YOUTH GROUP OLYMPICS
10 minutes
Remind the group of the top scores so far. Give everybody a shot at javelin throwing - using foam pipe insulation. Draw circles (or place hula hoops) on the floor as targets for the javelins to aim at, and award points accordingly. Insist on proper style: a short run-up, overarm throwing, and no spinning round.
NOT SO HIGH
10 minutes
A volunteer is blindfolded and stands in the centre of a plank, with one person at either end. The volunteer is told to imagine going up in a plane, while the people at each end of the plank raise it of the ground. They raise it a few inches, but then start sinking down slowly to their knees while keeping the plank at the same height, so their voices sound lower, giving the illusion of height. The leader increases the illusion by saying things like: “You’re pretty high up now - are you still all right?” Eventually, the volunteer is told to bail out - the plane’s engines have failed. It’s always a (pleasant) shock when they hit the ground a little sooner than they imagined they would…
Say: People are always fooled by this because they imagine they’re higher than they really are! Why? Because they’re comparing themselves to other people – and although everybody’s really on the same level, it doesn’t seem that way. Jesus realised that when people tried to apply his revolutionary idea of discipleship to their own lives, they would soon start comparing themselves to one another, to work out how well they were doing. But comparing yourself to others can lead you to false ideas unless you really know what’s going on.
There were teachers of religious law in Jesus’ day who were very judgmental of others, and it surprised them that Jesus wasn’t like that. (See if the group can think of people Jesus refused to judge as harshly as people expected: the woman in adultery, the woman who washed his feet with her hair, the blind beggar, the woman at the well.) Jesus was clear that when you point a finger at others, the same finger points at you too.
A MATTER OF JUDGMENT
10 minutes
Say: Read Matthew 7:1-6 together. Ask: does this mean we can never make judgments about other people? In small groups, consider these situations and decide what should be done:
- Julie is approached by a drunken beggar on her way to church. She knows he is always begging for money and always spends it on drink, which is slowly killing him. But she is a Christian and she mustn’t be judgmental. Does she get her purse out despite her misgivings?
- A Christian company director is sure the company treasurer has been stealing money from the firm. He ought to denounce him to the board of directors. But the treasurer would lose his job, and his family would suffer. Is it right for a Christian to bring up accusations like this?
- Charlie is accosted by some sneering atheists in his sixth form group, and asked why his Jesus doesn’t do more miracles these days. He hesitates before replying - he knows this is just a casual jibe to amuse themselves; they won’t listen to a word he says. But it’s his job to preach the gospel all the time, isn’t it?
- Lara is amazed to find that two Christian youth group members have slept together at a party. When she questions it, they angrily attack her: “Who are you to judge us? That’s not very Christian, is it?”
Compare results. Clearly, there are situations in which we need to use our common sense, (Julie), to protect the rights of others (director), to duck out of hopeless situations (Charlie) and to apply biblical standards (Lara). So Jesus wasn’t saying never apply any standards of judgment - Charlie should look at verse six! He was saying: “Don’t write people off. Never assume they’re beyond hope. Never assume you’re better than they are.”
SEEING WHAT’S REALLY THERE
15 minutes
Say: Jesus uses this ridiculous picture of somebody trying to take a speck out of someone else’s eye when there’s a plank already sticking out of his! We can make ourselves feel better by criticising others - but only because it distracts us from our own problems.
In groups, explore how this happened in these Bible stories to people who thought they were above others: The pharisee and tax collector (Luke 18:9-14); David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1-10); Peter and Jesus (Mark 14:27-31); Simon the pharisee (Luke 7:36-47). Ask each group to take one story and answer four questions:
- Who in this story thought they were better than others, and doing ok?
- Who did they think they were better than?
- What happened as a result?
- How could we fall into the same kind of mistake they made?
SPOTLIGHT: SOCIAL MEDIA BUBBLES
10 minutes
In politics, sport, business and the media it’s become less common for people to apologise and say: “I was wrong”. Being strong often means defending yourself by attacking others. Ask: can you think of examples where people in the wrong escaped criticism by claiming others had done worse? Or where whole groups of people are lumped together and treated as outsiders to make insiders feel better?
One problem with social media is that it puts us constantly in touch with people like us - people who share the same interests and prejudices. If we’re not careful we end up thinking that all right-minded people are exactly like us and that anybody else must have something wrong with them.
Put together a list of the kinds of people Christians might be tempted to look down on, or criticise, or not understand. Who’s off our radar where sympathy is concerned? How can we capture more of Jesus’ attitude to people who aren’t like us?
CLOSE
5 minutes
Think about these people in silence. Then think about the people we know that we might judge unfairly and be tempted to write off. Pray together to close.
Let them know that next week you’ll be doing a quick ‘pub quiz’ on everything you’ve learned so far! Challenge them to read through Matthew 5-6 again.
