Offer It Up!

David C Cook COVID-19 Response

Middle School

Lesson 4
Summer 2019
By: Frieda Nossaman
June 23, 2019

Lesson Focus:

We have much to offer others.

Bible Basis:

2 Corinthians 8:1-12

Materials Needed:

Step 1:

Internet access
Food items (such as mini bagels and cream cheese, pizza bites, individually wrapped snack or chip bags, chocolates, etc.)
Alternate nut-free or gluten-free snack for students who may have allergies (fruit, veggies, etc.)

Step 4:

List of families/individuals with known needs in your church
Index cards
Pens/pencils
Whiteboard and marker
Optional: Internet access

Summary & Links:

After they watch a video about someone sharing food with the homeless, students will think about what they can offer others as they consider God’s desire for them to have generous and giving hearts.

Memory Verse:

For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
—2 Corinthians 8:12

Materials Needed:

Internet access
Food items (such as mini bagels and cream cheese, pizza bites, individually wrapped snack or chip bags, chocolates, etc.)
Alternate nut-free or gluten-free snack for students who may have allergies (fruit, veggies, etc.)

When students join your group today, mention that you want to give them something and show them where the snacks are. (Be sure to provide an alternate snack for students with food allergies.) Allow students to mingle and relax for a few minutes while they eat their snack. Try not to rush them back to the lesson time too quickly.

Teens seem to share a common need—the need for food! Hopefully this gave you what you needed! Give students an opportunity to offer thanks or mention that they were hungry, etc.

Your “need” for food today may have been more of a want instead of a need, but there are many people who share the need for food because of legitimate hunger.

Share the following video with your students [2:50]:
Waiter for the Homeless
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/dcc-web-1/RLD+Assets/Waiter+For+The+Homeless.mp4

What did this young man offer others? (Although the obvious answer might be food, other students may mention encouragement, kindness, hugs, handshakes or physical touch. If no one mentions this, bring it up.)

Did he offer anything else to these people as a result of giving them something for free? (He gave food, but did it in a way that let the people know they were worthy of being treated special; it offered people hope, a chance to feel loved, appreciated, not forgotten. He treated people with dignity.)

Which reaction from the recipients was your favorite? Why? (Accept all reasonable answers.)

This young man on this video normally videotapes pranks. Maybe the reactions he received will cause him to do less pranks and more giving in the future!

The food this guy was handing out usually sells for around six dollars. Giving someone a six-dollar meal is attainable for most of us in this group, but giving of ourselves is something all of us can do. Let’s learn more.

Looking for Steps 2 & 3?

You can find Steps 2 and 3 in your teacher’s guide. To purchase a teacher’s guide, please visit: Bible-in-Life or Echoes.

Materials Needed:

List of families/individuals with known needs in your church
Index cards
Pens/pencils
Whiteboard and marker
Optional: Internet access

Before class, check with your church’s benevolence committee for the names of individuals or families with known needs right now. As your students are working on their Step 3 activities, write down today’s memory verse, 2 Corinthians 8:12, on the whiteboard. Students will copy this verse down on their index cards later.

In today’s lesson, we looked at 2 Corinthians 8:1-12, where the Macedonian churches were living by grace. We learned that these churches were going through a difficult time financially yet found it possible to give generously. Paul used these Macedonian churches as an example for the Corinthian churches to follow.

Giving generously in hard times is not usually a go-to reaction. It seems easier and wiser, at times, to hold on to our money and save it for a rainy day. The Macedonian churches and the apostle Paul would disagree. The Corinthian churches were urged to give generously because they had much to offer others. We do, too.

Hand each student an index card and a pencil or pen. Encourage each student to write down one person or family who has a need. If students are stuck, provide them with the names of individuals or families with known needs that your church is helping right now. After students have done this, encourage them to copy down today’s memory verse on the backside of their index card. If possible, play the music video, link provided below, as students do this. This video will provide background music that ties in with today’s lesson focus [5:30]:
LORD I OFFER MY LIFE TO YOU

Today’s memory verse emphasizes that willingness is the first thing we have to offer. If we are willing to help others, then resources will come. What a great reminder as we live out our faith and trust God in our giving!

Allow students to brainstorm what they can offer to the individual or family they wrote down on their index card. Ideas might include free babysitting, house or yard work, washing a car, buying groceries, etc. You may want to see what ministries your church is already involved in for these individuals and allow your students to plug into those projects in future weeks. The key is following through. Be sure to connect with your students periodically to encourage them to reach out to these needy ones. Summer is a wonderful time for service projects and their impact on your group and community—eternal!

Close in group prayer allowing your students an opportunity to bless the person/family they selected.

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David C Cook COVID-19 Response

Middle School

Offer It Up!

Lesson Focus:

Bible Basis:

Materials Needed:

Step 1:

Step 4:

Summary & Links:

Memory Verse:

Step 1:

Materials Needed:

Looking for Steps 2 & 3?

Step 4:

Materials Needed:

Spread the word

About

Connect With Us

Search Lessons

Disclaimer of Third Party Content