Grapple Unit: Hide N Seek

Grapple Unit: Hide ’n’ Seek

Grapple Question 1: Is It Okay if I Don’t Get Caught?

Key Faith Foundation: Integrity—Who I Am When No One’s Looking

Key Scriptures: Acts 5:1-11; 1 Timothy 1:18-19; 1 John 2:3-6

Bible basis for teachers

Acts 5:1-11; 1 Timothy 1:18-19; 1 John 2:3-6

Grapple Question 1: Is It Okay if I Don’t Get Caught?

Key Faith Foundation: Integrity—Who I Am When No One’s Looking

It can be hard for preteens to understand the big deal about sins that don’t seem to have any consequences. If no one catches them, what does it matter? Use this lesson to help kids understand that when we do wrong things, the consequence is that we hurt our relationship with God. We know, and God knows. God wants us to do the right thing even when we don’t think anyone’s watching.

In 1 Timothy 1:18-19, Paul described what can happen to our faith when we sin, even if no one else knows about it. Paul said the faith of some people had been “shipwrecked” because they had violated their consciences. Talk with kids about what shipwrecked faith looks like and what it means to have a clear conscience. Encourage kids to confess their sins and to make things right this week.

Acts 5:1-11 gives an example of two people who lied and shipwrecked their faith. Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sold some property and brought some of the money to the apostles. The problem was, they lied and said they brought the full amount. When Peter confronted Ananias with his lie, Ananias fell down dead. Later, Sapphira came and repeated the same lie, and she also died. Ananias and Sapphira forgot that God knows everything. Use this passage to remind kids that God knows everything we do.

Ananias and Sapphira paid the ultimate price for their lie. Although we probably won’t be struck dead for lying, 1 John 2:3-6 explains why it matters that we obey God no matter who’s watching. This passage says if we claim to know God but don’t obey him, we don’t really know or love God. These verses can help kids understand that our actions display who we really are. If we’re truly followers of God, we will follow and obey him no matter who sees us. Encourage kids to examine their own lives and to think about who they are and how they act when no one else is looking.

understanding preteens

Kids this age begin to see people taking immoral and illegal shortcuts—especially when the coast seems “clear.” They may be tempted to push boundaries and see what they can get away with. Use this opportunity to remind kids about the importance of integrity, no matter the situation.

the lesson at a glance
Lesson Sequence / What Kids Will Do / Supplies
1 / grapple community
(5 minutes) / Build relationships. / · Christian music
· music player
· snacks (allergy alert!)
2 / grapple games
(10-15 minutes) / Choose two games to play. / · paper clips
· a small balloon for each person
· a 2-foot length of string or yarn for each person
· a ball
3 / grapple time
(10 minutes) / Play the What If? game and ponder tough situations. / · Grapple DVD
· DVD player
4 / grapple team time
(15 minutes) / Create ships and discuss what it means to have a shipwrecked faith. / · Bibles
· pencils
· pens
· paper
· markers
· scissors
· tape
· copy of the Grapple Team Guide for each person
5 / grapple team reports
(10 minutes) / Report what they learned from the Bible passage they studied.
6 / grapple prayer
(5 minutes) / Choose a prayer option. / · washable markers
· paper
· pencils
7 / grapple dare / Hear the Grapple dare.
1 / grapple community

Play Christian music as kids enjoy snacks and friendship. Give kids this discussion starter as they eat. Say: Discover at least one person in our group who has a secret diary or journal.

2 / grapple games

Say: We’re going to play a game, but you’ll get to choose. Would you rather play Elbow Tag (see Games Guide), which involves linking together in pairs? Or would you like to play Pass the Paper Clips (see Games Guide), where you share unique experiences and abilities? Have kids vote on the game they’d like to play. Then lead kids in playing the game.

Say: Now we’ll play another game. Would you rather play Balloon Pop (see Games Guide), where you try to stomp out other people’s balloons? Or would you like to play Team Keep Away (see Games Guide), where you try to intercept a ball? Have kids vote on the game they’d like to play. Then lead kids in playing the game.

3 / grapple time

Get Ready: Cue the Grapple DVD to the “Do Right” clip.

Lead the entire group in the following:

Let’s play the What If? game. Close your eyes while I read a set of questions. Then as I read them a second time, raise your hand for the one you’d do. Remember: No one can see you, so no one knows how you answer.

Here goes. What if you borrowed your friend’s skateboard and left it in the driveway and your dad drove over it. Would you tell your friend what happened and offer to buy her a new skateboard? Pause. Or would you tell your friend you don’t know what happened to the skateboard? Pause. Or would you buy your friend an identical skateboard and never tell her what happened? Pause. Then repeat the questions.

Okay, new set of questions: What if you noticed that your teacher gave you the wrong grade on a test—an answer was wrong, but he missed it. Would you ask your friends what they would do? Pause. Or would you pretend you didn’t notice and not tell anyone? Pause. Or would you tell your teacher and accept the lower grade? Pause. Then repeat the questions.

Have kids open their eyes.

Tell All: Raise your hand if you had a hard time answering the questions. How might you have answered the questions differently if you knew everyone could see you?

Let’s see how someone else deals with a tough situation.

Show the “Do Right” clip on the Grapple DVD.

In Pairs: What similar types of tough situations have you faced? How did you respond?

Tell All: In the situations we talked about, you could have gotten away without being caught. How does that make a difference, if at all?

If you bought your friend an identical skateboard or if you didn’t say anything to your teacher about your test grade, no one would know the difference, right? So, is it okay to do something wrong if you don’t get caught? Let’s grapple with that.

4 / grapple team time

Break into Grapple Teams. Encourage Grapple Team leaders to check in with kids about their week. Grapple Team leaders will facilitate discussion, using the Grapple Team Guide at the end of this lesson.

5 / grapple team reports

At the end of Grapple Team Time, have kids work with their team to choose one of the options below to report what they discovered.

Option 1: Shipwreck Cove
Act out a shipwreck as you share what you discovered.

Option 2: One Word at a Time
As a team, sit in a circle and share what you discovered—one word at a time. Each person can say only one word, and then the next person has to say the next word, and so on.

Match Grapple Teams that chose Option 1 with Grapple Teams that chose Option 2. Have teams present their reports. (Do this one team at a time if you have only two Grapple Teams.)

6 / grapple prayer

Read the Grapple Prayer options. Have the group choose one prayer option that everyone will do. Allow kids time to pray about what they discovered. Then close in prayer.

Option 1: Hand Prayers
Use a washable marker to draw a picture on your hand to symbolize what you learned today. Ask God to help you remember what you learned during tough situations.

Option 2: Poetry Prayers
Write a poem titled “God Is With Me” to remind you that God sees you even when no one else does.

7 / grapple dare

Say: Just because you don’t think you got caught telling that lie or cheating on a test doesn’t mean no one knows. You know, and so does God. You know what you’ve done, and wrong things can hurt your relationship with God…even if no one else catches you. Here’s your Grapple Dare: I dare you to do the right thing when no one can see you do it. I dare you to tell the truth about the skateboard and show your teacher the test. I dare you to have a good secret between you and God instead of a yucky one!

(Find the Parent Page for this lesson on the enhanced DVD. Have each child give a copy to his or her parents. Alternatively, send the file to parents via email.)

grapple team guide

1. Is It Okay if I Don’t Get Caught?

In your Grapple Team, use this guide to grapple with today’s question.

If you’ve ever seen a shipwreck in a movie or read about one in a book, you know they can be pretty scary—so just imagine experiencing one!

In Pairs: Describe a shipwreck you’ve seen or heard about.

Read 1 Timothy 1:18-19.

First Timothy 1:19 uses a shipwreck to describe what can happen to your faith when you’ve done something wrong, even if no one else knows about it. What does it mean to have your faith shipwrecked? Give some examples of things people might keep hidden that could shipwreck their faith.

In Pairs: Create your own ship. Use the paper, markers, scissors, and other supplies to build a ship with your partner. It can be 1-D, 2-D, 3-D…and as big as you want. Once you’ve built your ship, use a pen to put a few tiny—barely visible—holes in the bottom of the ship.

If the ship is your faith and those tiny holes are wrong things you’ve done—even barely visible things that no one but you knows about—how might those holes affect your faith, if at all?

Check out two people who tried to hide something from God and others—and shipwrecked their faith as a result.

Read Acts 5:1-11.

Why was it such a big deal that Ananias and Sapphira lied? What difference does it make that they got caught?

Read 1 John 2:3-6.

Based on these verses, what could you say to someone who asked, “Is it okay if I don’t get caught?”

grapple team reports

With your team, choose one of the options below to report what you discovered.

Option 1: Shipwreck Cove
Act out a shipwreck as you share what you discovered.