SESSION 1 — ONE THING

INTRO — WHAT IF WE MISS THE POINT?

This weekend we're talking about revival.

I want revival.

I want to see God move in our YTH.

I want your friends to meet Jesus.

I want to see baptisms.

I want prayer in our schools.

I want students completely alive to God.

But here's my concern:

We can become hungry for a move of Jesus without becoming hungry for Jesus.

We can want the worship.

The moment.

The feeling.

The breakthrough.

The experience.

But revival isn't the prize.

Jesus is.

So before we talk about Jesus moving in us, among us, or through us, we're starting here:

Do I actually know Him?

Do I actually want Him?

Am I close to Him?

ONE AND ONLY POINT

BEFORE WE CARRY JESUS ANYWHERE, WE HAVE TO LEARN TO STAY CLOSE TO HIM.

READ LUKE 10:38–42

Luke 10:38–42 NIV

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Set up the room:

Jesus enters Martha's house.

Martha is serving.

Mary is sitting.

Same house.

Same Jesus.

Same opportunity.

Two completely different responses to His presence.

MOVEMENT 1 — MANY THINGS

“Martha was distracted…” — v.40

Don't rush past that word:

DISTRACTED.

Martha isn't in rebellion.

She's serving Jesus.

She's doing a good thing.

But the good thing has distracted her from the better thing.

PREACH:

That's what makes distraction dangerous.

Sometimes what pulls us away from Jesus isn't sinful.

It's just loud.

Sports.

School.

Friends.

Dating.

Your future.

Your phone.

Being successful.

Wanting people to like you.

Even church.

None of those things have to be evil.

But they can become so loud that we stop hearing Jesus.

KEY LINE:

THE GREATEST THREAT TO YOUR WALK WITH JESUS MAY NOT BE REBELLION. IT MAY BE DISTRACTION.

Most people don't wake up one morning and say:

"I'm done with Jesus."

Usually we drift.

A little less prayer.

A little less Scripture.

A little more noise.

A little more scrolling.

A little more busy.

And eventually...

Jesus hasn't moved. We have.

THE DEEPER ISSUE

Jesus says:

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things…”

Notice Jesus goes deeper than her behavior.

He sees her heart.

She's serving on the outside.

But anxious on the inside.

And I love how Jesus says her name:

“Martha, Martha.”

This isn't condemnation.

It's invitation.

Jesus isn't angry that Martha is distracted. He wants her back.

That's the heart of Jesus.

Maybe you've drifted.

Maybe you've been numb.

Maybe you're hiding something.

Maybe prayer feels dead.

Maybe you're just exhausted.

Jesus isn't standing across the room saying:

“Try harder.”

He's saying:

“COME CLOSER.”

MOVEMENT 2 — ONE THING

Jesus says:

“You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.”

Underline those two phrases:

MANY THINGS.

ONE THING.

That's the tension of our lives.

There will always be many things competing for your heart.

Jesus says there is one thing that has to remain at the center.

And the one thing isn't:

Read your Bible every day.

Pray more.

Stop sinning.

Go to church.

Those things matter.

But they aren't the One Thing.

THE ONE THING IS JESUS.

Knowing Him.

Loving Him.

Listening to Him.

Walking with Him.

THIS IS CHRISTIANITY

Christianity is not primarily:

Believe the right things and behave the right way.

Christianity begins with:

COME FOLLOW ME.

A Person.

A relationship.

A life lived with Jesus.

That's what I want for you.

Not borrowed faith.

Not your parents' Jesus.

Not your pastor's Jesus.

Not your youth leader's Jesus.

I want you to know Him for yourself.

STICKY LINE:

JESUS DOESN'T JUST WANT A PLACE IN YOUR LIFE. HE WANTS TO BECOME THE CENTER OF YOUR LIFE.

Everything else finds its proper place when Jesus becomes the center.

Your identity.

Relationships.

Future.

Sports.

School.

Dreams.

Decisions.

Not Jesus somewhere among the many things.

Jesus over everything.

MOVEMENT 3 — HIS FEET

Verse 39:

“Mary…sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.”

This is the image I want burned into your mind this weekend:

MARY AT HIS FEET.

Why His feet?

Because His feet represent:

Closeness.

Attention.

Humility.

Surrender.

But most importantly:

Mary wanted Jesus more than she wanted anything from Jesus.

She wasn't asking Him for something.

She wasn't trying to get noticed.

She wasn't performing.

She was simply:

WITH HIM.

THE SECRET PLACE

This is where knowing Jesus becomes real.

You cannot build intimacy with someone you never spend time with.

At some point:

Phone down.

Door closed.

Bible open.

Heart open.

And:

Stay.

Some days you'll feel God's presence.

Other days you won't.

Stay.

Some days Scripture will come alive.

Other days it won't.

Stay.

Some days prayer will feel powerful.

Other days you'll barely know what to say.

Stay.

Because relationships aren't built only in powerful moments.

They're built through presence.

KEY LINE:

DON'T BUILD YOUR WALK WITH JESUS AROUND MOMENTS. BUILD IT AROUND PRESENCE.

Retreat ends.

Worship songs end.

Emotional moments fade.

But Jesus remains.

And I don't want you to become dependent on somebody else creating an environment where you can encounter God.

Learn how to meet with Jesus yourself.

JOHN 12 — MARY IS BACK AT HIS FEET

Fast-forward.

John 12.

Same Mary.

Same Jesus.

And where do we find her?

At His feet again.

But this time she brings perfume.

Expensive perfume.

She breaks it open.

Pours it over Jesus.

And wipes His feet with her hair.

This is extravagant.

Costly.

Undignified.

And other people in the room don't understand it.

But Mary does.

WHY COULD MARY POUR IT OUT?

Because Mary knew the One she was pouring it out on.

Intimacy had produced surrender.

She had sat at His feet.

She had listened.

She knew His heart.

And now:

Jesus, You're worth everything.

That's where surrender comes from.

We don't surrender because somebody pressures us.

We surrender because we've seen:

HE'S WORTH IT.

KEY LINE:

THE CLOSER YOU GET TO JESUS, THE LESS SURRENDER FEELS LIKE LOSS.

Because you begin to trust His heart.

If Jesus asks you to let something go:

He's better.

If Jesus changes your plans:

He's better.

If Jesus calls you somewhere unexpected:

He's better.

If following Jesus costs you:

He's still worth it.

MOVEMENT 4 — OVERFLOW

John gives us one detail I don't want you to miss:

“The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

Mary wasn't trying to change the atmosphere.

She wasn't trying to start revival.

She was focused on Jesus.

But what happened between Mary and Jesus eventually filled the whole house.

There is our picture of revival.

WHAT HAPPENS AT HIS FEET DOESN'T STAY AT HIS FEET.

It overflows.

Want revival in YTH?

Get students close to Jesus.

Want revival in your school?

Get close to Jesus.

Want your friends to experience Jesus?

Get close to Jesus.

Because eventually what you're filled with...

spills out.

His compassion.

His courage.

His holiness.

His love.

His presence.

LAND IT — MANY THINGS OR ONE THING?

Bring it all the way back to Luke 10.

Martha:

MANY THINGS.

Mary:

ONE THING.

And that's the question that starts our weekend:

Which one describes my heart?

Am I distracted by many things?

Or is Jesus becoming my One Thing?

Not:

Do I believe in Him?

Not:

Do I attend YTH?

Not:

Am I a good Christian?

But:

DO I WANT JESUS?

MANY THINGS

What is distracting me?

↓

ONE THING

Jesus becomes the center.

↓

HIS FEET

I learn to stay close.

↓

OVERFLOW

What Jesus does in me begins filling the room around me.

RESPONSE — AT HIS FEET

1. JESUS, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR HEART?

Don't ask Him for anything.

Just:

Jesus, show me who You are.

Listen.

Write.

PRAYER + GOD DREAMS ACTIVATION

I would give a significant amount of time to this—potentially 30–45 minutes.

Don't rush it.

Step 1 — PERSONAL LISTENING

Give every student a journal/notecard.

Put instrumental worship underneath.

Ask them:

"God, what do You want to do in YTH this year?"

Then tell them:

"Don't write what you think I want you to write. Don't write what sounds spiritual. Ask Jesus, sit quietly, and listen."

Give them 5–10 minutes.

Questions on the screen:

What are you praying God does in YTH this year?

Who are you praying encounters Jesus?

What needs to change in us?

What would YTH look like if Jesus truly had His way?

What God-sized dream is in your heart for this year?

Step 2 — SHARE THE DREAMS

Bring everyone together.

Have students share what they wrote.

As they share, write the words somewhere visible—whiteboard, butcher paper, sticky notes, etc.

Step 3 — TURN DREAMS INTO PRAYERS

Now physically gather around those words.

Tell them:

"We're not making a wish list. We're turning these dreams into prayers."

Have students pray over what was written.

And importantly:

let students lead.

If nobody starts immediately, don't rescue the silence too quickly.

Give them space.

Step 4 — THE FIRST PRAYER OF THE YEAR

I'd finish Session 1 with everyone standing together.

Read Ezekiel 37:9:

“Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.”

Then establish a prayer you can return to all year long:

"Jesus, breathe on us again."

Have everyone pray it together.

Then worship.