Thursday, July 23, 2009

Take your pick

A couple of illustrations (suggested by some notes I have in my Bible) might be useful in teaching the lesson, “How Genuine Are You,” based on James 1:19-27. The first is a washing machine, and the second is the idea of natural instincts.

While it might better pertain to last week’s lesson, a washing machine includes an agitator, whose purpose is to knock dirt out of clothes during a wash cycle. In the same way, trials in the lives of believers act like agitators to help mature and grow us to be more like Christ during this life. Ask members, "At the moment, do you feel like you are inside a washing machine and getting beat up by the agitator?"

In the “tests of life” presented by James, some might trust their natural instincts, which includes fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, etc. However, to pass the test, God wants us to rely on Him and His Word.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My opening is a variation of a class activity mentioned in the Lifeway Leader's Guide. I'm going to have a bag of candy for everyone to share at the beginning of class. Then in the middle of the class as we're discussing v.22 to v.25, I'm going to ask my members about dental hygiene and nutrition - eventually coming to the point where we all acknowledge that eating candy wasn't the best for our teeth or our waistline. The idea is to point out how we often KNOW what to do, but don't do it.