Teens are acutely aware of the tug-of-war between right and wrong, good and evil, sin and redemption. The values of their culture often stand in contrast to the values of their churches and families.

Start by giving each member of your class a sheet of black paper. Prompt them to use white chalk to write down words and phrases that they associate with the sin and darkness in the world. These can be synonyms like immorality, guilt, disobedience, etc. or they can include personal transgressions like lying, lust, pride, and so forth.

Encourage them to share ideas with a partner or even look up synonyms on their smartphones. When students are finished filling this first sheet with words, discuss the following questions:

• Most people are more comfortable writing down sins that plague other people rather than being honest with their own struggles. Why do we often think of sin that way? (There is something about finger-pointing that makes us feel more comfortable. We are generally more self-righteous than we are self-aware.)
• On the other hand, some people go to the other extreme, thinking of themselves as worthless and unlovable due to their mistakes. Why is this line of thinking equally dangerous? (If Jesus really has paid the penalty for our sin, then we must trust that his mercy has truly redeemed us. We are not worthless or unlovable when we’ve been forgiven.)

Next, give each student a sheet of white paper. With a black marker or pen, write down all the ways that Jesus has covered the darkness of this world. These will be a counterbalance to the previous list, including words like forgiveness, mercy, sacrifice, and so forth. When they are finished, they will staple or tape the white sheet over the black pieces of paper, covering the previous set of words.

When we see how merciful God is in light of our disobedience and mistakes, we are inspired to model that sort of grace with others. If we’re honest with ourselves, we probably have some unforgiveness in our hearts against someone who has hurt us. One way we can be freed from this bitterness is to ask Jesus for a merciful spirit.

(Due to the chance of gossip and oversharing, it is probably unwise to have students share openly or write down names or situations that require forgiveness.) In the remaining class time, encourage students to spend some time alone in prayer. As they are reminded of people who have hurt them, prompt them to ask God for His spirit of mercy.

Close in prayer after challenging your students to resubmit these issues to God in prayer each time the unforgiveness tries to re-establish itself. Ask God for His spirit of mercy throughout the next week.