Atomic Week 3- SHARE

WHAT? What are we talking about today?

STORY | Talk about a time your brain went on "autopilot."

When you're engaged in some fast-paced, high-stakes activity you've got to pay close attention to what's happening. But have you ever looked up and realized your brain had been on "autopilot?"

Maybe you go to the movies and after the employee rips your ticket and says, "Enjoy your movie!" you respond, "You too!" — and feel like an idiot. Maybe you walk all the way upstairs and when you get there you think, "Wait . . . why did I come up here?" That's what I mean about your brain being on "autopilot." Sometimes we have habits and routines that are so deeply ingrained that we forget to change them up.

INSTRUCTIONS: Tell a story from your own life (or ask a volunteer or student to tell a story) about a time when your brain went on autopilot out of habit.

When I worked night shift at the Nissan Car Factory in TN, I would have to do the same repetitive tasks over and over again, like hundreds of times a night.

I got to the place where I wouldn’t even have to look at what I was doing on some jobs, and each night around 3am my mind would just go into autopilot mode from exhaustion and boredom.

Maybe you’ve been there too....

You accidentally poured orange juice in your cereal, or called your teacher "Mom." Or ran into the wall while texting.

It's easy for us to do things without thinking, isn't it? Sometimes when we find ourselves on "autopilot" we discover some habits we didn't even realize we had.

VIDEO | A Clip from De Lijn's "It's Smarter to Travel in Groups" Commercial

For the last few weeks, we've been talking a lot about our habits. Sometimes we don't notice how many tiny habits we already have, but even if we don't notice them they're still really powerful. Over time, our habits shape who we are.

When we don't pay attention to the habits we have (and we don't try to build new habits on purpose) we might look up someday, see the direction our lives have taken us, and think, "Wait . . . how did I get here?" But when we're intentional about our habits — even the small ones, all of those tiny habits we've built can come together to make a big impact.

INSTRUCTIONS: As a teaching tool, play a short clip (0:37-1:00) from a video like this one of De Lijn's "It's Smarter to Travel in Groups" Commercial.

In the last two weeks, we've already talked about two big habits that can change the course of our lives and faith: spending time with God and investing in our relationships. Today, we're going to add a third habit to that list. As we do, keep those ants in mind, because when all of these habits are combined, they have the power to lead to some pretty big changes in your faith.

SO WHAT? Why does it matter to God and to us?

SCRIPTURE | Mark 16:9-15

There's a passage in Scripture where we find eleven of Jesus's closest friends and followers in hiding.

It was only a few days after Jesus had been crucified, so Jesus' followers were afraid the same people who killed Jesus might come for them next. That's understandable. Not only were they scared, but they were in mourning too. Their friend was dead and, for all they knew, was never coming back. But as they were hiding, grieving, and trying to eat a meal together, here's what happened . . .

INSTRUCTIONS: Read Mark 16:9-15

Mark 16:9–15 NIV

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

QUESTION | "What habit did Jesus challenge His disciples to develop?"

There's a lot going on in this handful of verses, but did you catch it? When Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection from the dead, what habit did He challenge them to develop?

INSTRUCTIONS: Give a few students a chance to respond.

When Jesus returned, after telling them to have faith, His message to His disciples was this: go and preach the gospel. As soon as He returned to life, delivering the command to go share His story all over the world was at the top of Jesus's to-do list. Think about the emotional whiplash the disciples must have been experiencing:

Just a moment before, they were grieving their dead friend, doubting what Jesus had to say about Himself and God was even true, and fearing for their own lives. Then they had overwhelming joy and relief because, suddenly, Jesus was alive! Then to what was probably a little bit of awkwardness, shame, and some more fear, because Jesus had some things to say to them. He called them out for their lack of faith and then told them to do something terrifying — go into the world (the same world that had just killed Jesus) and share the gospel (the same message that had just gotten Him killed).

SCRIPTURE | Psalm 27:1-3

The disciples knew Scripture pretty well, so they were probably familiar with Psalm 27, a song written written by David. When Jesus gave them this mission, I wonder if they quoted these passages to each other.

INSTRUCTIONS: Read Psalm 27:1-3

Psalm 27:1–3 NIV

The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.

In the first few verses David describes God as his light. For David, God was his truth, goodness, joy, and happiness — everything positive in his life.

If you were staggering around in a dark room and someone turned on a light, that would be pretty good news, right? That's what the good news of Jesus' gospel does. The psalmist in this passage is boldly declaring what God has done for him because God's salvation is good news to him. In the same way, when Jesus told His disciples to go all over the world and preach the gospel, He wasn't telling them to write sermons and become professional speakers. He was telling them to go and share the good news of the light, hope, and joy they found through Jesus. If you were stuck in darkness, and someone turned on a light, I would hope you'd head toward that light to help guide you to safety. In the same way, if you're someone who has seen the "light" of God's salvation, you can turn on a light for others by sharing the good news of what you've found.

SCRIPTURE | Psalm 27:4-14

David goes on to say how the constant presence of God calmed his fears.

INSTRUCTIONS: Read Psalm 27:4-14

Psalm 27:4–14 NIV

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations. I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Jesus' disciples were probably kind of terrified to follow Jesus' directions to tell the world about the salvation they found in Jesus. But ultimately they took Him up on that challenge. Why? Probably because they knew He would be with them, even when it was scary.

In this psalm, David described the way God was always with him, hearing his prayers, protecting him, and helping him because that's who God is. The disciples understood that no matter what danger they faced, they could find the courage to share the good news of Jesus with the world because God would never leave them alone. Jesus challenged His friends and followers to share their stories of faith wherever they went because the world needed to know about the light of God's good news and salvation. Jesus is giving you and me that same challenge.

You don't have to be a professional speaker to preach the good news of Jesus. All you need to do is share what Jesus has done for you. You don't need a doctoral degree in the Bible or a lifetime of learning. All you need is your own story of faith and a desire to share the good news that has changed your life.

You have a story to share. Just like the way our small habits can change our lives in unexpected ways, the tiny habit of sharing our faith can encourage and inspire someone to follow Jesus and change their life forever. The tiny habits we're talking about in this series can impact our lives far beyond anything we thought possible.

What do you think could happen to your faith, and to the people around you, if you made it a habit to share your faith story?

NOW WHAT? What does God want us to do about it?

HOW TO SHARE YOUR STORY

This habit might be the toughest to start because we get caught up worrying how we'll be seen by others.

We start second-guessing ourselves.

Maybe we don't see our own value and think, "Other people have better things to say than me, so I'll just stay quiet." Maybe we feel like we can't make difference and think no one will benefit from what we have to say. Maybe we feel unprepared to have the perfect story to tell so we hold off on letting people into our imperfect lives. But Jesus is inviting every one of us to make it a habit to share our faith stories. No matter where you're at in your faith, you have a story to tell. You can always make it a habit to share where you’re at in your journey of getting to know Jesus.

Think about your friends, teammates, classmates, bandmates, or family members. We all need to hear other people's faith stories because we all need to be pointed toward Jesus, the source of light, joy, and hope. How amazing would it be to see one of your friends or family members started their journey of faith alongside you, in part, because you made it a habit to share your story?

DISCUSSION | Short Stories

Sharing your faith story doesn't have to take a long time or be a major ordeal. Your story can be shared in tiny moments over time! Sharing your story can be prompted by a simple question, like . . .

Who is Jesus to you? Has God ever given you hope in a dark time? How has your life changed since you heard about Jesus? Has God ever helped you grow in patience, kindness, or courage? What gifts has God given you? What prayer has God answered? What are you learning about God right now?

Sharing your faith story doesn't have to be complicated and it doesn't have to be your entire life story. Sharing your faith story can be as simple as a 60-second story about something God has done, or is currently doing, in your life. Even if you just made a decision for Jesus yesterday or you're still deciding what you think about Jesus, this is something we can all do!

CLOSING

You can't control how someone responds to your story of faith when you share it. The only thing you can do is share. But in the process, someone will always be transformed. Sometimes it will be them and sometimes it will be you. When you share your story, it might encourage others to start their own journey with God, but it will definitely help you grow in your faith and get clearer about who God is to you. Your story matters because it is evidence of God's light and good news in your life. Even when our stories are imperfect and unfinished, our stories can help others discover the truth of God's love. So this week, let's make it a habit to share our stories.