The Ten Commandments

A lesson featuring a Ten Commandments Photo Game

from the Rotation.org Writing Team

Overview

In this lesson, participants will examine the Ten Commandments and then split into groups to take photos or videos depicting various commandments (both verbally and non-verbally). Then they regroup to play a game of "Which Commandment Is This?"

Players will be encouraged to think and depict the commandments both "literally" and "figuratively" life applications and in both "shall not" and "shall do" formats.  For example, as the Bible Background suggests, "You shall not kill" can figuratively be expressed as "You shall not hurt," and be positively stated as, "You shall take care with one another." 

Scripture

Exodus 20: 1-17, John 13:34 and Matthew 22:36-40

Read the Bible Background at Rotation.org. It provides a quick overview of the story behind the Ten Commandments along with interesting insights into the meaning of various Commandments.

Supplies

• Read the Bible Background
• Have at least one Bible ready to read or a computer/smartphone you can read the passage online with.
• Print the attached Ten Commandments help sheet. It includes four different versions of the Ten Commandments you might use in the photo game plus suggestions for other ways to express various commandments.
• One cellphone or tablet with a camera for each team (2 or 3 people per team).
• Ability to show photos on a larger screen from your cellphone or tablet. (See this article for help.) If you don't have a way to show cellphone photos on a larger screen, use a tablet or laptop that has a camera and can be passed around when it's time to guess which commandment the photo or video is depicting.

 Save and Share a PDF of this Lesson with members of your congregation

LESSON PLAN

Opening

Introduce the story of the Exodus starting with the Hebrews in Egypt and the story of Moses and Pharaoh. Have them help you tell as much of the story as they can and then fill in the rest for them.

Explain the Commandment Photo Game and Read the Scripture

Explain that we will be separating into teams and going off to take photos of our teammates "acting out" the Ten Commandments. Teams will draw Commandment assignments from a hat. The ten slips of paper can be printed from the "Ten Commandments" help sheet. attached to this lesson or assigned from your Bible.

Rule: In addition to taking a photo that dramatizing each of the Commandments you have drawn, you must also create a photo of each Commandment in a "positive, do" version. For example: "You shall not kill" can also be photographed as "You shall take care of others."

Adjust these "rules" and Commandment assignments to the size and age of your group.

Read Exodus 20: 1-17 and then have teams draw Commandment slips for the first round.

What's a "positive do" version of a Commandment?
Instead of saying what "not" to do, you turn the Commandment into a positive statement about what you "should do." For example, "You shall have no other gods before me," can be positively stated as, "Make God #1 in your life." "You shall not lie" or "you shall not bear false witness," can be positively stated as "Be an honest person" or "always speak the truth." More "positive do" ideas can be found in the Bible Background and on the Ten Commandments help sheet document attached to this lesson.

Round One

Assign teams, draw Commandment assignment slips out of a hat, then go off to take your photos. (Photos of Commandments will be harder to portray than videos and thus require more thought!)

When you gather back together, have each team share their photos and let the other teams guess "which Commandments" the team was depicting in their photos.

Round Two (optional)

Depending on how many teams and how much time you have, play the Commandments Photo game a second time switching up assignments and groups. Suggest they use video to act out the Commandment, or do all the Commandments as "positive do" (you shall....) Commandments.

All-together Final Round!

Working as a group, read and "pose" the following two Bible verses which describe Jesus' teaching about the Ten Commandments:  John 13:34 and Matthew 22:36-40

Closing: Show all your photos again one-by-one, pausing to name the commandment that goes with each (or letting the group say it out loud). Before moving on to the next photo, offer a single line prayer to the group about that commandment, such as, "God, remind us to protect each other's feelings and well-being."  (With older participants, you can invite each to offer their own line of prayer for certain Commandments.)

Finish on a prayer note of grace and forgiveness -- that we will continue to love each other just as God continues to love us, even when we make mistakes.

Written by the Rotation.org Writing Team
Copyright Rotation.org Inc.

Notes

For small groups (2 or 3), do all the commandments together.

You can also make short videos to depict Commandments. Record in silence so as not to give away which Commandment you are doing.

For "positive" "shall do" suggestions, view the attached Ten Commandments help sheet.