Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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WHAT? What are we talking about today?
ACTIVITY | Two Truths and a Lie
Welcome back to Justice for All, where we're talking about doing what's right when everything is going wrong.
Let's kick things off by seeing how good you are at distinguishing between what's right and wrong — or true and false.
INSTRUCTIONS: Call a few students to the front for an upfront game or divide everyone into small groups.
One by one, have each person in the circle say three statements about themselves — two of these statements must be true and one must be a lie.
Have the other members of the circle try to guess which statement is the lie.
After everyone has had a turn, ask these questions:
What were some of the facts you shared that no one believed?
What were some of the most outrageous lies you convinced people to believe?
Was it hard or easy coming up with your lie?
When you told your lie, did you feel good, bad, or indifferent?
Those who got away with your lie, what was the key to your success?
QUESTION | "Is it ever okay to lie?"
There's a question that has been debated by humans for . . .
well, for as long as there have been humans, probably.
Is it ever okay to lie? INSTRUCTIONS: Give a few students a chance to respond.
Encourage some friendly debate!
POLL | Have You Ever . . .
This question is easier to debate when it's not personal, so let's get a little personal and see what happens.
INSTRUCTIONS: Ask students to respond to each of the following questions by raising their hands.
If you'd like, stop and ask students to share stories or examples after each question.
Have you ever . . .
Told a lie to be nice?
Told a lie to be mean?
Told a lie to get out of trouble?
Gotten away with something because you lied about it?
Been accused of lying when you were telling the truth?
STORY | Talk about a time you were unfairly accused of something.
Whether you raised your hand or not, let's face it — we’ve all been guilty of lying to cover our tracks sometimes.
When we lie and get away with it, we usually feel pretty good about ourselves.
Or, at least, we feel relieved.
But just because we got away with it doesn't mean what we did was right or just.
Have you ever been accused of something you definitely didn't do?
INSTRUCTIONS: Tell a story from your own life (or ask a volunteer or student to tell a story) about a time you were unfairly accused of something you didn't do.
This could be a lighthearted story or it could be more vulnerable.
Either way, share what happened and then focus on how it felt to be unjustly accused.
*Show pic of La Petite*
When I little, I went to daycare at La Petite Academy in Old Hickory, TN.
I liked it there, my teachers were great, and I had a lot of friends there.
But I remember one morning at breakfast some kids did something stupid and I got accused of doing it.
This kid Hunter (who I thought was a friend) put the blame on me.
I told the teacher it wasn’t me (it wasn’t!) but she believed Hunter over me.
Here I am 6 or 7 years old feeling like my friend and teacher betrayed me.
I was crushed!
When we're accused of something we didn't do, it's really frustrating.
Whether it was a major accusation or something small and not at all important, you might feel angry, or powerless, or afraid, or all of the above.
When you're innocent, false accusations are always going to feel unjust — because they are.
Last week, we talked about how, when we're facing unjust or cruel treatment from other people, it can be hard to keep your head and heart straight.
How do you stay positive in tough situations?
How do you keep moving forward?
How do you set the record straight?
And how do you get justice?
SO WHAT?
Why does it matter to God and to us?
QUESTION | "What is integrity?"
When we're accused of things we know we didn't do, our integrity is called into question.
But what is integrity?
INSTRUCTIONS: Give a few students a chance to respond.
OBJECT LESSON | The Rock of Integrity
Integrity is something you either have or you don't.
When you have it, you're like a rock.
When you don't, you're kind of like this rotten piece of fruit.
INSTRUCTIONS: Before your teaching time, get a rotten piece of fruit and a rock about the same size.
You'll probably also want a tarp.
Ask the following questions to get students guessing about where you're going with this.
When you talk about dropping the rock and the fruit on the ground, do it!
Just make sure you drop them on the tarp.
How is a rock like a person with integrity?
How is this fruit like a person without integrity?
What do you think will happen to the rock if I throw it on the ground?
What do you think will happen to the fruit?
Now let's try those first couple of questions again: how is this rock like a person with integrity and how is this fruit like a person without integrity?
If you are a person of integrity, it means . . .
You're dependable — unchanging and trustworthy no matter the circumstances.
You don't fall apart when tough circumstances throw you around.
You're not indestructible or anything, but when it comes to your character, it takes a lot to make you crack.
You choose what's right and true, no matter who you're with or who's looking.
SCRIPTURE | Genesis 39:1-6
With that in mind, let's head back to the story of Joseph.
So far, here's what's happened . . .
Joseph's dad Jacob caused a ton of issues in his family by playing favorites with Joseph.
Because of Jacob's favoritism (and the fact that Joseph had a tendency to brag) Joseph's brothers hated him.
Eventually, their hatred led them to plot Joseph's murder.
Fortunately, they didn't kill him.
But they did something just as hateful — they sold him into slavery.
Let's pick up the story there.
INSTRUCTIONS: Read Genesis 39:1-6a
Once in Africa, Joseph was sold again to an Egyptian slave master named Potiphar, but God was with Joseph and helped him find success in everything he did.
It seems like the arrogance Joseph had when living as the favorite child had been toned down.
(Difficulty can shake you out of your arrogance pretty quickly.)
While working as a slave, Joseph held onto hope and kept trusting the promise God once made to him in a dream — that one day Joseph would have a position of power and authority.
Potiphar saw the favor Joseph had with God and he wanted it, so he made Joseph the business manager of his entire estate.
It worked!
Potiphar's business grew and things were going great for him.
Joseph was holding it down!
Until . . .
SCRIPTURE | Genesis 39:6b-20a
INSTRUCTIONS: Read or summarize Genesis 39:6b-20a
So Joseph was a good looking dude, and his Master Potiphar’s wife was after him.
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