Category: Discipleship

Psalm 100

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Psalm 100:1-5 is a Processional Hymn – The people may have chanted this psalm as they entered the temple or began their worship.

1 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before him with joyful singing. 3 Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 5 For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.

Thanking the Lord is something we must do with our lives as well as with our lips. How are we supposed to thank God with our lives?

By serving (Psalm 100:2). In some sanctuaries, there is a sign that reads, “Enter to worship—depart to serve.” The trouble with many congregations is that too many people serve themselves rather than serving the Lord. Another issue is that too often we don’t serve the Lord “with gladness.” Do you know any grumpy Christians? The Lord loves a cheerful servant, so let’s not be that church. This whole Essential series is about using our giftedness to serve the Lord and others.

By submitting (Psalm 100:3). As creatures, we submit to the Creator who fashioned the universe and made us as well. As sheep, we submit to the Shepherd who died for us and now leads us down His paths. He not only made us, but He is making us as we yield our lives and submit to Him (remember, we are his workmanship – Ephesians 2:10). For every believer, submission means fulfillment. As you have received a spiritual gift, submit to God’s leadership and use it to serve Him and others.

By sacrificing (Psalm 100:4–5). As a “holy priesthood, we are privileged to offer spiritual sacrifices to the Lord (1 Peter 2:5). Those sacrifices include our songs of praise (Hebrews 13:15), our good works (Hebrews 13:16), and our material gifts (Philippians 4:15–18). Following God in obedience (exercising your giftedness) will involve the sacrifice of your will and submitting to Him, but believe me, it is worth it because of who He is (Psalm 100:5) and what He does for us. Our God is certainly worthy of our joyful thanks.

Equipped for Ministry

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While it’s true that the pastors, elders, and apostles in the New Testament made disciples, we can’t overlook the fact that discipleship was everyone’s job. The members of the early church took their responsibility to make disciples very seriously. To them, the church wasn’t a corporation run by a CEO. Rather, they compared the church to a body that functions properly only when every member is doing its part.

Paul saw the church as a community of redeemed people in which each person is actively involved in doing the work of ministry. The pastor is not the minister—at least not in the way we typically think of a minister. The pastor is the equipper, and every member of the church is a minister.

The implications are huge. Don’t think of this as merely a theological issue. See yourself in this passage. Paul said that your job is to do the work of ministry! (Ephesians 4:11-12). Jesus commanded you to make disciples! (Matthew 28:18-20).

Most Christians can give a number of reasons why they cannot or should not disciple other people: “I don’t feel called to minister.” “I just have too much on my plate right now; I don’t have time to invest in other people.” “I don’t know enough.” “I’ll start once I get my life in order.”

As convincing as these excuses may seem to us, Jesus’ commands don’t come with exception clauses. He doesn’t tell us to follow unless we’re busy. He doesn’t call us to love our neighbors unless we don’t feel prepared. In fact, in Luke 9:57-62, you’ll see several individuals who gave excuses for why they couldn’t follow Jesus at the time. Note of how Jesus responded to them. It may surprise you.

God made you the way you are; He has provided and will continue to provide you with everything you need to accomplish the task. Jesus commands you to look at the people around you and start making them into disciples. Obviously, only God can change people’s hearts and make them want to become followers. We just have to be obedient in making the effort to teach them, even though we still have plenty to learn ourselves.

* What excuses tend to keep you from following Jesus’ command to make disciples? What do you need to do in order to move past these excuses?

[ Disciples Making Disciples with Francis Chan, from the YouVersion devotional ]

The Great Commission and the Church

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So what comes to your mind when you think about Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations? Many read these words as if they were meant to inspire pastors or missionaries on their way out to the mission field. But have you ever considered that maybe Jesus’ command is meant for you?

As we read the rest of the New Testament, we see God’s people working together in obedience to Jesus’ command. They reached out to the people around them, calling them to obediently follow Jesus. The disciples went about making disciples, teaching them to obey everything Jesus had commanded and baptizing them. Some of them even moved to different areas or traveled around so that they could tell more people. They took Jesus’ words seriously—and literally.

Reading through the New Testament, it’s not surprising to read that Jesus’s followers were focused on making disciples—it makes sense in light of Jesus’ ministry and the Great Commission. The surprise comes when we look at our churches today in light of Jesus’s command to make disciples.

Why is it that we see so little disciple making taking place in the church today? Do we really believe that Jesus told His early followers to make disciples but wants the twenty-first-century church to do something different? None of us would claim to believe this, but somehow we have created a church culture where the paid ministers do the “ministry,” and the rest of us show up, put some money in the plate, and leave feeling inspired or “fed.” We have moved so far away from Jesus’s command that many Christians don’t have a frame of reference for what disciple making looks like.

* Assess your church experience in light of Jesus’s command to make disciples. Would you say that your church is characterized by disciple making? Why or why not?

[ Disciples Making Disciples with Francis Chan, from the YouVersion devotional ]

Disciples Follow Jesus

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What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? As you will discover, the answer is fairly simple, but it changes your life completely.

The word disciple refers to a student or apprentice. Disciples in Jesus’ day would follow their rabbi (which means teacher) wherever he went, learning from the rabbi’s teaching and being trained to do as the rabbi did. Basically, a disciple is a follower, but only if we take the term “follower” literally. Becoming a disciple of Jesus is as simple as obeying His call to follow.

When Jesus called His first disciples, they may not have understood where Jesus would take them or the impact it would have on their lives, but they knew what it meant to follow. They took Jesus’s call literally and began going everywhere He went and doing everything He did.

It’s impossible to be a disciple or a follower of someone and not end up like that person. Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). That’s the whole point of being a disciple of Jesus: we imitate Him, carry on His ministry, and become like Him in the process.

Yet somehow many have come to believe that a person can be a “Christian” without being like Christ. A “follower” who doesn’t follow. How does that make any sense? Many people in the church have decided to take on the name of Christ and nothing else. This would be like Jesus walking up to those first disciples and saying, “Hey, would you guys mind identifying yourselves with Me in some way? Don’t worry, I don’t actually care if you do anything I do or change your lifestyle at all. I’m just looking for people who are willing to say they believe in Me and call themselves Christians.” Seriously?

No one can really believe that this is all it means to be a Christian. But then why do so many people live this way? It appears that we’ve lost sight of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. The concept of being a disciple isn’t difficult to understand, but it affects everything.

* Up to this point in your life, would you call yourself a follower of Jesus Christ? Why do you say that?

[ Disciples Making Disciples with Francis Chan, from the YouVersion devotional ]

Leaders Mentor Others

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During His ministry, Jesus modeled His life the way He wanted us to live. He taught people at every opportunity in both practical and spiritual ways. He never gave up on His mission—even after His team failed and ran away. He taught His disciples with Scripture and prayer and required them to do the same with the people they met.

These are Biblical examples of leadership, and they are also the elements of mentoring. Mentoring is the most important aspect of excellent leadership—it transforms others, and it transforms you. This post details why a leader should prayerfully help develop others into people who will lead.

“Mentoring Like Jesus” by Regi Campbell

I’m going to give it everything I have to show you what mentoring really is. And more importantly, the approach I’ve stumbled into happens to be the approach Jesus used as he mentored his disciples. Think about what Jesus did.

He was purposeful. It’s all about the Father and Kingdom building. Jesus was on a mission and mentoring was the key strategy to fulfill His mission.

He was selfless. Jesus mentored out of obedience to the Father. He got nothing out of it personally. He simply responded to God’s call on His life and did what the Father led Him to do.

He started in a group context, not one on one. Jesus knew the value of interaction of group members with each other. The group became a community, inextricable from each other.

Jesus also accepted and even promoted the “group within the group” which invariably develops. He had favorites, and He didn’t hide it or apologize for it. Yes, there was powerful one-on-one interaction. But it started in the context of the group.

Jesus hand-picked His mentees after prayer. The group was made up of lay people, not “church people”… diverse… anything but a holy huddle.

Jesus mentored for a short, intensive period of time. Jesus’ mentoring program began and ended. It was not a lifetime engagement. There was a clear graduation day when His mentees were commissioned and launched.

Scripture was at the core. Jesus and His mentees knew the Scriptures by heart. The Word guided their decision making. Jesus helped His guys understand and apply God’s word.

Prayer was huge; public and private. Jesus modeled a prayerful life; He taught the disciples how to pray, prayed with them and for them.

Jesus modeled his faith in a transparent way. Jesus lived out His life in front of His mentees. They became like family to Him. They saw how He applied His faith, how He struggled, how He handled stress, and how He handled dying.

Jesus taught along the way of life. He was practical, yet spiritual. Jesus helped His guys with practical situations….everything from taxes to work place issues; from goal setting to family relations. He was far more practical than hypothetical. They discussed the Law for sure, but Jesus taught from His knowledge and experience.

There was a mutual commitment. Jesus never gave up on them, even when they failed and ran away. Ultimately, they never gave up on Jesus, giving their lives, not for His memory or His teachings, but for His Kingdom.

Jesus required multiplication. His was a “pay it forward” model that changed the world. It produced evangelists and disciple makers. Multiplication was a part of what everyone signed up for from the beginning. No one was excluded from the task of investing in others as Jesus had invested in them.

These are the elements of mentoring… mentoring like Jesus did it… radical mentoring!

If you do what Jesus did, you’ll replace your occasional, sporadic, but well-intentioned efforts with a confident, intentional, and fruitful approach that will transform lives. In fact, it just might transform yours in the process.

Pray
Jesus, You mentored the disciples so they could lead the early church. Show me who to mentor and how to help them be a leader who glorifies You.

Reflect
Who am I choosing to mentor and why?

Respond
Be intentional about who you mentor because you are cultivating their skills and affecting their future.

Your leadership skills affect not only you, but also your team and the outcomes of your projects. While a good leader may make leadership look easy, you can probably see that it takes deliberate action to effectively lead and develop the people on your teams. Jesus is the best example of a leader who is compassionate and selfless while being strong and tough. He communicated well, met the needs of the people around Him, and challenged His followers to be better people. If you prayerfully model Jesus’ leadership—the leadership that created the Christian church in just three years of ministry—you will be able to build growing teams that respect you, work hard for you, and can influence the world for Jesus.

The content for this post was adapted from: “Mentoring Like Jesus” by Regi Campbell

[ Content is from a YouVersion devotional on leadership ]

Three Key Relationships

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RELATIVE – Three Key Relationships
John 15:1-11

The last verse in chapter 14 tells us that Jesus and the disciples are about to leave the upper room, John 14:31 says, “Arise, let us go from here.” This small band of brothers is headed to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus will pray his great High Priestly prayer and will later be arrested by the mob led by Judas. Apparently, Jesus speaks the words which make up chapters 15 and 16 in route to the garden.

In this chapter, Jesus is pictured for us as the True Vine. I can imagine Jesus and his men going through the darkened streets of the city, and then passing beyond the city walls into the surrounding countryside. During this time of year, mid-April, the grape vines would be beginning to blossom with the promise of a fresh harvest. As Jesus walked with his disciples, perhaps he reached out and took a vine in his hands and used it to teach an object lesson to his men. It was this night that his desire was to teach them about the most vital relationship they have in their lives, their connection with Jesus and the Father, each other, also the world.

We might ask ourselves, “Why did Jesus give them this teaching NOW?” The answer is simple: They needed it! Jesus had just told these guys that he is going away, but that his work is going to continue… through them and their lives, John 14:12. If they were to carry on the work of the Lord, then they needed to know how to produce fruit in their lives.

This morning, we are 2,000 years removed from that night, but we know the work of Jesus continues. Our vision is to extend the love of Christ and his kingdom in Virginia Beach and to the world. That is a God-sized task. We know that God is still working through his followers to accomplish his work and his will in the world today.
Many of us may sit here and wonder HOW we are supposed to do the work of the Lord and HOW we can produce the proper kind of fruit in our own lives. Well, the answer is found in these verses. THIS passage is all about being becoming a genuine disciple and about how to bear fruit that Jesus expects. Let’s dive into this passage on the True Vine and see how we can become more like Jesus.

The BRANCHES – WE MUST ABIDE – John 15:1-8 – the believer relates to the Son.

The SYMBOLS – John 15:1, 5a-5b

  1. The Son is the true vine – John 15:1a, 5a – First notice that Jesus alone possesses life within Himself, John 14:6. All other vines are counterfeit. He alone is the true source of everlasting, abundant life.
  2. The Father is the gardener – John 15:1b – The word “vinedresser” refers to the the gardener, the one who has the responsibility of caring for the vineyard. Jesus is saying our Heavenly Father is the Gardener.
  3. The believer is the branch – John 15:5b — Some things just jump out at me, notice the phrase in John 15:2, every branch “in me” or every branch “of mine.” This tells me that we are dealing with genuine believers, not just people who claim the name of Christian, but actual followers of Jesus.

The STEPS – John 15:2-4, 5c-6

1. We must submit to pruning by the Father – John 15:2-3 – pruning is the Gardner’s method of protecting and purifying the vineyard. He does this in one of two ways:

  1. He Challenges the Branch – Several years ago we had several sermons on “The Secrets of the Vine” so you may remember that the phrase, “takes away” means to lift up or to raise higher. The Gardener will take the unfruitful branch and lift it from to dirt, giving it a better chance to be productive. On a personal level, this means that when we get to a place in our Christian lives where we are barren and unfruitful, the Lord will have to reach into our lives, disturb our casual carelessness and lift us up to challenge us and shock us toward growth. There are times when the Lord can only accomplish this through discipline. He’s got to get our attention. So, if we respond with repentance, this process will help us to be fruitful for his glory. If, however, we choose to go on in our sinfulness, God may deal with us more severely. Has God been challenging you lately? If so, don’t run from his challenge. Instead of running FROM God, turn around, and run TOWARD him. After all, his discipline has always been proof of his love (Revelation 3:19, and of your relationship to Him, Hebrews 12:8).
  2. He Cleanses the Branch – The Gardener removes things from the branch that sap it vitality and strength. Things like sucker branches, useless buds, misdirected shoots, spots, discolored leaves, stuff like that. Anything that consumes life but produces no fruit has to go! This is so true in the life of the believer. When we allow things into our lives that hinder our following after Jesus, then we are in danger of a divine pruning. “Pruning,” by its very name sounds painful, and it isn’t always easy to cut the junk from our lives, but if WE don’t do it on our own, the Lord will deal with it through pruning! So, has the God been speaking to you through His Word? If so, have you been listening? Are there areas in your life that need to be pruned: a habit you are unwilling to give up? An attitude that you will not change? A relationship you will not forgive? A lifestyle you will not forsake? If not, I challenge you to deal with it before the Lord prunes your life. If you don’t deal with it, God may very well take further and far more drastic measures.

2. We must abide in the Son – John 15:4, 5c-6

  1. John 15:2 The Branch Must be Attached to the Vine – If you are not in the Vine, then there is no way for you to share in the Vine’s life. This is all about that vital connection between the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ, the True Vine.
  2. John 15:4-5 The Branch Must Abide in the Vine – That means, we must maintain close fellowship with the Vine if Jesus is to live through us and produce fruit in our lives. This happens only by “abiding” in Jesus! How do we abide in him? Prayer, Studying the Bible, Deny yourself, Drawing near to God! The closer we abide to the Vine, the more his life can flow through us to produce the fruit that he desires. Could THIS be the reason that many church members aren’t bearing fruit? They are near the Vine but not actually connected to it. Sound familiar? Is God speaking to YOU right now? So, perhaps you feel that you ARE attached to the Vine, and you are abiding in the Vine, there is a third possibility…
  3. John 15:5 The Branch Must be Available to the Vine – Look at the concept of fruit bearing. It is a passive activity on the part of the branch. If the branch will simply abide in the Vine, then the Vine will produce the fruit on the branch. I don’t know about you, but I find that truth liberating! I am not required to grow my own fruit. It is the Vine’s responsibility to produce his fruit in my life. That frees us from having to work and labor to get his approval. If we will yield, submit, and surrender to Jesus, he will live through his followers!

So, as a believer who is not bearing fruit, you have to ask yourself this question, “Am I available to Jesus, so he can bear fruit in me?” Have I truly yielded to him? Have I surrendered to Jesus? Have I denied myself, taken up my cross, and really following him? You may be thinking, “When I speak of fruit, what do I mean?” What will be produced in our lives when we surrender to Jesus? How will we know if fruit is being produced through us? There are three basic fruits the Lord bears in the lives of His children. They are:

  1. Sanctification – That is, we become more like Him – Romans 6:22; Phil. 1:11; Col. 1:10.
  2. Spirituality – That is, we behave more like Him – Gal. 5:22-23.
  3. Souls – That is, we are burdened for others like Him – Rom. 1:13.

Ok, before I leave this section, What about John 15:6? I Have a Question about Unfruitfulness – Not every branch abides in the Vine as it should. It is still attached, but it has ceased to draw life from the Vine. As a result, the branch is fruitless and withered. When this happens, the passage tells us there will be a certain results. GET THIS: Cast out why? – For Not Abiding. Is this loss of relationship or fellowship? The withered branch still possesses the same nature as the Vine, but it is no longer attached to draw life from the Vine. For those who are HIS, they are secure in Christ. We don’t wake each morning wondering if we are saved. It is called “security of the believer. The Bible challenges us to test and examine ourselves to see if we are of the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). Are we still saved even if we don’t bear fruit? I’ve heard it said, “The faith that fizzles at the finish was faulty at the first.”

The SUCCESS – John 15:7-8 – what are the results in bearing fruit?

  1. 1. It results in our bearing fruit – Ask whatever you will and it will be done for you. John 15:7 refers to An Unhindered Prayer Life – (John 14:13-14) Why? When we are abiding as we should be, and when we are drawing our life from Jesus, then HIS will becomes OUR will. That is, every time we pray and everything we pray for will fit perfectly with God’s will and he will grant our requests. This leaves no room for selfish or shallow prayers; only prayers that align with his will. How do we know his will? We can discover it right here in this book.
  2. 2. It results in glorifying the Father – John 15:8a – We recognize that this life is all about Jesus; which brings glory to the Father. Always remember that the Christian life is not all about US and OUR salvation; it is about embracing GOD’S mission for the world, it’s about THEIR salvation.
  3. 3. It results in proving we are disciples of Jesus – John 15:8b. Others will see connection with God, which will become evident in the way we love one another, treat one another, and as we carry on the mission that Christ has given to the church.

The BELIEVER – WE MUST OBEY – John 15:9-17 – the believer relates to others

The PRIORITY – John 15:9-12

  1. The Father loves the Son – John 15:9b, 10b
  2. The Son loves the believer – John 15:9a, 10a, 11
  3. The believer is commanded to love others – John 15:12-17 – Can love be commanded? Remember that love is not a feeling but an act of the will, which results in actions that demonstrate that love.

The PROOF – John 15:13-15 – proof of his love for us.

  1. What Jesus will do for his disciples – John 15:13 (lay down his life for his friends)
  2. What Jesus does for his disciples – John 15:14-15 (he calls Them friends, not servants) “Friends” here means one of the inner circle, one who knows the king’s secrets. Maybe even the best man at a wedding. That is a very close relationship. He is not talking about acquaintances on the fringe, but people who “get it” – the things that Jesus taught us about the Father (John 15:15).

The PROMISES – John 15:16-17

  1. That HE chose US – John 15:16a – I think that is a pretty good promise even though it may not look like one at first.

    That branches will bear permanent fruit – John 15:16b – he appointed us that we would go and bear fruit, fruit that would remain.
  2. That prayers will be answered – John 15:16b – again, the key is not just asking in the Father’s name, but also asking according to the Father’s will.

The BATTLE – WE MUST ENDURE – John 15:18-27 – the believer related to the world

LIFE will be hard – John 15:18-21 – All those who desire to live godly lives will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12).

  1. If the world hates you, it hated Jesus first – John 15:18 – Get this: not all hatred and strife comes from the enemy, sadly, some hatred and persecution comes from friendly fire; from religious people, from people inside the church. Those who are part of the fellowship. It is a sad day when people actually leave the church because they see “church people” acting in an unlovely manner, and causing strife and division in the body.
  2. What about if the world loves you? – John 15:19 – Ask yourself, “Where do you stand with Christ?” Have I compromised my faith to be successful in the world?
  3. Jesus tells us not to expect better treatment from the world, than the way it treated him. John 15:20
  4. The reason for the world’s behavior – they don’t know Christ. The reason for a fellow church member to mistreat others and stir up dissension… (John 15:21 – they do not know the One who sent me) they don’t KNOW and ABIDE in Christ.

LOVE has come – John 15:22-25 – and they hated him without a cause, so the world will hate us for the same reason.

  1. “If I had not come and spoken to them…” (John 15:22) refers to the incarnation, that fact that LOVE has come into the world to save people from their sin. Jesus tells us that people have no excuse for their sin since he has come into the world, because he has come and spoken to them.
  2. One cannot love God and not love Jesus – John 15:23 – How often to people what to come to God on their own terms, and reject the plan of salvation that the Father has offered through Jesus? Those who reject Jesus are rejecting the Father as well.
  3. All this was done to fulfill the prophecy, written in the Law, “They hated me without a cause” (Psalm 69:4) – Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies;

LEAVING a Helper – John 15:26-27 – Remember that the Holy Spirit is a HE rather than an IT. He is God and has a mind, will, and emotions. He is the Helper, the Paraclete, the One who comes along side. This Helper will come, sent from the Father. I see three things in these two verses:

  1. Truth – he is the Spirit of truth
  2. Testify – he will testify of Jesus
  3. Testimony – we, who know him, will testify of Jesus as well.

ENDING: Jesus is the True Vine. His desire is to live through your life so that you might bear fruit for the glory of God.

As we close, there are a couple of questions that need to be asked right now.

  1. Are you “in the Vine”? Have you ever been saved and grafted into the Vine? Are you connected to Jesus?
  2. Are you “abiding in the Vine”? Are you drawing your strength from him so that he is able to produce his fruit through your life?
  3. Are you bearing fruit today? Where do you stand with Jesus? If God has revealed areas in your life that need to be pruned back or other wise dealt with today, then I challenge you to come to Jesus and let him take care of your need. If you have never been saved, please come and let me show you how you can be connected to the Vine and become a child of God.

This entire message has focused on relationships: with Jesus, with others, with the world around us. I pray that we will walk in the light as HE is in the light, and allow the sacrifice of Jesus to cleanse us and guide us in the way we relate to God and others.

Gear Up for the Game

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[ The opening video illustration was purchased from BluefishTV ]

Gear Up for the Game

VBS is finally upon us! All the busyness, activity, setup and tear down… all for what? To provide children in our church and community 15 hours of concentrated emphasis on the Bible, which leads to new life in Jesus Christ. Many kids don’t have a church, and some that do, perhaps that church doesn’t emphasize personal faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to receive everlasting life.

Before I talk about everlasting life, let me first address THIS life.

We face so many pressures in life. Adults are juggling busy schedules, paying bills, making sure kids have what they need, and raising a family. Kids are facing pressure to perform their best in school and all their extracurricular activities. It all can be overwhelming.

Fortunately, God knows everything we face. His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3. He wants to bless us, not just in THIS life, but for all of eternity! Jesus came and paid the price for our sins so that we can know him and have eternal life. Once we know him, he has also given us his Word so that we can grow, train in our spiritual gifts, encourage one another, and share God’s gift of eternal life with others. With Jesus, we have everything we need to grow and to thrive. He is also inviting us to join him in his work. When we serve on God’s team, he uses us to make a huge difference in the lives of other people.

Today I want you to be aware of what is happening at Vacation Bible School this week. These kids are going to be taught these lessons by faithful teachers …

GOD’S PLAN FOR VBS

Jesus Cares About Me (Luke 15:1-7) Romans 5:8

The first Bible story is out of Luke 15, the story about the shepherd who left the 99 and went to search for the lost sheep. Jesus cares for us and demonstrated that love by dying on the cross to save us from our sin, and then searches for his lost sheep.

God knows everything about us, and he desires for us to live with him forever. Even though sin caused us to be separated from God, he gave his son, Jesus, so that we can experience his forgiveness and enjoy an abundant life. John 10:10.

Jesus Gives Me Hope (John 11:1-44) John 11:25

On day two, the kids are going to study from John 11, the story about the raising of Lazarus. His sisters had hope in the resurrection on the last day, but Jesus taught Mary and Martha that hope begins NOW, not later.

People are trying to find hope in many worldly things, like money, politics, relationships with people, but those sources of hope are always going to let us down. The only source of true help is Jesus. He is God, and he is perfectly faithful and trustworthy. Psalm 86:15.

Jesus Helps Me to Believe (John 20:19-31) John 20:29

On Wednesday, we are focusing on John 20, the story of doubting Thomas who would not believe that Jesus had raised from the dead until he saw and touched the Lord.

When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, he made forgiveness available to all people. Acts 2:21.

God wants us to give our lives to him and to experience eternal life. Ephesians 1:7.

When we come to Jesus, he is the one who gives us faith. Like in the story of Thomas, Jesus loves us and he meets us where we are, to help us believe. John 20:19-31; Mark 9:23–24.

Jesus Loves Me (John 13:1-35, 19:25-27, 20:1-10, 21:1-14) 1 John 3:1a

On Thursday, we are looking at John’s stories that help us see his relationship with Jesus… where he talked about “greater love has no one than this, that one would lay down his life for his friends,” where Jesus had John to care for his mother, John’s experience at the empty tomb, and seeing the resurrected Lord serving breakfast in Galilee.

Also, when we come to Jesus, it is only the BEGINNING of all that God has planned for us. He wants us to enjoy a daily relationship with him. Romans 8:38-39.

John was one of the Jesus’ closest friends on earth, and God used him to write down many things God wanted to reveal to us. This means that God wants us to enjoy the same relationship and fellowship that Jesus and John experienced together. John 13:23; 20:2.

Jesus Gives Me Joy (Acts 16:23-34) Psalm 95:1

Finally, we wrap up the week looking at the prison experience of Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail.

We are going to learn that regardless of the circumstances that come in our lives we can have JOY in knowing that God is with us. He uses us to reach people with his love, and he has a lifetime and eternity of blessings prepared for us. Jeremiah 29:11.

God wants us to stay close to him so that we can bear fruit and be filled with his joy. John 15:5.

God created us to enjoy a relationship that last forever. Our lives are going to be meaningless and without true hope until we give our life to Jesus.

GOD’S PLAN FOR LIFE

I’m going to quickly share the gospel and invite you to give your life to him today. During VBS, kids and families will be introduced to what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

“Gospel” means good news. What is do good about it?

  1. God Rules: The Bible tells us that God created everything, including you and me, and he is in charge of everything (Genesis 1:1, Revelation 4:11, Colossians 1:16-17)
  2. We Sinned: Since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God (Romans 3:23). The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy and cannot tolerate sin, we have a problem. Sin is that which separates up from God, no matter how hard we try to reach him. We deserve punishment and death (Romans 6:23).
  3. God Provided: To deal with our sin problem, God provided a way to forgive sin. Sin could not just be forgiven and swept under the rug, it has to be paid for. Jesus took the punishment that we deserve and could never pay on our own. Jesus saves us (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9).
  4. Jesus Gives: Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose from the dead. Since he gave up his life for us, we can be welcomed into God’s forever family. This is the best gift ever (Romans 5:8, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18).

What can I do now? Learn Your ABCs

  1. Admit to God that you are a sinner. Tell God you messed up and are sorry for doing your own thing. Repent, and turn away from your sin and turn to God. Stop doing bad things and start doing good things. Turn to Jesus, the only one who can save you.
  2. Believe that Jesus is God’s Son and receive his free gift of forgiveness from sin. Only Jesus can save us from our sin problem. Not even praying, going to church, or reading your Bible can save you. We trust in Jesus, his death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead to bring salvation.
  3. Confess your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Tell God and then tell others what you believe about Jesus. When Jesus is your Savior, you are trusting in him only for your salvation. He is your Savior and he is your Lord, Boss, and Master. You follow him because of what we read in the Bible. We are born again into new life and will be with God forever (Romans 10:9-10, 13).

GOD’S GAME PLAN FOR YOU

  1. Noticed how many lives are Christian Life Begins with Faith (2 Peter 1:1–4)
    1. This faith is in a person (2 Peter 1:1–2) – our faith is never in a set of beliefs or doctrines, but in the person of Jesus Christ. Christianity is a personal religious system that means nothing if God is an impersonal force or if salvation is based on believing or reciting a set of propositional truths.
    2. This faith involves God’s power (2 Peter 1:3) – How do we get everything we need for life and godliness, it is by his divine power. And God does not want us to be ignorant of him, so our faith is strengthened through knowledge of God and recognizing his glory.
    3. This faith involves God’s promises (2 Peter 1:4) – This book is full of precious and very great promises given for a reason, so we will escape the corruption that is in this world, and become a part of the divine nature.
  2. Faith Results in Spiritual Growth (2 Peter 1:5–9)
    1. The Path of Diligence – Positive (2 Peter 1:5-8)
      1. We must not only believe, we must behave (2 Peter 1:5a)
      2. We must not only have integrity, we must be informed (2 Peter 1:5b)
      3. We must not only be taught, we must be temperate (2 Peter 1:6a)
      4. We must not only be in possession, we must be patient (2 Peter 1:6b)
      5. We must not only be good, we must be godly (2 Peter 1:6c)
      6. We must not only be holy, we must be helpful (2 Peter 1:7a)
      7. We must not only be liberal (in kindness), we must be lovable (2 Peter 1:7b)
    2. The Path of Delusion – Negative (2 Peter 1:9) – if you lack these qualities, you are blind and short-sighted…
      1. We can lose sight of our condition (2 Peter 1:9a) – that our eyes have been opened to the reality of Christ
      2. We can lose sight of our conversion (2 Peter 1:9b) – that we are cleansed from our sins, meaning, some people are not acting like they are God’s people.
  3. Spiritual Growth Brings Practical Results (2 Peter 1:10–11)
    1. Steadfastness (2 Peter 1:10a) – be all the MORE diligent
      1. His Calling (2 Peter 1:10b) – to what has he called you? Giftedness, Serving, calling to Membership? Calling to Ministry?
      2. His Choosing (2 Peter 1:10c) – To be picked to play on his team. What is your position? What are you good at? What bring you joy as you do his work? What types of things do you do where people tell you that you really ministered to them?
    2. Stability (2 Peter 1:10d) – You will never stumble.
    3. Salvation (2 Peter 1:11) – Entrance into the eternal kingdom of Jesus, will be fully supplied.

Don’t you want to meet Jesus fully prepared and matured, rather than limping along like you’re nursing an old sports injury? Don’t let the world and its distractions keep you from all that God has for you. He has promised everything from the very beginning.

  • Don’t just sit in the stadium – you are not a spectator. Church is not a spectator sport.
  • Don’t dress out and just sit on the sidelines – be ready to get in the only game that counts.