Not to Be Served

Note to the Teacher

This lesson follows the lectionary text, which includes Jesus’ statement about greatness in service. The icebreaker is a fast-paced partner play that involves combining information. The scripture reading activity challenges students to summarize the main point of Jesus' interactions with the disciples. The activity is a literal bridge-building project that leads into figurative bridge-building discussion questions.

Icebreaker: Awe-Sum

Read all the instructions to the group before the game starts:

Pair up back-to-back. When the leader says, “Awe-sum!” (that’s a pun, you goofs! It sounds like “AWESOME,” but it uses the word “sum,” which means the total added together), turn around and hold up a random number of fingers. The first in your pair to shout the correct sum of the fingers in your pair wins the round. Play best two out of three, and then find a new partner. Variations – Round 1: One hand each; Round 2: each player uses both hands; Round 3: multiply instead of adding.

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:35-45

Read the scripture passage twice – a leader will read it the first time, and the second time, a student volunteer will read it.

After the second scripture reading, ask:

How can someone be “great among you” by being a servant?

Do you think our culture recognizes people’s greatness through their service, or does it not? Please share examples.

How does that relate to James and John asking to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand?

Pass out post-it notes to everyone and ask them to listen for the main idea in the scripture. Then, read the passage a third time and give everyone time to summarize the main point in a sentence or two. The youth should stick their post-its on a poster-sized area after they have completed their summaries. When the summaries have all been posted, take a stretch break so everyone can read all of them. The leader should point out similarities and differences in the perspectives offered.

Activity: Bridge Building

Any random materials will work for this activity – pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, spaghetti noodles, tape, glue, and so on. Determine a starting point and an ending point and ask the group to build a bridge that spans across the “river.” Cups or cans should be used for the starting and ending supports for the bridge and can be midpoints as well. Depending on the size of the group, either build the bridge together and test it at the end, or divide the larger group into two teams to ensure everyone can be hands-on. When the bridge(s) are built, be sure to test them. Use materials you have on hand to test the strength of the bridges – cups, markers, cookies, car keys, and so on.

Discussion

In this scripture, Jesus asked his audience to “keep the main thing the main thing.” Would you agree if I said that “living scripture” is the main thing?

Knowing scripture and living scripture are two different things. Service with our time and resources requires a change in our mindset – not just following a set of rules.

What was the most important structural part of your bridge building?

How does supporting objects with a bridge relate to supporting or serving others as a Christian?

How can serving and supporting people make you great?

Will serving or supporting always feel great? Why?

Think back to the icebreaker today – how can we add (or multiply) our efforts to serve people?

This news that “being great means being in service” shocked the disciples. Why do you think that was? Is that idea more or less shocking today?

What is one thing you can do this week to embody service the way Jesus described it?

Materials Needed

• Bibles
• Post-it notes and pens for everyone
• Bridge-building supplies (pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, spaghetti noodles, tape, glue)