Spiritual Guides

Intro

I need somebody to guide me. Guide me in whatever!

Think about mountain guides. Their job is to lead you up to the top of the mountain. How do they do that?

They instruct you, have you follow them, they guide you, and they have encouraging words

Do they just tell you how to get up there? No, you wont make it or it will take you a long time. Do they tell you you suck, you are so annoying, how come you can’t just figure it out! No they are not mean or annoyed, but they are encouraging and helpful.

You guys here this weekend are the spiritual guides of our kids’ ministry. You. This group right here. The older ones, they have moved on. Just like in school sports. Every year seniors graduate, move on, and can no longer lead because they are not there. There has to be other people come in and lead. I want that to be you. I want you to lead our other kids in how to bring glory to God. There are three areas I want you all to lead in. Worship, Work, and Words.

Worship

Turn to

What are the commands in this verse? Be grateful and offer acceptable worship

Worship is more than just singing. Singing praises to God is a form of worship, but worship is more than than.

Worship is a verb that mean to show great honor, respect, and love. That is more than just singing right? That is a way of life.

Worship involves every part of your life. In order for us to offer acceptable worship we must always show honor, respect, and love toward God. But how do we do this? You tell me what are some ways you can worship God? What are some way you can show honor, respect, and love to God? Obey him, spend time with him in prayer and Bible study, love and respect others, obey those who God has placed over like your parents, your teachers, your coaches, your leaders at church, be involved in church, and treat going to church with respect. There are times you guys come to church and it’s just a great big party right? We eat and then run, play, maybe pay attention during our lesson, then run some more, talk to friends, act crazy, and then go home. That is not acceptable worship.

Turn to There are times when our worship is like what is going on in here. It is polluted, useless, and unacceptable to God. We can have fun at church without running around acting crazy and not paying attention. You guys need to understand than when you come to church you need to be coming ready to learn and grow. You need to come expecting God to communicate with you. You to come ready to worship God through singing, through hearing his word taught, and through responding to him. That is acceptable worship. That is what God demands! He demands our full attention. He demands our best.

I said you all here are my leaders. How you worship is how those younger than you will worship. How you act in church is how they will act. Lead by example.

Tell high school story of how as a freshman I led and carried myself on baseball field.

Part of leading is you have to be visible.

Work

Turn to

If we have believed and trusted in Jesus Christ then God has changed us, and because of that change that God has done we should begin to act different. We should begin to do the things God commands, and should begin to show fruit or show evidence of what God has done. If we show no evidence of God saving us and changing us must ask ourselves am I truly a Christian? Am I truly saved.

What James is saying here is that some people say they have faith and have been changed by God but when a fellow believer has no clothes or food you do nothing for them but tell them to be warm and filled. Is that helpful? No!

What I want you guys to think about is if you have believed and trusted in Jesus and have been changed and are being changed to be more like Jesus Christ is there evidence of that? Turn to

The fruit of the Spirit or the evidences of the Holy Spirit living inside of you are these things. Are these things that characterize you. If not then you are not bringing glory to God because you are not being led by the Holy Spirit. You are not following God. As believers we must have these things be evident in our life. Not so that we can stay saved because once we believe we are saved, we are forgiven. But we do these things because God changes, because we desire to bring God glory, because we want others to see how God is working in our lives.

Example

So you all as our leaders as our guides in our kids’ ministry you all need to lead by your works. People need to see you doing good works that is produced by God changing you. You need to live and act like Christians! If you are annoyed, impatient, mean, and rude to the other kids at church is that bringing glory to God? Is that helping them see that God is loving? Is that going to make them want to be a christian? No, you need to lead by example. If there is something that need to be done do it, if tables need to be cleaned then clean tables instead of playing, if it is time to be calm then be calm instead of talking, if others around you aren’t listening don’t just get annoying and act hateful, guide them into worship. Lead through your good works.

Words

Turn to

How do you think God is communicating to you through this verse? He desire that the words we say and the things we think about in our heart be acceptable and bring him glory

Turn to

The definition of gracious is something marked by kindness. So kind words are sweetness to the soul and health to the body

Just like everybody like sweet things, everybody like kind words.

The words we say to each other should only be ones that are helpful, only be ones that are build each other up, only be ones that help us become more like Jesus.

says But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart.

If all our words are negative and hateful then what does that say about our heart?

If you are a christian you have a new heart given to you by God. That means that out of should only come things of God like goodness, gentleness, love, joy, peace.

The words we use and how we communicate to each other matters. It reveals the condition of heart.

If the leader of whatever is a team or your group is negative and hateful with their words are you going to want to follow them? No, nor should you. If you are going to lead and guide others then what we say matters. So we must lead through words and know that our words will determine if people will follow.