Teen Scene: July- September 2020

By R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation

Teen Scene is an age-appropriate Christian quarterly lesson guide for young people ages 15-17. In addition to introductory material and biblical exposition, each lesson contains lesson applications along with activities and questions that enhance the students’ understanding of the presentation. Biblical principles are specifically written to reflect the interests and problems of growing teens.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Jun 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781681677316

Book preview

Lesson 1

07.05.20

Wisdom—Not Guilty

Matthew 11:7–19

Background Scriptures: Matthew 11:1–19

AS they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?

8 What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.

9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

10 This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’

11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.

13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John came;

14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

15 Let anyone with ears listen!

16 "But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,

17 ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’;

19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

Whether we admit it or not, we all face real pressure from the opinions of those around us. Their thoughts have an impact on our day to day and sometimes on our own thoughts and actions. Sometimes these opinions have positive results and other times we face consequences from negative opinions about us. In today’s lesson, we begin with John the Baptist imprisoned for his work. But even in the confines of prison, John the Baptist’s primary focus was on obeying the Will of God. He sent a servant out to Jesus to ask if there was more work for him to do. Was Jesus the one that was prophesied by Isaiah as the savior? The servant wasn’t carrying a message of sadness or concern for John the Baptist’s wellbeing or sentence in prison. There wasn’t a moment where he was considering himself as he sat behind bars, nor was he concerned with what other people were saying about him. As Christians, this is the kind of consistent behavior and faith in God’s Will that we should all strive for. In following Christ and doing as He commanded, we may face ridicule and condemnation from our peers. But in the face of this, we should seek to have the single-minded devotion that John the Baptist