This includes: 1. Leader Preparation 2. Lesson Guide

1. LEADER PREPARATION

LESSON OVERVIEWMany church-going students have heard the word “communion” before, but they may not fully understand the powerful significance and meaning behind the bread and juice. In this lesson, students will examine the origin of communion so they can grasp how it matters to their lives and can help them remember God’s incredible, sacrificial love for them.

LESSON OBJECTIVES 1. WHAT: Communion is a powerful way to remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.2. WHY: When we remember Jesus’ sacrifice, we live out of gratitude to God, and we are reminded to share forgiveness toward others.3. HOW: Students will examine the origin and significance of communion, they will discuss how it’s a reminder of God’s love for them, and they’ll have the opportunity to participate in communion as a group.

PRIMARY SCRIPTURELuke 22:7-20

SECONDARY SCRIPTUREMatthew 6:9-13

TEACHING PREP

Read Luke 22:7-20.

This passage tells us about the events at the Last Supper—the final gathering of Jesus and his disciples before his crucifixion. Jesus takes two elements from the Passover

the church Week 3:What’s Communion All About?

The short overview below is designed to help you prepare for your lesson. While you may not want to

convey this information word-for-word with your teenagers, you’ll definitely want to refer to it as you

lead your lesson.

meal—specifically, the bread and the wine—and powerfully transforms their meanings. They become symbols of the sacrifice he is about to make on the cross.

Hundreds of years before Jesus walked the earth, God was already setting the stage for communion. The plagues sent on the Egyptians, culminating in the Passover feast, establishes the idea of the sacrificial lamb. God shows us, in the New Testament, how Jesus was the lamb slain for our sins. Understanding what Jesus and his disciples were celebrating with the Passover feast helps us better understand the meaning and significance of communion.

Passover in the book of Exodus is the culmination of the plagues God sent against pharaoh and Egypt. Because that account covers multiple chapters, we’ve provided a synopsis at the beginning of the first teaching point to help your students understand the foundational details. You’re certainly welcome to expand that exploration if you have extra time or students who are particularly eager to read the original passage of Scripture as a group.

NOTE: If you choose to take communion together as a group, be sure to emphasize to students that this is a decision between each of them and Jesus. Be available for conversations afterward or follow-up phone calls to talk to students about their communion experience. For some groups, it may be better to simply discuss communion; you know your group better than we do!

We also recognize that communion can be a hot topic of debate among Christians. It’s not our intention to force specific interpretations onto your church and your small groups. We want students to understand the WHAT and the WHY behind communion. If this lesson doesn’t support your expression of faith, please understand our motive! We encourage you to adapt this lesson to the needs of your small group (just like you ought to do with every lesson).

THE BEFORE & AFTER [optional]

Text Message Questions

We’ve provided a couple of different text message questions to send out to your students prior

to your meeting. Feel free to use one or both of the questions below. As with the rest of the

curriculum, edit these questions to fit the needs of your ministry.

•Whyisasacrificesuchapowerfulwaytodisplayloveandconcernfor another person? Let’s talk about it tonight at small group.

•What’sthebigideabehindcommunion?Cometosmallgrouptonightand get some answers.

Parent Email

We’ve provided you with an email below that you can send to your parents following the lesson.

Our hope is to encourage parents to continue the conversation at home. Feel free to edit and

customize the email to fit your ministry needs.

NOTE: If you choose to take communion as a small group, communicate that information to the students’ parents in advance. That will allow parents the opportunity to talk with their teenagers about it before your group meets. That communication should be separate and distinct from this email, which can be sent after your small group gathering.

Dear parents,

Our small groups continued their four-week series on the church by discussing communion this week, using Luke 22:7-20 as our primary passage.

These verses tell us about the events at the Last Supper—the final gathering of Jesus and his disciples before his crucifixion. Jesus takes elements from the Passover meal—specifically, the bread and the wine—and powerfully transforms their meanings. They become symbols of the sacrifice he is about to make on the cross.

Hundreds of years before Jesus walked the earth, God was already setting the stage for communion. The plagues sent on the Egyptians, culminating in the Passover feast, establishes the idea of the sacrificial lamb. God shows us, in the New Testament, how Jesus was the lamb slain for our sins. Understanding what Jesus and his disciples were celebrating with the Passover feast helps us better understand the meaning and significance of communion.

I’d encourage you to find time this week to talk with your teenager about our lesson. Here are some questions you might want to ask:

•WhenhaveyouneededGod’shelpthispastweek?HowdidGodmeetyour need? •Thecrossisafamiliarimage—peoplewearnecklaceswithacross,people have tattoos of the cross, and you may even see the cross on bumper stickers. What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you see a cross, and why? •Whataresomewordsyou’dusetodescribehowyoufeeloryouthinkabout when you talk about communion—or when you’ve participated in communion before?

I pray that you and your family have a blessed week!

2. LEsson guide

GETTING THINGS STARTED [optional]

Welcome your students and invite them into your meeting area. Open in prayer, and then ASK:

• I’dlikeyoutothinkaboutallofyourpossessions—allthethingsandstuff mostvaluabletoyou.Ifyoucouldhelporsaveanotherpersonbysacrificing oneofthoseobjects,wouldyou?Whyorwhynot?• Whyareoursacrificesforotherpeoplesopowerfulandmeaningful?• What’sthebiggestsacrificeanotherpersonhasmadeforyou?[NOTE: Some

students might quickly and easily offer answers involving either Jesus or their parents; encourage them to think about sacrifices friends might have made, too.]

SAY SOMETHING LIKE:Asacrificeisapowerfulstatementofloveandconcernanddevotion.Intoday’slesson,we’regoingtotalkaboutcommunion,whichisawaytorememberthegreatestsacrificeevermade:Jesus’deathonthecross.

TEACHING POINTS

the church

If you came up with an opening activity, movie clip, or game that worked well with your group,

and you’d like to share it with other youth workers, please email us at

ideas@simplyyouthministry.com.

Week 3:What’s Communion All About?

Read Luke 22:7-20 together as a group. Consider allowing one or more of the teenagers to read

the text.

Remember: All throughout these lessons, it’s up to you to choose (1) how many questions you

use, and (2) the wording of the main points—keep ours, or change the wording to make it

clearer for your audience.

The goal of the Teaching Points is to help students capture the essence of each lesson with

more discussion and less lecture-style teaching. The main points we have chosen here are

(1) Communion is a reminder of God’s love for Israel, (2) Communion is a reminder of Jesus’

sacrifice on the cross, and (3) Communion is a reminder of God’s love for you.

SAY SOMETHING LIKE:Let’sspendafewminutestalkingaboutthesignificanceofcommunionandthreeremindersitprovides.

1. Communion is a reminder of God’s love for Israel

SAY SOMETHING LIKE:Inthispassagewejustread,JesusandhisdisciplesgottogethertocelebrateaJewishholidaycalledPassover.Letmegiveyouafewdetailsaboutthisimportantevent.HundredsofyearsbeforeJesus,theIsraeliteswereenslavedbytheEgyptians,andGodusedMosestofreethepeoplefromthePharaoh,whowasthekingofEgypt.ThePharaohinitiallyrefusedMoses’request,soGodsentnineplaguestoconvincethePharaohtochangehismind[NOTE:SeeExodus7–10].Finally,Godissuedawarningforthe10thandfinalplague,anditwasabigone:Godsaidthatthefirstbornsonineachfamilywoulddie.GodhadaplantoprotectthefirstbornsonoftheJewishfamilies:Theyhadtoputthebloodofasacrificedlambontheirdoorway.Thisbloodsymbolizedthehighpricetobepaidfortheirfreedom.Ifahomehadthebloodonitsdoorframe,theangelofdeathwouldpassoverthehouseandthechildwouldlive.ThemorningafterthePassover,alltheEgyptianfirstbornsonsweredead,includingthePharaoh’sson.ThismanwassoheartbrokenthathefreedtheIsraelitesfromtheirslaveryandallowedthemtoleaveEgypt.So,hereinLuke22,JesusandhisdisciplesarecelebratingthePassoverfeast,whichwasanannualtimeforJewstorememberhowGodhadsavedtheIsraelitesfromcaptivityinEgypt.

ASK:• TherewasahighpricetobepaidfortheIsraelites’freedom.Givean

exampleofasacrificeYOUhavemadeforanotherpersonthatwascostlyin someway—maybecostlyintermsoftimeorenergyoreffort,notjust money.• Whatimpactdidyoursacrificehaveonthatotherperson?• TheIsraelitesweredesperateforGod’shelp;theyneededtoberescued

fromslavery.Whenyouhaveyougottenyourselfintosomethingthatwas “toodeep”foryou—youwereinoveryourheadandcouldn’tgetoutwithout help?• WhenhaveyouneededGod’shelpthispastweek?HowdidGodmeetyour

need?

2. Communion is a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross

SAY SOMETHING LIKE:AsJesussatwithhisdiscipleshereinLuke22,hetookthebreadatthemealandusedittosymbolizehisbody—andthatitwouldbebrokenforoursins.Hewastellingthedisciplesthathisbodywasgoingtobebroken—hewasgoingtobecrucifiedanddie—asasacrificeforoursins.JesususedthewinetosymbolizehisbloodbeingpouredoutasanewagreementthatwecouldberightwithGodthroughthepricethatJesuspaidforus.ThewineinthePassoverhadrepresentedthelamb’sbloodonthedoorpost;you’llsometimeshearpeoplerefertoJesusasthe“lambofGod”becauseofhissacrifice.

ASK:• Jesusandthedisciplesweresharingamealtogether.Beingasdescriptive

asyoucan,paintapictureofwhatthislookedlike,smelledlike,feltlike, andsoon.• Whoaresomepeoplethatyoumostenjoysharingamealwith?Why?• WhydoyouthinkJesuschoseamealtohavethisconversationwiththe

disciples?• ImaginebeingoneofJesus’disciplesashetalkedabouthowhisbodywas

beinggivenforthemandhowhisbloodwouldbepouredoutasasacrifice forthem.Howmightyouhavefelthearingthosewords?• Doyouthinkit’spossibletoparticipateincommuniontoofrequentlyORtoo

infrequently?Explainyouranswer.

SAY SOMETHING LIKE:CommunionissuchanincrediblewaytorememberJesus’sacrifice.There’snoruleabouthowoftenweneedtotakecommunion,butJesusdidtellustomakesurewedoit.Hewantsustorememberhissacrifice.

3. Communion is a reminder of God’s love for you

ASK:• Whatkindofthingsdoyoutendtoregularlyforget?• What’sthebiggestthingyoueverforgottodo?• Thecrossisafamiliarimage—peoplewearnecklaceswithacross,people

havetattoosofthecross,andyoumayevenseethecrossonbumper stickers.What’sthefirstthingthatcomestoyourmindwhenyouseea cross,andwhy?

• WhataresomespecificthingsyoudotorememberJesusthroughouta typicalday?• Whataresomewordsyou’dusetodescribehowyoufeeloryouthinkabout

whenwediscusscommunion—orwhenyou’veparticipatedincommunion before?

SAY SOMETHING LIKE:Whenyouparticipateincommunion,it’sareminderofhowmuchGodlovesyou—helovesyousomuchthathesentJesustothisearth.CommunionisareminderofJesus’sacrificeonthecrossforoursins.Oursinseparatesusfromaholy,loving,justGod.WhenJesustookthosesinsuponhimselfbydyingandthenrisingfromthedead,heprovidedawayforustoberightwithGod.WereceiveforgivenessforoursinswhenwechoosetofollowJesusasourpersonalleaderandforgiver.

ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION [optional]

ASK:• ReadMatthew6:9-13.ThisisafamiliarpassageofScriptureweoftencall

theLord’sPrayer.Lookatverse12.Howoftendoyouthinkweneed forgivenessforoursins?

• Howeasilydoyouholdgrudgesagainstpeople?

• Whymightitbehardtoforgivesomeonewhohashurtyou?

• Whataresomethingsyoucoulddoifyouarestrugglingtoforgivesomeone? [NOTE: Ideas might include writing but not sending a letter to that person; asking a friend to pray with you for God’s strength to forgive; talking with parents or other trusted adults; or talking directly to that person.]

APPLICATIONIf you choose to have communion as a group, consider having some quiet music playing in the background. Have the communion elements already prepared but covered up on a table. Give sufficient time for students to lean into this experience, but not too long that it starts to feel uncomfortable—or long enough for them to get too restless! Before participating in communion, consider giving your students a chance to make the decision to follow Christ.

SAY SOMETHING LIKE:Rightnow,we’regoingtotakecommuniontogether,withthesimplegoalofrememberingJesus’loveforeachofus.Ifyou’vedecidedtofollowJesuswithyourlife,you’rewelcometoparticipate.Justtakealittlechunkoffofthebreadandtakeacupofjuice.[NOTE: You may need to revise the wording, depending on the communion elements you’re using.]Onyourown,pauseandtalktoGod.Thankhimforhislove,forforgiveness,andforthegiftofJesus.Theneatthebreadanddrinkthejuice.Pleaseknowthatyoudon’thavetodothistoday.Infact,ifyou’renotsureifyou’veactuallydecidedtofollowJesuswithyourlife,theBiblesaysyoushouldjusttakeapassonthis.AndevenifyoudofollowJesus,youstilldon’thavetoparticipate.Idon’twantyoutofeelpressured.Thisisn’taboutthepersonnexttoyourightnow;thisisaboutyouandJesus!Inafewminutes,I’llwrapupourtimetogether.

Afterafewminutes,closetheexperiencebytellingstudentsyouareproudofthemfortakingthisexperienceseriouslyandthatyouareexcitedthattheyhaveawaytoregularlyrememberJesus’sacrificeonthecrossandGod’sloveforthem.

Ifyouchoosenottoparticipateincommunionasagroup,spendafewminutestalkingwithyourstudentsaboutwaystheycanregularlyrememberGod’sloveforthemandJesus’sacrificeonthecross.YoualsocandiscusspracticalideasforsharingGod’slovewithfriendsandhelpingthemexperienceGod’sgreatgift,too.

SUMMARY

FOR KEEPS [MEMORY VERSE]

HetooksomebreadandgavethankstoGodforit.Thenhebrokeitinpiecesandgaveittothedisciples,saying,“Thisismybody,whichisgivenforyou.Dothistorememberme”(Luke22:19).

SAY SOMETHING LIKE:

Encourage and/or challenge your teenagers to memorize the verse below.

End your small group lesson here. Provide your teenagers with a quick summary or take-home

challenge based on (1) the content of this lesson, (2) the dialogue that took place during the

lesson, (3) your understanding of the issues and struggles your teenagers are facing, and (4) the

big picture of your youth ministry and what your leadership team wants accomplished with the

teaching and discussion time.