Middle School: "The Church: What it's for"
Big Idea: The Church is called to interact with the world in specific ways.
The Church is called to...
1. Be in the world but not of it (John 17:14-19)
*We are the same as those in the world (in some ways), but in other ways we are radically different.
*Jesus does not want us to hide from the world. He prayed to His Father that we would be sent into the world (on mission!)
2. Show the world how Christians love (John 13:34-35)
Our love for other Christians = Christ love for us (that's a crazy standard!!)
According to Jn. 13:35, one of the clearest ways the world will know we really are Christians is by the love we have for each other.
3. Share the gospel with the world (Matt. 28:18-20)
"make disciples" (while you are going - school, soccer, band, choir, etc...)
Is this a scary thing??
Yes, which is why Jesus reminded the disciples that He would be with them (and us!)
High school - Mark 16:9-20 ("Changed by the Risen Son")
Big Idea: When a person encounters the risen Christ, they are changed!
I began by talking about the confusion surrounding the ending of Mark - and how even thought there are different between New Testament manuscripts, we can still trust the Bible. It is reliable, and is perfect in the original manuscripts.
When a person encounters the risen Christ, they are moved from...
1. Fear to Joy! (v. 8-10; Matt. 28:8-10)
God will move us from simple fear to Godly fear!
2. Sadness to Hope! (v. 12; Lk. 24:13-32)
3. Doubt to Faith! (v. 11, 13-16; John 20:19-22)
There are plenty of things that God has promised us, but it goes against all of our senses, and so we struggle to believe it...
* Carrying our cross is worth it
* Christ is enough
* (similar to the disciples) We struggle to believe that death has lost its sting!!
4. Paralysis to Power! (v. 14-20; Lk. 24:45-49; Acts 2:40-41)
Christ knows our struggles. He has compassion on us. And He will meet us where we are.
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