For today’s lesson, we kicked things off by playing another few rounds of Smash Bros Ultimate. This time, however, I arranged for the stages to rotate quickly and often. As the students played, I pointed out how the stage changes helped or hindered them. The kids had fun as we hyped them up over these rounds. A few of them got really wild as they found victory and defeat through these various stage changes.

The Lesson

Over the last few weeks, we’ve talked about what it takes to be a real contender when facing off against the evil things that come against us. In our first week, we discussed the importance of understanding our Identities. Last week, we talked about how the extra stuff that helps our faith, while significant, isn’t effective if we don’t understand the essentials, such as reading our Bibles, being in prayer, and being part of a church community.  Today, we are talking about what happens when environments change.

In Smash Bros, the stage you fight on is often just as treacherous as your opponents. Some stages have layers, some have obstacles, some spin, some loop from the right side of the screen to the left, while some are on a track that moves left and right. Whatever the field you’re in, you must learn to adapt, especially if you’re playing in a situation where the field quickly changes back and forth.  This constant change can be frustrating. Especially if you’re used to one type of field and it changes to an entirely different one with various obstacles.

Ask: So if we can’t control the stage, what’s the best option to handle the evolving situation?

The best way is to focus on the fundamentals of who you are as a character. You main with Samus or Riley, then you know what they can and cannot do. You can’t change your character suddenly, but you can adapt to how you play the game. Now, let’s overlap that with our lives as Christians.

In Smash Bros, there’s a practice stage. You can go to this basic stage to practice and train. You can test abilities, figure out how far you can jump, and other aspects.  To parallel that to a real-life environment, that’s what the Church is. Here should be the easiest place for you to practice the basics of your identity as a Christ. Here, you should be able to stretch and discover what the word of God says and doesn’t say. Here, you should be able to practice things like praying for each other, preaching, teaching, and operating in various spiritual gifts. Why? Because here’s safe. You have leaders who love you and care about you. We want to help you grow. We want to answer those tricky questions you may have. We are okay with you making mistakes here because we can help you healthily grow past those moments.

But what about beyond the four walls of the church? What then?

In the book of 1Corinthians, Paul is addressing a church that’s going through some terrible things. A lot of people in the church have absolutely lost their minds and he’s bringing some correction. In chapter 8 he deals with food sacrificed to Idols, a hot topic issue at the time because some felt it was ungodly to do so. So Paul addresses this and begins to handle the discussion about what we are free to do and not to do. He talks about how you may have the freedom to do something, but you doing it may lead someone else to sin. He continues this conversation in chapter 9 where he talks about how he often gives up his personal rights for the sake of others.

Read: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law.When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law,^[e] I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.

Here, he explains that no matter his shifting environment, His goal is to show people Jesus. It means that he may have to give up some freedom in some of those environments, but it doesn’t say he gives us the core of who he is: a follower of Jesus Christ.  He is secure in his identity. He may have to change his tactics in how he operates, but he doesn’t change who he is.

The fact is that different environments have different rules. You can’t suddenly stand up at your desk in school and start preaching the gospel in the middle of class. There are rules for things.  You can, however, be praying in the spirit over things. You can offer prayer for friends and teachers at appropriate times. You can read your Bible during your free time. You can have casual conversations about how God has impacted you through his word, times of prayer, and church.

What happens when we walk in our Identity regardless of the environment?

Acts 4 – Begins in Acts 3 with Peter and John healing the crippled man at the gate. The man was looking for money, which Peter and John didn’t have, but what they did have was simply Jesus.  He didn’t grandstand, he didn’t make a spectacle, he just brought healing to the man.

After people SAW the change in the man, they came out, and then Peter preached, which got them in trouble with the leaders. Peter and John are banned from speaking the name of Jesus. But see their response:

Read: Acts 4:19-20

But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

This wasn’t an act of purposefully trying to make the religious leaders mad. Instead, it came from a humble place, saying, “We must follow where our Lord leads us because he’s such an essential aspect of who we are; we cannot deny His name.” Because they refused to change who they were in the environment, people were encouraged, and we something interesting happens in Acts 4:23-24:

Read: Acts 4:23-24

As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God…

So here we see that when we walk in our identity, God is glorified regardless of what the world may say, and we see people being encouraged to serve God, too! You may feel awkward and feel like you’re the only one serving Jesus at your school, clubs, work, and other environments, but if you are brave and humbly walk in your identity, then things begin to shift in your environment. It may difficult, but as the environment shifts, it becomes easier for you to see and do what you need to do.

Challenge and Questions for parents at home:

1. Practice Identity in a Safe Place: Remind your kids that their (your) home is a safe place to practice their faith. Encourage prayer, reading the Bible together, and discussing hard questions about the Bible. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”
2. Share Your Story: Share stories with your students about moments when you had to adjust your approach to sharing the gospel with others because of an environment change or times when you had to make a stand for Christ because of an environment change.
3. Ask: What are some environments in your life where it’s hard to live out your identity as a Christ? Let’s talk through how we can adapt while staying true to who we are in Christ.
4. Ask: In Smash Bros, players adapt by focusing on their character’s strengths. What are some strengths God has given you that you can lean on in difficult situations?
5. Ask: Paul changed how he interacted with people to reach them for Jesus. How do you think you can show Jesus to your friends in different environments?