I surrendered my life to Jesus when I was 19 years old. Leaving behind the party life of a college student, I made the life-changing decision to follow Jesus. It was the beginning of so many amazing things to follow.

A few years later, I took on a leadership position at my church. Seminary soon followed, then full-time ministry. It has been an honor to be a part of what God has been doing in the lives of young people for over 25 years. What an awesome journey it’s been!

What’s your story? How has Jesus changed your life? We all have a story to share with students.

For next time you’re planning to do a message on how God has provided the only solution to sin and separation from Himself – Jesus…

Here’s a free youth group lesson and game on salvation based on John 14:6.

– Nick Diliberto, Ministry to Youth

Looking for youth ministry curriculum? Check out the…

UNAFRAID – A new 4-week youth ministry series about facing and overcoming fear. In this series, students will learn how faith in Jesus empowers them.

YOUTH GROUP GAME AND LESSON ON SALVATION

DOWNLOAD A PDF OF THIS LESSON

Bible: John 14:6 (NLT)

Bottom Line: God has provided the only solution to sin and separation from Himself – Jesus.

SUPPLIES

  • Painter’s tape

GAME PREP

Use painter’s tape to create a line across the floor.

Also, use the tape to create an “F” on one side of the tape, and a “T” on the other side of the tape, on the floor.

Students will play this game as individuals. 

HOW TO PLAY THE GAME

Say: Laws are created to establish standards and maintain order in our society.

In the history of the United States, there have been some fascinating laws. 

In the game we are about to play, I will read a law, or something that is similar to an actual law.

You will have to decide if what I’m reading is true or false.

On the floor, I have created a “T” for True and an “F” for False. 

When I read the law, you will have five seconds to choose whether you believe the statement is true or false, and then, stand on that side of the room.

When I reveal the answer, whichever side is incorrect, is out of the game.

The players who have chosen the correct answer will remain in the game.

We will play until there is only one player left, or until I run out of True or False statements.

Whenever there are less than five students left, only three or fewer people can be on each side – you will have to choose your answer quickly before there are too many people on your side.

Are you ready? Let’s play!

Notes:

  • If you’re playing online, then have students move to one side of the screen for TRUE, and the other side for FALSE.
  • To stay consistent with social distance guidelines, have students stay 6 feet apart throughout the game.

TRUE OR FALSE STATEMENTS

  • You cannot use silly string in Southington, Connecticut unless it’s in the privacy of your home. TRUE
  • In Illinois, you cannot fall asleep in a cheese shop. TRUE
  • In Kansas, you cannot swim in a public fountain unless you are wearing a swimming suit. FALSE
  • If you disturb a church service in Missouri, you can be arrested. TRUE
  • In some counties in New Hampshire, you can have a picnic in a cemetery. FALSE
  • In New York, you cannot take a selfie with a tiger. TRUE
  • In Oklahoma, it’s against the law to make glue from a dead skunk. TRUE
  • In Tennessee, it’s against the law to use someone else’s Netflix account. TRUE
  • In Vermont, it’s against the law to put up a clothesline. FALSE
  • In Kansas, you can use a mule to go duck hunting. FALSE
  • In Texas, it is against the law to sell your eyeball. TRUE
  • In Ohio, you can legally fish for whales on Sundays. FALSE

TEACH

Say: Today, our topic is “salvation” – the deliverance from sin and its consequences.

In our game, we learned about some rare, and funny laws that might not make sense to us, but were somehow created out of necessity.

There might be a good reason why you can’t take a selfie with a tiger, or sell your eyeball.

And whether or not you agree with some of these laws, they exist.

Like I mentioned before, laws are formed when there is a need to maintain order.

For example, the practice of staking claim to a piece of property began with the first gold rush in the 1800s.

A mining claim would give you the ability to extract minerals from a piece of public land.

During the gold rush, it was a race to be the first to claim a piece of land, with the hope of finding gold.

Ask: What do you think it would have been like to live during the California gold rush?

Allow a few responses from students.

Although it was an exciting time in American history, men, women, and children sacrificed everything for the opportunity to “strike it rich!”

There’s a story about a man who left his wife and son in New England and headed to San Francisco to mine for gold.

His plan was when he became successful, he would send for his family, but it took longer than he had expected.

Finally, he had enough money, so he sent for them.

His wife and son boarded a boat and sailed away.

Not long after the boat set sail, people started yelling, “Fire! Fire!” as the ship became engulfed in flames.

Not only was there the danger of fire, but the boat was carrying a shipment of gun powder.

Once the fire hit the gun powder, destruction was inevitable.

The crew hustled to get out the lifeboats but there weren’t enough, and they were too small to handle the passengers.

Just as the last boat was pushing away, this mother begged the crew to take her and her son.

But, there was no room – the boats were filled.

She cried and pleaded until they agreed to take one more person.

Do you think this mother jumped into the boat and left her son to die?

Of course not.

As she hugged and kissed her boy before dropping him into the lifeboat, she said, “My boy, if you live to see your father, tell him that I died in your place.”

This story is parallel to the sacrifice that God made in sending Jesus to die for us – He died in our place.

Read John 14:6.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

This scripture reminds us that there is no other way to God than through Jesus.

Ask: What does that mean? How do we “come to the Father”?

Allow a few responses from students.

In the Old Testament, we read how the Jewish people tried to obey the Law, and they couldn’t do it.

So, they gave sacrifices to God, to gain His approval and cover their sin.

Then, God sent Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice for our sin.

Because of His sacrifice, not only will we not suffer the eternal consequences of our sin, but we will receive an eternal reward for following God.

All He asks of us is that we believe and confess Jesus as Lord and Savior.

We can’t earn salvation – it’s impossible.

We can’t be good enough or do enough good things – sin still separates us from God.

God has provided the only solution to sin and separation from Himself, and that is Jesus.

You have the opportunity to come to the Father, God, and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Salvation is free – freely accept it.

DOWNLOAD A PDF OF THIS LESSON

End lesson.

Looking for youth ministry curriculum? Check out the…

UNAFRAID – A new 4-week youth ministry series about facing and overcoming fear. In this series, students will learn how faith in Jesus empowers them.

14 Replies to “YOUTH GROUP GAME AND LESSON ON SALVATION”

  1. Israel amaya
    • October 29, 2020

    I love this lesson, I am going to share it with the youth group and have fun and learn all together. God bless youth to ministry.

    Reply 2 Response
    1. Kate Forkel
      • October 29, 2020

      We are so glad that you love this lesson!

      – Kate Forkel, Ministry to Youth

      Reply 1 Response
      1. Cavin
        • November 7, 2020

        Thankyou,,my the Lord continue blessing this ministry

        Reply
    2. Cavin
      • November 7, 2020

      Thankyou,,my the Lord continue blessing this ministry

      Reply
  2. Cavin
    • November 7, 2020

    Thankyou,,my the Lord continue blessing this ministry

    Reply
  3. Owie Theresa o.
    • April 25, 2021

    Thanks so much for the great resource. God bless you richly

    Reply
  4. Precious
    • June 5, 2021

    Wow I love this session leant a lot thinking of trying it with my church teenagers

    Reply
  5. Ana Vargas
    • June 21, 2021

    Hi, thank you for the lesson! I have checked some more international facts and I am sending them, in case somebody would like to use them.

    TRUE OR FALSE STATEMENTS
    1. In Brazil it was forbidden to eat watermelon. TRUE (in 1984 it was forbidden to eat watermelon in Rio Claro, SP because it might be possible that it was infected with a virus – typhus or yellow fever)
    2. You cannot use silly string in Southington, Connecticut, unless it’s in the privacy of your home. TRUE it is no allowed in public spaces.
    3. In Finland, in a building without an elevator, the staircase between floors must receive sufficient natural light. TRUE (and there must be at least one intermediate level between the stories. This accuracy is regulated by the building regulations of the Ministry of the Environment)
    4. In the USA, you cannot fall asleep in a cheese shop. TRUE (It’s illegal to lie down and fall asleep in a cheese factory in South Dakota)
    5. In Italy, you cannot swim in a public fountain unless you are wearing a proper swimming suit. FALSE swimming in public fountains is not allowed.
    6. It was forbidden to wear miniskirts in São Paulo, Brazil. TRUE (in 2007 people got mad when the mayor of Aparecida sanctioned a law forbidding the use of miniskirts in town.)
    7. In Russia, Vladimir Putin decreed a law that would forbid adults to tell children that there are homosexual people. TRUE (in 2003 he sanctioned a law that bans the “promotion of nontraditional sexual relations to minors”)
    8. In the USA it is forbidden to collect rain water. TRUE (In the state of Coroaldo, it is forbidden the collection of rain water because it is seen as state government property and farmers have been detained for using such water.)
    9. In Germany it is forbidden to name a pig after Hitler. FALSE ( But in France, it is forbidden to name a pig “Napoleon” because it is considered an offense to the French general)
    10. In England wales are declared property of the queen. TRUE (Under the law of the United Kingdom, whales and sturgeons are royal fish, and when taken become the personal property of the monarch of the United Kingdom as part of his or her royal prerogative.)
    11. In the USA, you can legally fish for whales on Sundays. FALSE
    12. In Finland, at Hietalahti market hall, if you buy beer and burger from a stall and white wine from a next door stall, you will have to eat them at different tables TRUE (because the boundaries of the drinking areas are very precise there) 13. In the Philippines, a woman can kill her husband if she finds out he is cheating on her. FALSE (It is true in Hong Kong, but in order for her not to go to jail, she has to do it herself, she cannot hire a third party)
    14. In Victoria, Australia, it is illegal to change a light bulb if you are not a licensed electrician. FALSE (While the Electricity Safety Act makes it illegal to do your own electrical work if you are not licensed, changing a light bulb and removing a plug from a socket were specifically exempted)
    15. In Canada an area was delimited by law as an airport for outer space aircrafts. FALSE (the E.T. airport was approved in Brazil, though, by a 1995 law in the state of Mato Grosso. Although approved by law, the project never took off)
    16. In Japan you cannot drive over a water puddle if there are pedestrians around. TRUE (if you splash water on a pedestrian, you can pay a fine of around 40 euros)

    Reply 2 Response
    1. Nick Diliberto
      • June 21, 2021

      Wow, thanks so much for your contribution here. REALLY appreciate it!!

      Reply
    2. PG Lewis
      • February 10, 2024

      Wonderful additions!

      Reply
  6. Cheryl
    • August 19, 2022

    I love this lesson. I will try it with my youth tonight.Thank you

    Reply
  7. Barbara VanTroostenberghe
    • September 3, 2022

    Are the free lessons printable?

    Reply
  8. Kevin
    • October 2, 2022

    I will use part of this lesson tonight with my youth group. Thanks for the assist!

    Reply
  9. PG Lewis
    • February 10, 2024

    Thank you for providing this lesson and activity. I will incorporate part of it in our upcoming lesson.

    Reply

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