Keep Focused 2: (Youth)

Below are some discussion questions around our theme this week of ‘stay connected’.

What do you think the verse from John 15:4-5 means when it talks about fruit? Can you give some examples?

Have you ever tried to be a better person or to do good things out of your own effort? How did it go? Was it easy or difficult?

After spending time with Jesus, how do you feel? Have you ever found that it impacts you positively? For example: you approach things better or are more motivated to look out for others.

What does it mean to you, that Jesus wants to ‘remain in you’?

In what ways, do you currently connect with Jesus/faith? Do they work for you?

What new ways could you try to connect to Jesus through?

Below is an activity to help you pray about staying connected to Jesus.

Find something that connects to something else. For example: lego, pipe- cleaners, fridge magnets or bits of string.

(Alternatively, if you like to make things then you could always make a paper chain by cutting up strips of paper and gluing or taping them together, whilst doing this prayer activity.)

Begin connecting the things together. Whilst you do so, think of all the positive words you can think of that relate to Jesus and who He is.

Spend some time thanking Him for who He is and that He wants to see good things done in and through you.

After this, pray that Jesus might show you ways to bring love or joy to someone today. This could be encouraging someone, cooking for your household, phoning a friend, writing a letter or something else.

If you’re not a Christian, spend this time thinking about how we are designed to be connected to Jesus and what it would look like for you to find out more about who He is and how He wants to be connected to you.

There are so many ways to stay connected to Jesus. Why not challenge yourself to try some new ways of doing this?!

Grab a diary or calendar (or draw a week’s calendar on a piece of paper if you don’t have a diary or calendar).

On it, for each day write down a new way of connecting with Jesus that you want to try. Then, when you’ve done it – cross it off. Rate it underneath for how well you think it helped you connect with Jesus.

We’ve provided some ideas below:

• Grab a piece of paper and write a letter to God about how you’re feeling right now. You may like to pray through it at the end.
• Print off photos of your friends and family. Stick them up in your room and, every time you see the photos, quickly pray for one of these people.
• Create a piece of artwork based off your favourite Bible verse.
• Write a list of questions you have about God and faith. Then, pray about these and go explore them further by talking to Christians you know such as your youth-worker, reading some books, looking at the Bible etc.
• Follow faith-based accounts on YouTube such as IntroOutro and watch their content.
• Pick a parable of Jesus. Read it. Then read it again and pray that God would show you some new things through it.
• Set a timer for 2 minutes. Stop everything for those 2 minutes and just sit in silence with God. See if He’s saying anything.
• Do a daily devotional on the YouVersion Bible app.
• When you read the Bible, ask the following questions to help you think about it further: who was this written/spoken to? What happened just before this passage? What happened after it? What did it mean to the people hearing this for the first time? What does it mean for me?
• Get a spare jar. On slips of paper write different Bible verse. You can use google to help you find some good ones. Then, fold them up and put them in the jar. Each day pick one out just before you brush your teeth, get ready, eat your breakfast etc. And think about the verse.