The movie is similar to the mazes of our lives. There’s only one way out, and it’s through the twists and turns of choices we make. We’ll inevitably run into Grievers, or temptations, and must figure out how to overcome them.
The good news? We have a map or blueprint to help. It’s the Word of God, and our way out is through Jesus. He gives us the power to overcome every temptation.
SPOILER ALERT
Thomas and several others eventually find a secret compartment called the Map Room. It has cryptic messages written on stacks of papers. After sorting through the secret messages, a few teens flee the horrifying snare. They conquer the Grievers (temptations) once and for all.
YOUTH GROUP LESSON ON TEMPTATION: EVERYDAY MAZES
Have you ever been tempted to do something you knew was wrong? Have you ever experienced the anxiety that comes with a tempting thought? It’s like you feel excited and scared at the same time. Your heart beats fast and your mind is racing. You’re trying to decide whether or not to do something.
Let’s say you’re at school, walking down the hallway. It’s crowded with hundreds of students going to class. You see a girl in front of you drop a $20 bill. No one else seems to notice, so you quickly pick up the money.
And in that instant, you have to make a decision. Do you catch up with the girl and return it? Or do you slide it into your pocket and pretend nothing happened? Tempting, huh?
What if your favorite TV show ends one Friday night and you realize you’re not sleepy? As you’re scrolling for something else to watch, you run across ads with adult content. No one is in your bedroom except you. Do you stop and watch the commercial or keep going?
Your heart beats fast (which is a common reaction to temptation). A curiosity inside you says, “Just look at it. You’re not doing anything wrong.”
This is what I call temptation 101, a class many people fail. It’s easy to do the right thing when people are looking at you. But how do you handle the test when no one’s around?
Scripture Reading
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Temptation, or testing, comes when we face the choice to do the right or wrong thing. Temptations are part of life. But God is faithful and will always help us overcome them.
Now what does 1 Corinthians mean: No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind? It simply means everyone is tempted to do wrong because we’re human. It’s in our human (fallen) nature to desire sinful things.
And by everyone, I mean everyone. You, me, our parents, people at school, pastors, the president, everyone!
Scripture Reading
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19 (NLT)
What temptations are common or familiar to people? These things are contrary to God’s Word that every human may be tempted to do at some point.
Temptations include lusts of our flesh, listed in the verse above. Common temptations can be appealing, sometimes even fun (in the beginning).
It often feels exciting or adventurous to do something you shouldn’t do. That’s what makes it so tempting. If you’re with friends who go to Dairy Queen for sundaes, that’s fun. But say they want to eat inside and make fun of other customers. You know this isn’t right. But part of you notices how funny your friends are acting and how they’re laughing. So you choose to join in.
Now you could have said, “Hey guys, let’s not do this. It isn’t right.” Or you could have excused yourself. But if you choose to make fun of people with your friends, you just gave in to the temptation.
Scripture Reading
Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11 (NIV)
Although temptation is very powerful, God gives us an escape plan. It helps us get out of compromising situations. God’s escape plan for us is the instructions we find in his Word.
As we study the Bible, we make a deposit into our spirits, or hearts. It’s like having a bank account. You can only withdraw money that has first been deposited.
Every time you face a choice to do right or wrong, God reminds you of his Word that has been deposited in your heart. If you listen to his voice, you can choose not to fall into sin (or withdraw).
We are totally unable to endure temptation on our own. We cannot stand against the pressure of sin without God’s help. He is the only one who gives us strength. If we follow his blueprint, we will be able to stand. God is the Master of the Maze.
