Supplies:

Five 3x5 cards per student
Pens or pencils
Cardstock or construction paper (1 per student)
Scissors
Markers, colored pencils, or crayons
Optional: glue sticks, decorative paper, stickers for embellishment

Note to the Teacher

This lesson, “Signs and Truth,” centers on Jesus’ response to John the Baptist in Matthew 11:2–11, reminding students that joy and faith often grow strongest in seasons of doubt. The “Joy Hunt” icebreaker helps students recognize where joy already exists around them. The “Windows of Joy” and exploration activity invites them to look past distractions and discover answers to their questions and signs of God’s work in everyday life. Through discussion and reflection, students learn that Advent joy isn’t denial of hardship — it’s the deep awareness that God’s truth is still breaking through the storm

Icebreaker (10 min.)

“Joy Hunt”

Give each student several 3x5 cards and a pen. Tell them they have a couple of minutes to walk around the room or the building and write down things (one per card) that bring them joy. Then, collect all the cards and scatter them facedown across a table.

Next, have everyone take turns flipping one card and reading it aloud. Then they guess who wrote it.

When students have finished, point out how joy often shows up in unexpected, small places — just as Jesus told John’s followers to look around and notice God’s quiet work.

Bible Reading (5 min.)

Read Matthew 11:2–11.

Discussion Questions (10 min.)

Themes: The importance of questions and questioning; identity

What question did John send his disciples to ask Jesus? Did you know that more than one person in the Bible had “disciples”?
What are some characteristics of disciples (or discipleship) that you think John’s and Jesus’ disciples had in common?
How did Jesus answer John’s disciples’ question?
What could have caused John to begin to doubt or question Jesus? Are those similar to the doubts people might have about Jesus today?
What do Jesus’ examples (the blind seeing, the lame walking, etc.) tell us about where he focused his ministry?
What doubts or questions have you had (or have your friends had) about God in the past? Do you think it is natural for doubts and questions to evolve over time? What do you think are helpful practices when questions about faith arise?
Why do you think Jesus connected joy and truth in this passage?
How might it be possible to have joy, even when things aren’t going well?
What blocks you from seeing joy or looking for answers to your questions/doubts? Do you think there is more joy to be found in truth or facts? (Or are truth and facts the same thing?)

Active Learning Activity (20 min.)

“Windows of Joy and Exploration”

Give each student a sheet of cardstock or construction paper folded in half. Have them draw and cut out several small “window flaps” on the front cover —three to five rectangles or shapes that open like doors.

On the outside of each flap, students draw or write things that often block their ability to see joy or look for answers to doubts and questions. On the inside of each flap, they draw or write places they find joy or ways they look for answers to doubts or questions, and ways that God’s truth still shines through those things (e.g., kindness from others, answered prayers, beauty in creation).

When the students have finished, let them share one “window” that’s meaningful to them.