cell group activity

7/28/2019 Cell group activity

1/15

Opening prayer

Icebreakers/funyouth group activity

Lesson or speaker

Discussion

Life application suggestions

Closing prayer/prayer requests

A Walk in The Dark

This is a great game for use in a home or similar setting. You just need a group of three students to

play. This game works best in the dark or at night.

Put the three students in a line with the first one leading the way, the third one in the back, and the

one in the middle, blindfolded as "it." With "It" wearing a blindfold, the other two players (one infront and one behind) walk through the whole house.

During the first trip through the course, the other two students lead it through the whole house.

When they get back where they started, it must do it all alone and try to remember their footsteps.

If they do the whole thing correctly they win! If they don't, they must come back to the start and give

another player a turn.

Notes:

Dont forget to switch up the routes between trips. This makes it a little harder.

Also, you can do time trials. Have everyone run the same course, but put them on a stopwatch to seewho can do it the quickest.

The Point: This could be a discussion starter if talking about friendship or the Ecclesiastes principle of,

Two is better than one. If they fall down . . .
http://teens.lovetoknow.com/Youth_Group_Icebreaker_Gameshttp://teens.lovetoknow.com/Youth_Group_Icebreaker_Gameshttp://teens.lovetoknow.com/Christian_Youth_Group_Activitieshttp://teens.lovetoknow.com/Christian_Youth_Group_Activitieshttp://teens.lovetoknow.com/Christian_Youth_Group_Activitieshttp://teens.lovetoknow.com/Christian_Youth_Group_Activitieshttp://teens.lovetoknow.com/Youth_Group_Icebreaker_Games


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Find the Books of the Bible

Age Group: All Youth

In the following story, there are sixteen books of the Bible hidden. Can you find them all?

I once made a remark about the hidden books of the Bible. It was a lulu, kept people looking so

hard for facts and for others it was a revelation. Some were in a jam, especially since the

names of the books were not capitalized, but the truth finally struck home to numbers ofreaders. To others it was real job. We want it to be a most fascinating few moments for you.

Yes, there will be some really easy ones to spot. Others may require judges to help them. I willquickly admit it usually takes a minister to find one of them and there will be

loud lamentations when it is found. A little lady says she brews a cup of tea, so she can

concentrate better. See how well you can compete. Relax now, for there really are sixteen

names of books in the bible in this story. (One preacher found 15 books in 20 minutes but it

took him three weeks to find the 16th.) (I think I found all the solutions, but I am not sure, so

you might want to try this yourself.

Human Machine

Age Group: All Youth

Break your group up into groups of no smaller than five and no bigger than ten. Each person in

each group now must become one of the following body parts -- eye(s), ear(s), mouth, brain,leg(s), arm(s), hand(s), etc. You can add or take away body parts, depending on the size of your

group. Just keep the most important ones in place. Instruct each group to do their best to

perform a simple task, with each body part performing only its function. Here is a sample

task. Place a Bible across the room and have each human machine attempt to "walk" over to the

Bible, find Romans 12:4 - 6 and read it out loud. Remind your machines that each body part canonly perform its function. For example, the legs cannot go to the Bible until the eye tells thebrain where they are and the brain tells the legs how many steps to take and in which

direction. This works great to illustrate how each member of a church or youth group is

important and that we must all work together as part of Christ's body. A suggested Scripture

passage is Romans 12:4-6.


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It is clear from even a cursory reading that the Bible stresses the importance of love. The Bible

even says that God is love (1 John 4:8, 16 ESV). It would not be an overstatement to say that

every action that is pleasing to God is motivated by love. In the English language today, we usethe word love in a variety of applications. We say that we love broccoli and we saywe love our spouses.

Just as there are different meanings for the word love in the English language, so there aredifferent meanings in the language of the Bible, especially the New Testament. To keep thisarticle down to a manageable size, I will concentrate on the New Testament words for love.

The Greek words for love

It appears that, in New Testament times, there were at least four different Greek words that wetranslate as the English word love. This variety actually helps us in the work of translation

because each of the four different Greek words carries a slightly different definition from the

other three. This makes it a little clearer as to what the original means. These words were:

1. EROS: this Greek word was not used in the New Testament. It refers to sexual love andprobably derived its name from the mythical god of love.

2. STORGE: This is the type of love signifying the natural affection between kinfolk. This word

appears only occasionally in the New Testament and only in compound form.3. PHILEO: This Greek word forlovesignifies, spontaneous natural affection, with morefeeling than reason (Elwell, p. 1357). Strongs Exhaustive Concordance definesphileoas, to

be a friend tofond of an individual or object; having affection for(as denoting attachment); a

matter of sentiment or feeling.4. AGAPE: This Greek word for love is by far the one that appears most frequently in the New

Testament. It is, generally assumed to mean moral goodwill which proceeds from esteem,

principle, orduty, rather than attraction or charm [it] means to love the undeserving, despitedisappointment and rejectionThoughagape has more to do with moral principle than with

inclination or liking, it never means the cold religious kindness shown from duty alone, as

scriptural examples abundantly prove (Elwell, p. 1357).

Norman Geisler offers this description of the different nuances of these words: Erotic love isegoistic. It says, My first and last consideration is myself. Philic love is mutualistic. It says,

I will give as long as I receive. Agapic love, on the other hand, is altruistic, saying, I will

give, requiring nothing in return. (Geisler, p. 49).It is the agape kind of love which God has for us, and for which we are commanded to have for

one another. Even our expression ofagapelove is but a pale example of Godsagape love for

us. Let us look at how this agape love is portrayed in the New Testament. Whenever the wordlove appears in the following verses, unless otherwise noted, i t is a translation of the Greek

word agape.

Christ followers are commanded to love one another

Jesus said that loving one another is not an option for the believer; it is acommandment. However, His commandment came with an example of how it is to be

fulfilled, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved

you, you also are to love one another (John 13:34 ESV, cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:9).

Love is a sign that we are ChristiansEveryone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves

the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of

God, when we love God and obey his commandments (1 John 5:1-2 ESV).


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By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (Jesus

speaking in John 13:35 ESV). It has been, and continues to be, my experience that an almost

tangible feeling of love exists wherever a group of Christians gathers. It can be no other way for

a people who are filled with Gods love.Love for Jesus inspires obedience to Him

Jesus said to His disciples, If you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15ESV). This means that those who love Jesus will wantto please Him. We should want to pleaseGod, not as a means of trying to earn our salvation, but out of gratitude for what He has done in

forgiving our sins.

Other places in the New Testament tell us that this desire to obey Jesus is a natural reaction fromthose who are His followers, Jesus answered him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word,

and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him (John 14:23

ESV; see also John 14:21; 2 John 1:6). It follows therefore, that those who do not obey Jesus, do

not love Him and are thus not saved.The Greatest Commandment consists of love for God and love for our neighbors

God is love.

In three of the four Gospels, Jesus tells us what He expects from us, And you shall love theLord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all

your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other

commandment greater than these (Mark 12:30-31 ESV; see also Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27).It is obvious from this passage that love should be the motivation for everything we do; love for

God first, then love for everyone else. How different would our culture look if everyone lived in

this manner?

We are to love (agape) our enemiesThe love of God transcends our anger or hatred; it allows us to forgive those whom we otherwise

would be unable to forgive (cf. Romans 12:19-20). Jesus told His disciples,But I say to you,

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44 ESV; cf. Luke 6:27-28).

Sometimes love may seem harsh

True love must sometimes act in forceful ways. Agape love is a thinking, rational, kind of

deliberate love that is motivated by what is holy and good. There are times when this kind oflove results in less than pleasant actions. When speaking to the Corinthian church concerning a

man engaged in unrepentant sin, the apostle Paul wrote these sobering words,you are to

deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the
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day of the Lord(1 Corinthians 5:5 ESV). Agape love says that this mans eternal soul is more

important than his temporal comfort, therefore actions should be taken to help him realize the

depth of his sin.

Many more biblical examples could have been cited under each of the preceding headings. Thelove of God is apparent on almost every page of the Bible. However, His love is made clearest

by His greatest gift to us.Conclusion: the greatest example of agape loveIn the New Testament, the Greek words that we translate love have nuances that help us

understand them a bit better. However, God has not left us to wonder what He views as

love. He has given us the clearest example in His Son. The greatest example of love is JesusChrist coming to earth in human flesh to die on a cross for our sin.

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for

us(Romans 5:6-8 ESV; cf. John 15:13).

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should notperish but have eternal life(John 3:16 ESV).

It is this love that we, as Christians, hope to share with a sinful, lost, and hurting world.

Read more:http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/different-types-of-love-from-the-bible-

a-christian-study/#ixzz2QDPJHT00

The Different Kinds of Love Mentioned in the Bible

The Greek language in which the New Testament was written uses several words translated

"love." The first two listed below are found in the New Testament. Understanding their

meanings helps us better comprehend God's

expectations of us.

Agapao (verb) is a special word representing the

divine love of God toward His Son, human beings in

general and believers. It is also used to depict the

outwardly focused love God expects believers to have

for one another.Agapao (including its noun

form, agape ) is "the characteristic word of

Christianity, and since the Spirit of revelation has

used it to express ideas previously unknown, inquiry

into its use, whether in Greek literature or in the

Septuagint, throws but little light upon its distinctive

meaning in the N[ew] T[estament] . . ."

This special type of Christian love, "whether exercised

toward the brethren, or toward men generally, is notan impulse from the feelings, it does not always run

with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself

only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered"

( Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words , "Love").

Reflecting the fact that human marriage is modeled after the divine relationship between

Christ and the Church, husbands are told to love their wives with this kind of outgoing,
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selfless love (Ephesians 5:25

, 31-32).

This kind of love is perhaps best expressed in Jesus Christ's statement in John 15:13

, "Greater love [ agape ] has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."

Jesus Himself perfectly exemplified this kind of love throughout His lifetime, continually

giving of Himself and His time and energies to serve others and ultimately offering up Hislife as a sacrifice for all of humanity. This is the kind of love God wants each of us to

exemplify in our lives and particularly in our marriages.

Phileo (verb) means "'to have ardent affection and feeling'a type of impulsive love"

(Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1995, "Love"). This is the natural, human type of

love and affection that we have for a friend and is often defined as "brotherly love."

In John 21:15-16

, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him with the agapao type of love and Peter responded that

he had the normal humanphileo type of love for Him. Later, after receiving the Holy Spirit,

Peter would be able to genuinely demonstrate agapao -type godly love, serving others

throughout his lifetime and making the ultimate sacrifice in martyrdom.

Eros (noun) refers to sexual, erotic love or desire.

True love, as explained in the Bible, isn't focused on oneself and one's feelings or emotions,

but is instead outwardly focused on otherswanting to best serve and care for them. True

love is beautifully described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not

rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love doesnot delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always

hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (NIV).

Bible Teaching about Christian Love

Bible teaching about Christian love brings sharp focus on what makes the world go round:

love. You take music - country, pop, or whateverit talks about love. Either you have it,

want it, or have just lost it. People fall in love, and fall out of love. Romance novels stuffbookshelves. Love can turn to hate, then switch to passion in a marital squabble.

What is this thing called love? What is Christian love? Have you ever wondered? I have,

and so have many others. Lets explore.


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In the Western world, when we say, love, we can mean many different things. Things can

get confusing. I can love my cat, my wife, my music, my friend, my job, my country, or my

car. But I dont love my wife in the same way I do my car. See, things can really get mixed

up!

Here I lay out a short course on the Bible teaching about Christian love. When I talk about

Christian love, I mean love as viewed from the New Testament (NT). I focus on three basic

categories.

Eros: Sexual Love

I start with sexor the Greek, eros. Why? Because the fiery passion of sexual love is

what most people call love. In American culture, eros is also romantic love, and according

to research, is the main reason people get married. It gets more interesting. Over one half

of both American men and women maintain that not being in love (eros) is grounds for

bailing out of marriage!

Eros is a multifaceted mixture of anger, sexual urge, joy, and jealousy. It is consummated

in searing ecstasy.

Strangely, in the Bible teaching about Christian love, eros is not mentioned in the NT

Greek. Maybe it is because the Greeks in Corinth viewed eros as the ultimate religious

expression. They thought the highest spiritual experience was the most powerful form of

ecstasy. And, what could be more intense than sexual climax?


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That is why there existed in Corinth the temple to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and

beauty. At one time, this fertility cult employed about one thousand priestess prostitutes

available to provide the ultimate religious experience. Paul referred to this problem in 1

Corinthians 6:15-20.

Bible teaching about Christian love is quite contrary to the Greek notion of the highest

form of loveor religion. For Christian love, the highest form is agape. Thats next.

Agape: Highest Love

Actually, this NT word (agape) stands in sharp contrast to eros, and is rarely used outside

the NT. It means to highly value, and unconditionally have at heart the genuine welfare

and best interests of the object loved. It includes a rational commitment and motivation to

maintain a relationship even in the face of problems. It directs kindness, respect and loyalty

toward the object loved.

Agape stands at the heart of what is commonly referred to in the Bible teaching about

Christian love. The concept of this kind of experience was in Greek and Roman culture,

but not the actual word, agape.

God expresses Christian love toward us (John 3:16; cf. Romans 5:5, 8), and Jesus explained

this self-sacrificial love, This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I

have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends

(John 15:12, 13).

Agape is fully described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. This kind of love can be directed

(wrongly) toward the things of this world, which might include cars, clothes, cameras,

money, fame, power, and manifold bling blings (1 John 2:15-17).


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According to Jesus definition, agape can be expressed in patriotism, as in soldiers laying

down their lives for their country. The Bible teaching about Christian love indicates it

should form the foundation of believers relationships with one another (John 13:35).

Agape love demonstrates our friendship with Jesus (John 15:14), and expresses our

Christian love toward God (1 John 5:1-3).

But, there is more to Christian love than this.

Phileo: Friendship Love

The Bible teaching about Christian love includes phileo. This category includes

emotional warmth and tender affection toward a friend or family member. It involves

closeness, bonding, and mutual sharing in a relationship. It is companionship, or brotherly

love.

In a marriage relationship, the dominant fire of eros gradually gives ground to the mature

phileo of affection. Phileo becomes the cement that bonds and holds families together over

the long haul. There is an actual shift in the balance of bodily hormones during this

transition. In popular usage, we call this shift the end of the honeymoon period.

The chemicals of eros dominate the emotional areas of our brain, and overrule the critical

thinking areas. After those chemicals subside, the thinking regions make a come back, and

we may wonder what we ever saw in the other person!

Jesus displayed this Christian love toward Lazarus, as observed, Lord, behold, he whom

You love (phileo) is sick (John 11:3). In addition, John also wrote of this relationship,

Now Jesus loved (agape) Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus John 11:5).

John also reveals that God displays friendship love (phileo) toward us, and believers

toward Jesus (John 16:27).


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So, what practical application can we draw from the Bible teaching about Christian love?

Lets look.

Practical Applications

Christian love is important. It forms the relationship foundation between us, God, and

other believersand all people (cf. 1 Thessalonians 3:12).

All three kinds of love are vital and important in a healthy marriage relationship.

Phileo can be thought of as love from the heart, and agape from the head. Agape should be

the foundation in a marriage. But, sex is important also. Successful love in a marriage

incorporates all three.

Marriage should not be based on eros alone, because when the eros slows down with time

and age, you might get bored, and think you have fallen out of love.

Dont confuse eros and phileo with true Christian love: agape. Falling out of eros is not

falling out of love.

We must be wary of platonic relationships with the opposite sex. The heartfelt intimacy

of phileo can quickly turn to the raging passion of eros.

Agape love is the sign of the Holy Spirit in a Christians life (Galatians 5:22).

Both agape and phileo should characterize the relationships among Christians (Romans

12:9, 10).

With this Bible teaching about Christian love, Esmie and I pray for your increased

understanding and richer experience in all your relationships. Let Christian love prevail.

BIBLE STUDY QUESTIONS

1. Describe how Christian love (agape) is to work out in your life (Mark 12:29-31).

2. In what manner did God display His Christian love (agape) toward us (Romans (Romans

5:8)?

3. What is a source of hope to Christians (Romans 5:5)?


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4. List and explain five ways you can express Christian love (agape).

in your most important relationships (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

5. How important is Christian love (agape) in your relationships with others (1 Corinthians

13:13)? Explain.

6. Explain the difference between eros, agape, and phileo.

7. What should be our relationship to the world (1 John 2:15-17; John 3:16; Matthew 5:24).

How can you reconcile these verses? Agape is used in all three.

8. Describe two ways how husbands can relate Christian love (agape) to their wives

((Ephesians 5:25)?

9. Describe two ways wives can express love (phileo) to their husbands (Titus 2:4).

10. What stood out the most to you in this Bible study? Explain.


12/15

Album: Neerae

Singer: Pastor Gersson Edinbaro

Lyrics:

Neer sonnaal pothum seiven

neer kaatum valiyil nadapen

um paatham ondre pidippen

en anbu yesuve

neer sonnaal pothum seiven



en anbu yesuve

aaraadhanai Yesuvukke







13/15


en anbu yesuve

kadalin meethu nadanthitta

um arputha paathangal

enakku munne selvathaal

enakilla kavala

kaatraiyum kadalaiyum athattiya

um arputha vaarthaigal

enthan thunaiyaai nirpathaal

enakethu kavala








en anbu yesuve

paathai ellam anthakaaram

soozhndu kondaalum

paathai kaatta nesar undu


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bayam illaye

paarvon senai thodarnthu vanthu

soozhndu kondaalum

paadhukaaka karthar undu

bayame illaye












en anbu yesuve




en anbu yesuve


15/15




en anbu yesuve

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