Who Has the Answers (Finding Truth 1)

For this activity, clear enough space for the students to wander around the room wearing a blindfold. The goal is to blindfold one student at a time in the middle of the room. You will prompt them to find a certain object in the room, while the rest of the group (everyone) shouts directions for them to get there. The blindfolded student will more than likely struggle finding the desired item while listening to multiple voices directing them. The participant must stand blindfolded and try to find the object with only the help of the rest of the youth group.

Today, we’re going to count on each other’s ability to give proper directions. Does anyone think they can find the missing backpack, while being blindfolded?

The student will most likely fumble around the room as they listen to the multiple voices give multiple directions in order to find the backpack. Once the activity has reached a good stopping point (they find the backpack, or too much time has passed) take the blindfold off and instruct everyone to go back to their seats.

How difficult was your task while wearing the blindfold?

How confident were you while getting directions from multiple voices?

This time, we want you to find the backpack again blindfolded, but I will be the only one giving directions for you.

Leader: Place blindfold back on the student and spin them around. This time direct the student toward the backpack by yourself (no other students). Make the directions good enough for him or her to actually find the backpack.

How much easier was it this time around? Did one voice help you in the long run, rather than listening to all the others? .

We’re going to begin a Bible study called Finding Truth. In a world full of opinions and various definitions of truth, it can be hard to know where to find the real truth. We all have the tendency to do whatever makes us feel good and make our own decisions—but if we look to the Bible, we will see that Jesus has a way for us to live that not only enhances our lives but enhances those around us as well.

The Bible is the source of truth. And Jesus is the one who can help us walk in it.

Sermon

It’s tough living in a world that values the way we’re perceived over everything else. Truth becomes relative to your own experience. “Whatever is right in your own eyes” is the motto that most live by. The world leads us to believe that the truth is whatever you want it to be, but what about the truth of the Bible?

Isaiah 55:8–9 NIV

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

It’s easy to believe we have all the answers. We don’t have to rely on books anymore to get our information because, with the rise of the internet, Google gives us any answer we need in a matter of seconds. But in the passage, it says that God’s thoughts are not like our own and neither are his ways. This should make us feel a sense of relief knowing that there is no pressure having to know everything. We can relax and trust in the word of God.

Why is it that we live in a world that we don’t understand? Because it causes us to seek God who does have the answers. Our lack of understanding and knowing what is going on in the world makes realize we need God because God does know, God has everything figured out, and I can trust him regardless of what’s going on in my life.

What are some of the things we don’t understand about life?

Poverty, death, broken relationships. The hard part about all of this is that all of this chaos in the world causes us to doubt God. The sin and the chaos in the world causes our minds to think about the pain, the hurt and the suffering instead of thinking about God and that makes us sometimes doubt God.

At the end of the day, we all have the tendency to believe what we can see. It’s much easier to live a life based on what we can touch, feel, and see—it’s comfortable and doesn’t bring any fear. But God says that he didn’t give us a spirit of fear, and he created us to be strong and to reflect him.

Romans 12:1–3 NIV

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

How can you and I renew our minds daily?

Read your Bible, Memorize the Bible, put sticky notes of Bible verses on your mirror so you can see it every morning when you brush your teeth.

Here is a Bible verse I want you to write down in this sticky note:

Isaiah 55:9 NIV

9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

put this note on your mirror so that this week you will be reminded of Gods truth. Next week we can pick a different one. I know that many times in our walk with Jesus you’re gonna ask yourself this question:

What is going on?!

It is ok to ask that, but you know what’s even better? To remember to say:

God, I know you are in control.

Remember the activity we did at the beginning? Everyone was yelling at our volunteer and some of them were telling them the truth and others were lying to them. The world is gonna do the same thing to you. It’s gonna try its hardest to convince you of lies and the devil is going to try and make you believe that God is a liar or even worst, he will try to convince you that God isn’t real.

But our job as children of God is to listen closely to Him