Glow Night Small Group Questions

Introduction –

How many of you like insects? Bugs are probably one of our greatest fears, especially those that sting, like scorpions. But while scorpions sting, did you know they do something extraordinary?

They glow in the dark

Take a UV light and shine it over a scorpion and it will glow a pretty blueish greenish color. It’s amazing that God made an insect that Glows in the dark.

Why is this important? Well because we are called to do the same thing. We are called to glow in the dark.

(Mat 5:14-16 NKJV) “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. {15} “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. {16} “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

(Mat 5:16 TLB) Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.

The world is a dark place, and we are called to shine the light of Christ into it, to draw others to him.

Part 2

Tonight we have talked about darkness. Look around, there is no possible way for you to see everything that is out there. It is dark, and darkness hides things.

When I see the news I see darkness. Fear, hate, insecurity, from a stabbing on a school campus, to countries testing their limits. I see darkness.

When i look at the photos and comments on the social media feeds of youth and adults, I see darkness. Sure I see happy photos of you and your friends, or this weeks Man crush monday, but I also see darkness. I see youth who have fear, hate, and insecurity.

That fear, that hate, that insecurity, is darkness.

Sin, sin is darkness. Doing something that is against God, something that separates us from God, that is darkness.

1 john 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.

Ask –

1. Do you agree there is darkness in the world?

2. Where do you see darkness in the world? In your school? In your friends? In yourself?

3. What else would you like to share?

Life without God is darkness. Like this darkness around us. And there is darkness in the world,…. but there is also light.

John 8:12  – When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2

Jesus is the light of the world. You have heard this phrase.. but what does it mean?

Ask –

1. What does it mean that Jesus is the light of the world?

2. Why did the author choose the words “A light has dawned”? What does that say to you?

3. In the John verse.. What is the “Light of Life?”

Part 3

There is another animal that glows in the dark. It is an insect. I remember being a child and catching them in jars, in the summer. What are they called? That’s right.. a lightening bug.

There is another animal that Glows. A Scorpion glows when you shine UV light on it. There is something about a scorpion that when UV light shines on it, it glows in the dark. It doesn’t create it’s own light, it shines because of the light that shines on it.

A lightening bug shines in the darkness. It creates a chemical reaction that causes its abdomen to glow for a short time. But there is only one problem.

Does anyone know the life expectancy of a lightening bug? 2 months.

What’s the life expectancy of a scorpion? up to 25 years.

Ask –

1.Why do you think I mentioned the life expectancy of each insect?

2. What does that have to do with our lesson today?

You see the lightening bug creates it’s light by its own power. The scorpion reflects light from another source.

Check out this story of Moses:

  29It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him.30So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.31Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers in the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them.32Afterward all the sons of Israel came near, and he commanded them to do everything that the LORD had spoken to him on Mount Sinai.33When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.34But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded,35the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone. So Moses would replace the veil over his face until he went in to speak with Him.

Ask:

1. Does Moses glow in the dark? No.

2. Why did he glow?

There is only so much we can do under our own power. We need to learn that it is much better to reflect God’s love than try to do everything ourself. When we try to do it all ourselves we will burn out, like a firefly. When we reflect God then we can glow for a long long time.

Ask: What do we need to do in order to reflect God?

We first have to connect with Him. If you have ever had anything that Glows in the dark, you know you first must expose it to the light. Then it will glow.

The same is true with us.. Check out this verse…

Read –  1 john 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.

Ask:

1, What are practical ways we can stay connected to the light, and to others?

2. Which of these ways do you practice, and which ones should you consider?

3. Choose one. Commit to it this week

Closing Activity –

You have a black pasteboard and some glow in the dark paint.

On your poster board draw something that represents Christ as the light of the world. Then draw or write all the ways you can be a light this dark world.