Jenga

How to Play

You will need a Jenga set for this game.

Set up the tower according to the game’s instructions.

Players take turns to remove one block from any level of the tower (except the one below an incomplete top level) and place it back on the top.

Players can use only one hand at a time; either hand may be used, but only one hand may touch the tower at any time.

The game ends when the tower topples!

Bible Lesson for Adults/Youths – Wise and Foolish Builders

Get Started
1. Do you think this is a game of luck or skill? Why?
2. Why do you think the tower gets less and less stable as the game goes on?

Get into the Word
Read Matthew 7:24-27

This parable tells us that the wise man is like the builder who built his house on the rock, and the foolish man is like the builder who built his house on the sand.

3. What does the wise man do with the teachings of Jesus?
4. What does the foolish man do with the teachings of Jesus?
5. What happens to the house on the sand when the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against the house? Does this come as a surprise to you? Why or why not?

Read Matthew 7:21-23
6. According to this passage, who will enter the kingdom of heaven?
7. Will the foolish man in the parable that we just read enter the kingdom of heaven? Why or why not?
8. What do you think is Jesus’ teaching point in the parable of the wise and foolish builders?

Get the Word into your Life
9. How familiar are you with the teachings of Jesus?
10. What are some of Jesus’ teachings that you have no difficulty obeying?
11. What are some of Jesus’ teachings that you find more difficult to obey? Why? What are some obstacles that stand in the way of your obedience?
12. What do you think the rock in the parable represents?
13. Are you like the wise builder who built the house on the rock? How confident are you that your house is built upon the rock? Why or why not?
14. In light of what we just read, what are some changes that you think you need to make in your life?

Related Bible Passage
Luke 6:46-49

Bible Lesson for Kids/Youths – Wise and Foolish Builders

Discuss
1. Did you enjoy this game?
2. How did you decide which blocks to remove?
3. How did you decide where to replace the block?
4. Do you think this game is based on luck or skills?
5. Do you know of any Bible passages that talk about people building towers or houses?

Say
There are a few Bible passages that talk about the building of towers or houses. For example, the Tower of Babel in Genesis and the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders in Mathew 7 and Luke 6.
Today, we will look at one of the many parables told by Jesus.

Read
Matthew 7:24-27

Discuss
6. Who are the main characters in this parable?
7. What did the two main characters do?
8. What happened after the two men finished building their houses?
9. What happened to the two men’s houses?
10. What was the difference between the two houses?
11. What did Jesus say the first builder is like?
12. What did Jesus say the second builder is like?
13. What is the difference between the two builders?
14. What is Jesus teaching us through this parable?
15. Are you more like the first or second builder?
16. How can you become more like the second builder?

Conclude
In this parable, Jesus compared a person who puts Jesus’ words into practice (i.e. obeys Jesus) with a person who doesn’t. If we are truly followers of Jesus, we must put the Bible into practice. We must obey Jesus.

Related Bible Passage
Luke 6:46-49

Bible Lesson for Kids/Youths – Tower of Babel

Discuss
1. Did you enjoy this game?
2. How did you decide which blocks to remove?
3. How did you decide where to replace the block?
4. Do you think this game is based on luck or skills?
5. Do you know there’s a Bible passage about a group of people who wanted to build a really, really tall tower?

Read
Genesis 11:1-9

Discuss
6. What did the people want to do?
7. Why? What were man’s motivation in building a city with a very tall tower?
8. Was God pleased with man’s motivation? Why or why not?
9. What did God do?

Conclude
Man’s motivation to build a city with a very tall tower was twofold:
(i) Man wanted to make a name for himself; and
(ii) Man did not want to be scattered over the face of the whole earth.
God was not pleased with both these motivations.
(i) Man should desire to bring glory to God and not to man himself; and
(ii) God wanted man to multiply and fill the earth. God said this to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28 and again to Noah after the flood in Genesis 9:7.
So God thwarted their plans by confusing their language and scattering them over the face of the whole earth.