Sift (Week 1 - Intro)

Introduction:

No accident.

God speaking into questions

Q. Does anyone know what it means to sift for gold

Sifting through rocks and dirt

Sieve

Show them the sieve that I brought

Moving for gold

Q. What is fool’s gold?

The world

This series: 2 Peter.

Body:

2 Peter 2:1 (NLT)

… there will be false teachers among you...

Sifting for truth

Q. What does it mean to sift for truth?

What you believe and why

21 century = rocks and soil

Better reasons than...

“I feel God”

“I had an experience.”

“My parents believe it.”

The enemy

Algorithms

News outlets

Certain educational systems

Things we used to think we could trust...

Attempting to shift our worldview.

Talking us out of living God’s way.

Not new

Hearing things at...

School

Netflix.

Instagram

Snapchat

TikTok

Friends with different worldviews

Same thing with teachers (public school)

Family members

And us

Worldview definition: “The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world.”

We all have one

Religion not declining, but Biblical Worldview is.

Less than 3% of Gen Z

An increasing number claim “none” in regards to religious beliefs

Creating their own worldviews

People not flourishing.

Walking away from what we were created for

Asking hard questions

Wrestling with what you believe

Making your faith your own

Discovery

Matthew 13:44 NLT

44 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.

Not fool’s gold

Following Jesus worth everything

Not easy

Get cancelled

Treasure

Hearts empty until worship.

Way truth, life = giving everything up

Increased...

Moral failures of faith leaders

“Deconstructions”

Picking and choosing

Teens sifting through the junk.

Need HS help

Onslaught of opinions (via internet) =

Can’t blindly accept

Filtering our hearts

Replacing distortion with the Bible.

Rational faith

Taking back ground

Personal story: struggling with faith in college

Big questions:

Who am I?

Am I loved?

Will everything be OK?

Does my life matter?

What is my purpose?

Why are things broken and how do I fix them?

Who are my people?

How can I be happy?

How can I make sense of my reality?

What is true?

Who can I believe?

Right answers = Jesus

Your identity not determined by...

Friends

Talents

Where you are from

The way you look

Who you’re attracted to

You.

Culture and authority

More than a Savior: Lord

Reality and truth fixed

God doesn’t change

His love...

Returning to His authority

Come as you are!

But demands allegiance

“The Truman Show.”

Born into reality TV.

Everything scripted.

He doesn’t know it.

But then he realizes and leaves

Truman’s change of worldview

Culture of fake thinking.

Jesus is the truth.

His way is best.

Not keys to heaven.

Jesus’ substitution death

No other way

Sifting through what we...

See

Hear

Think

Feel

Experience

Jesus = Gold

How know what’s true?

2 Peter 2:1 (NLT), “there will be false teachers among you.”

SIFT Questions (next 5 weeks):

-Is this a worldly saying/concept or is it biblical?

-Are my feelings and desires in this moment going to be my boss or is God?

-Am I avoiding a confrontation because I don’t want to be persecuted?

-Am I living God’s way in humility, compassion, and love towards others? Or am I pridefully showing off my holiness?

-Am I resting in my identity as God’s son or daughter? Or am I striving to be a good person and do good things?

Sifting beliefs and decisions through these

Running everything through the Bible (sieve)

“Me-ology.”

What we want, feel, and need.

From “me-ology” to “theology”

Study of God

Next five weeks: “Theological” concepts > Dismantle false truths

Sneak Peak:

Week 2: “living your truth.”

Week 3: “sending positive vibes.”

Week 4: “to hell with the hustle”

Week 5: “self-love.”

Final week: “living your best life now.”

Don’t miss

Ask hard questions

Sift.

Small group = safe space

Realizing that...

Follow Jesus = intellectually stimulating

Most fulfilling life.

Sharing good news

Sift for the truth.

Personal story: Dating was my worldview

I’m excited.

Truman’s realization (earth-shattering truth)

An earth-shattering truth for us:

Tim Keller: “We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”

You are loved

Not because...

Don’t do bad things

Do good things.

Bc Jesus made you.

Made way to be let off the hook.

Sieve ready.

HS with you. See you next week!

PRAY