you:
an introduction Being human in God’s world
Written by Vicky Jelliffe
ICONS
This shows you where you will be reading sections from You: An Introduction by Michael Jensen, usually to answer questions.
This shows you where you will need to look at the Bible, usually to answer questions.
This suggests helpful questions for you to discuss with your classmates.
Christian Education Publications
Published December 2013
Reprinted April 2022
Copyright © Vicky Jelliffe 2013 Australia
PO Box A287, Sydney South NSW 1235
P 02 8268 3344
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New Zealand
P 06 357 0281
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National Library of Australia
ISBN: 978-1-922000-77-4
ISBN: 978-1-925041-38-5 (PDF)
This book is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism and review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this book may be reproduced by any process without the express permission of the publisher.
Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.
Author: Vicky Jelliffe
Managing editor: Natasha Percy
Theological editor: Belinda Pollard
Pedagogical editor: Belinda Elliott
Cover design: Chrisy Savvides
Internal design: Bethany Abbottsmith
Digital student handbook version 2014
Project manager: Cassandra Cassis
Production and design: Robert Moller and Andrew Hope
Editorial amendments: Natasha Percy
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: What, anxious? Me?
Chapter 2: What You are not
Chapter 3: Life
Chapter 4: Touched
Chapter 5: Body
Chapter 6: Free
Chapter 7: Stuff
Chapter 8: Speech, speech!
Chapter 9: Child
Chapter 10: Boy/girl
Chapter 11: Dreams
Chapter 12: Deep trouble
Chapter 13: Death
Chapter 14: What next?
Chapter 15: The real You
Final thoughts
Acknowledgement of works
WHO ARE YOU? THIS IS ONE QUESTION THAT IS VITAL FOR HOW YOU
LIVE YOUR LIFE, HOW YOU VIEW YOUR LIFE, AND THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE.
We are all trying to figure out the answer to this difficult but extremely important question. Particularly as you navigate life as a teenager, trying to figure out who You are and make decisions about who You want to be isn’t easy. In fact, it can be scary, especially with the onslaught of messages from TV, internet, movies, music, computer games and advertising. Everywhere you turn, you are exposed to more and more competing ideas as you seek to find your answer to the question, ‘Who are You?’
We make a statement about who we are by what we wear, what we buy, how we speak, and what we decide to put on social media. But how can we answer the question ‘Who are You?’ without a firm foundation? Michael Jensen’s book You: An Introduction explores this question in the light of who God is and who he has created us to be. As you read through this book and work on the activities, you too will explore what it means for You to be human and made in the image of God.
Chapter 1
What, anxious? Me?
Defining You
You didn’t come from nowhere. You don’t exist without a reason. You should know as much as you possibly can about You. You matter, so you should work hard to know yourself. To really know who You are, the place you start is not you: it’s God, and what he has to say about You.
Jensen says, ‘It isn’t as easy as it used to be to answer the question of You’. Read pages 7 and 8 of You: An Introduction. What reason does Jensen give as to why it’s more difficult to define who we are today?
Does this form define You? What would you want to add so that it represents who You are more clearly?
Name:
Race:
Gender:
Occupation:
Family status:
Seven points of anxiety
Now read on and write a description of each of the seven points of anxiety that Jensen outlines.
‘On the whole, I think we are struck by what an amazing thing it is to be a human being—to be alive and to be in possession of a body and a mind capable of all the exhilarating experiences of living. But we are also a confused race, unable to master our own power, unable even to know ourselves, bewildered by our own destructiveness.’ You: An Introduction, page 12
Click/tap to indicate to what extent you agree with this statement? 1 2 3 4
What do you think is amazing about being human? Suggest three points.
List three examples of human destructiveness or misuse of power.
Think about the seven points you wrote on page 4. Do you see these anxieties in your own life or those of your peers? Give two examples from the news, or from your own life, where you see one (or more) of the seven anxieties played out.
Anxiety today
In the box below list words that suggest ‘Anxiety today’, bringing out the points on page 6 or any others that come to mind.
WHEN YOU’RE FEELING CONFUSED OR ANXIOUS, WHERE DO YOU GO FOR REASSURANCE AND ANSWERS?
The Bible and You
Read ‘A great play’ in Chapter 1 of You: An Introduction and use the drawing tool to draw a mind map outlining what Jensen says about the Bible.
Reflect or discuss: Are any of Jensen’s points about the Bible new to you? Which points do you agree with? Which points do you disagree with?
What reasons does Jensen give as to why the Bible is the best place to find the answer to the question, ‘Who are You?’
What do you think about the Bible? You may click/tap more than one of the following:
Irrelevant Interesting True
Informative Boring Fiction
A set of rules A story A true love story
Other
‘There is more to come. It hasn’t ended yet. The Bible claims that Jesus will return to rule the world. In the meantime, you are played into the story as a character.’
You: An Introduction, page 13
Do you believe Jesus will return? Yes No
WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?
GOD SAYS YOU ARE …
‘You’ in relation to other Yous, especially the One who made You in the first place.
Having thought about these issues, what will you do now?