LESSON 20: READ AND RESPOND
THEME: The Father’s Love
VOCABULARY: depression, siblings, quit, bills, delivers, unwanted, define, value, determine, worthy
STORY: There is a young man. His name is Juan. He is 17 years old and he struggles with depression. He has two younger siblings, a brother who is 10 and a sister who is 13. When he was little his father left and never returned. Now he lives with his siblings and his mother. His mother works a lot and makes very little money. Juan had to quit school and get a job in order to help with the bills. Juan really wants his two younger siblings to stay in school and not have to quit. He works hard for little pay. Juan delivers food during the day and helps at a store during the evenings. Juan struggles with feeling unwanted. Ever since his father left, Juan has felt like he is not good enough. He feels that if he were ‘better,’ his father would have stayed at home. His mother always reminds him that it was not his fault that his father left, and that it had nothing to do with him. But Juan can’t help but feel that if he had been different, maybe his father would have stayed. This is a lie that Juan has been believing for many years. The truth is that there is nothing Juan could have done to get his father to stay. The fact that his father left had everything to do with his father, and nothing to do with Juan. Juan has to realize that even without an earthly father, he has a Father in Heaven who would do anything for Juan, even die for him. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Juan has to break the lie that he has been living with. People do not define our value or determine whether we are worthy of being loved. The love that matters most is the love we give and receive from the Lord.
STORY WITH QUESTIONS: There is a young man. (Is there a man or a woman?) His name is Juan. (What is his name?) He is 17 years old and he struggles with depression. (What does he struggle with?) He has two younger siblings, a brother who is 10 and a sister who is 13. ( How many siblings does he have? How old are his siblings?) When he was little his father left and never returned. (What happened when he was little?) Now he lives with his siblings and his mother. (Who does Juan live with?) His mother works a lot and makes very little money. (Who works a lot?) Juan had to quit school and get a job in order to help with the bills. (What did Juan do?) Juan really wants his two younger siblings to stay in school and not have to quit. (What does Juan hope for his younger siblings?) He works hard for little pay. (Does he make a lot of money?) Juan delivers food during the day and helps at a store during the evenings. (What does Juan do?) Juan struggles with feeling unwanted. (What does he struggle with?) Ever since his father left, Juan has felt like he is not good enough. (How does he feel?) He feels that if he were ‘better,’ his father would have stayed at home. (Why does he not feel good enough?) His mother always reminds him that it was not his fault that his father left, and that it had nothing to do with him. (What does his mother tell him?) But Juan can’t help but feel that if he had been different, maybe his father would have stayed. (What does Juan think would have made his father stay?) This is a lie that Juan has been believing for many years. (What is the lie that Juan believes?) The truth is that there is nothing Juan could have done to get his father to stay. The fact that his father left had everything to do with his father, and nothing to do with Juan. (Was it Juan’s fault his father left?) Juan has to realize that even without an earthly father, he has a Father in Heaven who would do anything for Juan, even die for him. (Who is with Juan even if he does not have an earthly father?) John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Juan has to break the lie that he has been living with. People do not define our value, or determine whether we are worthy of being loved. The love that matters most is the love we give and receive from the Lord. (Who do we receive love from?)
ACTIVITIES
- Review the Vocabulary Words .
- Listen to Audio 1 as you read the story.
- Listen to Audio 2 – Story with Questions as you read the story and answer the questions.
- Discuss the Lord’s unconditional love.
- Listen to the song, “God so Love” by Hillsong https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7i6c54KEfc
- Discuss how your students feel hearing the song. What can we learn about the Lord’s Love for us?
- End the class in prayer.