Bible

Warm up 5 mins W

Write the word ‘GLORY’ on a piece of paper and put it in the centre of the group. Invite the young people to think of any context or situation in which the word might be used and write down their ideas. Does it have positive or negative associations?

10 words 10 mins W E

Read John 13.31-35 together. Divide the young people into three groups and challenge each group to summarise, in no more than 10 words, the Gospel message of one section:
1) vv.31-32; 2) v.33; 3) vv.34-35.

Questions to discuss

• How is it possible to find glory in Jesus’ betrayal, humiliation and death?
• What does it mean to love like Jesus?
• How can we serve others and love those we would rather not love?
  

Explore

Foot-washing race 5 mins E

Divide the group into two teams and give each a chair, a bowl of warm water and a towel. Have a relay race to see which team can wash and dry every member’s feet first.

Weighty words 10 mins W S

Give everyone a stone and provide brushes and paint. Invite the young people to choose a key word or phrase from the reading to paint on their stone, e.g. Love one another. These can be varnished with PVA glue when dry, and then taken home, to be used as paperweights.

Acts of love 10 mins W E A

On a large sheet of paper write the word ‘LOVE’ in bubble writing so that it fills the page. Provide felt tips and encourage everyone to write, inside the letters, practical examples of loving and serving other people.

Connect

Fame and glory 15 mins W E

Display a selection of images of current celebrities and people in history who have loved like Jesus and been willing to risk their lives for their beliefs, e.g. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King, Oscar Romero. Challenge the group to identify all the people, fill in any gaps in their knowledge and discuss the difference between glory through media fame and sacrifice.

Humble service 10 mins W E A

Which jobs make a real difference to people’s lives, but are looked down upon and seen as menial? Which parenting activities are vital and nurturing, but neither pleasant nor easy? Discuss the importance of these hidden acts of service and the ways in which we can show our appreciation.

PostScript: weekly topical issues and commentary every Thursday.

Pray

Wonderful world 5 mins E S

Play the YouTube film with the accompanying soundtrack of Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a Wonderful World’ (also available via Sandro Torricelli's WorldNews Network channel and a similar idea via Rachel Reyes YouTube channel) as a guided visual meditation on God’s glory.

Loving like Jesus 5 mins E S

We all know people whom we find difficult to love. Ask the young people to focus on someone in particular whom they struggle to love, for whatever reason. In silence, invite them to name that person before God and pray for his help in understanding, forgiving and loving them.