leader’s guide
Power of God
this month:
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•
•
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GodGod-the ultimate superhero
allall-powerful
paths of light
what’s your red sea moment?
How to Use
Toe Jam
Toe Jam is a resource created by Barefoot
Ministries for use in conjunction with
Credo™ Magazine. Each issue of Credo™
Magazine delivers a month’s worth of
devotions, features, and articles around a
central theme. Toe Jam gives youth
leaders the ability to build on the monthly
theme through small-group Bible study.
Toe Jam uses the articles and devotions
from the magazine as illustrations and
lead-ins for digging deeper into God’s
Word.
For inquiries, order changes, or customer
support, call toll-free 1-866-355-9933, or
e-mail
[email protected].
For more great youth ministry
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and other resources, please visit
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ministry solution.
All Scripture quotations unless otherwise indicated
are taken from the Holy Bible, New International
Version® (NIV®). Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by
International Bible Society. Used by permission of
Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
Each week’s small-group Bible study provides a leader’s
lesson summary, suggested opening activities, and a student
study sheet. The study sheets are designed to get students into
God’s Word through the reading of the Scripture as well as
discussion. Student sheets are laid out in half sheet pages so
that they can be printed out, cut in half, 3-hole punched, and
stored in a journal.
Each student study sheet has the following sections included:
Tune up:
up:
•
Students explore their personal thoughts on the issue before
reading the Word.
• Show Time:
Students dig into the Word by reading the Scripture and
answering and discussing questions or statements.
• Encore:
Students make life applications from what they’ve discussed,
read, and learned.
Jam Session 1
God: the ultimate superhero
Summary: Everyone has heroes. Everyone puts their faith in someone they trust. For each of us there is someone in our lives
whose faults and weaknesses we are willing to overlook, dismiss, or ignore out of deep admiration. These heroes of ours set the
standards in our lives. They are the ones we grow up wanting to be like.
God is the ultimate superhero. He’s really the only superhero. Everyone else is just a hero. His powers are unlimited. His example
is perfect. Unlike other heroes, God’s only perceivable weakness is His greatest strength: His unconditional love.
Leadership Focus: Right or wrong, leaders are often placed on pedestals by those who look up to them. A leader’s responsibility
then is to set the best example of godly living they can, so those looking up to them have a tangible example to follow.
Movie: The Incredibles (G). The Incredible family faces a new world threat. In confronting a self-made nemesis, the Incredible
family works together to save the world, restore the integrity of superheroes, and make a difference.
Clip Location: 1:34:25 – 1:37:00
Synopsis: Bob and his heroic family face their newest enemy. Bob exposes his fear that his heart will fail them.
Gospel Filter: God’s love is His strength. It is because of love that Christ lived, died, and rose again to prove His is a perfect love,
thus, making Him the only true Superhero.
TUNE UP:
UP:
Start class by watching the clip from The Incredibles; then lead a brief discussion about superheroes using the following questions:
• Why did Mr. Incredible want to protect his family?
• What was Mr. Incredible’s weakness or fear?
• When Elastagirl (Mrs. Incredible) told her husband that the rest of the family could and would help him save the world,
what was his response?
• Who is your favorite superhero? A sports star, a politician, a religious leader, a parent, a celebrity? Why is that person your
favorite?
• What are some of the weaknesses of your superhero?
SHOW TIME:
Have your students look up and read aloud the following scriptures. Invite them to discuss their thoughts and record their observations
on their study sheets. During the discussion, be sure that the points in parentheses are considered.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
(God’s wisdom and power are foolishness to those who are perishing. His weakness is stronger
than humanity’s strength.)
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
(God’s power is made perfect in our weaknesses.)
Hebrews 4:14-16
(Christ can sympathize with our weaknesses because He was tempted as well
. . . but did not
give in.)
ENCORE:
Read the Perspectives article “God…the Ultimate Superhere” found below. After reading the article, ask the following discussion
questions:
• How is God like a superhero?
• How is God NOT like a typical superhero?
• The source of God’s power is His love for everyone; how does this fact affect your relationship with Him?
• In what ways has God shown you the power of His love?
• How can you be like God, the “ultimate superhero?”
Close class with prayer, asking God to help everyone be more like Him—the ultimate Superhero.
Perspectives: God…the Ultimate Superhero
Stefanie D. Hendrickson
We are fascinated with superheroes these days. Look at any theater and you’ll see some movie about a
superhero or group of superheroes. You can find movies about high school superheroes and how the superpowerful handle all the pressures of being a teenager. You can even see stories of children who discover
they aren’t different-weird; they are different-superheroes.
Superheroes usually have some special-super powers. Superman could fly, bend steal, and see through
buildings. He even saved lives by turning back time—he spun the world backwards! Now that’s power—
super power.
But there’s one thing about superheroes—there’s always a catch, a weak point in their strength. Make a list
of superheroes and you’ll find some weakness. Superman, of course, had no power in the face of
Kryptonite. A little bit of green stuff and he was powerless to stop the bad guys. It wasn’t much that could
take down the man of steel.
God is like the ultimate superhero—He can do all things. He is all-powerful—the supreme power. He
created all that is—sky, surf and sea—with a few spoken words.
Now you may be wondering, if superheroes have weak points in their power, could it be that God too is
weak? That’s the irony, the mystery of God—His power is love . . . and His “weakness” is love. God loves
us so much that He puts aside the power He has and allows us to choose—He gives us freewill—the ability
to decide for ourselves. God has the power to force us to do His will, but His powerful love gives us
freedom to choose Him on our own. What power!
Do you know the power of God's love? His love has the power to change your life—radically. His love has
the strength to make you new, to change your world. As you read this issue of Credo, ask God to show you
His power in your life and then hold on for the ride of your life.
In Christ,
Stefanie