Leading by Faith and Example

Game

Look up

Stand in a circle.

Say “Pick some toes.” Say, “gross.”

When I say “look up” you’re going to look at that person’s eyes.

If your eyes make contact, then you’re both out. We’ll play rock-paper-scissors if need be at the end to determine the winner.

Count Phalanges

It’s not a count like the count from Sesame street or Dracula or something.

What I need you to do is find a partner.

Choose a number between 1-10 and put your fingers up with that number (be appropriate). When I say “go!” bring your fingers up and the first person to add up all the fingers (including your own) wins. If there’s a delay in bringing up your fingers then you are disqualified. There’s only one winner in this game.

Announcements

Moving up Sunday next week

Potluck on September 8th

We’re going to go through the book of Ephesians next

My hope in going through Ephesians together is to strengthen our faith, promote our unity as a church, and be challenged in our holiness. We’ll talk about doctrine and bible teachings, and how those truths apply to our everyday lives as believers.

Time-Together

Acknowledge that it’s been a busy summer. I’ve been gone the last 3 weeks.

What did I miss?

Get the Whiteboard

Here’s what I want to do. I want some of you to open your bibles to some specific passages. We’re going to read a passage, and write down what we think that passage means for us today.

Matthew 16:24–25 ESV

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Give me some examples of what it means to follow Jesus? What do you think he’s talking about when he says this?

Write the ideas down.

John 15:8–11 ESV

8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Jesus calls us to “bear much fruit,” to prove that we are his disciples. He also says that if we keep his commandments, we will abide in his love. He sets the example by keeping the Father’s commandments.

How are we called to love people? What does obedience mean or look like?

Give me some examples of what Jesus means when he says to “keep my commandments?”

Write the ideas down

1 Timothy 4:12 ESV

12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

Some of us here are older, have been Christians longer. Some of us are younger, have been Christians for a lesser amount of time. Some of us have great examples, some terrible examples in our lives. Maybe we have a mentor, or maybe not.

We’re still called, like Timothy, to set the believers an examples.

Give me some examples of what that might look like in our Youth Group?

Write the ideas down.

Next Week

Acts 2:38 ESV

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

If you haven’t been baptized, now is the time to think about it. Setting an examples for other believers to do the same. Let’s talk because baptism is the way that communicates you are all in with your faith and you’re ready to be a part of the family of God.

Next week, we’ll have another lesson, but the following week we’ll have an all-church potluck. When we return on September 15th, we’ll start working through the book of Ephesians as we grow in what we know, to apply what we believe.

Pray

Small Group Time

Hi-Low-Buffalo

How can you set an example for others in following Christ’s commandments?