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Youth English Trinity Series

• Introduction
• What is God like?
• Who is Jesus?
• Where is the Holy Spirit?

Youth English Holy Spirit Series

• Where is the Holy Spirit?
• Lesson #1
• Lesson #2
• Lesson #3
• Lesson #4
• Lesson #5
• Lesson #6
• Lesson #7
• Lesson #8
• Lesson #9
• Lesson #10
• Lesson #11
• Lesson #12
• Lesson #13
• Lesson #14
• Lesson #15
• Lesson #16
• Lesson #17
• Lesson #18

Adult English Trinity Series

• What is God like?
• Who is Jesus?
• Where is the Holy Spirit

Trinity Series International

• Chichewa
• English
• French
• Swahili

International Team

• Evangelist Jenny Tryhane
• Peggy Tryhane
• Bishop David Akondowe
• Rev Abraham Kisembo
• Bishop Luanda Pinos

UCT Kids Curriculum

• Grow and Go curriculum
• New Life curriculum
• Heal a Hurting Heart
• Sowing Seeds of Success
• Super Fruits curriculum

Child Evangelism

• Evangelism Training
• Child Evangelism
• Sports Evanglism

English YDT Teachings

• Introduction

Fruit of the Spirit

GOODNESS

This English Stonecroft 'Youth Discipleship Teaching' has been adapted from the Adult Stonecroft Trinity Series.

The English Stonecroft Trinity Series - Where is the Holy Spirit? is available online from Stonecroft's corporate website.

AS YOUTH ARRIVE PRIOR TO THE LESSON:

Welcome, as the Junior Youth arrive get them to colour the colouring pages and visual aids that will be used during the session.

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - GOODNESS
This week we’re going to learn that "Goodness is doing the right thing for the right reason." Kindness is more about our attitude and goodness is more about the things we do for others.

AS KIDS ARRIVE PRIOR TO THE LESSON
Get the children to colour the Bible Verse Card, Shine flier, Candle Bookmarks (one per child)

1. JUNIOR YOUTH GAMES: (10 minutes)

2. JUNIOR YOUTH TEAM GAMES: (10 minutes)

This children sit around in a circle, facing each other. One Junior Youth is chosen to be "tag" first.

That child who is “tag” stands up and walks around the outside of the circle tapping one child on the head and naming them "GOOD". Tapping the second child on the head and naming them "BETTER". At some point he chooses a child to name "BEST" instead, at which point the fun begins.
The "BEST" child must now jump up and chase the "tag" child around the circle, trying to catch him before he can sit down in his place. If “BEST’ catches “tag” then he is out and the “BEST’ becomes the “tag” and the circle gets smaller. Allow for lots of laughing and screaming as the children encourage the "BEST" child to catch the "tag" child.

5. TEACHING

a. Weekly Bible Verse Readings Review- SESSION #10

While at home you would have read the Bible verses and written your comments to share in this session did you memorize one verse per day? Here are a few questions to test if you fully understood the readings.

1. Colossians 3:12-17

(What does Paul call the saints in the church in Colossae?)

........( The elect of God, holy and beloved)

(What did Paul suggest that they put on?)

........(Tenderness ,mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, love)

(How should they treat one another?)

.......(Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another)

2. Romans 2:3-4

(What is God's kindness intended to do?)

........( to lead you to repentance)

3. Romans 11:22

(What will happen to you if you not continue in God's kindness?)

.........(You will be cut off)

4. Titus 3:3-6

(How did Paul describe life before we met Jesus?)

.......... (You too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

(How does Paul describe God?)

...........(Kind and loving)

(Can anyone read or recall how God saved us in Verse 5-6?)

.........(He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,   6  whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior - Get the class to read these verses)

5. 1 Corinthians 13:4-12

(Who can recall some of the qualities of love is?)

.........( Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.   5  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.   6  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.   7  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8  Love never fails. )

6. Ephesians 4:31-32

(What are we NOT to be?)

...... (Bitter, raging with anger, brawling and slanderous)  

(What are we to be?)

.....( Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other)

7. Ephesians 2:6-10

(Where is Christ Jesus now?)

......( In the heavenly realms )

(Where are we seated right now?)

......( We are seated with him in the heavenly realms) 

(Who has memorized Ephesians 2:8-9?)

......... ( 8  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-   9  not by works, so that no one can boast.)

Remember, we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

a. Lesson Review Kindness

Last week we learnt that kindness starts with caring - being tender hearted and compassionate toward others. Did all of you perform a random act of kindness this week? Let’s add to the paper chain from last session.

b. Junior Youth Sword Play
Ready…Swords up… Matthew 5:16b… CHARGE!

b. Youth Bible Memory Verse

c. Teach the Lesson (15 minutes)

One of our problems with goodness is the same problem we have with love. The word "good" is used in so many ways, just as we use the word "love." We love our children, we love bananas, we love a beautiful sunset, but each of these "loves" are entirely different. It’s the same with the word "good." We say, "I had a good meal," or "I met a good friend," or "We had a good cry." They’re different, aren’t they?

So let’s look at how the word "good" is used in the Bible.

CREATION REVIEW:

DOWNLOAD Bible for Children 'When God made everything' PowerPoint to assist with the teaching DOWNLOAD Bible for Children 'When God made everything' Colouring Pages www.bibleforchildren.org

So maybe we could say, "Goodness means something that pleases God."

Or maybe we could go a step further & say, "A good person is a person who is pleasing to God."

The Bible also tells us that "God is good."

Now what makes God good? Well, God is pure, God is holy, God is forgiving, God is generous. So therefore, if we’re good people, then all those characteristics would be true of us, too.

We could do the right thing for the wrong reason. I suppose that we could even do the wrong thing for the right reason. But "goodness is doing the right thing for the right reason."

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus talks about a good tree & a bad tree. He says that the "good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit" [Matthew 7:17).

So the question is, "What kind of fruit are we producing?" And as you look at the fruit, do you see goodness? Is it there? Well, here are 4 ways to display goodness.

1 We can display God’s goodness by being forgiving.

Matthew 6:14 "If you forgive men when they sin against you, you heavenly Father will also forgive you."

So the first step is to do the right thing for the right reason & to become forgiving as God is forgiving.

2 The second step is purity. We can display goodness by being morally pure. Now the world is constantly telling us that everybody is doing it so it must be ok! But if you’re going to be a good person, you are to be a pure person, keeping your life pure before the Lord.

3 The third characteristic of a good person, is one who helps the down-trodden. It’s not just about attitude but action. So the gracious person is one who not only has a heart of compassion but looks around & sees others who are suffering & need his help and gets up and helps him.

You performed good acts & no one every knew that you did them. You may have never heard a "thank you." But here’s the promise, when you’re gracious & good to others, one day you will hear the voice of God Himself, "Well done, good & faithful servant." And that’s all the recognition we need.

4 Finally, we express goodness through generosity.

1 John 3:1 says, "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us." It is so much love that we cannot even receive it all. God is a giving good God. "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." And He gives & He gives & He gives some more. God is good

The Bible tells us that we should let our light shine. Before our light will shine, we must be plugged in and turned on. (Switch on a torch light) We must be plugged in to God’s power supply and we must be turned on for Jesus. When we invite Jesus into our heart, we have the power. When we come to Church to worship and praise Him and study His Word, we get turned on for Jesus. When we are plugged in and turned on, our light will shine.

Jesus is our light, lift him up and let him shine through you! If you make up your mind to let your light shine for Jesus, there is no way that Satan can blow it out because the Bible says, "Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world." Jesus is your light. Lift him up high because Jesus said, "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to me."

6. APPLICATION / ENCOUNTERING GOD
Give each child a ‘little paper candle’ Let them come and lift Jesus up in praise.

CLOSING PRAYER:

Holy Spirit,  there is nowhere I can run to escape Your presence! You won't give up on me because You are too kind to leave me the way You found me.  You guide me, counsel me, and show me the paths that lead to life. Today, make me more aware of Your goodness so that I can share Your goodness with others. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Prayers to Help You Cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit

YOUTH TAKE HOME BIBLE MEMORY VERSES/ACTIVITIES:

Optional: Download ‘Activity Book’ available for the children and can be downloaded from this website.

Weekly Bible Verse Readings -SESSION #11

Read the Bible verses given below and write out the verse which you consider to be the most important in each reading. Try to memorize a Bible Verse each day come back next session and lets hear from you.

1 •  1 Chronicles 16:31-36

31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
And let them say among the nations, "The  Lord  reigns."
32 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it.
33 Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the  Lord ,
For He is coming to judge the earth.

34 Oh, give thanks to the  Lord , for  He is good !
For His mercy endures forever.
35 And say, "Save us, O God of our salvation;
Gather us together, and deliver us from the Gentiles,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
To triumph in Your praise."

36 Blessed be the  Lord  God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!

.......................

2 •  Ezra 3:10-11

10  When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the  Lord,  the  priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the  Lord , according to the ordinance of David king of Israel.  11  And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the  Lord :

"For  He is  good, for His mercy  endures  forever toward Israel." Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the  Lord , because the foundation of the house of the  Lord  was laid.

..............

3 •  Psalm 25:6-11

6 Remember, O  Lord , Your tender mercies and Your loving kindnesses, For they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness' sake, O  Lord .

8  Good and upright is the  Lord ;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
9 The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
10 All the paths of the  Lord  are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
11 For Your name's sake, O  Lord ,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

...............

4 •  Psalm 23:6

The  Lord  is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the  Lord Forever.

................

5 •  Psalm 145:9

8 The  Lord  is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
9  The  Lord  is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.

.................

6 •  Psalm 27:13

1 Teach me Your way, O  Lord ,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the  Lord
In the land of the living.

..................

7 •  Psalm 34:8

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good ; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! 

.................

DOWNLOAD 'Weekly Bible Verse Readings' - SESSION #11

Bring back your 'Weekly Bible Verse Readings' so you can discuss your answers at the next session.

DOWNLOAD Lesson #11 Teaching Manual

NEXT WEEK: FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - FAITHFULNESS

Next session we will learn that Faith signifies complete confidence in God. This outstanding quality indicates God’s presence in our Christian lives. Faithfulness displays itself in a person who is trustworthy and reliable.