The Seven :: Sayings

STATIONS

• Forgiveness:

  • Have a student read aloud Luke 23:1-5

  • Have another student read aloud Luke 23:13-23

  • Have another student read aloud Luke 23:32-34

  • Leader says “While Jesus was being executed, Jesus prayed for the very people who executed Him.”

  • Have the students ponder two questions:

    • Who have you wronged this week?

    • Who do you need to forgive right now?

  • Now have each student take a paper post-it and write the name of the person they either need to forgive or need to ask for forgiveness from.

  • Each student should take their paper and pray over it.

  • Once they are done you as leaders can take each paper and light it on fire with the candle. Once it is burning drop it in the paint can.

  • Now Discuss these questions as a life group:

    • How is God’s forgiveness like this?

    • Do you think there is anything that God won’t forgive?

    • How can we forgive like God forgives?

  • Close this station by praying as a group that you will forgive others they way God forgives us.

• Paradise

  • Have a student read aloud Luke 23:35-43

  • Leader say “It’s so interesting that as Jesus was dying, He was worried about other people. He wanted this thief to know the love and life that is found through following God. But also think about the thief’s perspective for a minute: as he was also dying on his cross, he saw Jesus next to him dying for no logical reason. Perhaps it was in that moment that the thief saw his own sinfulness.”

  • Have another student read aloud Colossians 2:14

  • Ask the students:

    • What do you think it means that our “sins were nailed to the cross?”

    • Jesus was so quick to forgive the their on the cross even as he was dying for that theirs sins. What does this say about Jesus’ character and nature?

  • Have another student read aloud Romans 5:8

  • Leader says “Today, we are going to each place a nail in the cross, signifying that Jesus died for our sins. “

  • Now have each student grab a nail and a hammer and nail it into the cross.

  • Finish this station with a prayer as a group giving thanks that Jesus will always be with us because of his sacrifice.

• Mother

  • Have a student read aloud John 19:25-27

  • Leader Says “This is one of the more peculiar sayings of Jesus, that is, unless you understand what’s going on. As Jesus was dying, He saw His mother. He realized that she was about to be left to care for herself. So, he asked one of his disciples to care for her. And he did! From there on out, Mary became a part of the disciple’s home. This disciple took Mary in as his own mother, and she adopted him as her son.”

  • Ask the students:

    • We all have spiritual “mothers” and spiritual “brothers.” Who are some adults who have been like spiritual “mothers” or “fathers” to you? How?

    • Who has been like a spiritual “brother” or spiritual “sister” to you?” How?

  • Leader Says “We all have people who have played a part in our spiritual journey. In fact, a big part of our spiritual journey is all the different people who have played a role in it!”

  • Have each student grab a puzzle piece and write the name of a person who has been a part of their spiritual journey.

  • Once they have done this ask:

    • How is this person part of the bigger picture of our faith?

    • How is this person part of our collective spiritual family?

  • Finish this station by praying as a group - thanking God for the puzzle piece peeps they wrote down.

• Forsaken

  • Have a student read aloud Mark 15:33-34

  • Ask the students “Why do you think Jesus said that God “forsaken” Jesus?

  • Leader says “Jesus was actually quoting a Psalm that David wrote to describe His circumstance on the cross. “

  • Have another student read aloud Psalm 22:1-8

  • Ask the students these questions:

    • What is Jesus’ hope that He offers?

    • Have you ever felt like God abandoned you, like in the Psalm?

    • What hope can you find through Jesus’ death?

  • Have the students grab a highlighter and write a few things that Jesus offers us through His death on the cross. (Help if you need to)

  • Once they have all done this take the UV flashlights and shine them on what they wrote.

  • Ask the students “Why is hope like this UV light?”

  • Finish this station by praying together asking God to show you all of his goodness this week.

• Thirst

  • Have a student read aloud John 19:28-30

  • Leader Says “While on the cross, Jesus experienced dehydration. He cried out, “I thirst!” However, the Roman guards didn’t give Him anything satisfying.”

  • Now have each student take a small cup and dip their fingers into the vinegar and taste it.

  • Leader says “Jesus’ needs were not met while on the cross. But Jesus was ALWAYS concerned about the needs of others.”

  • Ask the students these questions:

    • Who did Jesus care about?

    • What is a need that you see -- in your family, friends, or in the world -- that needs praying for?

  • Finish this station out by praying for those needs/people together

• Finished

  • Have each student grab one piece of leather string and one cross and hold onto them.

  • Have a student read aloud John 19:30

  • Leader says “The word “finished” comes from the Greek word that also translates as “it is accomplished” or “it is complete.”

  • Ask the students these questions:

    • What was accomplished when Jesus died on the cross?

    • What was “completed” or “finished” when Jesus died?

  • Leader says “When Jesus died on the cross, that meant there was nothing left for us to do. The cross is a symbol of God’s finished work in our lives. Nothing left to prove -- no work left to do to obtain salvation. It was just...finished.”

  • Ask the students these questions:

    • Do you think we do a good job at remembering that Jesus’ death on the cross is sufficient for salvation?

    • What are some ways to remember Jesus’ death in our own lives?

  • Have each student thread their cross and tie it on as a necklace.

  • Finish this station by giving thanks for the symbol of the cross, for its reminder of Jesus doing everything so that we might obtain salvation.

• Commit

  • Have a student read aloud Luke 23:44-46

  • Have the students walk up and down the hallway reading the scriptures posted on the walls. They should contemplate them. they can do this for maybe 5 minutes.

  • Leader Says “When Jesus was ready to do the will of God, He “committed” His spirit into the Father’s hands. Jesus was committed to doing the will of God even though it meant He would die.”

  • Ask the students these questions:

    • What does it mean to “commit” to something?

    • What “commitments” have you made? (sports, dance, theatre, church, etc.)

    • What do you think it looks like to “commit” to God? Have you ever thought of faith as a commitment?

    • Do you think you’ve made a commitment to God? Why or why not?

  • Leader say “Sometimes, our commitments need strengthening.”

  • Now ask “What do you think you can do to solidify your commitment to God?”

  • Finish this station by praying as a group that you might strengthen your commitments.

After you have finished your seven stations you may hang out in the lobby until everyone is finished and then return to the main space.