Description - Take a good-sized dowel rod or painting rod and give it to a student.  Have them balance it on one finger or in the palm of their hand.  When balancing they will 99.9% of the time be looking up at the tip of the rod.  Once they have the rod balanced, tell them to look down at their hand.  Every time they do this, the rod will no longer be balanced and will fall.  Then tell your teens that this is just like grace.  Grace only works when you're looking up.  The moment you look to yourself, it's no longer grace.  Grace is something not of ourselves but a gift from our Heavenly Father.  It's only when we look to Him can we truly understand and appreciate it. 

Original Author - Courtsey of Steve Diggs

Verses - John 1:17; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; Romans 5:20; 1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 12:19; Ephesians 2:5-8;

Questions - Why do we often think we have something to do or work at when it comes to grace?  Why is it a great thing that grace has all to do with God and not us?  What does looking to God require on our part?