MESSAGE OVERVIEW
As Transit Weekend draws to a close, the focus of our discussion shifts from how the world sees us or how we see ourselves, and turns to the way God sees us. As we learned this weekend, we are labeled by God. The amazing truth we are focusing on tonight is that we were bought at a price. Therefore, in Christ, we are given new labels. The challenge is for each of us to start seeing ourselves as God sees us.
BOTTOM LINE
The one who saves you labels you.
SCRIPTURE
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. // Ephesians 2:8–10 (NLT)
WATCH FIRST
DISCUSSION GUIDE
CONVERSATION STARTERS
Finish this sentence: Instead of finding their identities in who God says they are, most middle schoolers find their identities in _________.
Look at your labels board. Think to yourself (not out loud): Would God want you to change any labels tonight?
Read Ephesians 2:8–10. What does it mean that “Salvation is not a reward for the good things we’ve done”?
How does Jesus become our Savior? (We believe in his death and resurrection and receive his free gift of grace.)
Do you know that you are “God’s masterpiece”? How does it feel to be so loved by God that you are compared to a great painting, song, or other work of art?
ACTIVITY
Hand each student one page of labels from your “Saturday Night” envelope. (We’ll refer to these labels as “God labels” since they are full of words God uses to describe us.)
Give students a few minutes to pick the “God label” they most identify with.
Remove the three negative labels inside the name tag from this morning.
Place their God label inside the “Hello, I’m…” name tag.
Place the Scripture label that matches their “God label” at the bottom of their boards.
Using the labels already on their boards, ask students to pick three labels they want to be known for and move those three labels inside the name tag.
Have them remove all the labels that are remaining outside the “Hello, I’m…” name tag.
Final boards should have one “God label” and three other positive labels inside their name tag.
CONTINUE DISCUSSION
Is anyone willing to go first and share which labels they chose for their board? What made you choose those labels? Is there a story that goes with any of those labels?
What if a middle schooler was never able to grasp how God feels about them?
How would your life be different if you were always able to remember how God labels you?
IN THE WEEKS TO COME
The challenge for your group is for each student to commit to memory the Scripture their “God label” came from. Then, anytime an untrue label is given to them or said about them, they can replace that lie with the truth of who God says they are.
