Beware and be Wise It's Your Move Road Work and Trek Groups Pass out cards for prayers and concerns during common meal. These will be read at the end of the session. Gather in the center of the gym, welcome, introduction of guests, make announcements. For Sponsors: Which way are we moving? 1. Learn how to discern which tempting situations to avoid. 2. Feel brave enough to walk away from negative situations. 3. Learn how to walk away from challenging negative peer pressure situations.  Which Way Are We Moving Road Work & Trek Large Group Game: Larry, Curly & Moe Divide into two groups by alphabetical first names, half of the large group to each circle. Have each youth and sponsors get a chair, one less than people. Explain: We are playing a name game called Larry, Curley or Moe. IT is in the center of the circle and points to someone seated saying Larry, Curley or Moe. If IT says "Moe" the person pointed to must stand and say his or her name, then sit. If IT says "Larry" the person pointed to remains seated and says the person on his or her lefts name, the person on the left must stand then sit. If IT says "Curley" it's the person on the right that is the key. If someone fails to stand at the right time or can't quickly remember a name, then they become IT. Why Play? Say: The Three Stooges were willing to do things no one in their right mind would do. That's what made them so popular. Unlike us, though, they were acting goofy because it was their profession. Sometimes we find ourselves in circumstances in real life where we do things we normally wouldn't. We have many opportunities to go along with the crowd. Tonight we are going to look at some of the choices we make and weather they are things we would normally do. Split into groups, Trek in the Youth Center, Road Work in Family Life Ctr. Moving in Road Work Game Needed: Cotton balls, two containers, petroleum jelly, napkins, M&Ms Ahead of Time: Set up two long team tables at least 10 feet apart. Spread cotton balls around on one end of each the table and place a container on the other end. Divide into two teams. Explain that the teams are going to compete to see who can move the most cotton ball from one table to the other. The catch, contestants cannot use any body part except their noses to pick up and move the cotton balls! Each team picks two representatives to race for the whole team. That means there will be only four total racers, two at a time. To begin the race smear petroleum jelly on the noses of each of the reps. Each team rep must attempt to move a cotton ball to the container at the other end of the table. His or her turn is over only after successfully moving at least one cotton ball to the team container (It is possible to pick up more than one cotton ball at a time.) Then the next team member takes a turn. The balance of each team circles the table to cheer their reps on. After 3-5 min. halt the game and count the cotton balls in each pan. The team with the most receives the prizes.   Transition to the next step. Ask: Do you think the team reps felt foolish trying to move the cotton ball with petroleum jelly all over their noses? Explain: We all put ourselves in foolish situations once in a while. Sometimes that's OK, but sometimes it can be really dangerous- especially when it comes to giving in to peer pressure or temptation. Trek Have two students read one each of the "Darwin Awards" stories (hand out). Discuss: What made these people do such foolish things? Alcohol, greed, competitiveness, pride, etc. What's the most foolish thing you've ever done? Be prepared to share first to get their minds rolling! Explain: As we'll see tonight, lots of times we're more likely to do foolish things because we put ourselves in foolish situations. We're going to talk about how to steer clear of trouble and avoid doing things we'll later regret. Moving up Road Work Break into smaller groups, as many as there are sponsors. Read the following story: Pat decided to lose some weight, and the diet was to begin immediately. The first day was really hard, especially during lunchtime when it seemed that everyone was enjoying huge sandwiches, chips and cookies-and all Pat had was a plain salad. One afternoon, three days into the diet, Pat got on a bike and peddled over to the mall right past the ice cream parlor. Ooh, it smelled so good! Pat stopped, turned around, marched right in and ordered a banana split. The clerk brought the banana split to Pat's table, and Pat picked up the spoon and&ldots; Ask: What do you think happened next? Did Pat eat the ice cream or stick to the diet? Explain: It was a really bad idea for Pat to go into the ice cream parlor; it was probably not even a good idea for Pat to bike past the ice cream parlor so that temptation was so close. If Pat really wanted to stick to the diet, avoidance altogether could have helped. Discuss: Some people are literally addicted to food. What other things can people be addicted to? alcohol, work, gambling, TV, video games, etc. How can an addict kick his or her habit? Stay away from situations that would be tempting, get help from others to not give in. Ask for a volunteer to read: Proverbs 26:11 - Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool that repeats his folly. Explain: Pretty gross, isn't it? It's true, though- someone who's addicted to something will have a really hard time staying away from his or her addiction. Ask for another volunteer to read: 1Peter 2:11 - Beloved, I beseech you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh that wage war against your soul. What do you think "aliens and exiles" in this passage means? The ones on the outside trying to fit in. What do you think "passions of the flesh" means? Temptations to "have", "keep up with the Jones." Explain: Instead of putting ourselves in situations where we might be tempted, we should avoid them and turn our focus to God and His will to be with us resisting temptation to sin. Moving up Trek Play "Honey If You Love Me!" Have the large group set in a circle. One person is IT in the middle of the circle and tries to get someone on the outside of the circle to smile by asking; "Honey, if you love me, smile" The IT can only say this phrase and may not physically touch anyone else. The one being asked must keep a straight face and reply only; "Honey, I love you, but I just can't smile." IT must try another person after the reply. Play 2-3 min. Play the game again this time allow touching. Play 2-3 min. Find a good reader or two and read all of Genesis 39.  Ask: Why wouldn't Joseph give in to Polisher's wife? Because he knew it would be a sin against God and against his boss. What was Joseph's strategy to resist the pressure placed upon him by Polisher's wife?     He refused to even be near her. Was it a good strategy?     It worked as long as he wasn't near her. Why did Polisher's wife claim that Joseph attacked her?     She was angry that she didn't get what she wanted. Explain: Temptation is a tricky thing. In the game, only those who had very good control over his or her emotions was successful. Ask: Do you think younger youth have a harder time not smiling in the game? Why?     They would have a harder time. They haven't had the experience to be able to ignore the temptation. Explain: Joseph had many down turns in his life, but he kept his faith. Even when it looked like Joseph had hit rock bottom, God still gave him strength to triumph. God honored Joseph's obedience to Him-maybe not in Joseph's preferred time, but in God's own perfect timing. Moving on Road Work  Needed: Lots of M&Ms Remain in the smaller groups. Give each youth 10 M&Ms. No eating the candy yet! Explain that the group is going to play "I Never." Here's how to play: Students take turns, working their way around to everyone, saying something they've never done or someplace they've never been. (i.e. I've never shaved my legs.") The statement may not be duplicated by anyone else after it is said once. Anyone in the group who has done that thing or been to that place must give one piece of candy to the student who hasn't. Allow each youth to play. Discuss: When someone has done something, he or she has gained experience. Is it better at your school to be experienced of inexperienced?     (Be ready, this one could lead to giggles over sex-keep the situation under control.) In what situations would it be good to be able to say "I never did that"?     Drinking, drugs, sex, stealing, etc. How can you know which situations we should avoid?     The Bible gives guidelines; parents teachers, and others in authority set rules to follow and advise us; more mature Christians can give good advive; seeing how certain behaviors destroy lives. Moving on Trek First -Read the situation hand out "Amanda," Then -Divide into as many smaller groups as there are sponsors to discuss what Amanda should do. Discuss: Nate was putting the pressure on Amanda but what mistake did Amanda make in this situation?     She was wrong to go cruising with Nate when she knew her parents expected her to stay with the group; she was wrong to disobey her parents. You might dig deeper by asking if she was wrong to date a non-Christian in the first place. Go through the list of peer pressure situations from the previous weeks lesson and have the youth vote by a show of hands "Pressure Possible" and "No pressure." Explain: Christians are not safe from temptation or peer pressure just because they hang out with a "safe" crowd. What's important is to think about the situations we place ourselves in and be aware of our vulnerability to temptations. Moving out Road Work & Trek Stay in Road Work & Trek groups, but form one large group to sum up. Quick Questions Read: Mark 6:21-28 Say: OK, gross! And Bad! Now, before King Herod did the awful thing you just heard about, he felt distressed. In other words, he didn't actually want to follow through on what was asked of him - but he did it anyway! Why did he do it? · He wanted to gross out his guests. · His guests were getting boarded and he wanted to liven up his party. · He didn't want to look lame in front of his guests. Explain: The things we say or promise to do can get us into trouble! Herod chose to do the wrong thing because he swore a promise in front of a crowd of important people he wanted to impress. In the same way, we sometimes talk our way into bad situations - especially when we are talking to people we are trying to impress. What are two ways you can keep yourself from talking your way into bad situations? Try to get the group to quickly agree on two ways and promise to try them this next week. Return to Family Life Center. Prayer and Concerns  Road Work & Trek  Needed: prayer cards, candle and matches. Sit in a big circle. Dim the lights. The leader begins an affirmation by holding the candle and saying "Resist Temptation" then passing the candle to the right. Continue around until all have participated. Then place the candle in the center of the circle. Have two youth read the prayer and concern cards from common meal by candlelight.  End with "Let us keep these and others in our hearts and minds, Amen" then have everyone join in singing "Sanctuary" Stand join hands, right over left, and say the UMYF benediction.