Tru CurriculumMIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

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date: _____________

Bible Passage: Judges 6:1—7:25

God Is Savior

Lesson Overview CONNECT

ENCOUNTER

RESPOND

BLESS

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Leader Prep Each week you’ll find a list of resources along with encouraging articles that help you prepare your heart to present the lesson.

Further Resources Download the following resources to help you plan and lead TruIdentity lessons: Customizable copy of Lesson 5 2016–17 Scope and Sequence TruIdentity How It Works document HomeFront Weekly: Lesson 5 is provided for this lesson. The weekly for the next lesson—to be sent home for preteaching by parents—is found in BLESS. If you have questions about Tru curriculum or are looking for great training, blogs, and other support

resources, visit truministry.com.

Artwork throughout the Judges series is from The Action Bible. Used by permission of David C Cook. For more information and additional resources from The Action Bible brand, see TheActionBible.com.

Ministry Partner Thought As I stepped into teaching for my first time at my church, reading the Inspire, Equip, and Support articles reminded me that I wasn’t alone! Hearing personal stories and ways in which pastors have engaged in the text reminded me of how neat being part of the church is. Specifically, Support gave me ideas of content for teaching. Allowing myself to engage with God about the passage prior to tackling how I would share it with middle schoolers gave me abundant peace. —Haley Downey, Junior High Director, Grace Fellowship Church

Inspire Shares personal stories from fellow ministry leaders about how God has worked in their lives

I didn’t see the car coming. As the light turned yellow I made the yield-­on-­left turn. With the smack of an airbag and crunched metal and mechanics, my car was totaled and so was my confidence. My body wasn’t hurt, but my soul was badly bruised.

I was driving distracted that day, lost in calculating exactly how many minutes it would take me to do each errand, save each penny, and be perfect all the time. I had been overwhelmed for months by the needs around me and the lack of resources with which to meet them. My solution had been to grit my teeth and muscle through. I thought I should be able to do everything.

But waiting as I shivered by my battered car for the police to take my statement, I saw in front of me a manifestation of my spiritual turmoil. I can’t do everything;; who will save me? Inner angst crashed into reality. God was beckoning me to walk with Him through the wreckage of my heart.

A funny thing happened. Rather than devastating brokenness, I experienced intense relief. The illusion of control I had constructed was shattered. I felt released from the perfectionist standards I had set for myself.

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God brought me to the end of myself by using a car accident to remind me that He alone is in control and is my Savior.

Joy Vetterlein TruTeam

Leader Note As you prepare for this lesson on God as Savior, refer to the optional resource provided, I Fear. This list collects responses from middle schoolers when asked what real fears they have about being used by God. The raw and honest concerns shared will give you insights into the hearts of your own students and how to pray for them. (I Fear, see Resources)

Equip Offers perspective and context to the lesson’s Bible passage

In the first half of Judges, the stories of the major judges are relatively positive. After the judge was successful, it says the land rested for a certain number of years. We begin to see a turn in the story of Gideon. The stories of the “deliverers” in the second half of Judges are distinctly negative. After Gideon, the text simply says that the leaders ruled for a certain number of years. The implication is that the land no longer enjoyed rest.

Structurally, Judges revolves around the centerpiece, the story of Gideon, which serves as a microcosm of the entire book of Judges. Gideon reflects common themes from the Bible as well. A few examples of this:

When an angel of the Lord approached him, Gideon questioned God (Judges 6:13). If God was with them, how could all these things be? In the larger story, sin enters the world in another instance of someone questioning God: “Did God really say …?”

When God called Gideon, he came up with excuses for why he wasn’t right for the job (v. 15). When God called Moses, he too tried to squirm away by using excuses (Exodus 3:11).

Despite its dramatic outcome, this story reminds us that Gideon isn’t the main character after all. The story is about God. Every one of the so-­called heroes God uses in Judges isn’t a hero at all. They’re simply supporting characters God uses to remind us that He is the only true Hero. The story is about God and how we need Him—and how we repeatedly forget that. The entirety of Scripture is a constant reaffirmation, through countless stories, that we need God. He is our only Hero, our Savior.

Support Provides reflection and assessment through encouragement, prayer, and time in God’s Word

Our culture likes to preach the gospel of self-­sufficiency: Pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Muscle through. Grit your teeth and get it done. Rise above adversity, beat the odds, face down opposition, and achieve your dreams. If only you try hard enough and don’t stop believing in yourself, you’ll be happy and get everything you want.

But God turns that paradigm upside down. He doesn’t extend a gospel of self-­sufficiency, but God-­

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dependency. The first will be last and the last will be first. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for God will find it. He’s not impressed with our self-­driven swagger but brings us into situations where we’re humbled, brought to our knees, and invited to rely on God’s strength and power.

Are you living by the gospel of self-­sufficiency, or are you living as if God really is the only Savior? Where you land on the continuum may depend on the area of your life. Look at the questions below and talk to God about what you see. Invite Him to be Savior and Lord of every area of your life.

At work, I rely on … My experience and abilities God’s wisdom and leadership

With my family, I … Try to figure out what everyone wants from me Ask God to help me love everyone like He does

When I relate to God, I … Find myself wanting to impress Him Am very aware of my need for Him

Ministry Partner Thought A student talked to me about his “sin cycle.” He used those words and talked about how the lessons in Judges have helped him to see his own sin cycle and to know that it can be overcome. He thanked me for teaching him about it and giving him hope. —Ben McEntee, Youth Pastor, Valley Christian Center

LARGE GROUP S E C T I O N

CONNECT Space is created for students to connect with God, their peers, and their leaders through announcements, activities, discussion questions, personal testimonies, and worship.

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CHURCH FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS SUPPLIES • Customizable Series: Judges image (see Resources)

PREPARE AHEAD Optional: Cue Customizable Series image. It’s important to share church-­wide announcements so students can see youth group as a part of their greater church congregation. Feel free to customize this image or the blank activity image (below) to share any church or program information with your students.

CONNECT ACTIVITY: Last One Standing Previewing today’s story of God working through Gideon by narrowing down his army, students will go through a process of thinning out contestants with a series of questions.

SUPPLIES • Last One Standing title image (see Resources) • Last One Standing blank image (see Resources) • Connect Question image (see Resources) • Small bowls (2) • Water • Straws (3) • Spoons (3) • Table

SET UP Put the table in the front. Fill two bowls with water. Place the bowls on the table with a straw and spoon next to each bowl.

RELATE The goal of Last One Standing is to narrow the entire group down to two people using a series of questions. The final two people will come to the front to face off against each other and see who can drink a bowl of water fastest. The person who finishes first is the winner.

In today’s lesson we’ll see how God took a large army and continued to narrow it down to a small group before He was ready to bring them to battle. We’re going to reenact a process of weeding out. I’ll read a series of statements and we’ll slowly watch the number of people standing get smaller and smaller. To begin, everyone stand up. When I read a statement that applies to you, sit down. We’ll stop when there are only two people left standing. Feel free to use the following statements, or come up with some of your own.

Sit down if you’ve traveled out of the country. Sit down if you’re the oldest sibling in your family. Sit down if you have more than two pets. Sit down if you’ve ever broken a bone. Sit down if you’ve eaten fast food today. Sit down if you speak more than two languages. Sit down if you’ve lived in another state.

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Sit down if you’re wearing jeans. Sit down if you’re right-­handed. Once your group has been whittled down to two students, invite them to participate in a final challenge. Have

the final two students come to the front of the room and stand behind the table. Now we’re going to find the last one standing. The first one to drink all the water in their bowl is the winner. You can use a straw or a spoon, whichever you prefer. The first one to finish is the winner!

CONNECT QUESTIONS Would you rather ... have the power of invisibility or flight? Would you rather … lose your sense of taste or smell? Would you rather … always say everything you’re thinking or never speak again? Would you rather ... be in control and never be surprised or be surprised but never in control?

TRANSITION TO ENCOUNTER God often chooses people who are the least likely to accomplish His work. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done or where we’ve been—God is still able to work through us. He is Savior. God is always with us, so we don’t have to do life alone. Today we’re going to see how God used an insecure man named Gideon to help save His people.

WORSHIP AND PRAYER Suggested worship songs: “Mighty to Save” by MercyMe, “He Has Won” by Vertical Church Band, “Thank You, Jesus” by Hillsong Worship. Lead students in a Prayer of Release. For more information, please see the TruIdentity How It Works document.

ENCOUNTER With the Holy Spirit as Teacher, students can encounter God and learn more about His character and work through His Word, videos, God-­centered teaching, and sharing of personal stories.

God Is Savior SUPPLIES • Optional: HomePage student handout (see Resources) • God Statement image (see Resources) • God Is Savior video (see Resources) • Optional: Customizable Series: Judges image (see Resources) • Optional: Gideon Storytelling video (see Resources) • Optional: Fruit and Roots Response Tree (see Resources) • Pens or pencils (1 per student) • Optional: Index cards (1 per student) • Bibles (1 per student)

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GOD’S WORD Scripture reflects truth about God’s actions and unchanging character. Invite a student you’ve selected ahead of time to come up and read the following section of God’s Word. Note: If the passage of Scripture is longer, invite several students to participate and “popcorn” the reading to keep everyone engaged. Let’s stand as we read God’s Word together.

The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.

When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” Judges 6:11–14

Distribute the optional HomePage and encourage students to take notes or jot down questions in the available space. There’s an optional video available if you choose to show it before you begin teaching, and this lesson also contains a Gideon storytelling video. The God Statement image can be projected during ENCOUNTER, or adapt the Customizable Series: Judges image with your teaching points.

Lesson Commentary This supplemental resource helps leaders go deeper into the meaning of the text. It is a hermeneutical tool and is not meant to be a teaching script.

After four weeks journeying through the book of Judges together, slogging over and over again through the now too familiar cycle—idolatry, oppression, desperation—we might be forgiven if we’re more than slightly annoyed at the opening verse of chapter 6: “The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites” (Judges 6:1).

One might think that after 200 years of God’s faithfulness, provision, and rescue, the people of Israel would finally be cured of their chronic idolatry. However, this tragic refrain that runs throughout the book of Judges, growing in strength as the book progresses, serves an important function in the biblical narrative as well as in our lives. It highlights what we all too often fail to recognize or blatantly ignore: the addictive, enslaving power of sin. As we read these words over and over again in Judges, we feel two things: frustration and powerlessness. First, we’ve already experienced the stubborn nature of God’s people in the narrative, as they perpetually repay His faithfulness with disloyalty and His goodness with wickedness. One chapter ends with, “Then, the land had peace” (shalom, a word with tremendous significance and deep beauty) and the next begins with, “Again, the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” It would be funny if it weren’t so sad and devastating. As we read these words time and again, we’re annoyed, frustrated, even offended at their foolishness, apathy, and ingratitude. Yet, there’s no room for judgment, for we quickly realize that the moment we condemn them, we’re also condemning ourselves. The story of Judges is the story of the human race—it’s our story—and each person who has walked the face of the planet has experienced firsthand the same sin cycle and the same inability to do anything about it. Apart from the power of the Holy Spirit, we’re all enslaved to sin, often feeling powerless beneath its tyranny and foolishly prone to wander far from the hand of Him who has been our faithful provider, powerful Savior, and constant friend. As a result of our own chronic idolatry, we

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too have intimate knowledge of the consequences of our rebellion. The depiction of Israel at the beginning of chapter 6 also describes us: oppressed, harried, terrified, decimated, barren, and impoverished. When we come to verse 6 and their cry goes up, our voices join with them: “Lord, save us!” However, the answer God gives isn’t at all the one we would’ve expected.

Read Judges 6:7–10. Rather than appearing in power to deal with their oppressors as He has in previous narratives, God first sends a prophet to accuse His own people, showing them that they, not the Midianites, were the source of their own suffering. However, this isn’t the end of the story. Having arraigned them, God doesn’t condemn them to their chosen destiny. Instead, God steps from behind the bench—how wonderful that the Judge is also the Defender—and delivers them. Yet, here again, God’s chosen deliverer isn’t one who anyone else, himself included, would have expected.

Read Judges 6:11–16. Here, after four generations, four cycles of idolatry, oppression, and deliverance, God, in choosing Gideon, makes explicit what has been implicit throughout the narrative to this point: We cannot save ourselves. Though this book is titled Judges, it’s not ultimately the story of heroic men and women delivering their people from oppressors (any more than Acts is the story of the apostles). Yes, (most of) the judges had heroic faith and consequently are remembered and even commended for their roles in the narrative. However, the glory for each of these victories belongs to God alone because He, as we’ve repeatedly noted throughout our series, is the true Hero in each of these stories. He is the Savior. The human deliverers are remarkable not for their capability but for their awareness of their own inadequacy.

Gideon attempted to promptly establish his inadequacy and disqualify himself from God’s bold plan, more clearly than any of the other judges. While such assessments and determinations weren’t Gideon’s to make, his accurate self-­conception when measured against the enormous task at hand provides a pattern for any who would serve God and desire to take part in His redemptive plan. If we’re going to be useful in His purposes, we must realize the depth of our own powerlessness and learn dependence upon God. God wasn’t at all dissuaded by Gideon’s poor but accurate self-­image, because He knew the battle wouldn’t be decided by Gideon’s military prowess. Where the mission is God’s, so too must be the resources. Gideon’s initial encounter with God, terrifying and overwhelming though it was, ended with an inspiring promise: “I will be with you” (v. 16). This promise, in Jesus through the Holy Spirit, is given to each of us who would follow where He leads.

Read Judges 6:25–27. Notice where God led Gideon first: again, not immediately into battle against the Midianites but into battle against the idolatry that was destroying His people. Only then, having twice demonstrated—once through the prophet and now through Gideon—that the root of their suffering lay not with their oppressors but within their own hearts, God turned His attention to saving them from the Midianites as He promised. God’s chosen ambassador was the timid, self-­deprecating Gideon, who, despite the miraculous experiences he had had with God to this point, immediately fell back into doubt.

Read Judges 6:36–40. We often talk about Gideon’s fleece as if it’s a model of faith, an appropriate way of seeking the will of God (as in, “I’m just going to put out a fleece about it”), but this isn’t how the narrative intends us to understand Gideon’s actions. The fleece isn’t a symbol of faith but a symbol of fear, an indication that the task to which he had been called was well beyond his capacity. However, rather than berate him for his doubt, God graciously consented to Gideon’s request, determined to strengthen the weak faith of both Gideon and the people of Israel by showing His strength. In order to most fully demonstrate that strength and fortify their faith, God gave Gideon an absurd and terrifying command.

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Read Judges 7:1–3. As God’s main concern was freeing His people from their idolatry, He refused to allow them to become an idol to themselves, boasting in their own strength rather than relying on Him. Over the course of the next few verses, God completely undermines Israelite army’s power, whittling them down from over 30,000 men to just 300. When God was satisfied that everyone would recognize and acknowledge the true Savior of Israel, He sent them into battle. The 300 least qualified men in the army (v. 6), armed with trumpets, empty jars, and torches, led by a still-­terrified Gideon—perhaps more terrified given the dramatic reduction of his army—and without even striking a single blow, decimated the seemingly invincible army of the Midianites. That is to say, of course, God did. There’s no other suitable explanation. God ensured that no one who experienced this momentous victory would be able to tell any story other than this one: God saved us.

This story is, in so many ways, also our story. We, like the Israelites, are fickle people who, despite constant assurances of His loving presence, are prone to wander far from God. We’re easily distracted by the shiny idols of the nations and so continue to find ourselves enslaved and oppressed. Yet, when we reach the end of ourselves, all our coping mechanisms have failed, and there’s nothing we can do to save ourselves (and usually not a moment before), we cry out to the only One who’s able to save us, and He does! As with Gideon and the Israelites, God begins the process of our redemption by first saving us from our idols. These are our true oppressors, our victimizers, and we must lay them down—we must put them to death—before we can receive the deliverance He would give us. Then, having dealt with the problem of our feeble hearts and frail faith through the power of the cross—the most unlikely source of salvation ever imagined;; only God can save in this way—He begins to redeem even the spaces around us. He calls us to be storytellers, ambassadors, and unlikely agents of His salvation.

Where does this journey begin? It begins when we, like the Israelites, like Gideon, recognize the depths of our own inadequacy and cry out to God, our Savior.

Josh Harrison Teaching Pastor, ROCKHARBOR Church

Lesson Outline The Lesson Outline is provided as a foundation for building your message to your students based on the Scripture passage that supports today’s God Statement.

Text: Judges 6:1—7:25 Dim the lights and play the God Is Savior video as the students sit down. Feel free to adapt the Customizable Series image to illustrate your teaching points. In today’s outline there’s a prompt to guide students in reflection using a tree image. Decide if you’d rather print the provided resource, Fruit and Roots Response Tree, or be ready with an index card for each student (to draw their own tree).

Ministry Partner Suggestion I really emphasized God calling Gideon a man of valor, speaking identity and truth over him even though Gideon didn't believe it himself. I also added a personal story at the beginning of when I was a landscaper and how I learned that the roots of trees are the most important part. God wanted to reach to the root of Israel’s issue. —Stevy York, Middle School Pastor, ROCKHARBOR

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We divided the outline among a couple of different activities. For the first section, we taped slips of paper with character names and verse sections underneath the students’ chairs. They were asked to find their part of the story, figure out what happened, and draw a picture of it. Then we had students come up and organize themselves in order of the story and retell it from start to finish. For the second section, we focused a little bit more on the mode God used to save them. He made it extremely clear that it wasn’t by their own strength they were being saved. The third section we covered in smaller discussion groups and utilized the Support section graphs as a supplemental tool. —Nick Taylor, Middle School Director, College Avenue Baptist Church

1. THE STORY.

A. The cycle continues. “The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites” (Judges 6:1). The Israelites continued the same cycle they had been repeating since the book of Judges began. After crying out to the Lord, God graciously raised up a judge to save them, but he isn’t what you’d expect.

Share a personal story of a time in your life when you found yourself near the bottom of a downward spiral.

B. God’s fearful warrior. “The LORD turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’ ‘Pardon me, my lord,’ Gideon replied, ‘but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family’” (vv. 14–15). God came to Gideon, a man who seemed to think God had the wrong guy. Gideon feared the Midianites and thought he was from the weakest tribe in Israel. But God reassured his faltering faith and promised him, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive” (v. 16).

C. God destroys an idol. “Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height” (vv. 25b–26a). Gideon’s family had created an altar to Baal, and God commanded Gideon to tear it down. Before God called Gideon to fight Israel’s enemy outside (the Midianites), He called him to deal with the enemy within Israel’s borders (the idolatry of their hearts). God wouldn’t deal with the bad fruit of the tree (their oppression), until He took aim at the root problem (their idolatry).

Illustration The visual of a tree can be used to show how our actions are a symptom or by-­product (fruit) of deeper issues (at the root). As you explain these concepts, draw a tree or refer to the Fruit and Roots Response Tree (see Resources). Looking at the root issue below the surface can often explain what’s happening that can be seen in a person’s life. Dealing with the actions alone (fruit) may work for a time, but the results often don’t last. The root issue must be addressed in order to experience lasting change. If you have a tree growing bad fruit but only get rid of the bad fruit, it will return the next year. Instead of just removing the bad fruit, you have to address the tree’s health at the roots.

Begin to share a personal story (dealing with the root of a problem to effect real change) to give your students a concrete picture of this abstract concept. Save the ending to share at the end of the lesson.

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D. God destroys Israel’s enemy. After Gideon tore down the altar to Baal, God led him to

prepare for battle against the Midianites.

i. God strengthens Gideon’s weak faith. “Gideon said to God, ‘If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised’” (v. 36). Gideon realized the danger of what God was calling him to do, and his faith wavered. Rather than running away, he asked God for a miraculous sign to strengthen his faith, and God kindly answered. We shouldn’t expect God to always give us signs like He graciously gave Gideon, but we can learn that God is gracious to all who ask Him to strengthen their faith to do what He calls them to do.

ii. God makes the army smaller. “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me’” (7:2). After strengthening Gideon’s faith, God called Gideon to take his army of multiple thousands down to a mere 300 because He wanted Gideon and all of Israel to remember that He alone was their Savior.

iii. God strengthens Gideon’s weak faith again. “If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp” (vv. 10–11). God knew that Gideon was still fearful of the upcoming battle, so He kindly sent Gideon close to the Midianite camp to hear about one of the soldiers’ dreams about the sure victory Israel would have (vv. 13–14). Gideon’s response showed that God’s encouragement worked: “When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped” (v. 15a).

iv. God defeats the Midianites. “When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled” (v. 22). God led Gideon and his band of 300 men to rout the Midian army of thousands.

Transition By keeping in mind that Gideon isn’t the main character of this story, we’re able to pay attention to the true Hero, God. From this passage, we see that …

2. WE NEED A SAVIOR.

A. God saves us by changing our hearts. “Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height” (6:25b–26a). Before saving the Israelites from the Midianites, God worked to save them from the idols they created in their hearts. Instead of focusing on the fruit of their sin (Midianite oppression), God went straight to the root (their idolatry).

Give each student an index card and have them draw a tree (or use the resource Fruit and Roots Response Tree) and pencils. Have them label the outside (fruit) and inside (roots). Reflect: What do other people see on your outside? As you examine your own life, how might your actions (what other people can see) be a symptom or cover-­up of something that’s going on deep inside? What is going on inside that may be expressing itself in sinful behavior? Help students process by sharing from your own life. (Have students hold this response to be used again later.)

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B. God saves us from our enemies. “Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land had peace forty years” (8:28). After destroying the idol, God led Gideon to save the Israelites from Midian. Using only 300 men, God saved Israel from those who had oppressed them for years.

Finish the story of how you allowed God to begin transforming you from the inside out (root to actions) in the personal example you began sharing earlier.

C. God is our Savior through Jesus. “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the

name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Just as God was the Savior of Israel in the day of Gideon, today He is the Savior of all who trust in Jesus. Jesus’ name means “God saves!” Jesus has come to save us from God’s wrath (see John 3:36) and to give us new lives in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17).

3. OUR RESPONSE.

A. Invite God to save you by transforming your heart. Just as God first saved the Israelites

from their deepest issues or idols, He wants to save you from yours. An idol is anything you obey, trust, or love more than Jesus. Gideon’s family had their idol in the middle of their city. Do you have any idols in your heart? Before helping you with whatever external problem you have, God wants to help you with your internal root problem of idolatry. Today, God is calling you to turn your heart from all idols and serve Him, the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9).

B. Respond to Jesus Christ, our Savior. Have you ever accepted the truth that God is

Savior and He loves you? He has made the way through Jesus Christ to be in relationship with you, even though you did nothing to deserve it. God offers new life to you through His Son Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. While you’re dead in your sins, God reaches out to you and then gives you a choice to respond to Him (Romans 5:6). You can surrender your life to God our Savior and accept the fact that you’re spiritually dead without Jesus. You need Him and His sacrifice to redeem your sins and be saved. Have you taken God up on His offer of love, forgiveness, and true life? (see John 3:16–17) Or are you trying to do it all on your own, apart from God?

C. Ask God how He may want to use you. Just as God used Gideon to save others, He can

work in your life.

Share how God has called you to action by leading others to know God as Savior.

RESPOND As a large group, students are invited to meet with the living God and engage in a variety of reflective worship responses.

WORSHIP RESPONSE LEAVING INSECURITY AND FEAR AT THE ALTAR Using the tree imagery started in ENCOUNTER, students will be invited to continue in their response to God by talking to Him about any fears they may have, and then laying them at the altar.

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SUPPLIES • Scripture cards (2–3 cards per student;; see Resources) • Altar • Cross • Scissors • Marker • Tree response (from ENCOUNTER) • Pens (1 per student) • Optional: Poster board • Suggested worship songs: “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” by Chris Tomlin, “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus”

PREPARE AHEAD Build or purchase an altar or wooden structure. You can purchase a wooden sawhorse from a home improvement store or build your own wooden structure. Using a marker, write in large letters on the altar, “God Is Savior.” To keep things simple, use poster board and write “God Is Savior” at the top. Also provide a cross, which can be made of any materials;; poster board may be used. Print the Scripture cards from the Resources and cut them apart. Place the cards at the foot of the cross.

RELATE God is the patient, loving Savior who never gives up on His people. God is the Savior who chooses us and wants us. He is continually working in our lives. It doesn’t matter who we are or what weaknesses or insecurities we might have. Gideon questioned God’s ability to use him because of who he was and who his family was. God saw beyond his uncertainty and knew He could work through Gideon’s weaknesses to display His power.

Earlier, we used the image of a tree to help us think through some of the root idols in our lives. Now I’d like to invite you to take a few moments to consider some of the fears you might have about God’s ability to use you. Then answer this question: Do I think God can use me? Why or why not? Pray and talk to God about these questions. Give students a few moments to pray and respond to God about these questions, then write their responses on the back of their cards.

As you’re talking to God, we don’t want to leave you focusing on your fears. Instead, we want to replace your fears with God’s truth: Ephesians 2:8–9;; 1 Corinthians 1:27–30;; 1 Peter 2:9. You may want to read these Scripture references over your students so they can write them on their HomePage to take home.

God is Savior. His Son, Jesus, died on the cross to save us by taking on our sin and making us new. We now have a new identity and purpose. God is our Savior. He is always with us, strengthening us and leading us. We have an altar set up here. An altar can be a place of sacrifice. Today, we’re going to take the false idols, false identities, and insecurities we’ve been holding onto and physically lay them down on the altar. Then, we’re going to walk over to the cross and read what the Bible says about who we now are in Christ. There are several different Scripture cards located at the foot of the cross. Choose one that stands out to you to keep as a reminder of the new identity we receive through faith in Christ. Close your time together with worship.

Suggested worship songs: “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” by Chris Tomlin and “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus”

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Ministry Partner Suggestion For our response it was amazing to watch the students make a declaration. We placed a metal bin at the bottom of a wooden altar we had made. When the students dropped rocks into the altar, it was loud. It was a declaration that they were laying down their insecurities, their weaknesses, and their lack of faith, and taking up God’s righteousness and identity given to us in Christ our Savior. Every student did this and spent time praying and reflecting on the things that hold them back from trusting God. —Stevy York, Middle School Pastor, ROCKHARBOR

Optional: For a simplified version without using an actual altar and cross, begin the worship response exactly as shown above. Rather than setting up the altar and cross, have students continue with their tree responses they began in ENCOUNTER by answering the two questions. Leave time for them to ponder and write down their thoughts. When students are finished responding, invite them to place their cards on the front of the stage in a basket. If you don’t have a basket, they can place their cards on the floor. Or, consider passing around a permanent marker and inviting students to write over their cards “GOD IS SAVIOR” as a reminder that He has saved them from their fears and insecurities.

Ministry Partner Thought What came from the lesson was fears the students may have that God can’t use them for His kingdom. We had students write them down and tape them to the wall. Then we replaced the fears with truth from Scripture of why God can use us despite our weaknesses. The reasons students gave were eye-­opening. —Alan Kim, Pastor, Arbor Road Church

SERIES STATION: HERO CAPE As the Judges series continues, display the Hero Cape along with markers and invite students to add to the response station as they learn more about God each week. They’ll be able to add things they’re realizing about God, or things He has done in their lives since the last time you met. If you begin to run out of room for responses, add another cape!

SMALL GROUP S E C T I O N

TRANSITION TO RESPOND Within small groups, intentional conversation is encouraged between students and leaders as they talk through the God statement for the lesson and experience the Holy Spirit’s leading.

• How was your week? Was it important in any specific way?

• Heroes are often saviors to people. How is God a Hero unlike any superhero?

• Take turns reading Judges 6:1—7:25. Describe Israel’s sin cycle. What part does Israel play? What part does God play? What part do other nations play?

• Why is it surprising that God chose Gideon as a judge?

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• Have you ever thought that God couldn’t use you? Why?

• Why do you think God went to such great effort to trim down Israel’s army before they went into battle? What do you think He was trying to show His people (and to Gideon)?

• If God is Savior (and we are not), how does that change how we approach the hard things in life?

• Initially, Gideon’s faith was weak and he didn’t trust in God’s plan. We all have times in our lives when our faith is weak and needs strengthening. What do you do during these times to trust God? Has God ever helped strengthen your faith during these times? How so?

• Why do you think God allows us to go through challenges?

• Before God saved Israel from the Midianites, He saved them from the idols they worshipped. (An idol is anything you obey, trust, or love more than Jesus.) What kinds of things in our lives do we make into idols? What good things can become idols?

• Ultimately, Jesus wants to save us from our sin. Have you ever asked Jesus to save you? Have you ever decided that you want to serve Him with all of your heart? If so, when? If not, why not?

Give students an opportunity to answer the questions, but don’t feel pressured to get to all of them. Leave space for the Holy Spirit to direct the conversation and lead where it should go. On the other hand, if students don’t seem comfortable or ready to share, take the time to ask additional questions or be ready to share your own thoughts on His story involving you, to get things started.

If you sense a student is wanting to have more conversation about making a commitment to serve Jesus with her whole life, or has questions, make it a priority to continue that conversation.

While you’re gathered in your small group, you may want to take time together to put the final Series Focus Verse to memory:

Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer. Judges 3:15a

BLESS Leaders send students out with scriptural truth and blessing so they can in turn be a blessing to their families and others.

SUPPLIES • HomeFront Weekly: Lesson 6 (see Resources) • Judges bookmark (see Resources) • Optional: HomePage (see Resources)

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RELATE Explain to students what a blessing is. A blessing can be a prayer of commission (or sending out), a portion of Scripture, or words to encourage and guide. To clarify: A prayer is talking to God, while a blessing is speaking these special words to a person. Within your small group, let students know you’ll be going around a circle and blessing the person to your right, and so on.

Ministry Partner Suggestion I took a moment and told each student how God sees them instead of how the world might see them, or even how they see themselves. Gideon thought he was weak and nothing, and yet God called him a man of valor—mighty warrior. Many of my students feel the same. I looked each one in the eyes and said, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God.” That simple act was a profound moment for me, as a shepherd, to tell my students who they are in Christ. It made the lesson click. —Ben McEntee, Youth Pastor, Valley Christian Center

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9).

Have each student bless the person to his right with the following blessing:

May you know you are specially chosen by God, called into His wonderful light.

(Student’s name), may you know that your heavenly Father loves you. He made the way to save you from your sin. Nothing you do will make Him love you any more or any less. May you find comfort and peace knowing that He loves you exactly as you are, no matter what.

As students are blessed, remind them they have the opportunity to also be a blessing to others. Encourage them to freely share with others the joy and love they’ve received from God.

Don’t forget to send the Judges bookmark home with each student, along with the HomeFront weekly for parents and customizable HomePage, which challenges students to go deeper with their family, leaders, and friends.