Lesson For The Week (Jan. 25)

Learning From Failure
"My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Getting Started
What are some of your goals? Have you ever had a goal you couldn’t achieve? Have you ever tried something and failed?

Everyone wants to be a success. We encourage students to get good grades and be the best students in their class. Many adults work hard to gain as much money and respect as they can. We admire successful people, so when somebody fails at something, we sometimes look down on them. But everyone will fail sometimes because nobody is perfect. So how can we accept our failures and learn from them?

Vocabulary
achieve (v) – to perform well or carry out with success
respect (n) – honor or a high opinion from others
admire (v) – to respect someone or have a high opinion of them
look down on (v phr) – to look at someone without respect; to consider them
not as good
scatter (v) – to be separated or go in different directions
deny (v) – to declare untrue; to refuse to acknowledge
swear (v) – to make a promise or declaration in a very serious manner
break down (v phr) – to lose control of your emotions; to cry

Reading God’s Word

Introduction to the Bible reading

There are many examples in the Bible of people who failed. In fact, God seems to like failures! He often chose failures to work for him, and he would do great things through them. Peter was a good friend of Jesus, and he was a brave leader and teacher. But he failed sometimes too. Find out more in the Bible reading.

Mark 14:27-31

Jesus said to them, "All of you will run away and leave me, for the scripture says, "God will kill the shepherd, and the sheep will all be scattered. 28 But after I am raised to life, I will go to Galilee ahead of you.” 29 Peter answered, "I will never leave you, even though all the rest do!" 30 Jesus said to Peter, "I tell you that before the rooster crows two times tonight, you will say three times that you do not know me." 31 Peter answered even more strongly, "I will never say that, even if I have to die with you!"

Mark 14:66-72

66 Peter was still down in the courtyard when one of the High Priest's servant women came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked straight at him and said, "You, too, were with Jesus of Nazareth." 68 But he denied it. "I don't know . . . I don't understand what you are talking about," he answered, and went out into the passageway. Just then a rooster crowed. 69 The servant woman saw him there and began to repeat to the bystanders, "He is one of them!" 70 But Peter denied it again. A little while later the bystanders accused Peter again, "You can't deny that you are one of them, because you, too, are from Galilee." 71 Then Peter said, "I swear that I am telling the truth! May God punish me if I am not! I do not know the man you are talking about!" 72 Just then a rooster crowed a second time, and Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows two times, you will say three times that you do not know me." And he broke down and cried.

Matthew 16:18
18 And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it.

Taking a Closer Look
1. What did Peter promise Jesus?
2. What did Jesus say Peter would do? How did he respond?
3. When Peter said, “I would even die with you!” how do you think he was feeling?
4. After Peter had denied Jesus three times, how did he feel?
5. What does Jesus say he will use Peter for?
6. What is stronger than death?
7. What do you think Peter learned from his failure?
8. What will God do for us when we fail?

Taking Action
1. God says he will use our failures for good; that his “power is greatest when we are weak.” Have you ever seen anything good come out of a failure? How can we turn our failures around and learn from them?
2. Make a list of your goals for the future. Then think about the Bible reading. Are you trying to be successful by a human standard or by God’s standard? What are some steps we can take to be successful by God’s standard?

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Past Lessons

Lesson For The Week (Jan. 18)

The Trap of Perfection
Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Getting Started
What is a perfectionist? Are you one? Take the test below and discuss your answers with your group.

You are painting your kitchen. You spill some paint on the floor. It is not a lot of paint, but it won’t come out. How do you feel?
A. Very upset.
B. A little upset, but it is not a big deal.
C. You don’t care at all.

You are playing volleyball with some friends. They are great players, but you are not very good. They say, “It’s okay. We’re just playing for fun!” How do you feel?
A. Embarrassed, uncomfortable, and nervous. You don’t want to keep playing.
B. A little nervous, but you’re also having fun.
C. You are having a great time. It is just fun to play, no matter how good or bad you are.

You just graduated from college. What do you plan to do next?
A. Take a long vacation. You’ve earned it.
B. Relax for a week or so, and then start working on your next goal.
C. Immediately start working on your next goal. There is no time to relax.

Your teacher says you are very good at English, but you have some trouble with math. How do you feel?
A. Proud and content. Nobody is good at everything.
B. Proud about your English, but disappointed about your math.
C. Very disappointed. You want to be good at everything.

Sometimes it is good to be a perfectionist. We should always try to be the best we can be. But many perfectionists are actually afraid of failure. They are afraid that if they are not perfect all the time, their family and friends might get angry with them, or maybe even reject them. It is always important to try our best, but we need to remember that we don’t need to be perfect to be loved.

Vocabulary
content (adj) – satisfied; happy with what you have and who you are
reject (v) – to not accept something or someone
deceive (v) – to lie or trick someone; to be dishonest
confess (v) – to tell the truth about something you have done wrong
purify (v) – to clean or make pureconduct (n) – the way a person acts; behavior

Reading God’s Word

1 John 1:8

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us.
But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing.

Romans 5:8

But God has shown us how much he loves us – it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!

Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one. The Lord protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid.

2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come.

Galatians 6:4
4 You should each judge your own conduct. If it is good, then you can be proud of what you yourself have done, without having to compare it with what someone else has done.

Romans 15:7
Accept one another, then, for the glory of God, as Christ has accepted you.

Taking a Closer Look
1. Is anyone on earth perfect?
2. How do we deceive ourselves?
3. How can we be “purified” from all our mistakes and imperfections?
4. How can we become new?
5. How did God prove how much he loves us?
6. Why shouldn’t we compare ourselves to others?
7. What does God expect from us?
8. How should we treat others when they make mistakes?

Taking Action
1. What is something you are bad at? What are some of your gifts and talents? How can you use these gifts to help others and to serve God?
2. Do you think our world today pushes us to be perfect at everything? How can we learn to be content even though we are not perfect?

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Past Lessons

Lesson For The Week (Jan. 11)

Facing Fear
The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid; what can anyone do to me? (Psalm 118:6-7)

Getting Started
Are you afraid of spiders? Heights? Speaking in public? Share with your group some things that you are afraid of.

In America there is a TV show called Fear Factor. On this show, people have to face their fears. For example, if a woman on the show is afraid of cockroaches, she might have to hold one, or even eat one! The TV show is kind of strange, but it is a good idea to face our fears. Some people are afraid of the water, but it is still good for them to learn how to swim. Children might be afraid to go to school, but they have to face this fear as well. We teach them that facing fear is part of life. But most of us still have fears that we don’t want to face; fears so big we think we can never conquer them. What can we do about fears this big? In a world full of fear, how can we learn to live fearlessly?

Vocabulary
conquer (v) – to defeat an enemy; to win over someone
despise (v) – to hate very strongly
schemes (n) – plans; ideas
almighty (adj) – all powerful
salvation (n) – freedom from sin and/or danger
union (n) – two things joined together
drive out (v phr) – to force someone or something to leave

Reading God’s Word

Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Isaiah 8:11-13
11 With his great power the Lord warned me not to follow the road which the people were following. He said, 12 "Do not join in the schemes of the people and do not be afraid of the things that they fear. 13 Remember that I, the Lord Almighty, am holy; I am the one you must fear.

Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one. The Lord protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid.

Isaiah 43:1
"Do not be afraid—I will save you. I have called you by name—you are mine.

Psalm 23:4
Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me.

Romans 8:35, 37
35 Who, then, can separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble do it, or hardship or persecution or hunger or poverty or danger or death?. . .37 No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!

1 John 4:16b, 18
16 Those who live in love live in union with God and God lives in union with them. . . 18 There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out all fear. So then, love has not been made perfect in anyone who is afraid, because fear has to do with punishment.

Taking a Closer Look
1. What does it mean to fear God? What benefit can this bring us? (Proverbs 1:7)
2. What shouldn’t we fear? (Isaiah 8:11-13)
3. Psalm 27:1 tells us, “The Lord protects me from all danger.” Does this mean nothing bad will ever happen to us?
4. What if something terrible does happen to us? Why shouldn’t we be afraid? (Romans 8:35 and 37)
5. According to 1 John 4:18, what does fear have to do with? Should we fear God’s punishment?
6. What does perfect love do? Where can we find perfect love? ?

Taking Action
1. What are some good, healthy steps we can take towards facing our fears?
2. God tells us he is the one thing we should fear. How can we show respect for God in everyday life?

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Chinese Translation
Past Lessons