I AM Participant Workbook
Title: I AM Session 8: I AM the Light of the World
Age: 8 to 12 years
Liturgical Time: Any
Doctrinal Content: Jesus Christ is the Light of the World! If we follow Him, we shall not walk in darkness.
Direct Aims: The I AM series aims to help young people understand their relationship to Christ and to others based on the I AM statements.
Indirect Aims: An additional aim is for young people to understand specific ways that they may emulate Christ.
Materials for the Lesson Plan:
I AM Participant Workbook
Orthodox Study Bible Bible
No Man Ever Spoke as This Man: The Great I AM’s of Jesus by Fr. Anthony Coniaris
Lesson Plan:
Where does Christ’s light shine in our world?
How do we make sure that we let the light in?
John 8:12
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Being Without the Light
Being in the dark is a little scary in many ways. We may become lost and even end up getting hurt. It’s the same when we’re in the darkness of sin. We become lost and hurt ourselves. When we’re in the dark and without the light of truth we can’t find the right way to God. We need light!
John 3: 19
And this is the ______________, that the ________________ has come into the world, and men loved
_______________rather than __________________, because their deeds were ____________. For everyone practicing evil ______________the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds be ______________. But he who does the ______________comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been ______________ in God.
Finding the Light
We need a special light to shine away the darkness of sin, but what kind of light does this? You need to be close to the base of a lamp if you want to be in its light. Jesus shines His light of truth, love, and forgiveness into our hearts and lives. Light and Life and Light and Health help us to learn more about the importance of Light in our lives.
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The Light that Guides
Try traveling around the room again with a flashlight. A lot easier this time, right? Whether we’ve been to a place a hundred times, or never before, having light to guide our way is always helpful. Light Guides tells us that Christ is the Light that provides guidance in our lives at all times. Whether we’ve faced a problem many times before or are facing it for the first time, thinking about the guiding Light of Christ helps us to follow the right path.
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How can we act as lights in the world, guiding others closer to the light of Christ?
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Written by Natalie Kapeluck-Nixon and Kira Senadak
Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA
2014
Below is a link to access the complete I AM Participant Workbook and Leader's Edition, sessions 1-10 for ages 8 to 12 years.