Relationships (part 2) - What Was Your Name Again?

There are 2 kinds of people in the world. People you know and people you don’t. Today we are going to talk about people you don’t know.

What is it that makes one person ‘worth’ more than everyone else?

What are some of the different groups in your schools and what identifies them? How do you know what group they belong to? What are the different nationalities in your schools? What is the attitude of people towards other nationalities moving in?

What group do you belong to? (Ask a few of the teens)

What is the typical interaction between the groups?

You don’t hear a lot about this kind of thing now, but just a few years ago the whole idea of an interracial couple was sickening to a lot of people in the U.S. But interracial mixing wasn’t anything new. It has been around for thousands of years. Let me take you back to the Bible days.

The Jews in the New Testament were completely against interracial anything let alone interracial marriage. That was considered unclean. If you were one of those ½ breeds, then you were an outcast from Israel. In fact, it was so bad that the Israelites would actually go out of their way to not even walk through your space.

Describe Israel, Samaria, and Jerusalem.

The Samaritans or the mixed race lived in Samaria, right between Israel and Jerusalem. Here’s the scene:
Jesus and his disciples had to make fast time so they headed straight through. The disciples go into town to get some food, and Jesus goes and sits down by a well and begins to talk to a woman their. During the conversation we learn that she has been married twice before and is now living with a man in an immoral relationship.

How do you think that Jesus responded to her?
How do you think most people would expect Jesus to respond to her?
“Look down on her” Why, because that’s exactly what they see Christians do.

Reference some of the names that they have for the “groups”. There’s a stigma out there, that has been created by Christians. If you are sleeping around or if you doing drugs or if you can’t say something without swearing, then I don’t want to associate myself with you. What do Christians say when someone like that claims to be a Christian?
“There’s no way that they could be a Christian”

Now look at this story, also from the New Testament. Some one asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” So Jesus told a story.
Luke 10:30-35

The way you treat other people is a reflection on who you are as a person. It tells how secure or confident you are in who you are. It shows what you value. It also shows what level of pride or humility that you have.

Here’s a challenge: The next time that you find yourself around someone who you have a preconception about. (You find yourself looking down on that person.) STOP.
That is an actual person with feelings, ideas, a family. Is there really something about you that makes you worth more than them?
What you see is not all that makes up that person’s life.

As a Christian, the way that I relate to people is how they will see Christ relating to them. Are you a good example or not?
If you are, then how do you help others do the same?
If you aren’t, then what will you change?
--------------------------------------------------------
Breakout Session Guide D.L. stands for Discussion Leader -
What is racism? Is racism an issue in Johnsburg, Spring Grove, and Richmond? How do you know?
D.L. Notes – If the answer is no, then challenge the group with situations.
A twin of racism is ethno-centricity, a perspective that your race or culture is superior to
Someone elses. It’s not something that we will readily admit to, but that doesn’t mean
That it doesn’t exist.

What are the different “types” or “groups” of people in your school? Is there a difference in status between the different “groups” in your school? Why do you think that is?
D.L. Notes – In most school systems, there is some type of a caste system. There is
almost an assumed level of hierarchy. Try and understand what the different groups are
and why one seems to be more important than the other.

Do you have a unique identity (style, personality, etc…) from everyone else or do you think that you fit into a certain “group”? Why do you dress the way you do? Why do you listen to the music that you do?
D.L. Notes – Try to understand why they may look similar to a particular group. Why do
people associated with ___________ lifestyle all seem to look similar? Are you naturally
your own person or do you do it on purpose?