Holy Spirit

ACTIVITY | Dynamic Duo

Welcome to our new series, Guiding Light, where we're going to be talking about how to find guidance when we're feeling a little lost. INSTRUCTIONS: For this game, you'll need a large space free of any hazards or obstacles, and blindfolds for each player. Have students find a partner and have them come up with a "dynamic duo" name (like peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, rock and roll, or Batman and Robin), then separate the duos to form two separate groups with partners at least 20 yards apart and blindfolded. When you say go, students will try to find each other by calling out their duo name in call-and-response fashion ("Macaroni!" "Cheese!"). The first duo to be reunited wins.

There's a reason a lot of people are afraid of the dark! When you're used to using your eyes to guide you, being suddenly unable to find your way without being able to see can be a challenge.

STORY | Talk about a time you couldn't see your way in the dark.

My family likes to leave random stuff out in the middle of a perfectly good walkway.

Especially my wife…

One night, I got up in the middle of the night and ran into this stupid shelf that was in the middle of the hallway.

It hurt, so I grunted.

Life goes on, right?

Not for my wife.

She starts giggling, trying to hold back her amusement, but eventually busts out laughing at my pain.

Things like this have happened approximately 149 times in our marriage.

Now, some light would have helped me to not crush my knee against that shelf… or not having a large wooden object in a walking path!

DISCUSSION | Who helps guide you?

It's one thing to feel a little lost while we're trying to find our way to the bathroom in the middle of the night, but it's way bigger issue when we're feeling a little lost in life.

Maybe you've felt lost because you weren't sure how to handle a fight with a friend, or you had to make a big decision, or life just got a little too hectic or difficult. When we feel a little lost in life, having someone to help guide us can really make all the difference. When did you need some guidance? Who helped you find your way?

INSTRUCTIONS: Invite students to turn to someone sitting next to them and share their stories for one or two minutes. Since they are telling stories, signal halfway through for them to switch so both students get to share. After the time is up, ask for a couple of volunteers to share their stories.

POLL | Reveal How You Feel

INSTRUCTIONS: For each of the following scenarios, encourage students to raise their hand if they agree. We all respond to being lost or unsure a little differently When you're feeling lost and don't know what to do, do you usually . . .

Feel stuck and not do anything?

Distract yourself with other things to not think about it?

Try to plan all your options? Do whatever comes to mind first?

Ask someone for advice or help?

When we don't have clarity or are feeling a little lost, we often need some guidance from someone wiser than we are. But sometimes, even getting advice from others isn't enough.

Even the wisest people are sometimes wrong or don't have answers. Sometimes we don't have anyone trustworthy to go to. Sometimes we need immediate help. And sometimes we need more than just right answers. We also need to know we're not alone. For the next few weeks, we're going to explore some of the reasons we might sometimes need a "guiding light" — and how God has already got us covered.

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

VIDEO | A Clip from Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Any Star Wars fans here? If you haven't seen the movies, they're essentially about the battle between good and evil, while a mysterious "force" runs through the whole universe.

The most recent movies in the franchise pick up after a long time of there being no Jedis around — those are the good guys. With evil reigning for so long, people are feeling down, lost, and hopeless. But then a new Jedi emerges, named Rey, who has to learn to find and harness this mysterious "force."

INSTRUCTIONS: As a teaching tool, play a short clip (0:15-1:03) from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, where Luke and Rey describe the force.

Rey doesn't really believe in all that "force" stuff when she starts out. She thinks it's just a story, but in this clip she actually connects with it for the first time. When she does, she describes the force as being around her and inside of her at the same time.

You and I don't have powers from a mysterious force, but it seems like maybe those Star Wars writers may have gotten some of their inspiration from the way the Bible talks about God.

VIDEO | A Clip from "Holy Spirit" (BibleProject)

STORY | Talk about a time you felt God's presence in a hard time.

I remember the day my Mom died like it was yesterday.

I am the baby in my family, so Momma and I were super close.

I never really imagined I could feel pain like that- I just cried and screamed uncontrollably.

But that evening, the Holy Spirit gave me a calm and peace in the midst of this terrible time through these verses:

1 Corinthians 15:55–57 NIV

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I’m not saying everything was perfect after that, but I did have what the Bible calls “peace that passes all understanding.” The kind of peace that doesn’t make sense...

Maybe because we can't see or hear God with our usual senses, we sometimes think God is hanging out in the clouds far away, if we believe God exists at all. But Scripture shows us God's presence is all around us and can even be within us.

Title Slide

SCRIPTURE | John 14:1-6, 15-31

INSTRUCTIONS: Read John 14:1-6, 15–31. Scripture shows us a lot of stories about the disciples not fully understanding Jesus all the time.

Over and over, we see Jesus' followers trying to see things with their own limited perspective and understanding, then having their worlds turned upside down by the truths Jesus showed them. Can you relate? Have you ever found it hard to fully understand the Bible or the things Jesus said? In this passage, Thomas, one of Jesus's disciples, asked where Jesus was going and how Jesus' followers would know the way to get there. They were worried Jesus was going to leave them behind — wherever he was going.

What the disciples didn't understand is that Jesus would soon be leaving earth. First, he would die (but then be resurrected). After that, he would leave earth permanently and return to God in heaven. The disciples wanted to be wherever Jesus was because Jesus was their guide! He was how they understood God, the world, their big questions, and their purpose in life. For the disciples it felt like the ending to a good thing would soon be coming, but Jesus had a different message: the end was just the beginning. The end of Jesus' life on earth would the beginning of God's life within us through the Holy Spirit.

ACTIVITY | What Is an Advocate?

But why does Jesus call the Holy Spirit "the Advocate"? Historically, this was a legal word. In court, an advocate was someone who would plead someone's case before a judge. When someone was stuck, in trouble, or needing help, an advocate would step in. According to Jesus, this is one of the things the Holy Spirit does for us.

INSTRUCTIONS: Using jumbo sticky notes and permanent markers, ask students to make a list of synonyms or ideas that come to mind when they hear the word "advocate." Write one word or idea on each sticky note and stick it to a wall or board. Jesus was an advocate for people while he walked on earth, but he knew he wouldn't be on earth forever. That's why he promised us the Holy Spirit would be sent by God to continue Jesus' work. The Holy Spirit, Jesus said . . .

He would advocate for us. Would help us. Would be a gift to us. Would be God's peace. Jesus reassured us that his death, resurrection, and return to heaven were not the end of his relationship with his followers, but really just the beginning. God was not going to leave us alone or without guidance or direction.

As followers of Jesus, we're promised the same Holy Spirit Jesus promised to the disciples so long ago.

Years after this conversation between Jesus and his disciples, the apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Christians in Rome. During this time, a lot of Christians were being attacked by the Roman empire because of the messages they preached about Jesus and his authority. To remind these Jesus-followers that God was with them no matter what happened, here's what Paul wrote.

INSTRUCTIONS: Read Romans 8:9–17

Romans 8:9–17 NIV

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Paul reminds us that the Holy Spirit lives within everyone who belongs to Jesus. Is powerful enough to raise Jesus from the dead. Gives us new life through Jesus. Leads us. Helps us become children of God. Is with us and within us. The Holy Spirit is God's gift to us. For the next few weeks, we're going to discover more about who the Holy Spirit is and exactly how the Holy Spirit guides us. But before we get there, we have to start here: when you feel lost, alone, or wondering where God is, remember, God gives us the Holy Spirit.

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

MUSIC | Listening for the Holy Spirit

As we'll see throughout this series, sometimes God's Spirit leads us in ways that are mysterious and unexpected. Many people often sense the Holy Spirit speaking to them through music. Sometimes that music is about God and sometimes it's not. The more you get to know the Holy Spirit, the more you'll start to realize God can speak to you in all sorts of ways. As we listen to this song together, see what you can find about who the Holy Spirit is.

INSTRUCTIONS: Week 1 Handouts

Play “Spirit” by Beyonce

How does this song describe the Holy Spirit? How is this song helpful in understanding who the Holy Spirit is? How is it not helpful? What lyrics stand out to you and why?

RESPONSE | Inviting the Holy Spirit

While there is a lot that is mysterious about God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit isn't far away or unknowable. When we're facing situations that make us feel lost, confused, or in need of guidance, God doesn't leave us alone. So how do you get to know God's Holy Spirit? How can you find the help, guidance, peace, and comfort you need?

READ SCRIPTURE. The Bible is full of stories and truths about what God is like, who God cares about, and what God expects of us. When we spend time in God's Word, we become more aware of how God's Spirit is leading us.

PRAY OFTEN. Every time we talk to God (even when we're not sure what to say), the Holy Spirit is at work, advocating for and helping us. Prayer helps us get to know God through the Holy Spirit's work.

PRACTICE LISTENING. In order to hear God's Spirit speak we have to slow down, pause, and listen. Maybe it's just a few minutes at the end of your day, but take some time to unwind and listen for the Holy Spirit's guidance and direction. In the beginning of our conversation today, we mentioned some of the reasons why we sometimes need help and guidance when we're feeling lost or confused. In what ways do you need the Holy Spirit to guide you right now?

Do you need help understanding something difficult about God or your faith? Do you need help getting to know Jesus for the first time? Do you need guidance in a difficult situation with a friend or family member? Are you stuck doing something you know you shouldn't be doing, but you're not sure how to stop? Do you need help making a big decision? Are you looking for comfort or peace in a difficult time? If you could ask God to help you in one area of your life right now, what area would that be? How do you need the Holy Spirit to be a guiding light for you during a dark time?

INSTRUCTIONS: For this response, you'll need string lights with frosted globe bulbs and permanent markers. Before your teaching time, remove the bulbs from the string lights and place them in a bowl alongside the markers. Give students an opportunity to write a challenge they are facing on a lightbulb and return it to you. While students write, invite them to break into pairs and pray for each other. As they return the lightbulbs to you, add the bulbs to the string of lights. When all the bulbs are back, turn them on. No matter where we are, how we feel, what we've been through, or how dark or confusing life feels right now, Jesus promised that there would always be a light to guide our path — our Advocate, the Holy Spirit. So next time you're wondering what to do, where God is, or if you're all alone, remember, Jesus has left us with a guiding light to help us find the kind of truth, wisdom, and help that only comes from God. God gives us the Holy Spirit.

Prayer

Small Group Intro