II. Skits: 3 groups
Here are the situations:
1. Your cat or dog comes hobbling home after being run over by a car. It’s still alive, but barely.
2. Your relative, who you are very close with, dies suddenly.
3. You are about to take the test that determines whether or not you get to go on to the next grade with all of your friends.
Here are your instructions:
As a group, figure out the story background.
Scene 1: You are going to act out the moment you find out. (You and whoever)
Scene 2: You are going to act out a prayer. (You and God)
Scene 3: You are going to act out a conversation with your best friend. (You and best friend)
III. The cat story – I would never do that again
IV. Bop
Like most people, I have two Grandpas. How many of you have special names for your Grandparents? We called my dad’s parents, Nana and Bop. My senior year of high school Bop died. I was competing in the regional track meet, and had just run the fastest 800 meters that I had ever run (1:56 for those who are curious). I came in 3rd place which qualified me to run in the State track meet. I was in a great mood. Typically, after a large track meet like that, I would go over to my girlfriend’s house to say, “Hi” before I went home. Her dad met me at the door, and said, “I’m sorry”. I thought, “Are you nuts, I just ran the best race of my life today.” That’s when he realized that I didn’t know. He said, “Your grandpa passed away today.” I got in my car, and drove home. I don’t remember talking to anyone about it. I didn’t cry once. Almost one month later, I was sitting at the kitchen table with a friend, and the thought of Bop crossed my mind, and I bawled my eyes out. My friend was there for me during that time. We talked about it a little bit, but guess who I wanted to talk to -
I talked to God about it. I asked Him why, and then I just cried. My Bop’s death wasn’t a surprise to God, but it was Bop’s time, and God knew that it would hurt me. It’s like when your mom or dad would take you in for your shot as a baby, and they knew that it would hurt and that you would cry. When it was all over, they pick you up and hold you close and comfort you.
When I have questions, or I just need to vent, cry, yell, or just talk about something.
I don’t have to talk to anyone else, except for God. There is one mediator between God and man, Jesus. And guess who Jesus is, He’s God. I can talk directly to Him, the creator of this world, the creator of me, my Savior. My relationship with God is so much a part of my life, that you will know that after knowing me for a little while. I talk about Him. He’s so much a part of my life, that when I talk about my life with someone, eventually, we’ll be talking about God.
God is the creator of everything you see, and He lets me talk to Him whenever I want and about whatever I want. He not only lets me talk to Him, He wants me to talk to Him.
Prayer is talking with God just like you talk to your best friend about stuff. Do you have a relationship with Jesus (God)? It’s hard to talk to someone when you don’t have a relationship with them. Someone asked me last week, if I would talk about how to begin a relationship with Jesus.
Romans 3:23 says – For all have sinned and continue to fall short of the glory of God.
That means that, You aren’t perfect. I’m not perfect. God is perfect, and He requires perfection from us. Be holy for I am holy.
Romans 6:23 says – …The wages of sin is death, an eternal separation from God
Outside of perfection, it is impossible to have a relationship with Him, impossible for us.
Romans 6:23 continues – But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.
We are saved from death to life, an eternal relationship with Jesus, based on the merit of Jesus Christ alone.
God came to Earth in the form of a man, Jesus (Christmas). He lived a perfect life. He was put to death and paid the price for our sins (Good Friday). He was buried and then He rose again (Easter).
You don’t get to Heaven based on any good thing that you’ve done or will do. The price has been paid in full by Jesus. It’s a gift that God offers to you. All you have to do is take it. You put your faith and trust in Jesus alone.
Admit that you are a sinner – you do wrong things – you aren’t perfect.
Believe that Jesus is God, and that he paid the price for your sin.
Begin your relationship with God by
Accepting the gift as payment for your sins.
Ephesians 2:8,9
It is by grace that you are saved, and not of works that no one should boast.
You can do all that just by talking to God.
Repeat after me (you can do it out load or silently)
I admit that I’m a sinner, and because of that I can’t get into Heaven or have a relationship with. I believe that Jesus is God, and that He paid the price for my sin. I accept that gift as payment for my sins.
Thank you for saving me from an eternity separated from You.
Showing posts with label Teen Talks - 7 Checkpoints: Spiritual Disciplines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teen Talks - 7 Checkpoints: Spiritual Disciplines. Show all posts
Saturday, March 3, 2007
7 Checkpoints: Spiritual Disciplines - What Will You Do? How Will You Know?
Spiritual Disciplines (Part 2) – What will you do? How will you Know?
Here’s a true story: (Read the story from the 7 Checkpoints pg 62,63)
You guys have the biggest decisions of life ahead of you.
Who will I marry?
Where will I work?
How will I fit into society?
You also have BIG decisions right now.
Should I obey my parent’s curfew?
Mom and dad won’t mind if I’m a few minutes late.
I’m old enough to be out past 10:00.
Which friends will I hang out with this weekend?
This friend is boring, but safe.
This friend is fun, but dangerous.
What do I want my life to be like?
What will I do if someone offers me drugs at the party?
I see other people here doing it.
I’m young, shouldn’t I experiment a little.
I didn’t know that he did drugs; they must be okay then.
What will happen if my date pressures me for sex?
If I don’t do it, then he’ll think I’m a goody-two-shoes
He wouldn’t ask me if he didn’t love me
If you can begin now to see the way that God sees, then you will be more inclined to do what He says in these decisive moments.
Ace Ventura, Pet Detective. He’s looking for a dolphin, and he comes out of the room waving his hand behind him, saying, “Do Not Go In There”
There is a movie called, Cape Fear. The movie is about a judge and his family being stalked and killed by a man that he had put in jail. Naturally, the guy is a psycho. I remember watching this movie. I was at a friends house and it was dark outside. After watching the movie, I was looking in my back seat the whole way home. When I got home I locked the door, turned off my bedroom light and jumped into my bed where I would be safe, sort of, except for the shadows in the room. That was a disturbing movie. This guy was showing up in all of those placed that you think someone might be when you are scared. You see a quick glimpse of him in the yard. You see his face in the window. You see him in the back seat of the family’s car. You see him in the kitchen. You see him underneath the car. But you know who doesn’t see him there? The family in the movie doesn’t. Every time, he kills someone. I see him in the kitchen, and the maid is going to the kitchen so what do you thinking I’m saying, “Don’t go in there” – In the car “Don’t go in there” I want the family to be able to see what I see so that they won’t get hurt, because I know what’s coming. If they saw the way that I saw, then they would stay out of the kitchen.
That’s just a movie, but this is real life. God sees my life and he knows what’s coming, and it’s as if He’s saying, “Don’t go in there”. If I was seeing the situation the way that He is, then I wouldn’t. But I don’t see the way He sees, and so I do. It results in hurt, shame, broken relationships, broken hearts, and sometimes broken bodies.
A friend of mine from Chicago (he was in Junior High). He got mixed up in a gang. Eventually, he realized that the lifestyle he was living was destroying him and his relationships with his family. The only way that he could get out of that situation was to get violated out (that means that you roll the dice, and what ever number comes up is the number of guys that get to beat you for 30 seconds). He chose to stay in the gang. Today, his life has been torn apart. Jesus said, I have come that you might have life, and that you might have it abundantly. Marcello doesn’t have an abundant life, because He chose to see his own way, and not how God sees. He has a life that is surrounded by drugs, by hurt, by pain, because he didn’t want to take a 30 second beating. Who do you hang out with? What does your life look like?
What do you spend your day thinking about? What do you spend your time doing? When you die, how will you be remembered? Will you be a really fun person, or will you be a really fun person who changed his world?
God gave us His word, The Bible, so that we would be able to know what the right way is.
2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is God breathed, and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.
The Bible is literally, the Word of God. They are His words. In order to know what He has to say, you have to read it. (If you don’t have a Bible at home, then take one of ours as a gift to you)
God also gave us Himself. He gives each one of us the opportunity to have a relationship with Him. Jesus said, I have come so that you would have life, and that you would have it abundantly. You can’t have that outside of a relationship with him. No matter how hard you try you will never know life the way it could be without Him in it.
If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then don’t let another day go by without it. That’s the first step to having an abundant life. Stop one of us leaders and talk to us, we would love to introduce you to Jesus. The biggest decision that you will ever make is, “What did you do with Christ?”
Here’s a true story: (Read the story from the 7 Checkpoints pg 62,63)
You guys have the biggest decisions of life ahead of you.
Who will I marry?
Where will I work?
How will I fit into society?
You also have BIG decisions right now.
Should I obey my parent’s curfew?
Mom and dad won’t mind if I’m a few minutes late.
I’m old enough to be out past 10:00.
Which friends will I hang out with this weekend?
This friend is boring, but safe.
This friend is fun, but dangerous.
What do I want my life to be like?
What will I do if someone offers me drugs at the party?
I see other people here doing it.
I’m young, shouldn’t I experiment a little.
I didn’t know that he did drugs; they must be okay then.
What will happen if my date pressures me for sex?
If I don’t do it, then he’ll think I’m a goody-two-shoes
He wouldn’t ask me if he didn’t love me
If you can begin now to see the way that God sees, then you will be more inclined to do what He says in these decisive moments.
Ace Ventura, Pet Detective. He’s looking for a dolphin, and he comes out of the room waving his hand behind him, saying, “Do Not Go In There”
There is a movie called, Cape Fear. The movie is about a judge and his family being stalked and killed by a man that he had put in jail. Naturally, the guy is a psycho. I remember watching this movie. I was at a friends house and it was dark outside. After watching the movie, I was looking in my back seat the whole way home. When I got home I locked the door, turned off my bedroom light and jumped into my bed where I would be safe, sort of, except for the shadows in the room. That was a disturbing movie. This guy was showing up in all of those placed that you think someone might be when you are scared. You see a quick glimpse of him in the yard. You see his face in the window. You see him in the back seat of the family’s car. You see him in the kitchen. You see him underneath the car. But you know who doesn’t see him there? The family in the movie doesn’t. Every time, he kills someone. I see him in the kitchen, and the maid is going to the kitchen so what do you thinking I’m saying, “Don’t go in there” – In the car “Don’t go in there” I want the family to be able to see what I see so that they won’t get hurt, because I know what’s coming. If they saw the way that I saw, then they would stay out of the kitchen.
That’s just a movie, but this is real life. God sees my life and he knows what’s coming, and it’s as if He’s saying, “Don’t go in there”. If I was seeing the situation the way that He is, then I wouldn’t. But I don’t see the way He sees, and so I do. It results in hurt, shame, broken relationships, broken hearts, and sometimes broken bodies.
A friend of mine from Chicago (he was in Junior High). He got mixed up in a gang. Eventually, he realized that the lifestyle he was living was destroying him and his relationships with his family. The only way that he could get out of that situation was to get violated out (that means that you roll the dice, and what ever number comes up is the number of guys that get to beat you for 30 seconds). He chose to stay in the gang. Today, his life has been torn apart. Jesus said, I have come that you might have life, and that you might have it abundantly. Marcello doesn’t have an abundant life, because He chose to see his own way, and not how God sees. He has a life that is surrounded by drugs, by hurt, by pain, because he didn’t want to take a 30 second beating. Who do you hang out with? What does your life look like?
What do you spend your day thinking about? What do you spend your time doing? When you die, how will you be remembered? Will you be a really fun person, or will you be a really fun person who changed his world?
God gave us His word, The Bible, so that we would be able to know what the right way is.
2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is God breathed, and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.
The Bible is literally, the Word of God. They are His words. In order to know what He has to say, you have to read it. (If you don’t have a Bible at home, then take one of ours as a gift to you)
God also gave us Himself. He gives each one of us the opportunity to have a relationship with Him. Jesus said, I have come so that you would have life, and that you would have it abundantly. You can’t have that outside of a relationship with him. No matter how hard you try you will never know life the way it could be without Him in it.
If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then don’t let another day go by without it. That’s the first step to having an abundant life. Stop one of us leaders and talk to us, we would love to introduce you to Jesus. The biggest decision that you will ever make is, “What did you do with Christ?”
7 Checkpoints: Spiritual Disciplines - Perception is Not Reality
Principle: When you see as God sees, you will do as God says
Critical Question: Are you developing a consistent devotional and prayer life
Key Passage: Romans 12:2
§ And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (NASB)
§ Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing, and perfect will. (NIV)
§ Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants – what is good, pleasing, and perfect. (God’s Word for Students)
§ Don’t copy the behaviors and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how His ways will really satisfy you. (TLB)
There were two boys who were walking down an old dirt road. It was a hot day. They had just come from Mrs. Smith’s bakery in town. One boy bought a slice of apple pie. The other boy just wanted an apple. Mrs. Smith had a tradition of always giving an apple to anyone who would buy a piece of pie. This was an excellent deal. While they were walking, the boy with the apple pulled it out of his pocket, and was just about to take a bite out of the apple when he noticed something that just wasn’t right. There were two little eyes staring up at him. They were attached to a long, thin, slimy, brown body that had buried itself inside the apple. It was a worm. Now the boy had a decision to make. The worm didn’t look like it would taste all that great even though he has seen people eat worms before. His friend saw the worm in the apple and immediately threw his piece of pie out.
Years ago, Columbus was going to sail around the world and end up in the Indian Islands. They knew that it was way too dangerous to go down around the bottom of Africa, because more than likely their ships would be destroyed going around Cape Hope. They had seen it happen and they needed a safer way to go. Somehow, Columbus found out that the world was round. He believed it enough that he put his own life and the lives of many other men on the line. The perspective or belief up to that point was that you could only sail so far, and then you would fall off the edge of the world. Columbus’ perspective was right on. However, when they landed, they thought that they had landed in the West Indies. So, when Columbus saw the people where he landed, he called them Indians. It didn’t matter how much Columbus wanted to believe that he had landed in the Indian Islands. He was wrong. His perception was wrong. Because of that, this place is called America, named after Amerigo Vespucci. He wasn’t the first to come to America. He was the first to realize that he wasn’t in the Indian Islands.
That’s all nice, but what does that have to do with Real Life? How fast does a plane fly? ___________________It doesn’t look like it’s moving that fast. Are you sure? How do you know?
If someone didn’t believe that gravity was real, how long do you think it would take them to change the way they think if you pushed them out of an airplane going 180 mph?
Why did the boy throw his apple pie away without eating it? He figured that if there was a worm in his friend’s apple, then there was probably a worm in one of the apples used to make his apple pie. Chances are that the apple pie was not worm infested, but the boy didn’t want to take that chance.
Perception is not reality. Reality is reality. There is only one perspective that actually is reality, and that is God’s perspective. Why? Because he is the only one who knows what’s going on. Several years ago, I opened up my Bible to Genesis chapter one (31 verses). That’s the place where it talks about God creating everything. I went on to circle every time that it said someone did something. Every time the someone that did something was God. Do you know why? It’s because, there was no one else there. If you made a potato gun, and I walked over and said, “Oh, what’s down there and looked down the barrel”. You would say, “Don’t put your head in front of the barrel. You are going to get hurt.” What would you do if you saw your baby sister or brother looking down the barrel of a real gun? You would yell, “No!!!!” You would want to protect them, but they don’t know any better. You weren’t the creator of the gun, but you know how it works and you know what it will do.
How many of you have seen the Lethal Weapon movies? In the first movie, Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are called to a scene where a man is standing on the edge of a roof. When you look at the scene, there are several police cars, rescue vehicles, and a lot of people trying to convince this one man that jumping to his death is not a good idea.
Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…
Look at all of these times that it says in 31 short verses that God did something.
God created this place. You walk outside, and you are looking at what God did. The world and everything in it are his. He knows the right way to use the things in this world.
Let’s make it a little more personal
God created you.
Romans 12:2
Don’t be conformed to the way that this world thinks. Instead, have your life changed by renewing your mind.
We need to have the right view of life. Our view of life almost never equals reality.
We were in Tennessee, and a man came up to me, and said, “Are you a celebrity? I swear I saw you on T.V. last night. What’s your name? “John”. “No, that’s not it. Man, I can’t think of it.” He got in his car and left. Later, I was imagining what this guy went home to tell his family and friends. “You guys won’t believe who I saw tonight…”
I don’t imagine any of us are going to be jumping out of planes without parachutes from thousands of feet in the air. I imagine that we all know the dangers of staring down the barrel of a gun.
However, most of you will be asked at some time to smoke some pot, maybe take a line of cocaine, or maybe pop some vicatin pills, have some alcohol. Some of you already have been. Maybe some of you are the ones doing the asking. Some of you will enter into or are already in sexual relationships.
I see you looking down the barrel of a loaded gun, and I want to scream, “No!!!!” But in the end, the choice is up to you. Why? Because, “MY JOURNEY IS MY JOURNEY” (ppt)
Do you know why you are here? Do you know why God created you? What is your purpose? Is your life as exciting and full as it could be? Does your life consist of doing homework, going in and out of relationships, playing PS2 or XBOX or going skateboarding or snowboarding. What is your life all about? If that’s the way that that you spend all of your time, then you are having fun, but you are missing out on what your life could be like. I get a rush of overwhelming emotion when I see someone’s take the next step on their spiritual journey. That’s something you could never get from living a life with no real purpose.
What do you spend your day thinking about? What do you spend your time doing? When you die, how will you be remembered? Will you be a really fun person, or will you be a really fun person who changed his world?
God gave us His word, The Bible, so that we would be able to know what the right way is. God also gave us Himself. He gives each one of us the opportunity to have a relationship with Him. Jesus said, I have come so that you would have life, and that you would have it abundantly. You can’t have that outside of a relationship with him. No matter how hard you try you will never know life the way it could be without Him in it.
Critical Question: Are you developing a consistent devotional and prayer life
Key Passage: Romans 12:2
§ And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (NASB)
§ Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing, and perfect will. (NIV)
§ Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants – what is good, pleasing, and perfect. (God’s Word for Students)
§ Don’t copy the behaviors and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how His ways will really satisfy you. (TLB)
There were two boys who were walking down an old dirt road. It was a hot day. They had just come from Mrs. Smith’s bakery in town. One boy bought a slice of apple pie. The other boy just wanted an apple. Mrs. Smith had a tradition of always giving an apple to anyone who would buy a piece of pie. This was an excellent deal. While they were walking, the boy with the apple pulled it out of his pocket, and was just about to take a bite out of the apple when he noticed something that just wasn’t right. There were two little eyes staring up at him. They were attached to a long, thin, slimy, brown body that had buried itself inside the apple. It was a worm. Now the boy had a decision to make. The worm didn’t look like it would taste all that great even though he has seen people eat worms before. His friend saw the worm in the apple and immediately threw his piece of pie out.
Years ago, Columbus was going to sail around the world and end up in the Indian Islands. They knew that it was way too dangerous to go down around the bottom of Africa, because more than likely their ships would be destroyed going around Cape Hope. They had seen it happen and they needed a safer way to go. Somehow, Columbus found out that the world was round. He believed it enough that he put his own life and the lives of many other men on the line. The perspective or belief up to that point was that you could only sail so far, and then you would fall off the edge of the world. Columbus’ perspective was right on. However, when they landed, they thought that they had landed in the West Indies. So, when Columbus saw the people where he landed, he called them Indians. It didn’t matter how much Columbus wanted to believe that he had landed in the Indian Islands. He was wrong. His perception was wrong. Because of that, this place is called America, named after Amerigo Vespucci. He wasn’t the first to come to America. He was the first to realize that he wasn’t in the Indian Islands.
That’s all nice, but what does that have to do with Real Life? How fast does a plane fly? ___________________It doesn’t look like it’s moving that fast. Are you sure? How do you know?
If someone didn’t believe that gravity was real, how long do you think it would take them to change the way they think if you pushed them out of an airplane going 180 mph?
Why did the boy throw his apple pie away without eating it? He figured that if there was a worm in his friend’s apple, then there was probably a worm in one of the apples used to make his apple pie. Chances are that the apple pie was not worm infested, but the boy didn’t want to take that chance.
Perception is not reality. Reality is reality. There is only one perspective that actually is reality, and that is God’s perspective. Why? Because he is the only one who knows what’s going on. Several years ago, I opened up my Bible to Genesis chapter one (31 verses). That’s the place where it talks about God creating everything. I went on to circle every time that it said someone did something. Every time the someone that did something was God. Do you know why? It’s because, there was no one else there. If you made a potato gun, and I walked over and said, “Oh, what’s down there and looked down the barrel”. You would say, “Don’t put your head in front of the barrel. You are going to get hurt.” What would you do if you saw your baby sister or brother looking down the barrel of a real gun? You would yell, “No!!!!” You would want to protect them, but they don’t know any better. You weren’t the creator of the gun, but you know how it works and you know what it will do.
How many of you have seen the Lethal Weapon movies? In the first movie, Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are called to a scene where a man is standing on the edge of a roof. When you look at the scene, there are several police cars, rescue vehicles, and a lot of people trying to convince this one man that jumping to his death is not a good idea.
Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…
Look at all of these times that it says in 31 short verses that God did something.
God created this place. You walk outside, and you are looking at what God did. The world and everything in it are his. He knows the right way to use the things in this world.
Let’s make it a little more personal
God created you.
Romans 12:2
Don’t be conformed to the way that this world thinks. Instead, have your life changed by renewing your mind.
We need to have the right view of life. Our view of life almost never equals reality.
We were in Tennessee, and a man came up to me, and said, “Are you a celebrity? I swear I saw you on T.V. last night. What’s your name? “John”. “No, that’s not it. Man, I can’t think of it.” He got in his car and left. Later, I was imagining what this guy went home to tell his family and friends. “You guys won’t believe who I saw tonight…”
I don’t imagine any of us are going to be jumping out of planes without parachutes from thousands of feet in the air. I imagine that we all know the dangers of staring down the barrel of a gun.
However, most of you will be asked at some time to smoke some pot, maybe take a line of cocaine, or maybe pop some vicatin pills, have some alcohol. Some of you already have been. Maybe some of you are the ones doing the asking. Some of you will enter into or are already in sexual relationships.
I see you looking down the barrel of a loaded gun, and I want to scream, “No!!!!” But in the end, the choice is up to you. Why? Because, “MY JOURNEY IS MY JOURNEY” (ppt)
Do you know why you are here? Do you know why God created you? What is your purpose? Is your life as exciting and full as it could be? Does your life consist of doing homework, going in and out of relationships, playing PS2 or XBOX or going skateboarding or snowboarding. What is your life all about? If that’s the way that that you spend all of your time, then you are having fun, but you are missing out on what your life could be like. I get a rush of overwhelming emotion when I see someone’s take the next step on their spiritual journey. That’s something you could never get from living a life with no real purpose.
What do you spend your day thinking about? What do you spend your time doing? When you die, how will you be remembered? Will you be a really fun person, or will you be a really fun person who changed his world?
God gave us His word, The Bible, so that we would be able to know what the right way is. God also gave us Himself. He gives each one of us the opportunity to have a relationship with Him. Jesus said, I have come so that you would have life, and that you would have it abundantly. You can’t have that outside of a relationship with him. No matter how hard you try you will never know life the way it could be without Him in it.
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