Chapter One
GOD'S GUIDE
TO GODLINESS
1. Have you ever been lost?
What were you looking for when you were lost?
How did you lose your way?
What was the first thing you tried, to find your way again?
2. Check out Psalm 1 and list four things someone like you should do (or not do) to
be blessed.
Verse 1-
Do not walk-
Do not stand-
Do not sit-
Verse 2-
Delight in and think about the-
3. Your friend wants to go over to her boyfriend's house without her parents knowing. So
she calls you and tells you that she's coming over to do homework. Her parents think
she'll be at your house-only she'll really be at her boyfriend's house.
What principle(s) from Psalm 1 would you break if you asked her to tell you more about
the plan?
What principle(s) would you break if you helped your friend with her scheme?
What potentially negative things could happen if you helped her out?
What might happen if you chose to not go along with your friend's plan?
If you decided to follow God's guidelines, what would you say to your friend?
4. Think of a negative situation that you or your friends could encounter (it should
involve a moral dilemma of some kind such as shoplifting, gossiping, lying, fighting, doing drugs, and so on). On a scale below, indicate with an X how easy it would be for
you to not get involved in the situation.
This week
When it comes down to it, youth workers help kids to
choose to live like God would want them to. This
TalkSheet gives your students a clear picture of the
two roads they can follow in life-one God's way and
one their way-and the consequences that can
result with each one.
Opener
Show a photograph of (or describe) someone your
students would recognize as an outstanding success
in some field, such as athletics. Then do the same
for a vile criminal. You'll be able to find plenty of
these in a newspaper of on-line news source. How
do your kids think these people came to a point of
such fame (or infamy)? Point out that it's possible
for each person in the room to become the world's
greatest athlete or the foulest criminal. The choices
they make in life will lead them down certain paths.
What paths have these people in the pictures chosen?
How did they choose the path they chose?
Launch into the TalkSheet discussion by pointing out
that the Bible gives some good advice on how to
choose the right path in life.
The discussion, by numbers
1. Break your group into pairs or trios for this one.
When the groups have finished their discussions, have students share their answers to the
TalkSheet's question with the entire class. You
may want to jot the principles involved on a
whiteboard: "I ran off in the wrong direction,"
"People missed a landmark," or "People stopped
to ask directions." Point out how each relates to
going the wrong way or finding the right way.
2. Discuss the principles Psalm 1 gives for making
wise and godly decisions. Verse 1 speaks against
lending an open ear to tempting words, following
others into sin, and mocking (ridiculing or ignoring)
God. The second verse talks about the wisdom
of basing decisions on God's wisdom, found
in the Bible. There are promises-both positive
and negative-made in verses 3-6. List the biblical
principles for wise decision-making on the
whiteboard in preparation for the next item.
3. How did your group respond to this situation? You
may want to write some of the pros and cons
down on a whiteboard or poster board. Point out
that any seemingly harmful things can have devastating
results. For example, how would this situation
seem if you knew your friend was going to
have sex with her boyfriend? What if you knew
they'd be drinking or doing drugs? What if you (or
your parents) would be held responsible for your
friend if anything happened to her?
4. It's sometimes easy for teenagers to see a bad
situation-but much harder to stay away from
those situations. If you don't want to ask for specific
rankings, ask where the group where they
think teenagers in general would rank. How about
teenagers in the church? Do they think it's easier
to resist a bad situation, or get involved? Why or
why not?
The close
How are your kids struggling in their walk with God?
You may want to talk about what is hard about staying
on the same path as God. To get them thinking,
ask which "road sign" they need to keep their eyes
out for. For example, do they need to yield more to
God? Stop to think of the consequences? Examine
their lives to think if they're going the wrong way?
Point out that road signs protect drivers. What road
signs does God put up in people's lives to keep
them out of danger?
More
Have your students make a map of their spiritual
journey-of life's journey. What has their road
looked like? Has it been bumpy? Have there been
detours along the way? What about mountains of
achievement or success in their lives? You may
want to have them label the highs and lows along
the way and if they feel comfortable, to share a
few examples. Point out that everyone's road is
bumpy-there are very few easy roads!
How does Psalm 1 apply to the media today and
the society that your kids live in? You may want to
spend some time talking with your kids about
Christians in the world today. Are Christians
involved in the music, TV, or movie industry
blessed by God? If so, how? How does the media
portray Christians? Is Christianity portrayed as
good or bad? Take some time to talk about the
struggles of sticking to God's ways when there are
so many other distraction. Finally, what do your
kids think God would say about this psalm and
society today?
(Continues.)
