Living and dying are a part of our existence. We do well in talking about life, but death is another story. Today’s lesson will help your youth define the difference between temporary and permanent. Your group will learn the importance of appreciating their humanness in the context of the eternal life only Christ can bring.

 

Distribute the Student Guides and have your group turn to the Permanent Things section. Have each group member find a partner and follow the directions on the Guide. If youth are having trouble thinking of ideas, here are a few examples you might give: rock, Sequoia, brick house, etc. Encourage them to be creative in their definition of what might seem permanent. Give them about ten minutes to complete the exercise.

 

When the students have finished, have everybody come back together. Use these questions to follow-up:

• What makes something seem permanent?

• Why do we like permanent things?

• What is something you thought would be “permanent” and turned out to be temporary?

• What is something that is temporary but you wish to be permanent?

 

Say something like, “We tend to believe that our human life will never end. But, when we think about it,

we know it will. Today’s lesson is all about the difference between what is temporary and what is permanent. Through music and Scripture, the message will be appreciating our

life now and what we do now while knowing that eternal life, which is so much more, is the gift of God to us.”

 

Direct your group to the Goner section of the Student Guide. Let your group know the video being played today is by the group RED. Check out more information on this song and the artist at the website listed above. Encourage your group members to complete the exercise while they watch the video.

 

Have different people share their notes. Follow-up with these questions:

• The songwriter asks, “When I’m gone, when I fade away, is the air I breathe my only legacy?” How would you interpret these words?

• What was discouraging about the images in this video?

• What was hopeful?

• What was your “bottom line” summary? Share it with the group.

 

Say something like, “‘Legacy’ is defined as something (an idea, inspiration, etc.) left behind for others. What would you like to leave behind? How would you like people to have known about you? The Bible reminds us of the temporary nature of life. The life we have is a gift, but we must hold it loosely – there is something more significant. God can use us, if we let Him, to leave behind something having an eternal impact.”

 

Read Psalm 103:8-18 together as a group, and then have each person complete the We Are Gone exercise – allow about five to ten minutes to finish. When everybody is done, give them the opportunity to share what they discovered. Follow with these questions:

• Why should we be reminded of how temporary physical life can be?

• Why does God bother with us temporary humans?

• When we keep God’s covenant (promise) and obey, what promise are we given in verse 17?

 

Ask everyone in your group to respond to the Living Temporary, Thinking Eternal section of the Student Guide. Invite them to share their action points. Pray for each person to live them out.