Free Sunday School Lesson on why to never settle as a Christian for ages 10-12 and teens.
What does it mean to settle for something?
Sometimes, settling is good, so that you don’t end up living in a fantasy world. For example, I should be realistic and settle for what sort of house my husband and I can afford. When I was a little girl, I wanted a very big house. In fact, I wanted a castle. A very large and beautiful stone castle on the side of a mountain with marble floors and twenty-foot ceilings, but then, I grew up. I gained a little wisdom and understanding when it came to money. It wouldn’t be wise or even realistic for me to demand from my husband that he buy or build me a mansion like this.
That being said, you must be careful. There are certain things that we should never settle with.
Number 1 – Never settle in regards to your relationship with God.
Many Christians think, oh I go to church, I don’t cuss, or do drugs. I’m good enough. I read my bible every now and then. I pass out or leave a tract every so often. God should be satisfied with that.
We see so many Christians living with this mindset that it doesn’t bother us. The idea of street preaching, reading the bible through in a month, or praying for a whole hour is a bit extreme. Another problem is that we hear about everything that Christ did for us so often – how he gave up everything in heaven and died a cruel death – that it just doesn’t mean that much.
If someone were to ask you, hey did Jesus Christ save you from going to hell? You might shrug and reply with, yeah.
Now, let me give you an illustration:
Imagine you and your family are on your way home from church when you all are in a terrible accident. Your parents and your siblings are all thrown from the vehicle, but you’re trapped inside. The car is on fire. You’re screaming for help, but everyone is unconscious. The fire is getting hotter, and you’re trying to bang on the window. It won’t break. Maybe your arms are broken, or you’re tangled in the seatbelt. You’re about to burn up, when all of a sudden, the window breaks, and there’s this big, ugly man with a crooked nose, a big bald spot, and super hairy arms. He’s just terrifying, but he busts out the window, puts his jacket over the broken glass, grabs you, and lifts you out. Just as he’s running away with you, the car explodes, but you’re safe. He’s saved your life.
A couple days later at school, some of your friends are talking about the guy who saved you. They saw him on the news, and they’re talking about how ugly and mean-looking he is. They say, wow that guy has definitely got something wrong with him, and they’re laughing at him. Isn’t there going to be something in you that stands up for him? That says, hey that man saved me. Don’t talk about him like that.
Why can’t we ever stand up for Christ like that? When someone uses his name as a cuss word. Why can’t you just say something?
Number 2 – Never settle for what the world defines as a Christian.
The world will tell you that a “Christian” is just a “good person” who minds their own business, who doesn’t bother anyone, and never talks about the Lord because it makes others uncomfortable.
If I were to go to your friends at school or even some kids you’ve met on a trip or on vacation, and I were to ask them, hey, is this person a Christian? Would they say, oh I don’t know. He’s a good person; She’s nice. Maybe? Or, would they say, oh yeah. He’s a Christian. He carries his Bible around. I saw him reading it. She tried to talk to me about Jesus. It was super awkward, but she’s definitely a Christian.
Number 3 – Never settle for what the world says you should settle for.
Don’t settle for who you’re going to marry just because they’re good-looking or wealthy. You are young right now, and good looks might be all that matters to you, but I promise there is more to a relationship than just how a person looks or how much money they have.
I’ll give you an example (You may include your own. Kids listen to the lesson more closely when the teacher includes a personal example.):
The story of my parents is quite interesting. My mom was a model. My sisters and I would have never known had we not found her pictures. She never told us, and she even admits that it doesn’t matter. Ask any old person, and they will tell you that looks don’t matter. It all goes away. My dad, on the other hand, grew up very wealthy. He raced cars for fun and traveled all over the country. His parents built a mansion with an indoor swimming pool at the top of a mountain. However, when they got divorced and remarried over people, my dad got left out of the will. He didn’t inherit a penny.
Looks fade, and money goes away. Proverbs 31:30 (King James Version [KJV]) – Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
1 Timothy 6:10 KJV – for the love of money is the root of all evil… Notice how it says the love of money. There’s nothing wrong with having money, but it’s greed that will destroy a person.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 KJV – He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
Proverbs 23:5 KJV – Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for [riches] certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Proverbs 27:24 KJV – For riches [are] not for ever: and doth the crown [endure] to every generation?
In the same train of thought, don’t settle for a certain job just because the world says it’s a good job. (Teachers, include your own examples.) Remember my testimony about becoming a teacher? My parents wanted me to become a doctor, but I would’ve never been happy being a doctor. Start asking God now what he wants you to do.
A lot of boys want to be famous football or basketball players. If that describes you, I suggest doing some research into those famous guys’ lives. Most of them have kids from different women, go out partying, and so on. Maybe you can handle fame, but why do you want to have that job in the first place? Is it because the world told you to? Don’t settle for the job that the world says is good. Same with you girls.
What makes being an NFL player better than a missionary? What makes a girl boss better than a stay-at-home mom? Who said that job is better? Because it certainly wasn’t God.
Number 4 – Never settle for the idea that you have enough time.
Graveyards are filled with the unaccomplished desires and dreams of people who waited just one day too late.
(Great video about procrastination.) Do you know what procrastination is? (Take time to discuss.)
Many important things have deadlines. However, most things don’t, and we’re all procrastinators.
For example: Do you procrastinate reading your bible or witnessing to that classmate who you know is lost?
Desire alone isn’t going to get the job done. That’s why establishing a relationship with God is so important. He is the only one who can help you get your priorities straight.
The world, the flesh, and the devil are trying so hard to distract you. They don’t have to get you to party, or become a teen parent, or get you addicted to porn. All they need to do is to distract you with sports, or a handsome boyfriend, or a new show, or a video game. They just need to keep you from doing what God has called you to do.
Turn to Ephesians 6:10-11 KJV.
The devil will try to trick you. He will lie that you can handle this sin, that you can get away with it, or that there won’t be any consequences. But, he will also tell you the lie that you have plenty of time. That you’re just a kid. Leave the whole “serving God” to the adults. You can worry about that when you’re grown.
Are you familiar with the story of Terah? Turn to Genesis 11:31-32 KJV. Terah was Abraham’s father. The name “Terah” means delay. Terah had a good desire to go to Cannan, but he stopped in Haran. That’s where he died. Haran was halfway from Ur to Canaan. He’d only made it halfway. He died where he didn’t plan on going. Don’t look at your life today and think you’re too young. Don’t settle for the lie that God can’t use you.
Read Genesis 25:31-34 KJV. Esau settled for a bowl of chili over his birthright because he was looking at the here and now. We’re hard on Esau, but how often do we hear that God wants to reward us in heaven for serving him right now. We think, heaven is so far off. Why do I need to worry about that now? What good do those riches do for me right now? I want to live my life. I already get to go to heaven. Esau was already a son of the father. He was in Abraham’s family. What did it matter if he was the ancestor of Christ?
Hebrews 12:16-17 KJV – Esau certainly cared, but at that point, it was too late. There will be a lot of Christians who care too, but once we are in heaven we can’t do anything else for Christ. I know there will be a lot of people who’d wished they’d done more. The goal is to not be one of them.
Everything that you have today – it’s all temporary. What you do have is just what God has given you to work with for the time being, and God makes it clear that it’s enough to serve him if you’re willing to be used by him.
People all around the world, especially in this country, are dissatisfied with life. They’re hurting, hungry for more money, more beauty – something that will grant them a little happiness. This world can’t make you happy. The richest and most beautiful among us who don’t know God are among the most miserable.
Don’t get caught in the rat race, running towards adulthood at a breakneck speed so you can finally accomplish something. Accomplish something now. Read Ecclesiastes 12:1 KJV. How many people has the world forgotten? People who were doing the exact same vain things that we do every day, and worrying about the same temporary things that we worry about? Only a desire to be used of God amounts to anything, and God doesn’t forget (2 Timothy 2:11-12 KJV).
The world will forget you. The generation after you won’t care about you. Only God will remember, so he is the one we should be focused on. I can testify that there is nothing better than to lay your head down at night, knowing that you’ve done what God has created you to do.
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