Elijah: Stressed? God is with you! (Oct 20)

COMMUNITY TIME

Announcements

  • Parking Lot Fundraiser this Saturday Oct 26.
  • Register for MS Retreat soon!
  • Today is Harvest Round Up 4-6 pm. Volunteers for dunk tank and face painting.
  • Next Sunday night Youth Group is “Walking Dead” and will be Zombie Themed! See how likely or unlikely you would be to survive a zombie apocalypse! Also, dinner, games, a lesson, and small groups.
  • Ski trip is over half full! Sign up soon! Friends can now register as well.

Community Game
Divide into teams of 3-6 for a game of charades. This is a charades relay. The first person will come up and receive a word or phrase. That person will go back and charade it to the team. When the team guesses correctly, the team sends another member to the game leader. That member must tell me the word/phrase that you just guessed in order to receive the next word/phrase on the list.

Try to be the first team to get through the entire list.

  • Bubble bath
  • Praying
  • Eating ice cream
  • Knitting
  • Listening to music
  • Walking the dog
  • Yoga
  • Exercising
  • Partying
  • Get a massage
  • Take a nap
  • Sunbathe
  • Hypnotized
  • Vacation

Can anyone guess what all of these things on the list have in common?
They are things associated with relieving stress!

Today we continue our VBS 2.0 series with a look at Elijah. Elijah was a prophet of God who was a part of many miracles and brought many important messages to people. Another defining characteristic of Elijah’s life and calling is that he was super-stressed out a lot of the time. How many of you can relate to that! Last week we learned about Joseph and how he faced many trials and temptations and remained faithful to God throughout. Elijah faced many trials and was under immense stress, and was not always as faithful and confident as Joseph was. He was downright stressed out. Let’s check out the life of Elijah with a video.

Video (9 minutes)

TRANSITION
Today in classes you will discuss stress and how we can avoid becoming like Elijah – lying under a tree asking God to kill us.

PRAY

WELCOME AND GREETING
Invite youth to share a High-Low or Happies-Crappies from their week. They may also share something they are looking forward to or are dreading this week.

OPENING GAME
Prepare a poster board, or white board numbered 1-12. Invite 6 youth to play the game. Divide them into two teams of 3, and play the game much like the popular Family Feud game as the student teams try to guess the top 12 answers on the board. Allow team members to work together to form their team’s guess. Alternate teams allowing each to guess only one answer at a time.When a correct answer is given, write the answer beside the appropriate number. When an incorrect answer is given, draw an “X” on the board for that team. You can invite a youth to do the writing on the board/poster if you wish.

Play until the entire list is guessed correctly – in which case the team to give the most correct answers wins, or until a team gets three strikes – in which case the other team wins and you reveal the remaining answers.

What are the top 12 stressors students face? Stressors are things or events in life that cause stress.

  1. Break up/problems with boy/girlfriend
  2. Too-High Expectations
  3. Trouble with brother or sister
  4. Arguments between parents
  5. Family money problems
  6. Serious illness or injury of family member
  7. Conflict in relationship with friend
  8. Trouble with parents
  9. Body image (Looks, physical development)
  10. Schoolwork / Tests
  11. Too much to do
  12. Job/Employment

These top 12 were identified according to a University of Minnesota study done in 2011.

Teams do not have to guess the exact wording. For example “Being Busy” would qualify as a correct answer for #11. Use your discretion in awarding correct answers or strikes.

BIG GROUP DISCUSSION

  1. Which stressor(s) are most prevalent in your life?
  2. Which cause you the most stress personally? Why do these cause you so much stress?
  3. How do you deal with this stress? (either positively or negatively) How does this stress affect you?

There are many things in our lives that cause us stress and demand our attention. Each of us deals with stress differently and is affected differently by stressors. Some stressors may cause us to react in a negative way such as using alcohol or lashing out in anger. It has been jokingly pointed out that STRESSED spelled backwards is DESSERTS. However, if we eat as a way of dealing with stress, we may encounter numerous health concerns.

In some situations we may react positively to a stressor such as focusing extra hard on studying for a difficult exam or our body pumping adrenaline at the start of a competition.

We all face stress. Some stress may stem from exciting and fun events, and some may be the result of high demands, too much change, or trauma. When these inevitable times in our lives take place it can be very difficult to recognize when, and what, God is trying to say to us. Today we look at the life of the prophet Elijah, his stress and struggle, and how God was with Elijah through it all.

ASK: What stressors did Elijah encounter and have to deal with?

They should be able to name some from having watched the video. Some examples include:

  • Moving to live in the desert
  • Lack of food and water
  • Taking on the Baal priests in a battle
  • Jezebel wanting to kill him
  • Having to bring bad news to people such as the drought.
  • No real home – moving from place to place
  • Having to kill hundreds of priests and their families
  • Going from an unknown person in the desert to a well-known public figure

SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES

1 Kings 17:2–6
Elijah in the desert

  1. What stressors did Elijah encounter?
  2. How would you have done in this situation?
  3. How was God with Elijah?

In the midst of a long famine, Elijah must have felt very close to the Lord, who took such personal care of him. He had the opportunity to witness ravens come twice a day to feed him. Talk about a miracle!

1 Kings 17:17–24
God returns a boy to life.

  1. How does this scripture show the stress Elijah was under?
  2. Why did God intervene and return the boy to life?
  3. What impact did this have on Elijah? On others?

God used Elijah to resurrect the widow’s son. What a test of faith, and what a vindication of God’s power over life and death!

1 Kings 18:22-39
Elijah vs. 450 prophets

  1. What stressors are present in this part of Elijah’s story?
  2. How did Elijah deal with this stressful situation?
  3. How was God present with Elijah?

The test at Mount Carmel was an irrefutable and spectacular demonstration of God’s power. Elijah had no guarantees, but he was faithful that God would deliver and God’s power would reign supreme over Baal and the prophets.

1 Kings 18:40
The slaughter of the prophets

  1. What stress might this have caused Elijah?
  2. What would you have done, or how would you have dealt with this stress?
  3. Why do you think God had Elijah do this?

Whether or not Elijah took part himself in the killing of hundreds of people, he was clearly in charge of the operation, and that must have been an emotionally devastating experience. This act was perhaps permitted by God as the only way to eradicate the idolatry. Nevertheless, it surely must have taken an emotional toll on the prophet.

1 Kings 19:1-8
Jezebel’s threat on Elijah’s life

  1. What stressors was Elijah facing? How do you think he did in dealing with this stress?
  2. After seeing God at work so often in his life, how could Elijah have reached the point of wanting God to take his life?
  3. What do you think of God’s reaction to Elijah’s prayer?

From the beginning of Ahab’s reign, the wicked queen had been adamant that her husband should “serve Baal and worship him” As a result, all of Israel had fallen into idolatrous practices. Now, with the death of all the priests, Jezebel felt impatient and enraged.

How often have we forgotten the incredible ways the Lord has worked for us in the past? It is important, especially during times of despair and stress, to cling to the memories of how God has worked in your life in the past.

Over time Elijah overcame his terrible discouragement, and God still was able to use him (see 1 Kings 19:15, 16; 2 Kings 2:7–11). Before being taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah was given the great privilege of training his successor before being taken to heaven, without ever having to die himself. Kind of an ironic “end” for a man who, not too much earlier, was asking God to take his life!

HIGH SCHOOL STRESSED OUT ACTIVITY AND DISCUSSION

Invite youth to spend a few minutes writing about a time that they were extremely stressed. Give each youth a pen and an index card or piece of paper.

Perhaps stress had caused them to become so scared/depressed/ saddened that they couldn’t eat or rest, and eventually felt exhaustion.

Invite youth to share. They may read what they wrote or share just a sentence or two. Make sure youth know they can share as much or as little as they are comfortable. You may want to share appropriately about a time you were extremely stressed.

If no youth share, that is ok! Just acknowledge that is a high vulnerability thing to talk about and move on to the questions below.

If you prefer a high energy activity, you can lead the youth through the Middle School Option below

DISCUSSION

  1. How does God provide for you when you are stressed out, scared, or depressed?
  1. What are some ways you can deal with stress in a more positive way or minimize the negative effects of stress in your life?

MIDDLE SCHOOL OPTION – Activity: “The Lighthouse.”
Call for two volunteers to stand at opposite ends of the room. After one of the volunteers is blindfolded, instruct the rest of the youth to position themselves randomly throughout the room as obstacles. When you say “start,” have the sighted student verbally guide the blindfolded student through the maze of student obstacles to reach him/her without touching any of the student obstacles, tripping over a chair, etc. The students serving as obstacles can talk, sing, play music on their phones, make noises, etc to impair the communication between the two volunteers – but may not physically hinder the blindfolded person. No grabbing or pushing!

Now, try the same thing with two new volunteers. This time have everyone be silent and instruct the volunteer student guide to speak softly while giving his/her instructions on how to navigate the room in order to reach the other side where he/she is standing.

Debrief the Activity

  1. What do you think it was like being the person who was blindfolded?
  2. Ask the blindfolded people how they felt and compare to the class’ response.
  3. What were some of the possible emotions/feelings being felt by either volunteer?
    a. Ask the sighted volunteers and compare to the class’ response.
  4. Was it easier to hear the instructions with a lot of noise or when it was silent?

Have a student read 1 Kings 19:11-13.

  1. What does this show us about God?
  2. Elijah had witnessed God using spectacular ways to get people’s attention. How was this different? Why did God come to Elijah in a whisper?
  3. How is this similar or different to how we expect God to speak to us today?

CLOSING

Have a student read 1 Kings 19:14-18.

  1. Knowing how depressed and stressed out Elijah was, how did God meet Elijah’s need?

God eliminated some of his main stressors. Elijah felt alone and unsafe. God gave Elijah the power to anoint new leadership. God also gave Elijah a successor, someone to carry on his work with him and then eventually in his place. God also promised elimination of his enemies-those that worship Baal.

  1. What are some things God does for us or gives us to help deal with stress?
  1. What is something you can do to deal better with your stress or help a friend or family member with their stress?
  2. What tips do you have for someone who is going through a very stressful time or having a hard time dealing with the stressors in their lives?
  1. What is a question you have? (about Elijah, stress, God, etc.)

PRAY