This lesson covers only one aspect of James 3+4 – watching our words.
Show the video:
Ask the following afterwards:
Think about everything you said yesterday. How many of things you said would fit in the category of:
– “Building someone up” – (encouraging / correcting / etc..)
– “Bringing someone down” – (making fun / insulting / joking / gossip / etc..)
Group Discussion Part 1 – James 3
Divide the class into groups and have them discuss the answers to the first set of questions about passage from James 3.
- What 3 images does James use?
- What do those three things have in common? (ie. Why does James choose those three things)
- What do you think James is talking about in 3:12?
Come back together and discuss the answer to these before the next set of questions.
- Do you think it possible for us to be an “unmixed” spring? Why/Why Not?
- Why do people swear/curse?
- What is the difference between Gossip and Talking?
- What is gained / lost by gossiping?
- Is this limited to words?
Come back together and discuss the answer to those.
Game – Stop the Fire
In this game the goal is for the contestant to come up with a response to stop a piece of gossip. Each team is given a prompt to continue a “gossip”. The team that comes up with the best response to stop the “gossip” wins that round.
Here are the prompts:
Ephesians 4:29 – “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
Group Discussion – Boasting…
Ask the students, what is wrong with the statement:
“I’m going to U of I in 2 years – going to get a engineering degree and work for a tech firm afterwards.”
Anyone can claim to be a servant, but Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, was treated as one and never complained about it. Jesus Christ, the most powerful man ever to walk on the face of the earth, was also the most humble man who ever lived. His agenda was never to promote himself, but to please his Father by loving and serving others. We are called to emulate that humility. – (taken from bible.org)
Assign as homework or do in class:
- Coloring sheet + wrap-up reflection sheet
- Kids may laugh at the coloring idea as they may be too old… but the point it is takes time to color and you want to them to reflect on this idea of watching our words.