Want to help your youth group kids grow closer to Jesus? Build young people’s faith with this teen Bible study.
Growing Closer to Jesus
For this teen Bible study, you’ll need Bibles, sheets of paper, pens, fun snacks, and your favorite music for after the study.
First have students each find a partner. Then have partners stand far away from each other, facing each other. Have all the partners at one end of the room think of three emotions they can express with their face, without making any sound.
On “go,” have them make their three facial expressions, quickly in succession. Meanwhile, their partners try to figure out what each one is conveying. Then turn to the partners on the other side and ask them to tell what three emotions they observed.
Afterward, gather and discuss these questions:
- What made it difficult to accurately label your partner’s emotions?
- Even when we’re physically close to each other, what makes it hard to label another’s emotions?
Say: It’s difficult to relate to others when you’re distant from them.
Then ask:
- What does it mean to be “distant” from someone?
- Describe a close relationship. When do you feel close to this person?
- Think of a relationship that’s distant. What has made it distant?
Then say something like: Jesus wants to be close to us, not distant. Let’s look at some “evidence” of that in the Bible.
Teen Bible Study: Growing Closer to Jesus
Ask three volunteers to read aloud John 1:14; John 3:16; and Matthew 11:28.
Then ask:
- What could be motivating Jesus to want to be close to us?
- How does it impact us when we choose to come close to Jesus?
- What are some things we can do to get closer to Jesus, and why do they “work”?
Have kids get back into pairs. Then give each pair a sheet of paper and a pen. Ask them to choose three of the following passages to read: Genesis 6:9; Psalm 23:4; Psalm 27:10; Psalm 34:18; Psalm 145:18; Nahum 1:7; John 15:4-5; John 15:9-11; Ephesians 2:13; and James 4:8.
For each verse kids choose, ask them to describe an insight that helps us understand what it means to be “close” to Jesus. Have them write their thoughts on the paper.
Gather back together and ask kids to share their insights. Then ask:
- Given what we learned, how would getting closer to Jesus help you?
- If a relationship involves trusting and enjoying one another, what role does the Bible play in the process of getting closer to Jesus?
- Think about how you get close to your friends. What things “work” to help us deepen our relationships with others that could also “work” with Jesus?
