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Small Group

(30 minutes) Scripture Study, Scripture Memory Discovery, Life Application, Recap Scripture Study (15 minutes) Hand out the SuperStart! magazines and have students turn to page 24.

Let them read the fun facts about the number one.

 What things about the number one didn’t you know?  What else comes to your mind when you think about the number one? (lots of people tr y to be number one in sports or in school)

Have students turn to Mark 10:35-45 and ask volunteers to take turns reading aloud the verses. Ask the following questions. Encourage all students to participate and be sure to give students time to think about the questions.

 Why do you think that the other disciples got upset when James

and John asked Jesus for the most important positions? (because it wasn’t fair of them to ask to be number one, maybe because each of the disciples would have liked to have been number one himself)

Supplies SuperStart! magazines, Bibles, paper cut into small circles, scissors, red ribbon, glue sticks, markers, safety pins or tape (optional: snacks)

Teacher Tip Be sure to be sensitive to your students’ reading abilities. Ask for volunteers to read aloud or be sure to call on those whom you know like to read aloud.

Include reluctant readers by asking them to listen as you or others read Scripture aloud and let them answer questions.

 What was surprising about Jesus’ response to James and John’s request? (it probably wasn’t the answer anyone expected, it’s surprising to hear that to be great you have to be a servant)

 How do you imagine James and John felt after hearing Jesus’

answer? (embarrassed for asking, afraid of what the others were going to say to them, worried about what else Jesus might say)

 Think about the times and places where you’ve tried to be first, to be number one. What do you think Jesus would say to you? (to not be so worried about being first, to think of others instead of myself, to serve others and not think about being important)

 This week, if you try to be a servant and try not to be first or most important, how will this effect what you do? (I won’t rush to always be first in line. I’ll let my little sister take first choice of cookies. I’ll be more kind. I’ll help without my parents even asking.)

Give each student a small circle of paper and 6" of red ribbon to make badges to wear. Have students write “I’m not #1” on the circles of paper.

They can cut two 3" lengths of ribbon to glue to the back of the circles.

Use pins or tape to attach badges to students’ shirts.

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Ask students to rethink and redo the dances or fun moves they came up with at the beginning of class. These new dances or fun moves should somehow show that God is first, not them. After a minute, let students perform their new dances or moves. Then give students a minute to pray and tell God that He’ll be number one while they serve others this week.

Optional Activity Show the snack you have ready.

Who wants to be the first to have a snack? Let a student who didn’t raise her hand or make any noise have the first snack.

Ask volunteers to read aloud Philippians 4:12, 13. God will give you strength as you remember that IT’S NOT ABOUT BEING FIRST. Let everyone enjoy a snack.

Reminder Last week, the students were challenged to watch what they say. Celebrate with those who have a good report. Encourage, don’t embarrass, those who either forgot or who didn’t have a good experience.

Collect the SuperStart! magazines for use in the following weeks.

Scripture Memory Discovery (5 minutes) Our Scripture memory is Philippians 4:12, 13. The apostle Paul knew that he could do everything with God’s help. Have students find Philippians 4:12, 13 in their Bibles and ask for volunteers to read aloud the verses.

 How could these verses help you as you try to remember that IT’S NOT ABOUT BEING FIRST? (I know that God can do anything, even help me not want to be first, but be a servant.)

It’s great knowing that you can do everything with God’s help, and that includes serving others and not trying to be first. God will help you as you remember that IT’S NOT ABOUT BEING FIRST. Life Application (5 minutes) Ask students to tell you about how their challenge from last week went.

Get their ideas about what they can do to serve others this week instead of trying to be first. Some suggestions might be to let others go first in lines at school, let a friend have the first choice of what game to play, or to let a brother or sister have first choice of what TV program to watch.

Talk with students about where they can pin their “I’m not #1” badges as a reminder that IT’S NOT ABOUT BEING FIRST. Remind students to come prepared next week to share how they served others instead of trying to be first.

Recap (5 minutes) Today we’ve found out that It’s not about being first. Jesus gave us the best example of all—He didn’t come to be first, He came to be a servant. Tell the students about a time, especially when you were a preteen, when you wanted to be first but learned that it was better to serve others. Serving others because of your love for Jesus is a great way to live. When you serve others and don’t worry about being first, you’ll be first in God’s eyes!

Extra Time

As you have time, let students participate in one or more of the ExtraTime Activities on page 38.

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