interlínc: Resources

Bible Study

Artist: Hulvey
Song: 9th Grade
Album: Christopher
Featured In: MVL 114

Resources for YLO Members

File Downloads:

Hulvey

Leader Guide

Artist: Hulvey
Album: Christopher
Label: Reach Records
Song: 9th Grade
From: MVL 114
Writer: Doug Ranck | Free Methodist Church | Santa Barbara, California

Theme(s): Self: Identity in Christ

Objective
Students will discover how easy it is to find our identity only in what people think of us. They will learn to remember God created us, loves us, and that, in God, we can find our true identity.

Warm Up

Have your group grab a pen and go find a place to themselves where they can complete the first section of the Student Guide, The Best and Worst of Times. Give them five to ten minutes, and then bring everybody back together.to share their best and worst lists.

What is the biggest challenge of making a list like this?
What trends did you note when everybody gave their answers?
How much of a role do your friends or others play in your best and worst experiences?

Transition

Growing up as a teenager has its highs and lows. You know this well. Life is constantly changing, and our brains are shuffling.

Emotions can run wild. Some days we feel great about ourselves and other days not so much. It’s easy to find our identity only in what people think of us. Today our goal is to remember that God created us and loves us. We will learn to name ways we can live knowing God’s love for us is the most important.

The Video

Invite your group to turn in their Student Guide to the section Life in the High School Lane. Visit his website to give a little background on Hulvey.

Play the music video for “9th Grade” by Hulvey.

When the video is finished, allow different people to share their responses to the prompts.

In what ways do teenagers find acceptance, both good and bad?
What does the writer mean by “we’re starving for love?”
Why are teenagers starving for love?

The lyrics say, “Save us all from ourselves. Save me from what comes to me so natural.”

What comes naturally that is not good? What do you think the writer meant?

Transition

How we describe ourselves can be portrayed in several different ways depending on what we most believe about what others say. Our personhood gets wrapped up in the quick comment or reading between the lines. It gets defined by how often we hear something or who says it.

In today’s lesson, we will discover how important it is to find our primary identity in Christ. As we do this, God will protect us when others want to falsely define us or cause us to question the reigning love of God in our lives.

Bible Study

Read Psalm 139:1-18

Read this together as a group. Have each person read a verse and complete the entire chapter.

In the Student Guide, go to the section, What God is Saying About Me. Give five minutes to respond to the prompts and questions.

What is important about God knowing us in our relationship to Him and knowing who we are because of Him? (verses1-6)
Why does it matter that God’s presence is always with us, wherever we go? (verses7-12)

In verses 13-18, we see God’s excellent work in creating us.

Why is this significant in understanding ourselves and knowing why we should be loved by all people and love all people?

Wrap Up

The voices of the world and those who live in it are loud. They ring in our ears and are reflected in our actions. We have each been shaped by the words, activities, and attitudes of others all our lives.

Our environment can so easily define us and limit us from living the life God has intended.

For the final activity, have your youth go to the Student Guide section, Listening Plan.

If you feel it is appropriate, have students share a few of their points and pray for them specifically, as you close.

Playlist

This song is featured on “The Linc: Self; Identity In Christ” Spotify playlist – which is the perfect way to remind your students what you’ve taught them in this session. To share it with them, click the live link on the web version of this study.