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12-LESSON SERIES

ESTIONS ABOUT LING TOUGH QU TACK ND ME G O D, O T H E R S, A

CD & DVD INCLUDED

Grapple Jr. High: Get Yourself Committed Copyright 2012 Group Publishing, Inc. Permission to photocopy these lessons from Grapple granted for local church use. For information, visit group.com/customer-support. group.com simplyyouthministry.com Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. ISBN 978-0-7644-7551-1 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12

Printed in the United States of America.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE END Key Verse: Revelation 21:4 Lesson 1: When Is the End?
Matthew 24:1-14, 36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lesson 2: Whats It Going to Be Like?


1 John 1:9-10; Revelation 6:1-8, 12-17; 16:1-9; 21:1-27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Lesson 3: Are There Any Second Chances?


Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43; Luke 19:10; Romans 5:7-8; 10:12-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Lesson 4: Will Things Be the Same?


John 11:25-27; 1 Corinthians 15:35-53; Philippians 3:20-21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

SIGNING ON THE DOTTED LINE! Key Verse: Romans 10:9 Lesson 5: Whos a Perfect 10?
1 John 1:5-10; 3:3-10; 4:9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

43 53

Lesson 6: Is God Keeping Score?


Genesis 3:16-24; John 8:2-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lesson 7: What Makes Jesus So Cool?


Romans 5:1-17; 12:2; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; Colossians 1:16-17; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 4:11-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

63 73

Lesson 8: Now What?


Matthew 25:31-46; Romans 10:1-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

WHO NEEDS EM? Key Verse: Romans 12:10 Lesson 9: Why Are My Parents So Lame? Luke 2:41-51; Deuteronomy 5:16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Lesson 10: What if I Stink?
Genesis 25:27-28; 27:1-40; 28:10-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

93

Lesson 11: How Did I Get Stuck With Them? Genesis 37; 1 Peter 1:21-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Lesson 12: Why Is It So Unfair?
Luke 15:11-32; Philippians 4:11-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

INTRODUCTION
GRAPPLE JR. HIGH Some of your students may already seem jaded about the Bible, and some of them have never cracked one open. Wherever your teenagers are in their spiritual journey, two things they all have in common are an inquisitive mind and a need for Christ-centered biblical depth. Grapple Jr. High is specifically designed to get junior highers grappling with tough topics in meaningful ways so they understand and own their faith. Each week, students engage with memorable Bible passages and characters, grapple with the issues that come to the surface, and discover a path that leads them straight to Jesus Christ. During class, students follow the same schedule each week. GRAPPLE SCHEDULE
5 MINUTES 10 MINUTES 10-15 MINUTES 20-25 MINUTES 10 MINUTES 5 MINUTES HANG TIME GRAPPLE CHAT GRAPPLE TIME TEAM TIME TEAM REPORTS PRAYER & CHALLENGE

Please note that times are approximate and should be flexible to fit your classroom needs. WHAT HAPPENS? GRAPPLE HANG TIME: Kids enjoy snacks and friendship as they spend time getting to know each other as music plays in the background. Then play a three-minute countdown, included on your Grapple DVD, to let students know how much time they have until Grapple Hang Time is over. You can also use the countdowns to wrap up an activity in the lesson. GRAPPLE CHAT: Chat topics connect students to one another and to the Word of God. Two topics in each lesson are built on passages or characters from the Bible, and two topics challenge students to discuss their lives. Encourage students to choose one question from each of these categories. In each lesson, Questions 1 and 3 are the biblically based questions, and Questions 2 and 4 are the ones that tap into their personal experiences.

GRAPPLE TIME: Grapple Time is the leader-led experience for your entire class. Grapple Time involves everyone in making discoveries; the experience helps students cultivate the desire to dig into the Bible for answers. GRAPPLE TEAM TIME: Students get into their Grapple Teams of six or fewer to dig into the Bible with the reproducible Grapple Team Guide. Who leads a Grapple Team? If you have six or fewer students, have them stay together with you as the leader. If you have several Grapple Teams, try these ideas: Facilitate all the teams by moving from team to team, assign a student to be the team leader, or recruit adults or high school students to be team leaders. GRAPPLE TEAM REPORTS: Teams vote on how they want to report what they discovered during Grapple Team Time. Once teams are ready to report, they get with other teams that chose the other style of reporting. They then take turns reporting what they learned. If you have just one Grapple Team, consider dividing your team into two smaller groups to create and present reports. GRAPPLE PRAYER AND CHALLENGE: Kids choose, as a class, which prayer option they would like to do. After the class closes in prayer, give kids the weekly Grapple Challenge to live out their faith during the coming week. ALLERGY ALERT This guide may contain activities that include food. Be aware that some kids have food allergies that can be dangerous. Know the students in your class, and consult with parents about allergies their kids may have. Also be sure to carefully read food labels, as hidden ingredients can cause allergy-related problems.

THE END
WHEN IS THE END?

THE END
When Is the End? The Point: Gods Ultimate Concern for Everyones Salvation The Passage: Matthew 24:1-14, 36 GET STARTED Lesson 1. When Is the End? GRAPPLE SCHEDULE
5 MINUTES 10 MINUTES 10-15 MINUTES 20-25 MINUTES 10 MINUTES 5 MINUTES HANG TIME GRAPPLE CHAT GRAPPLE TIME TEAM TIME TEAM REPORTS PRAYER & CHALLENGE

SUPPLIES Bibles, Grapple DVD, DVD player, music CD, CD player, copy of the Grapple Team Guide for each person, paper, pens or pencils, watch with second hand or stopwatch, bulls-eye BIBLE BASIS FOR TEACHERS The Passage: Matthew 24:1-14 On the way from the Temple in Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives, Jesus and his disciples begin a discussion about the end of the age. This conversation continues in a private conversation between Jesus and his disciples once they reach the Mount of Olives. Jesus informs his disciples that there will be many signs that will precede the end. Some of these signs include false prophets, wars, earthquakes, persecutions, and increased wickedness. All of these signs aside, Jesus emphasizes the fact that the end would come only after the gospel had been preached to the entire world. How does this relate to the Grapple Question? Its easy to become consumed with the fire, destruction, and mayhem often associated with the end of the world. Its also tempting to think that the end is coming as we watch television news reports on more wars, wicked terrorists, earthquakes, and suicide cults. Teenagers arent necessarily asking this question because theyre scared about the end; theyre probably asking this question because theyre intrigued with how it will all play out. Jesus wants us to be focused on the bigger picture. Instead of trying to figure out when the end is coming, Jesus wants us to focus on being prepared and making sure as many people as possible have been exposed to the gospel. God desires that all people receive the gift of salvation through Jesus,

and God will patiently wait for everyone to have an opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:9-10). How does this connect to Jesus? Jesus gives us a great illustration as to what the world will look like when the end is coming. The main problem with the illustrations Jesus provides is that one could easily ascertain that the world has been enduring those birth pains for 2,000 years. Jesus even states specifically that no one, except for the Father, knows the day or hour when the end will come (Matthew 24:36). Jesus wants his followers to continuously live out the gospel in their lives and share that gospel with others. Instead of becoming overwhelmed with signs and predictions or trying to pinpoint the exact minute, Jesus wants us to share the gospel with others. When all have heard the good news about Jesus, then the end will come. GRAPPLE HANG TIME: 5 MINUTES Play music as kids enjoy snacks and friendship, and then play an opening countdown from the Grapple DVD to wrap up Grapple Hang Time. GRAPPLE CHAT: 10 MINUTES Have students form pairs; if you have an uneven number of kids, its OK to have one trio in the mix. Ask each group to chat about two of the four topics below that relate to todays grapple topic. (Answers in parentheses are samples.) IN PAIRS Chat 1: What did Jesus say when his disciples gave him a tour of the Temple? (The Temple would be demolished, Matthew 24:1-2) Chat 2: How old is your oldest living relative? How often do you see this person? Chat 3: According to Jesus, what events will signal his return? (See Matthew 24:4-14 for details) Chat 4: During a typical day at school, how many times do you glance at a clock to see what time it is? In which class do you tend to look most often? GRAPPLE TIME: 10-15 MINUTES Get Ready: Before students arrive, hide or cover every clock in the room. Have a watch with a second hand or a stopwatch. Cue the Grapple DVD to the Boxing Day clip. Lead the entire class in the following: Lets play a game called Time Masters. The rules are simple: Sit, close your eyes, and when you think a certain number of seconds has passed, silently raise your hand and open your eyes.

Arrange students in a circle. Ask them to place watches and cell phones in pockets. Close your eyes. Remember: Raise your hand and open your eyes at precisely 37 seconds. Be closest, and youre the Time Master! Go! As time passes, chatter about your day, ingrown toenails, or anything else to distract students. Observe which student responds closest to 37 seconds. Applaud your Time Master. Play again to 117 seconds. Again, be distracting. Applaud the winner. IN PAIRS What helped as you counted? What made it difficult? When in real life is it hard to wait? TELL ALL Share your insights about waiting. Lets play one more round. Close your eyes. Go! When students protest that you didnt give them an end time, reply that you dont need toyou know what the end time is. Students likely will grow frustrated and open their eyes. TELL ALL I made this round of the game hard for you. How did you feel about my decision to change the way you played? about the game? What, if anything, did this final round remind you of in real life? Lets watch a video clip about the last days, when Jesus will come back. Like you were during the last round of our game, were all on alert waiting for that time but we have no idea when it is. It can get frustrating. Show the Boxing Day clip on the Grapple DVD. Lots of people try to figure out the date of Jesus return, but they seldom agree. What does the Bible say? What can we know? When is the end? Lets grapple with that. GRAPPLE TEAM TIME: 20-25 MINUTES Break into Grapple Teams. Encourage Grapple Team leaders to check in with kids about their week. Grapple Team leaders will facilitate discussion, using the Grapple Team Guide on pages 7-8. Afterward, students will report what they learned.

GRAPPLE TEAM REPORTS: 10 MINUTES At the end of Grapple Team Time, match Grapple Teams that chose Option 1 with Grapple Teams that chose Option 2 from page 8. Have teams present their reports. (If you have an uneven number of teams, simply form one group of three teams for the presentations. If you have only two Grapple Teams, simply do the presentations one team at a time.) GRAPPLE PRAYER AND CHALLENGE: 5 MINUTES Read the Grapple Prayer options. Have the class choose one prayer option that everyone will do. Allow students time to pray about what they discovered. Then close in prayer. Get Ready: For Option 1, affix the bulls-eye to the far wall, and distribute paper to students. Option 1: Marksman, Markswoman Make paper airplanes, and take turns throwing the airplanes at the bulls-eye. Walk to wherever your airplane lands and pray to God about one way you miss the mark in your life. Relate what you say to what you learned today. Option 2: Letter Prayers Write a letter to Jesus. Tell him what you know is true about him and what youre unsure about; ask for his strength and help in developing a deeper trust in him. GRAPPLE CHALLENGE Dont be anxious about the last days. Trust Jesus to care for you in the last days the way he cares for you now: with faithfulness and love and compassion. And until he comes back, endure in faith, and tell people about the good news of Jesus! This week, whenever you watch the news on TV or read the news online, pray for someone you know who isnt a follower of Jesus. WEEKLY GRAPPLE CONNECTION Grapple Question: When Is the End? Kids Learn: Gods Ultimate Concern for Everyones Salvation Dig Into the Bible: Matthew 24:1-14 Wouldnt it be great to know exactly when Jesus will return? Many people have tried to figure that out over the yearsbut we arent the only ones to wonder. Even Jesus disciples tried coaxing a date from him! Matthew 24:14 says, And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. We dont need to be anxious about the End Times. We can trust in Jesus to care for us in the End Times the way he cares for us now: with faithfulness and

love and compassion. And until he comes back, endure in faithand share the gospel! Find one person you can share the message of Jesus with this week, and encourage your teenager to do the same. -------------------------------------------

TEAM GUIDE
GRAPPLE TEAM GUIDE LESSON 1 In your Grapple Team, use this guide to grapple with todays question. Read Matthew 24:1-3 Many people today are trying to figure out when Jesus will return, but those of us who live in the 21st century arent the only ones to wonder. Jesus disciples tried coaxing a date from him! Why such fascination with the last days? Why are so many people trying to predict when Jesus will return? Why would someone want to know? Jot your thoughts below. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Share your answers with your team. Read Matthew 24:4-12 IN PAIRS How do you feel about the coming of the last days after reading this passage? Why? If you had your choice, would you live through the events preceding it or not? Do you think were living in them now? Why or why not?

This is the bottom line: Jesus is coming back. Theres an end time in your future either when Jesus returns or when you die and come face to face with him that way. Everyone gets an end time. Guaranteed. But what should you be doing between now and then? _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Read Matthew 24:13-14, 36 What did Jesus say needs to happen before he will return, and how do you think Jesus audience felt about his answer? How do you feel? Do you think most people would live differently if they knew exactly when Jesus will return? Why or why not? Would you live differently? Why or why not? How does the passage from Matthew 24 affect your thoughts on how Jesus wants you to live your life? GRAPPLE TEAM REPORTS With your team, choose one of the options below to report what you discovered. Option 1: Top 5 Create a Top 5 list of the most important, challenging, or meaningful things you learned today. Be prepared to explain why each item on the list is so important, challenging, or meaningful. Option 2: Knowit Poets! Write a poem or a rap about what you learned today, making every sentence contain the word returnor a word that rhymes with it.

WHEN IS THE END?


(STUDENT)

GRAPPLE CHAT Chat 1: What did Jesus say when his disciples gave him a tour of the Temple? Chat 2: How old is your oldest living relative? How often do you see this person? Chat 3: According to Jesus, what events will signal his return? Chat 4: During a typical day at school, how many times do you glance at a clock to see what time it is? In which class do you tend to look most often?

GRAPPLE CHALLENGE This week, whenever you watch the news on TV or read the news online, pray for someone you know who isnt a follower of Jesus.

NOTES: _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

STUDENT

Revelation 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.

Do todays teenagers lack commitment, dedication, and loyalty? We dont think so, but we do recognize the importance of effectively modeling commitment to early adolescents. The best way to grow in character is to observe others who excel in that area, and when it comes to commitment, God is the ultimate role model. This 12-lesson edition of Grapple Jr. High will help teenagers discover the depth of Gods devotion to us. Despite our flaws and imperfections, God remains faithful and committed. Using the three series in this volume, youll guide students through conversations built on several important truths: Gods commitment will remain strong even in the End Times Jesus is committed to forgiving sins and giving second chances Teenagers can pursue commitment to their families

Along the way, your teenagers will grapple with such topics as what the End Times will be like, how sin creates separation from God, why Jesus is cool, why its both important and beneficial to obey parents, and how to survive unfair family situations. Help students get on a right, healthy path toward maturity that is displayed through Jesus-centered faithfulness and commitment!

ISBN 978-0-7644-7551-1

9 780764 475511

122153

Printed in the U.S.A.

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