Jack & Jill :: A Relationship Series
From a trail of love, kisses and fairy-tale endings to a path of anger, betrayal, broken crowns and tumbling after, relationships can be the best and worst things in our lives. It’s worth taking time to navigate the dangerous yet enthralling terrain of relationships, because if our relationships with God don’t determine our romantic relationships, then our romantic relationships will determine our relationships with God. So let us seek to follow God in this area of life so that we can avoid falling down, breaking our crowns, and causing others to come tumbling after.
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Series Video
Countdown Video
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THE HEARTBEAT OF JACK & JILL
We all pay attention when someone begins to tell a tale of relationships. From a trail of love, kisses and fairy-tale endings to a path of anger, betrayal, broken crowns and tumbling after, relationships can be the best and worst things in our lives. That’s why it’s worth taking time to navigate the dangerous yet enthralling terrain of relationships, from the once upon a time beginning to the enchanted early days to the happily never after breakups to the fairytale endings. The reason is that, if our relationships with God don’t determine our romantic relationships, then our romantic relationships will determine our relationships with God. So let us seek to follow God in this area of life so that we can avoid falling down, breaking our crowns, and causing others to come tumbling after.
ABOUT THE ART
Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.
-Robert Frost
Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come.
-Matt Groening
The Jack & Jill characters in this series are now and have always been my wife's favorites from my artwork. They were first created many years ago, when I my wife and I were still dating, back when I was first getting my feet wet in this type of work. I'm not going to say that I modeled Jack & Jill after us - I'm certainly much cooler in real life than Jack, and the last thing my wife would do is come tumbling after me. But they are modeled after the same relationship ups and downs that we all go through. From spending too much time in front of the mirror trying to look just right or "enjoying" your dinner over an "intense discussion" – these characters are familiar. I think that is why my wife likes them so much. They are familiar. Not so much in the way they look, but in the way they act. She relates to them, and I relate to them. (But I won't tell you which parts we relate to – OK . . . I will . . . it's the awesome parts.) We want to impress each other, encourage each other, and inspire each other. We make each other more mad than anybody else could, and we always forget what the big deal that brought us to that point was in the first place anyway. We laugh together, cry together, love together, and learn together. And, at the end of the day, through whatever adventures this relationship takes us, that's how we'll finish - together.  SESSION OUTLINE
Session One :: Once upon a time
1 Samuel 25:14-42
The point: Look beyond looks
We think of romantic relationships as fairy tales, but we need to follow God even in the midst of the romance. And the first place we can do this is in the once upon a time moments when our relationships begin. The example of how David was attracted to Abigail shows us how important it is to look beyond looks and see what’s really attractive about someone.
Session Two :: Enchanted
Ruth 3:1-18
The point: See beyond your surroundings
After our fairy-tale romances begin, we come to the enchanted early moments of a relationship. But these moments come with a danger, because all of us tend to be so into our relationships that we end up ignoring the world outside of our relationship. But the story of Boaz and Ruth challenges us to see beyond our surroundings instead of being obsessed with our relationships..
Session Three :: Happily Never After
Judges 15:1-8
The point: Bother beyond the breakup
Relationships can feel like fairy-tale romances, but because we don’t really live in fairy tales, many of our relationships end. When we come to these happily never after times, our tendency is to become obsessed with our feelings of pain or desires for revenge. That’s what Samson did. But we learn from his example that there is a better way that we find when we bother beyond the breakup.
Session Four :: Fairytale Ending
Esther 4:1-17
The point: Reach beyond your relationship
As we look at relationships that go the distance, we find a surprising truth. Even the most successful relationships aren’t merely about the relationship. Instead, these couples go on mission together. So all of us, whether in a relationship or not, need to reach beyond our relationships.
TEACHING GUIDES and LESSON SAMPLES
Master Teacher's Guide [ view sample ]
The Master Teacher's Guide is designed for use in large-group settings such as Wednesday night gatherings, combined Sunday School classes, summer camps, and other worship gatherings. It contains background information, explanation and application points, opening illustrations and stories, prompts for personal stories, and life-changing Turning Point activities. Leader's Guide [ view sample ] The Small Group Leaders Guide is perfect for use in Disciple Now settings, in-home small groups, individual Sunday School classes, and other settings with one leader and 10-15 students. It contains background information, explanation and application points, group activities, discussion questions, and life-changing Turning Point activities. Gathering Tool The Gathering Tool is designed to provide an opening illustration for groups that meet together in a large group before dividing into small groups or Sunday School classes. This will allow small groups to experience the series video and will add to the overall experience of going through the series. Supply List |
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