Middle School Week 3: Worship
The Main Thing:
Spending time with Jesus through worship changes me.
Start Talking (Conversation Starter):
What’s a song you can guess almost immediately when you hear it — like within the first three seconds? (Alternative: Play a song for your group and see who knows it first.)
Need some movement-based icebreakers for your group? Find some options here!
Explore the Scripture:
Read Matthew 14:22-33 as a group. Help students start talking about it together. What stands out? What doesn’t make sense? Are there things that confuse them or words they don’t understand?
Unpack It:
Discuss what you read and what you heard.
At the end of the passage, the disciples worship Jesus and say, “Truly you are the Son of God.” What had they just experienced that led them to respond that way?
What does this story show us about what worship is and why we worship Jesus?
Think back to the message you heard. What takeaways did you have?
Own It:
Make the Scripture personal.
When you think about worship, what comes to mind first? Why do you think it can be easy to think worship is only about singing at church?
Worship is a response to who Jesus is. How could remembering who Jesus is change the way you worship Him?
The things we continually listen to and focus on can influence us. What gets most of your attention throughout a normal week? What do you think it’s producing in you?
What are some ways you could worship Jesus outside of singing during a worship experience? (e.g., gratitude, prayer, praising Him throughout your day, paying attention to what you’re listening to, etc.)
Live It:
Take action to apply what you learned.
In your Leader Overview are three ways students can spend time with Jesus through worship. Talk about each one, and challenge your group to do one of them.
Prayer:
End your meeting by praising Jesus for who He is. Ask Him to help your group recognize His goodness and respond to Him with worship — not only through songs, but through the way they live each day.