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Helping Those in Need

“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” 1 John 3:17 NIV

Topics:

Availability, Burdens, Caring, Comfort, Community, Giving

Materials:

Peanut Butter (Or Jelly)
Two slices of bread
Knife
Blindfold

Duration:

Approximately 15 minutes

Help one another

What you will do during class:

Gather your small group and blindfold one member. Hide in your room some peanut butter or jelly, two slices of bread, and a knife to spread it with. Challenge your group (and the blindfolded person) three times to make a peanut butter sandwich:

Round One
Simply tell the blindfolded person that it is his or her job is to make a peanut butter sandwich in 90 seconds. He or she will undoubtedly fail without help.

Round Two
Tell the group they can instruct the blindfolded individual, guide him or her toward the ingredients, etc. They cannot touch the blind person or the ingredients, but they can talk to blindfolded person. They might (the chances are slim) meet the goal of 90 seconds.

Round Three
Tell the group they can do anything in their power to help (don’t tell them, but this includes make the sandwich themselves). They are certain to succeed this time.

Discussion Questions:

1. Which one of these rounds was the hardest? Why?
2. Which round was the easiest? Why?
3. Is there anyway that someone who was blindfolded could actually complete the goal without help?
4. How easy do you think it is for people who are spiritually blind to find Jesus without help from someone else?
5. What do you think our role is in helping other people find Christ? Should it be like our first try through the game (no help), the second time through the game (talking only), or like the third time when we did whatever we could, actually helping the person complete the task?

1 John 3:17
“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?”

Discussion Questions:

1. There’s an old saying which states that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Do you think it’s possible to convince people to follow Jesus if we don’t genuinely love them?
2. What are some ways we can preach with our actions to help those in need?
3. Think about your life—who do you know that is in need? How can you help that person?
4. If we have no pity on people, the truth of God is not in us. Does this verse surprise you? Why or why not?
5. Are you a person who is actively helping others? What does this say about your faith?

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