Before the Session
Facilitator: In advance of the session
- Review today’s scripture text and the session activities to help better facilitate the discussion.
- Have the Bible Background Video ready to view.
- Listen to the Faithelement podcast for this session
- Use the social media prompts on this session’s webpage to help youth begin engaging the session them ahead of their gathering.
Chosen Scenarios
Form youth into groups of no more than 6. Instruct them that you are going to give them a scenario and they are going to choose someone in their group to represent their group in the scenario.
They will not actually play out the scenario, but rather discuss why they picked the person they chose. Each group can choose the same person more than once.
Scenarios: Use the ones listed below, or create your own. Allow students to debate and come up with one student for each scenario, explaining their choice.
Who do you choose (work through these one at a time, allowing time for groups to make their selection).
- Someone to play in a one-on-one basketball game.
- Someone has to give a speech in front of a lot of people.
- Someone to enter a spelling bee.
- Someone to enter a game show.
- Someone to stand up to a bully.
- Someone to represent your side in a debate.
- Someone to share their faith with a stranger.
- Someone to listen to you share your problems.
- Someone to go to for advice.
- Someone to hang out with on the weekend.
- Someone to play video games with.
After the activity, ask these questions:
- How did it feel to be chosen by your group?
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Which of these did you feel more qualified or unqualified?
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How did it feel to get chosen in a scenario you would not have chosen for yourself?
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How did it feel to not be chosen for something you wanted to do? Why? How does it feel to be rejected?
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Have you ever truly felt rejected by someone? If so, are you willing to share?
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Have you ever felt rejected by God? Why or why not? What would you say to someone who feels rejected by God?
Adoption
Read Ephesians 1:1-14 and watch the Bible Background Video for this passage.
- Have you ever known someone who was adopted?
- What does it mean to be adopted by God? What does it mean to be predestined by God? How might it be like adoption?
- How does the idea of God choosing you impact your faith? Why?
Chosen for a Task
Play the “Evan Almighty” video.
View Clip
Them use these questions to facilitate discussion.
- Have you ever wondered why God would choose you?
- What specific task might God choose you for?
- How might God’s choosing you for a task be different from the plans you have for yourself?
- How would you feel if God choose you to show someone God’s love?
- What would you do? How has God chosen every Christian to do this?
- What practical ways can you show God’s love to people you come into contact with this week? Your parents, friends, siblings, coworkers, etc.?
Close this session with a prayer of gratitude for being chosen by God.
Writer: Don Breeden