Middle School Youth Lesson - Samson & Luke Cage - Judges 13 - 16



Middle School Youth – Samson’s Strength and Being a Hero of Our Time

Start with Pizza Party.

Competitive Game

Ask each youth to blow up a balloon and then tie a string to it.  Next, have them tie the string to their ankle.  The goal of this game is for each youth to protect the balloon tied to his own ankle while trying to pop the balloon tied on the ankles of other youth. 

Team maker Game

Invite the youth to pair up.  Have the pairs sit back-to-back.  They have to stand up together without their hands or arms touching the floor.  Then have the youth get in groups of three and try this again.  Then four. Then five. See if you can get the whole group together to stand up as one.

Pop Culture Reference

TV Show: Luke Cage

“Everyone has a gun, no one has a father.” – Luke Cage

Luke Cage is an average guy who has done some time and is trying to find his way – except for one special gift – he is “immune to bullets.”

His skin is impenetrable.

Watch Luke Cage trailer on YouTube or Netflix.

Takes place in the streets of Harlem where turf wars are taking place.

In his world, we see that what is right and what is wrong isn’t always clear.  We see that sometimes the criminals sometimes do good moral things.  Sometimes the people who are good and moral do things they shouldn’t do.

Luke Cage has his superpower, but he still has to make choices about how he will live.  Which is very human!  He has come up with a moral code to guide him – he doesn’t curse or drink and he keeps an even temper.  But, he is loose when it comes to women – and he doesn’t hold himself in check when it comes to how he intimately connects with them. What are some of the things that guide your moral code?


Bible Story

Samson is the story of a man who was born with a purpose and a superhero power.  He was actually a lot like Luke Cage.  Let’s read his story.  See Judges 13-16


Mary Kate at Christianity Cove suggests the following selection of Scripture if not reading all of Judges 13 – 16:

Judges 13: 1-5
Judges 13: 24-25
Judges 14: 1-6
Judges 16: 4-6
Judges 16: 17-19
Judges 16: 20-22
Judges 16: 26-30


Discuss the Following:

What was Samson’s superhero power?

What was Samson’s moral code? (What is a Nazirite?  See Numbers 6:1-21)

What or Who distracted Samson from his purpose?

What was the result?

Did he still achieve his purpose?  Do you think it could have been achieved in a different way?



How are Samson and Luke Cage alike?

What are your superhero strengths?



What might be your purpose?

Application Activity

One student stands on chair – other youth gather around chair.  The student on chair tries to pull the other youth up onto the chair. Tell the youth on the floor to resist being pulled up on the chair. It should be difficult for the student to pull the other youth up.  Then reverse the situation such that the youth on the floor try to pull the student on the chair off the chair.  This time the student on the chair should try to resist being pulled off.  Pulling the student off the chair should be much easier than pulling the youth up onto the chair.  Talk about how it is easier to be pulled down in life then pulled up.  Then have the youth try the first part of this exercise again, except this time the youth on the floor desire to be pulled up onto the chair.  Discuss with the youth how this illustration tells us something about peer pressure and evangelism.  When we share our faith or encourage our peers to do what is right, they need to have some interest or desire in order to be pulled up.  Otherwise, their resistance might pull us down into the temptations of negative peer pressure.

Idea Time

As a group discuss desires for the youth ministry of the church.  Describe a perfect church youth gathering.  What would it look like?  What would we do?  What would we learn?  How would we serve?  How would we worship?  How often would we meet?  Who do you want to invite?  What should be our goal as a group?
Time of Prayer

As a group share praises and prayer requests and then have the youth pray for each other.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Palm Sunday School Lesson for Teenagers

Question: Multi-generational ministry

They touched Jesus, but then, how did they pray?