An Inconvenient Truth

OPENER: Object Lesson: Usefulness of the Broom

Hold a broom up for all to see. Rather than beginning to sweep up themes, take out one strand of the broom and start to clean up the mess.

It will only take seconds before they realize you need to use the whole broom or it will take you too long to finish.

Relate how that reminds you in God’s work, it takes one person a long time to pass clean up Ground Zero when everybody is done, but it goes much quicker if twenty people helps.

It will take one person a long time to pick up the trash in the church auditorium, but it will go much quicker of twelve people each take a few rows.

Just like sweeping with the whole broom makes the job go much faster, in God’s work, everyone working together makes the job not only go faster, but it is more effective.

Christians working and serving together please God because that was His plan.

The inconvenient truth is, that most Christians have not been taught the importance and value of being a servant before God can use them for mightier things.

OPENER GAME: Sit down if…

Ask the entire group to stand. Tell them to sit down when the statement characterizes them. Once seated, they must remain seated.

Encourage them to be honest. If you have trouble because most are not sitting down, give them general characteristics ("Sit down if you are under 15, if you have on white socks, if you are in love," etc.).

Sit Down Mixer ROUND Number 1 - Sit down if:

You haven’t used deodorant in a week ... two days.

You have never worn the same socks two days in a row.

You sing in the shower.

You drive a Volkswagon.

Your belly button is an outie.

You haven’t taken a shower in a week.

You didn’t use mouthwash today.

You are a girl and you didn’t shave your legs today.

You are a guy and you didn’t shave your legs today.

Your undergarment has skidmarks

You ate at McDonalds in the past week

You have white socks on

Sit Down Mixer ROUND Number 2 - Sit down if:

Your nose is crooked.

You believe each person should pay expenses on the first date.

You still suck your thumb.

Your socks don’t match.

You are ticklish.

You wear baby doll pajamas.

You weigh less than 100 pounds.

Your nose is running and you don’t have a handkerchief.

You’re going steady but you wish you weren’t.

You are good-looking but not conceited.

Sit Down Mixer ROUND Number 3 - Sit down if:

You have ever eaten snails.

You are cross-eyed.

Your mother still dresses you.

You use Speed Stick deodorant.

You have never lied to your mother.

You have a hole in your sock.

Your zipper is open.

You got a traffic ticket lately.

You are on a diet.

You have never stolen a street marker.

You have a false tooth.

You are really good looking.

You have un underground pimple in hiding in your nose

Your eyes are blue

You’ve thrown up on a carnival ride

You have hair on your fingers

You have a myspace site

You’ve sent in a video to YouTube

----------ILLUSTRATION: The Mystery of the Mop

Everyone at the State University knew that Donner Hall had the best parties. All-night dancing and beer guzzling attracted the largest weekend crowds by far – especially on the notorious second floor.

By midnight every Friday and Saturday, the entire second floor was three inches deep in smashed beer cans, empty wine bottles, and stale potato chips.

But by about 7:00 a.m. the next morning, all of the garbage was removed.

The second floor residents assumed the conscientious school janitors came bright and early, before anyone woke up, to sweep up the mess.

Early one Saturday morning, Chris, still hung over from Friday night’s party, stumbled out of his bed to head for the bathroom.

Noticing a freshly vaccumed second floor, he mumbled to himself, “I guess the janitors came early again to get rid of the mess.”

On reaching the bathroom, however, his nose warned him the mess wasn’t completely eliminated.

A trail of vomit soiled the bathroom floor, ending at the point where someone was just then mopping it up.

Chris thought to himself, I’m glad the janitor is doing the dirty work so we don’t have to.

At the sound of Chris’s shuffling, the supposed janitor looked up.

Shocked, Chris realized the person mopping up the vomit was Marco, his next-door neighbor.

“Marco, man, what are you doing?” Chris asked.

Marco answered simply, “I’m cleaning up.”

“Why?” You weren’t even at the party last night.”

“Because I’m a Christian.”

No janitor had ever cared enough to clean up every Monday morning.