Lessons in Grace - Live Forgiven

The goal of this lesson will be to introduce the students to the reality of God’s forgiveness.
Teacher’s Note:
At this point the students should begin to have a good understanding of grace. Evaluate the “Grace Quiz.” Determine if moving on to accepting grace is the right move. If necessary take some time to reinforce the previous “Understanding Grace” lessons.

Review the quiz:
Last week we took a quiz on grace. The intent of the quiz was to determine whether or not we get it. Has the light ever come on and we said, “Oh!!!! Now I get it.”

1. Justification is salvation from death.
2. Sanctification is salvation from sin.
3. A judgmentalist believes: As long as your sins are worse than mine, then I’m not so bad.
4. A legalist believes: God will have to accept me and love me if I do all of these things.
5. Grace is not deserved.
6. Grace is not earned.
7. What is grace? What does it mean to you? How does grace fit into your life?
8. Do you get it?
9. What do you think after you sin and know it? What do you feel after you sin and know it? What do you do about it? Why do you do good? How does God feel about you when you sin?
10. What is the worst thing you have ever done? Did God forgive you for it? When?

There were some very honest answers on the quizzes. I really appreciate that. It told me a few things:
v You guys have been listening.
v God is really working inside you. Jesus told His disciples, “The Helper, The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things….” John 14:26
v We have a good ways to go.

In your honesty, you articulated well what your true feelings are and what your relationship with God looks like.

Some questions that we will be trying to answer in the weeks to come are:
How does grace fit into my life?
When does God forgive me for my daily sins?
How does God feel about me when I sin?
Why do I do good?

Today we will start to look into God’s forgiveness:

The most common “unsolicited” comments in the quiz were:
v “I know that God has forgiven me, but I don’t know if or when I will forgive myself.”
v “I know that God has forgiven me, but I don’t feel forgiven.”
The precept:
God’s forgiveness is not a fairytale. Our relationship with God is not a story from Aesop’s Fables. It is real. We accept that we are sinners. We accept that Christ died for our sins. We believe in the reality of God. (or do we?)

Food for thought:
Is God only a nice thought? Is he only a good idea? Is God no more real than Zeus, Hercules, or Ra (the sun god)? If so, then God is equal to mother goose or Peter Pan. The question begins with: Is God real? I’m not asking if God is real to you. Is God real, period?

Before we discuss God’s forgiveness, let’s see how good we are at making choices.
BOMB SHELTER:
Hand out a different character slip to each student.
Read the list of characters.
The Scenario:
v You are the character on your slip.
v You are all living in South Western Nevada.
v A Nuclear War has erupted in the world.
v There is a bomb shelter underneath the Walgreens.
v You have all shown up.
v There is only room in the shelter for half of you.
v You all want to be in the shelter.
The Object of the Activity:
v As a Group - Decide who gets to go into the shelter and who does not.
v As Individuals – Get yourself into the bomb shelter.
The Guidelines:
v You have 7 minutes.
v You must behave the way your character would behave.

Who did you decide to put in the bomb shelter? Why?
What was it like trying to convince the group that you should go in the shelter?
What made this game easy or difficult?

Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, not adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Who is wicked in God’s eyes? All men. (There is none righteous.)
Who inherits the kingdom of Heaven? How?
Would God have decided to save the people you decided to save? Explain.
How does this game relate to God’s forgiveness?

Sanctified / Justified (Past tense????)Bomb Shelter Character Descriptions

If you have fewer than eighteen, choose the descriptions you like the best (but be sure to include a balance of positive and negative descriptions.) If a description is too sensitive or hits too close to home for some of the participants, don’t use it.
You’re an overachieving high school student. You succeed in everything you do.
You’re a high school student with a GPA of 1.7.
You’re a famous artist.
You’re a criminal. You were convicted of murder, but you’ve changed dramatically since being in prison.
You’re an author.
You’re a gang leader.
You’re a politician.
You’re a musician.
You’re a mom of three kids and president of the PTA.
You’re a high school teacher.
You’re a single dad of two kids.
You’re a prisoner, and you plan to commit more crimes when you get out.
You’re a prostitute.
You’re an atheist.
You’re a promiscuous teenager.
You’re a thief.
You’re an alcoholic.
You’re a successful business person who secretly steals from your company.

Colossians 1:21-22
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

Free from accusation: Is this how you see yourself, or are you guilty?

Separate the group:
1 Contractor
1 Accountant
3 groups of workers

Scenario –
Group A is sitting at the gas station (morning).
Group B is sitting at the gas station (lunch).
Group C is sitting at the gas station (dinner).
Hire out each group.
Pay them at the end of the day.

Matthew 20:1-16
Parable of the generous landowner

Based on need; not merit.