The Journey (Part 3) - If You Seek...

MY JOURNEY IS MY JOURNEY!!!

What does that mean?
NOONE can make decisions for me.
NOONE can force me to believe anything I don’t want to.
NOONE is responsible for my journey except for ME.

There is no SHAME in the journey.

BUT there is URGENCY in the journey.

I need 5 volunteers:
1 – Say, “Pfft”
2 – Say, “Excuse me”
3 – Say, “Ah man”
4 – Say, “Ahhhhhhhhh”
5 – Say, “gurgle, gurgle, gurgle”
There once was a boy named Billy. Billy was about 14 years old when a terrible thing happened to him. Billy had just been to 7-eleven. He bought a pack of ‘Big League Chew’ bubble gum (original flavor), a pack of 2 slim-jims (the spicy kind), and a 72oz. Big Gulp of Mountain Dew (for 50 cents). Billy finished the pop in about 5 minutes. He ate the slim-jims in 2 minutes. Then he went to the theater to watch X-men 2.
½ way through the movie he felt something move (5), and then he felt a huge pain in his gut. He was really into the movie and didn’t want to leave, but he knew that he must. He began curiously seeking for the nearest exit. He stood up and as he stood up he made a noise (1). He said (2). People didn’t know whether he needed to get by or he was being polite after making his noise. He ran out of the theater (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) (2) (2). That’s when he noticed that the girl he wanted to ask to the dance was walking out at the same time and heard it all. (3) he thought, but that wasn’t that important to him right now. He knew what he needed help. He ran through the theater to the ticket window. He said (2) (1) I have a problem. My body is making funny noises and my gut hurts (1). I need help. The girl said, “No. You need a bathroom.” He said, “Where do I (1) find one of those?” “Go Inside.” He headed into the lobby. He found the old guy with tattoos taking tickets. He ran up to him (1) (2) (1) (1) (1……) (2). He said (2), My body is making funny noises and my gut hurts (1). The girl outside said that I need a bathroom. Where is (1) that? (2)? He said, “It’s over there.” Billy asked, “What do I do when I get there?” The man said, “Just sit down and relax.” Thanks. Billy didn’t know what to do, “Do I finish the movie or do I go to the bathroom.” I paid 9 bucks for this movie, “I’m watching it. I can take the pain. Besides it will go away eventually.” So he ran back into the theater (1) (1) (1). And then he heard the grossest noise he had ever heard, “#1 (1) became a real nasty #2 (3).

Alternative ending:
Billy asked, “What do I do when I get there?” The man said, “Just sit down and relax.” Thanks. Billy didn’t know what to do, “Do I finish the movie or do I go to the bathroom.” I paid 9 bucks for this movie, but if I don’t go now, there’s no telling what might happen. So Billy ran to the bathroom (1) (1) (1) (1). He found a seat, sat down, and relaxed (4).

Questions are OK.
People are always looking for answers.
Why do I have to go back to school? How can that guy be such a jerk, and still have girls like him? Who am I? Why is the grass green? How could God allow my dad to abuse me? Why is life so hard? If everyone says I’m pretty, then why do I feel so ugly? If God is love, then why do I have to hear my parents fight all the time? Why can’t I see God? Why would God make me? Is Jesus really God, like He said?
Can I really have a relationship with Him?

Luke 11:9-10
I say to you, “ASK and it will given to you; SEEK and you will find; KNOCK and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, RECEIVES; and he who seeks, FINDS; and to him who knocks, IT WILL BE OPENED.”

Here’s a ‘what if’ to think about.
What if all of the things that the Bible says aren’t true? Then what?
What if the Bible is really what it claims to be. In 2 Timothy 2:15, it says, “…handling accurately the WORD OF TRUTH”.
What if it’s true that there really is a Heaven and there really is a Hell.
What if it’s true that you have absolutely no idea of when Jesus is coming back? 1 Thessalonians 5:2 “…thief in the night…” The Bible says that no one knows the day or the hour that Jesus will come back for those who have a relationship with Him.

If you want to find it, then you have to SEEK
If you want to receive it, then you have to ASK
The Grip is where real life and reality meet. It is where the real stuff and junk of your life meet up with the reality of a relationship with Jesus Christ. If you want to life your life the way it was meant to be lived, then step up to the plate and find your answers. Don’t stop there, though. Life’s a journey. You’re going to have to make a decision.
----------------------------------------------------------
Breakout Session Guide D.L. stands for discussion leader –
1. What are some of the questions that you have right now about God, or about Jesus? Do you have any questions about life in general?
D.L. notes – This isn’t so much a time for answering their questions as it is for
validating them. They need to know that there is nothing wrong about having
questions. You can respond by saying things like, “I’ve wondered about that too.
That’s a really good question. What do you think the answer is for that?” Be
prepared to give some examples of questions that you have had. Ex. If God loves
me then why would he allow me to be abused by my mom or dad? If God is real,
then why doesn’t He come back now? Is God real? Is the Bible really true?

2. Have you ever had any of your questions answered? How? What did you do to get them answered?
D.L. notes – The idea here is to provide them with resources for getting questions
answered. You can throw out examples from your own life – Is there someone
you trusted to give you straight answers? If you want to know something about
God, then ask someone who is close to God. Ask God Himself. Read the Bible.
Spend some time thinking about it.

3. What is a story of urgency that you have? You had to get somewhere or you had to get something done fast. You were almost there and you didn’t make it, or you made it just in time, but you needed help to get there.
D.L. notes – This is really a time for embarrassing stories or hero stories. Let
them relax and tell stories. I had to catch a plane… I had to finish my Englisht
test before the bell rang… You can throw in your own story here too. Just make it
a good one.