LIVING OUT GOD’S PURPOSES
Week 4: Discover—Your Shape for Serving
This includes:
1. Leader Preparation
2. Lesson Guide
1. LEADER PREPARATION
LESSON OVERVIEW
This lesson focuses on the biblical purpose of discover. We’ll see that Mary committed
herself to being available to serve God. Mary was chosen for a distinct purpose and
ministry—just like we have all been uniquely designed and created for specific ways to serve
God and others.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
1. WHAT: Every Christian has a role and a place in the body of Christ; we were all
created uniquely.
2. WHY: God’s plans for the body of Christ include a spot for each Christian—God didn’t
make anyone to “sit on the bench.”
3. HOW: Encourage students to discover their unique S.H.A.P.E. and make an impact
by serving.
PRIMARY SCRIPTURE
Luke 1:38
SECONDARY SCRIPTURE
1 Corinthians 12:4-12
TEACHING PREP
The short overview below is designed to help you prepare for your lesson. While you may
not want to convey this information word-for-word with your teenagers, you’ll definitely
want to refer to it as you lead your small group lesson.
Read Luke 1:38 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-12.
Luke 1:38 is a short verse, but it contains a powerful insight. After Mary learned about her
calling, we see that she willingly submitted to God’s design for her life. Mary accepted her
God-given responsibilities and committed herself to walk in obedience. She is a great
example to us as a life of service and ministry.
God has a special design for all of us, and it’s a reminder of his love. His love is so great
that he doesn’t force his ways on us; we have to choose him and commit to serving others.
It’s not automatic!
In our secondary passage—1 Corinthians 12:4-12—we are reminded that every Christian
has a role and a place in the body of Christ. We were all created uniquely. That’s why we
value the process of discovering our S.H.A.P.E. for ministry—our spiritual gifts, our heart
(passions), our abilities, our personality, and our experiences.
THE BEFORE & AFTER [optional]
Text Message Questions
We’ve provided a couple of different text message questions to send out to your students
prior to your meeting. Feel free to use one or both of the questions below. As with the rest
of the curriculum, edit these questions to fit the needs of your ministry.
What do you well? Where do you excel? Don’t miss small group tonight.
Did you realize that without you, God’s plan for the church isn’t complete? Let’s talk
about it tonight at small group.
Parent Email
We’ve provided you with an email below that you can send to your parents following the
lesson. Our hope is to encourage parents to continue the conversation at home. Feel free to
edit and customize the email to fit your ministry needs.
Dear parents,
Our small groups are continuing their series looking at the story of Mary and how she lived
out God’s purposes in her life. After Mary learned about her “calling,” we see in Luke 1:38
that she willingly submitted to what God had chosen her to do. Mary realized that she had
been selected for a unique purpose, and she was willing to obey God and fulfill this plan.
She is a great example to us of the value of discovering our place in service and ministry.
We challenged our students this week to work through their S.H.A.P.E. for ministry: their
spiritual gifts, their heart (passions), their abilities, their personality, and their experiences.
God has created each of us uniquely and calls every Christian to find a place of service.
I’d encourage you to find time this week to talk with your child. Here are some questions
that you might want to include in your chat:
What words would you use to describe Mary’s attitude and response to God’s calling?
When someone asks you to help or serve, what’s usually your immediate reaction?
Why do you respond that way?
What are some examples of ways you’ve served God and others? Through those
experiences, what did you learn about yourself and the way God created you?
Maybe take a little time to talk as a family about the importance of contributing to the body
of Christ through ministry. Just as each member in your family has a specific place within
your home, every member of the church family plays a unique and specific role to the life of
the body. Have an awesome day!
LIVING OUT GOD’S PURPOSES
Week 4: Discover—Your Shape for Serving
2. LESSON GUIDE
GETTING THINGS STARTED [optional]
As you begin your small group, welcome your students and invite them into your meeting
area. Open in prayer, and then SAY SOMETHING LIKE:
Believe it or not, we all have talents. Some of our talents are obvious, while others are
hidden. What really matters is the process of discovering, developing, and using our skills
and talents to honor God and serve others. In this scene from Meet the Parents (rated PG13), we meet a guy named Kevin who is attempting to use his skills to honor God—but he
may have missed the real point.
Start the DVD clip at 0:55:30, as they enter the wood shop. Stop the DVD at 0:56:15, as
Kevin says, “You’re in good company.”
ASK:
Why is this scene so funny—but also maybe a little bit poignant?
What are some ways you might use your “ordinary” skills and talents to honor God
and serve others?
SAY SOMETHING LIKE: There is only one you! You are uniquely made and created by God.
And each of you is needed in the church. Our uniqueness is not just about making us
different but about finding our unique way of serving. The more we understand who we are
and where we have been, the better we can pursue God’s purposes for us. And the best part
is, you don’t have to wait until you’re older—you can begin serving people today!
If you came up with an opening activity, movie clip, or game that worked well with your
group, and you’d like to share it with other youth workers, please email us at
ideas@simplyyouthministry.com.
TEACHING POINTS
The goal of the Teaching Points is to help students capture the essence of each lesson with
more discussion and less lecture-style teaching. The main points we have chosen here are
(1) What’s your S.H.A.P.E., (2) What’s your attitude, and (3) What are your actions.
Remember: All throughout these lessons, it’s up to you to choose (1) how many questions
you use, and (2) the wording of the main points—keep ours, or change the wording to make
it clearer for your audience.
Read Luke 1:38 together as a group. Consider allowing one or more of the teenagers to
read the text.
SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Let’s spend a few minutes exploring how we can serve God and
others through our skills, talents, gifts, and abilities.
1. What’s your S.H.A.P.E.?
SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Some of you may already be familiar with the S.H.A.P.E. acronym.
It’s a helpful way to think of how God has uniquely created you. The big idea is that each of
us is a uniquely created person, an original masterpiece. Without you, the church is missing
something. Each Christian is vital to the health of the church—both the local church and the
big, universal church—and to God’s plans for humanity. Each of us is created uniquely and
we are needed to form a healthy body. You can discover your S.H.A.P.E. by answering these
questions. [NOTE: Take a few minutes so each teenager can answer these questions OR
divide your students into pairs to work through these questions.]
ASK:
SPIRITUAL GIFTS: What are my spiritual gifts?
HEART: What do I love? What are my passions?
ABILITIES: What am I good at? What are my skills?
PERSONALITY: How am I wired? [NOTE: Differences would include introvert vs.
extrovert, planned vs. spontaneous, cooperative vs. competitive, lead vs. follow, and
so on.]
EXPERIENCE: What experiences have shaped who I am? How can those experiences
prepare me for future ministry opportunities?
2. What’s your attitude?
ASK:
Reread Luke 1:38. What words would you use to describe Mary’s attitude and
response to God’s calling?
Not everyone responds positively to promises from God. Back in Genesis 18, Sarah
laughed at the idea she would have a child in her old age. Why do you think Mary so
willingly said, “I am the Lord’s servant”?
What are some of the ways being Jesus’ mother was an act of service for Mary?
When someone asks you to help or serve, what’s usually your immediate reaction?
Why do you respond that way?
Why can it be so difficult to have an attitude of joyfully or willingly serving others?
SAY SOMETHING LIKE: When it comes to serving God and others, our attitudes matter.
When we look at Mary, we see someone who was willing and open and trusting—this made
it easier for her to accept God’s calling on her life. We have the opportunity to develop and
maintain attitudes that honor God and help us have a servant’s heart.
3. What are your actions?
ASK:
What are some examples of ways you’ve served God and others? Through those
experiences, what did you learn about yourself and the way God created you?
SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Mary was chosen to give birth to Jesus, and each Christian is
uniquely formed and created for serving others and helping the church body. The process of
discovering your unique design is a journey, and along the way you will get opportunities to
serve Jesus through your unique S.H.A.P.E. When those moments come along, be sure to
serve and be an active and committed member of Christ’s body.
ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION [optional]
ASK:
Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-12. Do any of the gifts in this passage seem more important
than other gifts? Why or why not?
In verse 12, Paul compares the church to a body. How does this analogy help you
understand our roles in serving God and others?
APPLICATION
ASK:
What’s something you have to offer to the church that only you can offer? How are
you putting this into practice? If you can’t think of anything, what keeps you from
believing that you have something to offer?
How is your attitude toward service these days? What can you do this week to
develop a better attitude? How could God help you in this area?
Based on what we discussed earlier about your S.H.A.P.E. for serving God and
others, what is one step you could take this week to grow in one of those areas?
Which area would you select, why that area, and what action step can you take?
SUMMARY
End your small group lesson here. Provide your teenagers with a quick summary or takehome challenge based on (1) the content of this lesson, (2) the dialogue that took place
during the lesson, (3) your understanding of the issues and struggles your teenagers are
facing, and (4) the big picture of your youth ministry and what your leadership team wants
accomplished with the teaching and discussion time.
FOR KEEPS [MEMORY VERSE]
Encourage and/or challenge your teenagers to memorize the verse below.
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come
true.” And then the angel left her (Luke 1:38).