Philippians - Joy, is it possible?

Where’s Sally?

Tommy and Jill were walking down the hall at school on Monday. They were both wondering where their friend Sally had been for the past couple of days. It wasn’t like her to not call. She never missed school. They sat in the cafeteria wondering out loud what could be going on with Sally…

Tommy: Maybe she’s got the flu

Jill: That’s possible. It has been going around. My family just got done through with it.

Tommy: I hate the flu. What do you hate worse, the diarrhea or the throwing up?

Jill: Well diarrhea has its benefits – You don’t have to taste it, but sometimes it smells so bad that you think you are tasting it. But diarrhea is also a little more risky… If it hits you at the wrong time, then you could have a real embarrassing mess on your hands.

Tommy: Been there

Jill: How did we get on this topic… this is gross and we’re eating.

Tommy: I think I lost my appetite.

Jill: I hope it isn’t anything serious. Sally’s had a hard enough year already. Her dog got run over by a car. She got the chicken pox on the first day of school. Mrs. Bonham gave her a failing grade last semester in English.

Tommy: It’s as if she has it out for her.

Jill: Ever since she spoke up in class and let everyone know that she was a Christian and believed in Jesus, Mrs. Bonham has been a jerk to her.

Tommy: Did she tell you about the 20page paper that she was writing for biology that got lost when her computer crashed.

Jill: I know… I don’t think I could take anymore. I can’t believe Toby dumped her like that in front of the school, in front of everybody. I thought that he was a nice guy until he did that.

Tommy: What a jerk.

Jill: I seriously don’t know what I would do if I was in her shoes.

SKITS:
Get in groups of five or six (make sure that everyone has a group).

As a group, come up with a difficult or stressful situation that someone may have to face in life.
Act out the situation and how you deal with the situation emotionally… What are you feeling and what are you thinking.

Rules:
Everyone participates (even if you are just a prop)
Have a spokes person to answer questions about your skit when you are done.

Don’t you feel bad for Sally. What a rough year she’s had. Maybe you felt like Jill “I seriously don’t know what I would do if I was in her shoes.” Maybe you thought that Sally’s year was nothing compared to this past year in your life…

2 weeks ago I told you that I wanted to introduce you to a man named Paul.
Paul lived a long time ago, and was responsible for spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to most of the known world and for writing the majority of the New Testament.

In one of his writings, he described a portion of the things that he had been through in his life:
Paul's Hardships
"Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one (significance of 39). Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea (that’s a place I wouldn’t want to be), I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen (the time when he was on the other side of the wall, and was lowered out the window in a basket), in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked."
(2 Cor. 11:24-27)

This is only a fraction of the things that Paul went through. He spent a lot of time chained up in prison. So, we find Paul writing this letter to the church at Philippi. The main theme of the letter is “The Joy of the Lord”. Is it possible to find joy in this life? Absolutely. I’m excited for these next few weeks as we get into Paul’s letter to the Philippians and see what he has to say about finding joy in this life.

Are you excited?...

It seems that we will be able to get some better response from the teens in discussion if they are the ones asking the questions. It also gives them the opportunity to develop more trusting relationships with one another. Take yourself out of the conversation unless you are needed to join in.
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Breakout Session Guide B.S.L. stands for Breakout Session Leader -
What is the happiest moment of your life that you can remember? What made it such a happy time?

Describe a difficult time in your life that you can remember (if you are willing to share)? Did you make it through it or are you still dealing with it? How did you deal with that situation?
BSL notes – Some may share, but then some may not feel comfortable sharing.
That’s ok. Don’t press on this. If noone shares, then make the question more
General (How do you deal with difficult situations in your life?)