This Sunday we were in week four of our four week series on Paul’s letter to the Philippians. We’re using The Complete New Testament Resource, Volume 1 from Youth Specialties as a launching pad for the series; Paul R taught the high school while Matt O taught the middle school kids.
In particular, we focused on Philippians 4:4-7, with a goal that students would learn that even when things don’t seem to be going well in our lives, God wants us to rejoice, pray, and trust him.
There were four main take away thoughts from the lesson:
- It’s about our attitude. Paul probably had no reason to rejoice while being incarcerated. But he chose to control his attitude and rejoice in the situation he found himself in.
- How do we control our attitudes? We have to understand we aren’t alone—that Jesus is with us through everything.
- Don’t be anxious. When we start to worry, we need to stop and pray and trust God.
- Ultimate peace. Ultimate joy and peace come from Christ being in us and knowing he’s always with us.
A follow up idea for families of students who were here for the lesson would be to reread the passage together and discuss the following questions (maybe in the car or around the dinner table?):
- Share your most joyous moment or occasion. What made you so happy?
- When have you been happy but not joyful? When have you been joyful but not happy?
- When has joy been difficult to find?
- What does Paul present in this passage as the secrets to having joy?
Matthew McNutt 