Talk about

Discussion ideas for children and young people

For children

These simple discussion starters have no right or wrong answers. Use the questions to encourage your children to explore their own, and each other’s, ideas.

The people had spent a long time in the desert and had broken the covenant on many occasions. Make links with previous weeks’ conversations about the covenant. Talk about:

Why do you think they broke the covenant?
How do you think the people felt?
Why do you think they felt that way?
What do you think the people could do to make things right?

Even though the people had broken the covenant so many times, God continued to love them. No strings. No expectations. God just loved them. That’s what’s called unconditional love. Give the children some examples of unconditional love, perhaps reminding them of the Gathering activity .

What do you think it means to be loved unconditionally?
Do you love anyone unconditionally?
How would this affect the way you treat them?
How can you let people know how much you love them?

The new covenant gives the assurance that we are claimed by God, that God knows us and we know him. Talk about:

What do you know about God?
Do you know him as well as the people in your own family?
How does it feel to be known by God?
What difference does it make to the way you live your life to be known and loved by God?
What difference should it make?

For young people

Love actually

A discussion about the place of love.

You will need: the opening sequence of the film Love Actually or a copy of the quote for everyone to see.

Clips of this opening scene are available on the Internet. Type ‘Love Actually opening scene’ into your search engine. Play the clip to your group.

Do you agree that love actually is all around us?
How is love expressed within your family and friendship situations? What type of love is expressed according to the Greek definitions in the Gathering activity ?
How is love expressed in the broader community?

The loveliest thing ever

The new covenant with God is a deep and meaningful relationship between God and his people. He put a new relationship into our hearts. God did a lovely thing for us. A way that we can know and measure love is in our relationships with each other.

What is the loveliest thing that someone has ever done for you?
How do you feel when someone does something lovely for you?
What is the loveliest thing that you have ever done for someone else?
How do you feel when you do something lovely for another person?

All loving God

None of the covenants we looked at in Open the Word were relational in the same way as this new covenant is set out to be. But God is interested in a deep and meaningful relationship with us.