Enough Week 1-Sharing is Caring

WHAT? What are we talking about today?

STORY | Best Game Night

Welcome to the first week of our series Enough, where we will discover what it means to love our families. No matter what our families look like, God provides everything we need, even if we get ruthless on a family game night.

Playing games with family and friends can be awesome. However, game creators need to interject some tension to make it fun. Frequently, games use the same pressure we feel in our day-to-day life but in a "fun" way. Most games create imbalances. Either time is limited, or someone has more than others, or we have to take advantage of situations when a wrong move is made. In a controlled environment, this can be fun, but in life, not so much.

ACTIVITY | Game Night Relay

Put your thumbs up, down, or in the middle to answer, "Who here likes playing games?" Well, I assure you, you've never played a game like this.

INSTRUCTIONS: For this activity, you will need two jumbo puzzles, a jumbo Jenga set, a big Connect Four game (or a big tic-tac-toe), two laundry baskets, and four tables. (Regular-sized games will do fine! Just make sure the puzzles aren't too difficult.) Before the program, unpack one game on each table. Stack the Jenga tower, and put the baskets next to that table. Assign one adult volunteer per table. To play, split the students into two teams, and designate their Connect Four color. When the game leader says "go," one player from each team runs to play a Connect Four piece, pulls a block from the Jenga set, puts it in their team's basket, and ends by placing a piece of their team's puzzle together. The Connect Four and Jenga table volunteers reset the games when needed. The relay ends when the first team finishes their puzzle, called out by the volunteer at that table. One point for completing the puzzle, one for every Connect Four game won, one for most Jenga blocks in their basket, and a loss of five points for toppling the tower. (Alternative: time teams separately.) Isn't it fun to play games like this?!

Interestingly, they mimic feelings from everyday life.

"I don't have enough time or points!" "I don't want to let anyone down!"

"I'm not fast enough!" "Am I good enough?"

QUESTION | "What's your game night like?"

INSTRUCTIONS: For this question module, you will need the slide included in this week's series folder. These questions will help students think about playing games with their families. Have students turn to a person next to them and discuss these five questions. After a few minutes, have a few students share what they discussed. Be attentive and compassionate to students as they respond, and highlight answers that show the broad range of experiences your group might have with family.

Talking about game nights can bring up a lot of different feelings. Some of us are close to our families, and we have a lot of good memories. Some of us may not have game nights, and some are in between. No matter how often you play games with your family, at some point, conflict will arise. All families go through conflict, game night or not. One of the most common conflicts I have with my family is sharing. We might need to share our games, computers, chores, space, food, bedrooms, or clothes.

Who agrees it's difficult to share? Especially when we feel there isn't enough time, help, resources, or support to go around. When we feel like no one is thinking of us, it's hard to think about others; that's where conflict can fester. Perhaps when we notice a need like our time or possession, we think there isn't much we can do to help. Instead of trying to contribute, we may become passive bystanders – someone who is present at an event or incident but does not participate. However, what if God calls us to contribute to our families rather than be spectators? What if God will use our contributions to help meet the needs we are seeing?

SO WHAT? Why does it matter to God and to us?

SCRIPTURE | Acts 4:32–35

In Jesus' day, there were all sorts of divisions between people. Men and women, people from multiple regions, adults versus children, spiritual people, and non-spiritual. Isn't it interesting that we have many of these same divisions today? But when the first churches started, right after Jesus left, they considered themselves God's family. They shared everything, helping meet each other's needs. Even with the differences mentioned earlier, look at what God enabled them to do.

INSTRUCTIONS: Read Acts 4:32–35

Acts 4:32–35 NIV

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

As people listened to God's Spirit and followed the teaching of Jesus, the barriers began to crumble. Differences that used to prohibit people from sharing what they had were breaking down. God's family was communicating with each other openly. Jesus' early followers saw that we could ask for help in God's family, and the community would share what they had so everyone had what they needed. As the family of God shared, two things happened.

First, they helped provide for another person's needs. Everyone had food, shelter, clothes, and friendship.

Second, they learned to trust that God would provide for them through other members of God's family if they ever needed it.

As people paid attention to the needs of others, there began to be no needy person among them. As they took care of God's family, God took care of them. They understood that what they had was not only meant for them, it could be helpful to someone else. In God's family, everyone contributed; as they distributed what they brought in, there was enough for everyone. No one had too much or too little.

OBJECT LESSON | The Opposite Of Monopoly

The Early Church looked different than what we have now, which can be exemplified in the popular game Monopoly.

INSTRUCTIONS: For this object lesson you will need a game of Monopoly. Before your program, set up a Monopoly game board with the money already distributed around the board. Collect and distribute the money to illustrate the different talking points as you teach.

Monopoly is the most successful board game in history. Although popular, I bet it starts more fights than brings families together. Why? Because to win Monopoly, you have to collect more than anyone else. Transactions and negotiations help, but to give away is to fail. No wonder game nights can be so stressful! The verses we just read in Acts show us that God's spirit makes it possible to live differently than this. God doesn't compel us through guilt, scarcity, and negotiations but through joy and abundance. The family of God is the total opposite of Monopoly.

God cares for us and wants to ensure we have what we need to accomplish all the incredible things God has for us. This means we can give abundantly and with joy. The Early Church helps us to see that in God's family, we don't need to hoard resources, protecting all we have, like a bank with a high-security safe.

When God's spirit is involved, we know that when we share, God's love can be spread between us so much easier.

SCRIPTURE | 2 Corinthians 9:6–8

Of course, Christians are called to share generously, but more than that, God's spirit wants us to transform beyond our behaviors. We can transform our hearts when we share. Paul, one of the founders of the Early Church, wrote a letter to a church in the Greek city of Corinth. Paul and this community of God's family were working through an argument.

The Corinthian community had ignored the ways of life that Paul had taught them. He showed this community how to be guided by God's Spirit and care for everyone's needs. Like a family after an argument over a game of Monopoly, they took the time to smooth things out. Afterward, Paul reminded them to live out the things they saw in the life of Jesus.

INSTRUCTIONS: Read 2 Corinthians 9:6–8

2 Corinthians 9:6–8 NIV

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Paul reminds the Corinthian church about the importance of giving. At the time, Christians in Jerusalem had fallen into hard times. Paul encouraged the affluent Corinthian community to share what they had so all of God's people, including a church on the opposite side of the Mediterranean Sea, had what they needed. Paul saw in the life of the early Church that it was possible for everyone in God's family to have what they needed. In God's family, generosity is encouraged. When we share, not only are the lives around us changed, we are changed. We see that God's provisions are abundant.

There is enough when we share what we have.

NOW WHAT? What does God want us to do about it?

OBJECT LESSON | Start With Starting

INSTRUCTIONS: For this object lesson, use the same Monopoly game board from the "Opposite Of Monopoly" module from earlier. While you are teaching, each time you discuss a new takeaway point, place a new game piece on the "Start" square.

So how can we start living God's way, knowing there is enough when we share what we have? Just like any game you play, there is starting point. When it comes to living in a way that shows we know there is enough, we need to start somewhere.

START WITH HONESTY:

It will be hard to give with joyfulness if you are struggling. Maybe you need to be honest that instead of giving, you need to receive right now. Admitting you need help can be challenging, but for people to share what they have, someone else has to be courageous enough to admit they need help. This may be difficult, but it is an important place to start.

START WITH WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER:

Some of you may already contribute to your family with your time and energy. If this is you, practice being honest with how much you are giving to your friends and family. Are you giving too much and feeling depleted at the end of the day? Or are you saving up your energy and not giving them any of it? When we're honest about our feelings and motivations, we can work toward being joyful partners in what God is doing within our families.

START WITH NOTICING YOUR FAMILY:

Families come in different shapes and sizes. Depending on what your family looks like, your needs and what you can contribute will be different. Regardless of your family's makeup, consider your family's unique needs. Ask if there are things you could do to show them you care. Maybe you notice your caregiver is continually picking up after your youngest sibling or you. Perhaps you see your sibling is stressed about a test. After you notice the need, consider ways to show love each day, like picking up items before your caregiver does or doing your stressed sibling's chores that day.

START WITH SOMETHING FUN:

Giving can be quite draining, so instead of jumping into the deep end right away, start with enjoyable ways to give. What is something you are good at or have in abundance? Maybe you are good at a certain subject and can help people learn it. Perhaps you have extra time and a car to offer rides, or you can bake and want to make a treat for dinner. Whatever it is, the easiest way to start sharing with joy is to share things that give you joy!

VIDEO | A Clip of The Most Intense Game Of Break The Ice Ever

There are no passive bystanders in God's family — everyone contributes what they have and encourages each other. When I imagine sharing what I have with a joyful heart, I think of this:

INSTRUCTIONS: Play a short clip from a video like this (3:08–4:05). This one is of the minor league baseball team Savannah Bananas playing "Break the Ice."

Everyone wanted the others to succeed. Like these baseball players in a silly game, they were rooting for each other. They supported each other enthusiastically and ensured they had each other's backs. What if we were able to share what we have with this level of enthusiasm and joy?

MUSIC | "Heaven is Everywhere" (Johnnyswim)

INSTRUCTIONS: For the following Reflection, play the song "Heaven is Everywhere" by Johnnyswim.

REFLECTION | There Is Enough Grid

There are many places to start when we consider how to be a part of God's family who cares. Let's spend some time thinking and planning where to start.

INSTRUCTIONS: Before your program, print out enough handouts included in Week 1 of this series material. and bring enough pens for each student to receive one each. Invite students to spend time reflecting on the questions on the grid.

When we are honest about what we need, give out of what we have to offer, notice what is happening in our families, and share something fun for us to give away, we start living in a way that helps us see

There is enough when we share what we have.