Suffering with the best of them

Group, Mar/Apr 2001 by Cutshall, John

TOPICS: Job, Joseph, Jesus, Paul

job

1. The Poster Child for Suffering(You'll need pictures of suffering people taped to newsprint or a white board, markers, and a Bible.)

Before the study, collect two or three newspaper or magazine pictures of people suffering. Tape these in a prominent place so your kids can see them before you get started.

After kids arrive, -> ask: What do you think of the pictures that I've taped up? What's the worst suffering you've ever seen? What's the worst suffering you've,ever experienced? How did you deal with it?

Form three groups. Give each group the following Scripture`passages to study: Group #1-Job 4:1-7; Group #2-Job 8:1-6; and Group #3-Job 11:1-20. Read aloud Job 2:11, then -> say: Imagine you're Jobs friends, and you're trying to discover why there's suffering in the world. Have groups each read through their assigned Scripture passages and be ready to report on what they find.

After 10 minutes, have groups each report, then -> ask: Why did his friends look at Job's suffering this way? Does the world still look at a person's suffering as that person's own fault? What about the pictures I put on display--do the people suffering always know the reason?

As kids discuss the questions, make summary notes next to the pictures on the white board or newsprint, Then read aloud Job 42:7-9. -> Ask: What's more important-knowing the reason for our suffering or learning how to respond to our suffering? Explain.

2. I Can't Take It-(You'll need a balloon for each person, and a Bible.)

Give kids each a balloon. Have kids inflate their balloons and tie them off. -> Say: As I read about Job, hold your balloon quietly and put yourself in his place. When you feel like the suffering would be too much for you, pop your balloon.

Read aloud Job 1:12-19. Once you're finished, -> ask: What pushed you beyond your breaking point? Have you ever suffered as much as Job did? Explain. Have you ever suffered enough that you reached your breaking point? How did you respond to the suffering? After kids respond, read aloud Job 1:20-22. -> Ask: How was Job able to respond to suffering in this way? How would an attitude like his change your life when it comes to suffering? Close in prayer.

joseph

1. Check the Chart-(You'll need a Bible, pencil, and paper for every three group members.)

Once kids arrive, have them form groups of three. -> Say: If we're looking for clues for how we can respond to suffering, we can learn a lot from Joseph. In four short chapters of Genesis, his life has more ups and downs than a roller coaster at a Six Flags amusement park. In your group, read Genesis 37, 39-41 and chart the ups and downs of his life on the paper you've been given.

As the kids work, walk among them to make sure they're progressing and to answer their questions. You can find specific highs and lows in Joseph's life in Genesis 37:3, 5, 23, 28; 39:1-6,19, 19-23; 41:14, and 39-41. After 10 minutes, have each group report a high or a low to the others. Have groups fill in their charts wherever they've missed a high or low.

-> Ask: If you had been Joseph, how might you have handled his difficulties? Joseph didn't question God or complain to him-why not? What does this teach us about suffering?

2. Switched!-(You'll need at least two Bibles, and at least two 3x5 cards with Scripture ref erences written on them.)

-> Say: Joseph's life was full of ups and downs. There were great honors and there were times of unfair suffering. Let's see what would happen if Joseph had handled his situations differently.

Have kids form at least two groups. (Note: if your group is large, you'll need more than two groups. So you'll need more than one group to report on the same episode in Joseph's life.) Give each group a prepared 3x5 card with one of the following Scripture passages listed on it: Genesis 37:3-28 or Genesis 39:1-20.

-> Say: Read your Scripture passage and brainstorm a way to switch the ending so Joseph could've escaped suffering. Then select one person in your group to act as storyteller-someone who will tell your story to the rest of the group.

When kids are ready, have them present their stories to the rest of the class. Then summarize Genesis 39:21-41:41 and -> ask: How did Joseph's sufferings pave the way for God to do good things in his life? Does suffering always make things better in the end? What can you learn from Joseph about handling the suffering in your life?

jesus

1. Comparatively Speaking-(You'll need a packet of flower seeds in your pocket, a marker, newsprint or white board, and a Bible for each young person.)

After your kids arrive, -> say: We all know Jesus suffered terribly before and during his crucifixion. But it's not easy to help others understand what he went through. Get with a partner and find an object inside the church or on the church grounds that you could use to help others understand Jesus' suffering. You have 15 minutes to find your object and develop an explanation of Jesus' suffering using it. Don't disturb other activities in the church. After 15 minutes, have pairs tell their "object lessons" to the rest of the group.

Then read aloud John 12:20-33. Take the flower seed packet out of your pocket, tear it open, and give each teenager a seed. -> Say: There's more to suffering than we think. With your partner, come up with two lists. List #1 should be words that describe your flower seed as it is now. List #2 should be words that describe your seed as it will be after it has "suffered." After a few minutes, have kids call out words from both lists. Make one master list on newsprint taped to a wall or a white board.

-> Ask: How often does suffering lead to something good in your life? Explain. What makes the difference between suffering that ultimately has a negative impact on us, and suffering that God uses to help us grow? How can there be glory in anything we have to suffer through?

2. Prescription for Suffering-(You'll need one empty prescription bottle and a pen for every two kids, a cross of any size, newsprint or white board, markers, and, for every young person, a sheet of paper with 1 Peter 3:13-22 printed on it.)