Note to the Teacher

The key phrase for this lesson is “Speak, Lord.” The icebreaker invites youth to learn about others through assumptions they make. The discussion encourages students to think about growth and learning based on experience. The activity allows youth to visually experience other teens talking about the labels and assumptions others have made about them. Times are based on a fifty-five-minute lesson period but may be adjusted.

The Game of Assumptions (15 minutes)

Give each student a big red plastic cup with three M&Ms candies in it. Have students stand in an inner circle and an outer circle where they are facing each other. A random person in the group begins the game by pointing at someone in the opposite circle and “making an assumption” out loud. The assumption can be as easy as, “I assume you eat three meals a day” or as unique as, “I assume that when you eat a bag of Skittles, you eat only the red and purple ones.” If the guesser assumes correctly, the person the guesser made the assumption about eats an M&M. If the guesser assumes wrong, then the guesser is required to eat an M&M. Once someone is out of M&Ms, that person is out of the game.

Option 1:

If playing with a large group, consider breaking into two sets of circles due to time limitations.

Option 2:

If playing with a small group, consider just a line instead of circles. You can also add more M&Ms to the cups or change the rules for outrageous laughs.

Read Scripture (5 minutes)

Our scripture reading today involves stories of becoming the people of God. We have an opportunity to remember that we are called to listen to the voices around us—just as Samuel had to learn. The message in John1:43-51 encourages the reader to avoid making assumptions.

Discussion (15 minutes)

Name several people you follow either on a social media app or by keeping up with stories about them in the news. Why do you follow them? Who should the adults in the room start to follow to better understand what’s popular today?
What are some assumptions made in the passage? (The most obvious one is the question, “how could anything good come from Nazareth”) Do others seem to make assumptions about us based upon where we are from? Do we make assumptions about others based on where they are from?
Have you ever had an assumption that proved not to be true? How did it feel to figure that out? Share your story if you are comfortable. (Assumptions and stereotypes that we think we know may not always be correct when presented with new information or we get to know somebody in a better way. Remind that youth that while it may feel uncomfortable or embarrassing, it’s actually a good thing to learn and to grow.
Jesus invited Phillip to follow him. What do you think it means to follow someone? Does this passage qualify Jesus as an “influencer” in the same way we think about influencers on social media? Why or why not?

Activity and Discussion (20 minutes)

Take this lesson to the next level by getting students’ hands and imaginations involved. Start with the following video: https://youtu.be/z0sU78HdjjE?si=sC5xXdh8YQ4aXAbL.

While it’s playing, give students a piece of paper and drawing supplies to create a piece of art that expresses some part of who they are. Say something like, “We are going to play a video about identity. While it’s playing, I want you to create a piece of art that expresses something about you that reveals one part of your identity.”

Points for discussion:

Share a time when someone assumed something about you that was completely untrue.
How much time do you devote to listening before you make an assumption about someone?
Consider Nathaniel’s and Samuel’s stories. In what ways does their obedience help them become more Christ-like?

TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes