Prayer: The Invitation It's Your Move Work Zone and High Way Set Up: Before the meal set up the LCD projector and show the DV8 clips & slides to start the lesson. (15 min) Announcements: (Included in the DV8 slides) Regular UMYF next week, Chili Dinner March 7, Breakfast March 14, Spring Break March 14-19, Spring Break Lock-in Mar. 19     After the DV8 portion&ldots;   Prayer Mystery (5min) Break the large group into as many tables at there are sponsors. (Show the sponsors how this works ahead of time) In this example the leaders sit at one side of the table which is bare except for three pens. The pens are randomly set in a design by the sponsor. The sponsor then rests one or two hands on the table. While doing this, several fingers are tucked into a fist on the table. The group is asked to determine what number is represented on the table. Let the youth try to discover the solution to the puzzle which is determined by the number of fingers not in a fist on the table and not by the arrangement of the pens. Take time before each guess to rearrange the pens carefully to leave the impression that you are diligently trying to get the formation of pens just right. The leader should alternate displays of fingers, using one or two hands with varied numbers of fingers, after each rearrangement of the pens. The longer it takes for everyone to guess how to solve the riddle (count the revealed fingers); the more fun it is especially for the youth who have already figured out the answer. Say: As simple as this game appears it has a very important message for us. The answer is communicated when you look at the entire table, the 'whole picture', not just the obvious (the pens). Similarly when we pray, we need to be aware that the responses may not be obvious. We need to look at the whole picture.   DV8 into Journey groups   Moving In  Work Zone & High Way   Delivering the Message  (Work Zone breaks into smaller groups. High Way breaks into a Cabana and Pit group. The Cabana group is led by a youth and supervised by a sponsor, 7 min.) Say: Think of a time recently when you either: (a) asked someone for a favor, (b) apologized, or (c) gave someone a compliment. I know some of your answers might be kind of personal, but do you have anything you could share with the group? (Wait for a few to share.) ASK:    "How well do you think you did in delivering this request, apology, or compliment? How was it received? Say: In most cases, it doesn't really matter how well-worded the statement was, as long as it was received. Did it accomplish its purpose? That's the important thing. Prayer is something like that. Do you remember the video at the beginning of UMYF where the guy was trying to get through an automated phone system? ASK:    "Have you ever been stuck on an automated phone call never talking to a live person? How did it make you feel?    "Is it the same when you have to leave a voice message for a friend?    "When you are unable to get though to a live person on a phone call like that, what does it make you think about the way the company/person values you and your time?    "When you actually get a live person on the phone, is it better or worse than when it's a real person?    "What point was the video trying to make? (When it comes to praying, we have a direct line to God. We don't need to go through an automated machine, anything else, or anyone else to talk to him.)   Moving Up Work Zone & High Way  Hear Our Prayers O Lord (5-7 min.) Say: In the movie Bruce Almighty, Jim Carrey plays the title role, a guy who complains to God about his bad luck. As he sees it, God isn't doing his job. So God shows up (in the form of a janitor played by Morgan Freeman) and gives Bruce almighty powers. At first Bruce uses his power to benefit himself. He gets the job he wants, gives his girlfriend his idea of a better body, and gets revenge on people who have wronged him. Initially, it's great. But God also gives Bruce the ability to hear the prayers of everyone. At first he just answers yes to everyone's prayers. This, of course, is a total disaster, and a conversation something like this happens between Bruce and God: God: You made a mess of things, huh? Bruce: There were so many. I just gave them all what they wanted. God: Yeah. But since when does anyone have a clue about what they want? In the end, Bruce is stripped of his divine powers, has a newfound respect for God, and becomes a better man. God remains God, with the wisdom to handle all the world's prayers, even when those praying don't have a clue about what they want.   ASK:    "Do you think the statement - nobody has a clue about what they want - is true or false?    "Do you think Bruce knew want he really wanted?    "Have you ever been like Bruce? Would you share an example?    "Why can't everyone's prayers be answered "yes"?    "How do we know what a "fair" out come to our prayers is?   Moving On Work Zone & High Way  Why should I Pray (5-7 min.) Say: If we don't always have a clue as to what we want, should we even try to pray? Shouldn't prayer be left to those who know what they are doing? Read: Luke 18:9-14 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, unworthy, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went back to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." Say: In this parable Jesus uses two characters that would be quite familiar to the people listening. A Pharisee belonged to a strict group of Jews who were very concerned with following the law of Moses exactly. The general public would have thought the Pharisee to be a very holy man whose prayers were pleasing to God. Tax collectors during this time were considered the lowest of the low-dishonest, violent, and immoral. ASK:    "How would you describe the Pharisee's prayer?  (His prayer was done in front of everyone else, loudly. It was all about him and how he was glad he wasn't like other men. He also bragged about himself.)    "Describe the tax collector's prayer. (Sincere Repentant Humble)    "According to Jesus' whose prayers did God accept?     "Why would God accept the prayers of the sinner rather than those of the righteous man? Say: There are several issues involved here. Jesus' main point has to do with the pride of Pharisee and the humility of the tax collector. When the Pharisee prayed, it was all about him. The tax collector just threw himself on God's mercy.   ASK:    "So, according to the parable, when we pray, do we need to sound formal? Do we need to use religious-sounding words? (No, the attitude of the heart is more important than the formality of the words.)   Moving Out High Way & Work Zone Offering Our Prayers (7-10 min.) Needed: Index cards, pens Read: Luke 11:1-4 He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.  Give us each day our daily bread; and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation." Say: This a version of the Lord's Prayer. ASK:    "What question was Jesus answering?  (His disciples had asked Jesus to teach them to pray, as John "the Baptist" had taught his disciples.) Say: Based on this prayer, can you come up with five different things that we can do when we pray? After a few minutes, discuss the things that can be learned from this prayer:    -We pray to God the Father.     -We praise God and acknowledge his holiness (hallowed be your name).    -We ask God for things to be done in his time and in his way (your kingdom come, your will be done).    -We ask for our needs and the needs of others (give us each day our daily bread).    -We confess our sins and ask for forgiveness (forgive us our sins).    -We commit ourselves to good relationships (for we also forgive everyone who sins against us).    -We ask for strength to resist temptation (lead us not into temptation). ASK:    "Do all prayers need to cover each and every one of these categories to be heard by God? (No. There are many examples of prayers in the Bible that don't include all of this, such as the tax collector's prayer.)   Work Zone DV8 HERE Work Zone  Prayer Game (7-10 min.) Setup: Give each youth seven strips of paper; each strip should contain one line of the prayer. Line the youth up at one end of the gym and stand a sponsor (one that can run) about 10 yards in front of them. Present one of the situations, they must determine which line applies, present it and try to tag the sponsor who is running away from them. The first person to tag the sponsor and get it right gets to sit out. Situations Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.    "You're eating lunch with friends and one of them uses God's name in vain.    "You feel really great and shout out "Praise God!" Thy kingdom come.    "A person who has broken the law, been hurtful to others suddenly accepts Jesus as his/her savior    "Praying for people or friends who don't know God's Love Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.    "Your family stops to help someone whose car is broken down    "A visitor comes to church, and you greet them with a smile and introduction Give us this day our daily bread.    "Your family and friends get together every month to share a meal together.    "Your parents are out of work, and you're worried about how they will pay the bills And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.    "A kid on your soccer team pushes you down and doesn't stop to see if you're okay.    "You talk back to your parents, then apologize, and they forgive you.    "Your best friend says something really mean about you And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil    "Someone drops their wallet at the mall with lots of money in it.    "Your teacher leaves the answers to tomorrow's test on her desk. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.    "The awesome power of a hurricane    "The beauty of a sunset   High Way Continues, 5-7 min. Say: It might surprise you, but it was not common in those days to address God as Father. He was the Almighty or the Creator. ASK:    "What does this title of Father mean for our prayers? Does it affect the way we talk to God? (It is both authority and tenderness. God is the boss, but he's also in a loving relationship with us.)    "What can we learn about our prayer life from the DV8 videos and the Bible verses we've looked at? (We have a direct line to God through prayer; we don't need to be a special type of person to have our prayers heard; Jesus gave us a model to use if we are unsure of how to pray. etc.)    "Does having any of this information change the way you think you'll go about praying?    "Will it help you to pray more often? More openly?   Pass out index cards and pens. Say: Write a prayer request on the card-some favor you'd like God to do for you, or for someone you care about. We will be sharing these cards, but you don't have to put your name on it, although you could if you want. Philippians 4:6 says, "Make your requests known to God," After a few minutes, gather the cards and redistribute them, making sure no one gets their own card back. Have everyone bring the prayer cards to the closing circle. High Way DV8 back to the gym.   Closing Work Zone & High Way   Gather in a closing circle. No key Scriptures cards today use the Index cards&ldots;   Gather the index cards and read a few.   Close in Prayer: Pray the Lord's Prayer together Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.   UMYF Benediction and turn out into the world.    Gather for this lesson: DV8 stuff, note cards, seven strips of paper - each strip with one line of the Lord's Prayer.