Time
30 minutes
Description
This lesson explores many of the things in which people base their identity and sense of self-worth, e.g., wealth, power, fame, etc. It encourages participants to consider the danger of living life in this way and the value of basing our identities solely in Christ.
Scriptures (choose from the following)
- Genesis 1:27 (We are created in God’s image.)
- John 1:12 (We are children of God.)
- Romans 8:14-17 (We are children and heirs of God.)
- 1 Corinthians 12:27 (We are the Body of Christ.)
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 (We are a new creation.)
- Galatians 3:26-28 (We are one in Christ Jesus.)
- Galatians 4:6-7 (We are children and heirs of God.)
- Ephesians 2:10 (We are God’s masterpiece.)
- Philippians 3:20 (We are citizens of heaven.)
- 1 Thessalonians 5:5 (We are children of the light and of the day.)
- 1 Peter 2:9 (We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.)
- 1 John 3:1 (We are children of God.)
- 1 John 4:15 (W live in Christ, and He lives in us.)
Materials
- Bible
- Notecards – 20-25
- Slips of paper with the Scriptures you want to use (one set of verses per slip of paper)
Preparation
- Write out the following words or phrases, each on an individual note card. Depending on your group size, you may want to use fewer cards or make up more of your own.
- # of Likes on Social Media
- # of People They Know
- # of Social Media Friends or Followers
- Ability to Avoid Sin / Goodness
- Accomplishments
- Education
- Experiences
- Fame, Notoriety, Reputation
- Hours Spent at Church
- Misfortunes / Suffering
- Money
- People of Status That They Know
- Personality (ex. Extravert or Introvert)
- Position or Status
- Preferences (ex. Dog Person or Cat Person)
- Social Class
- Sports Teams
- Talents / Skills
- Volunteer Work / Good Deeds
- Where They Grew Up
- Where They Went to School
- Shuffle the notecards, and keep them in a stack for passing out, or place them facedown on a table.
- Write the Scriptures you want to use on slips of paper (one set of verses per slip).
- Pass out the slips of paper to different participants before you begin, and ask them to be ready to read them out loud.
Procedure
- “If someone asked you who you are, you would probably describe yourself by telling them something about your experience, or what you do for a living or where you grew up or went to school.”
- “I would do the same. It’s the way that we help other people get to know something about us.”
- “But some people get confused and think that their identity is actually based in those things that they use to describe themselves.”
- “They organize their lives around those things, and their sense of self-worth is totally tied up in them.”
- “Let’s do an icebreaker to illustrate what I mean.”
- “I’m going to pass out a notecard to each one of you.” (Alternatively, you could pass it out to pairs or trios, and they can role-play together. If you put the cards on a table, let participants come and select one.)
- “Read your card, but don’t show it to anyone.”
- “I’m going to pick the first person, and I want you to come up front and act out the things a person might say if they were the type of person who based their whole identity on what’s on your card.”
- “The rest of us are going to try to guess what your card says.”
- “Once someone guesses, you get to pick the next person (or group) to go.”
- “Does anyone have any questions?” (Answer Questions. Then choose the first person to come role-play what’s on their card. Afterward, debrief with the following questions.)
Debrief
- “What do you think the dangers are of basing our identity in these things?”
- “Where should we base our identity? Why?” (Have volunteers read the Scriptures you gave them before you started, and discuss the implications of each one.)
Teach Them 