing societal opposition. Have someone read Philippians 4:1-9 CEB.

Discussion (15 min.)

Paul says to rejoice in the Lord always. Can you think of songs or movies that use the word “always”? (“I Will Always Love You” and “Always Something There to Remind Me” might be examples.) “Always” is a strong word, much like “forever.”

Do you find it challenging to commit to doing anything ALWAYS? Why or why not?
Is there anything you ALWAYS do, no matter what? (Breathing might be a funny answer…but it is true. Perhaps the things that we ALWAYS do for God should be as natural as taking a breath.)
Does rejoicing in the Lord always mean we have to be happy all the time? Why or why not? How are “rejoicing” and “being happy” different?²
Paul also encourages us to let our joy spill out: “Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people.” Have you ever been in a place where joy or positive energy seemed to be contagious? How can we let our gentleness and our joy show to all people?

Read Galatians 5:22-23 (CEB).

Which fruit of the Spirit do you find most challenging to notice in yourself? To notice in others? Which ones do you find the most natural to live out?
How does living into the fruits of the Spirit help you “rejoice in the Lord always”?

Activity and Discussion: Don’t Throw These Stones (20 min.)

Have students paint rocks. After the rocks have dried, instruct the students to write down words of affirmation they heard during the lesson. Some examples include “rejoice,” “joy,” “always,” and any of the fruits of the Spirit.

After the students have finished their work on the rocks (possibly the next time your group meets), have them take the rocks and either give them directly to community members or leave them for community members to find. This can be a random act of kindness for your group. (Remind your group not to throw the rocks. We don’t cast [the first] stones around here.)

Close in the manner that is typical for you. Consider taking joys/concerns from the students, then asking for a volunteer to close in prayer.