His Commandment for Growth

OBJECTIVE

The objective for this module is to demonstrate God's Goodness. Out of His Goodness, He 1) created us from nothing, 2) formed us in His image and likeness, 3) sustained us, and 4) saved us. Each week will focus on one of these critical points. This week, we want to convey the Lord's commandment and desire for our own personal and spiritual growth.

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 5 Minutes

Please review the previous week's lesson. (5 minutes)

Ask the students "Why do we eat? Why do we drink?" Once they realize it is so we can sustain our physical bodies and grow stronger, ask them how we feed our spiritual lives. The point is to emphasize that both the body and the spirit need sustenance. If we ignore the bodily needs we die on earth and if we ignore the spiritual needs we die by being separated from God. So, clearly there is a need to feed both our bodies and our spirits. How then should we go about doing this?

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Memory Verses:
"And God said, 'See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food." (Genesis 1:29)
"This is the bread which came down from heaven---not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever." -(John 6:58)

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 10 Minutes

Our Lord Jesus Christ is concerned with our personal and spiritual growth. In terms of personal growth, He establishes the idea of a community as a body aimed at strengthening and supporting its members. St. Paul says, "let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as some have done, but exhorting one another" (Hebrews 10: 24, 25). Here, it is clear that God establishes a community for us for our own growth and reliance.

While personal growth and spiritual growth are both emphasized by our Lord, they are not equal. Personal growth should be sought in order to advance spiritual growth. In the previous verse, the community is organized around "love and good works" which are profitable for an individuals personal growth but point more to spiritual growth. We want to emphasize that personal growth is good and necessary but should not be pursued at the expense of spiritual growth. "The world is passing away and all its desires, but he who does the will of God abides forever" - 1 John 2:17.

In terms of spiritual growth, we can turn to Matthew 22:35-40 where our Lord speaks about the great commandment: "'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?' Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind'...and the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" Here, our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us very plainly how to grow spiritually: love God completely and love your neighbor. If we uphold these commandments, we know our Lord will grant us with eternal life

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 5 Minutes

Does God care only about our spiritual lives or both our spiritual and personal lives?

Which is more important, personal growth or spiritual growth?

Can someone tell me what the two commandments are that lead to spiritual growth?

Just like our parents make sure we eat so we can grow strong, our Lord, as our heavenly Father, prepares the spiritual food for us that we grow strong in our spiritual lives.

LIFE APPLICATION - 5 Minutes

Just like our parents make sure we eat so we can grow strong, our Lord, as our heavenly Father, prepares the spiritual food for us that we grow strong in our spiritual lives.

How can we practice spiritual growth at home?

We can grow in our knowledge of God by reading the Bible and writings of the Church Fathers.
We can grow in our service by assisting those in need or doing a loving act for our parents or siblings.
We can grow in virtue by living by the simple commandment of our Lord; to love God holistically and to love anyone we interact with.

ACTIVITY - 5 Minutes

Bring the students some Christian themed snacks, like orban or cross shaped cereal and have them eat it. Ask them if this food provided them with spiritual nutrition. Highlight that spiritual growth, while more important than personal growth, must be consumed in a different manner. It cannot be done by eating and drinking, except through Communion, but rather through a dedicated effort to practice God's commandments in our daily lives.

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

This week, every time we have a meal, let's also remember that our spiritual growth is waiting to be fed too.