PRETEEN MINISTRY GAME: MYSTERY CHALLENGE
Have you ever tried to imagine what it was like when God created the world?
Darkness. Then… light!
Plants, animals, and people – all created from nothing by a wonderful and mysterious Creator.
It’s too much for our limited minds to understand.
But, there’s something about the incomprehensible nature of God that creates a desire to seek out and discover who He is in the Bible and in our lives today.
Use this game to encourage preteens to ask God to reveal Himself through His Word – even if it means, in the end, they have even more questions than answers.
– Nick Diliberto, Preteen Ministry
PRETEEN MINISTRY GAME: MYSTERY CHALLENGE
Bible: John 1:1-14
The Point: Ask God to reveal Himself through His Word – even if it means, in the end, they have even more questions than answers.
SUPPLIES
One marble
Candy to give away as prizes
Optional: Chairs (one per student)
OPENING GAME: MYSTERY CHALLENGE
Have students make a circle with chairs, or form a circle and sit on the floor.
Next, have one person sit in the middle of the circle – this person will be the “detective”.
The detective will close their eyes and the leader will give a marble to one person in the circle.
When the detective is instructed to open their eyes, the students in the circle will begin to pass the marble.
The marble must be passed in everybody’s hand at least once.
While the marble is being passed, everyone should also pretend to pass it.
Don’t make it easy for the “detective” to determine who has the marble.
Next, the detective will have 3 chances to guess the location of the marble.
If they guess correctly, give them a piece of candy and choose a new detective.
Play as many times as you’d like.
TEACH
That game was challenging!
There was just enough mystery to make you question whether or not you knew who really had the marble.
In life, when you don’t know something, you have the opportunity to learn something.
Choose a student to read John 1:1.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
This verse sounds kind of like a riddle, or a mystery.
Here’s what I mean…
Something called the ‘Word’ was there with God in the very beginning… and whatever it was, it was God.
The Bible then goes on to say “He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:2-3)
There’s a clue!
Previously, we read “The Word” was with God and now it says “HE was with God”.
So, what do you think is the answer to the mystery of these clues?
Could it be that when they say “The Word” they are meaning a person?
It appears that way.
So, if it’s a person, then who is this person that was with God in the beginning?
Could it be Jesus?
We also read in the Bible that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
If so, then how could He have been there in the beginning?
It’s because Jesus came to earth and took on human form.
That’s why he was called ‘Emmanuel’ which means ‘God with us’.
So, what we’ve learned is that Jesus was with God, in the beginning, long before he came to earth as a baby.
And not only did Jesus make everything, but Jesus is God.
Turn off the lights and use the flashlight.
Next, the Bible says that he is the light.
It also says that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.
Which do you think is stronger – light or darkness?
Can you ever have so much darkness that you can’t see a light?
No, but you can have so much light that you can’t see the darkness.
So, light is stronger than darkness.
Turn the flashlight off and the lights back on.
In verse 6, we learn about a man whose name is John the Baptist.
John the Baptist was sent by God to tell about the light that was coming… about Jesus.
In fact, his job was to prepare the way for Jesus.
Jesus would be the one to bring light into a dark world.
We’ve gathered a lot of information from these verses, but the Bible makes one more statement about the Word.
It says: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14
So, here’s what we know:
- Jesus was the Son of God.
- He was called ‘The Word’.
- He became flesh, like you and me, and lived among us and he has made God known to us.
- When we see Jesus, it is like seeing God.
In closing, let me ask you a question…
Have you ever read the Bible and not understood what you just read? (Allow responses.)
It can be frustrating, especially if you’re in a place where you really need to hear from God.
But, it can also be pretty exciting when God speaks to you and a scripture comes to life with new meaning like never before.
When you read God’s Word, don’t get stuck in the ‘mystery’, but ask God to give you wisdom and understanding.
And remember… it’s okay to have questions – without questions, you can’t have answers.
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PRETEEN MINISTRY GAME: UNITY BUILDERS