Applications:

1. Failure and Perseverance:

Say: I hate it when I fail. It can be really tough to get over, especially when you have worked hard at achieving something. That’s why I love it that the Robinsons showed Lewis the good things about failing. They said that when we fail we learn something. When you fail it can be easy to give up and never try again. Every great achiever has had some hard knocks. We don’t get through life without them – everyone faces tough times. Yet the ones that do really well don’t do well because life is perfect. They do well because they keep going, no matter what happens. They keep trying. They keep moving forward.

Jesus knew that we would fail. In fact, he told Peter that he would! Just as Jesus said, Peter denied Jesus three times. Yet, Jesus came back to Peter and encouraged him to remember how much he loved Jesus. Jesus helped Peter to realize that even though he was going to fail from time to time, he could always come to Jesus and ask for forgiveness. Just like we all can, too!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Have you ever failed the way that Lewis just did? How did it feel?

2. How does it feel to know that Jesus forgives our failings and can help us overcome our failures?

3. How might we encourage someone that keeps failing?

4. Who is someone that you consider to be successful? What tough times and failures have they had to ‘keep moving forward’ through?

5. Some people thought that Jesus had failed when he went to the cross. Have some people thought, and perhaps said, the same about you? How might you overcome their words?

2. Reactions:

Say: Was that the reaction you were expecting from the family? It wasn’t the reaction I was expecting either! When something goes wrong, or when someone fails we can often react in a bad way. We might get mad, angry or say the wrong thing. Yet the Robinson’s did completely the opposite! They applauded Lewis. Not only that, but they were happy that Lewis had failed. That is so strange! The Robinson’s show us that how we react to things really matters. The way the Robinsons reacted showed Lewis that they loved him, they cared and they believed in him. Perhaps you have done something wrong and you think God is going to react badly to you. Remember, He loves you and is always ready for you to come back to Him. He won’t react in the way you think He might. He wants to welcome you to Him.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. What is the funniest reaction you have ever seen or experienced?

2. Do you think we can do something about the way react or is it just an impulse?

3. How might we prepare our hearts for each day so that our reactions to life’s challenges are good?

4. Have you ever reacted to something in a way that nobody expected? What happened and how did it make you feel?

5. Think about the way that Jesus reacted to people’s words and actions. What does this make you want to do?

6. How can we respond to people that react to us in a bad way?

3. Unconditional Love:

Say: Lewis must have felt so amazing in that moment when he realized that the Robinsons weren’t going to get mad at him. Don’t you think?! They seemed to love him no matter what he did! You know, there is someone else who has that kind of love for us – Jesus! He has unconditional love for us. Unconditional means that he doesn’t set conditions before he loves us. He just loves us, no matter what! God’s love for us is unending! He will always love us! We can show others God’s unconditional love too, by loving people even when thy nasty or hateful things. That can be really tough to do, but if we ask the Holy Spirit to help us, then He will be with us every step of the way!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Is it easy to believe that God has unconditional love for us? Why/why not?

2. Have you experienced God’s unconditional love? When and how?

3. How have you shown God’s unconditional love to others?