J-High: Friendsgiving
Notes
Transcript
Around Thanksgiving people seem to finally slow down enough to look at their life and think about what it is that they are truly thankful for. But the bible is clear that us being thankful shouldn’t just be reserved for the last Thursday in November. We’re supposed to be people who are thankful always!
Around Thanksgiving people seem to finally slow down enough to look at their life and think about what it is that they are truly thankful for.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Part of God’s will for you is that no matter circumstance or situation you find yourself in, you take time to slow down and be grateful for what God is doing in and through you in that season.
So I want to take a minute and tell you guys how thankful I am for you. It’s so cool to see what God is doing in your lives and through you guys in your friend groups and sports teams and schools, God is using you guys to build his kingdom. And by putting me in this role as the junior high pastor, God has given me a front row seat to how He is working through you all.
So let me share with you guys my prayer for NXT.
My prayer is that NXT Junior High would be a family. When you’re here, you would feel like this is your family.
We talked through our building blocks at the beginning of the year, and the first one is BRING.
“We are a community built upon teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.”
The vision for NXT is that you would want to bring your friends with you into this community. But for this place to be special, for this place to be different, we have to be a family.
Family vs Event
Family vs Event
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Romans 8:14-
Lilo and Stitch - “Ohana means family, and family means that nobody gets left behind”
Church isn’t supposed to be an event that we show up to, it’s supposed to be a family that we belong to.
An event is something where you show up, you watch, and then you leave. It’s impersonal. You’re a spectator.
Concert
I love going to concerts. But at a concert, I buy a ticket, I show up on the correct day, I stand in a crowd of people I don’t know, and I watch what happens on the stage. Usually I don’t know anybody up on the stage, I just know their music. Nothing I do in the crowd changes what happens on the stage because I’m just a spectator at the event, not a part of the band.
Football Game
I love going to football games. But at a game, I buy a ticket, I show up on the correct day, and I stand in a crowd of people I don’t know, and I watch what happens on the field. Sometimes I might personally know one or two of the players, but nothing I do in the crowd changes what happens down on the field because I’m just a spectator at the event, not a member of the team.
CHurch is not supposed to be an event, it’s suppoed to be a family
Wheaton Football
Some of you probably know that I played football in college
Church is supposed to be fundamentally different than a concert or a football game. Church is supposed to be a family.
Family loves one another.
Family loves one another.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Our love for one another is supposed to be so big that people would look at us and say, wow, those people must be followers of Jesus.
But look around. Is the way that we treat each other in here really showing the world that we love Jesus? Is the way that you talk about the other people in this room showing that?
Family cares for one another.
Family cares for one another.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
If you’re struggling with something hard in your life, these are supposed to be the people who can help you carry it.
But how is someone going to help you carry your burden if you do let your family in. We’re so good at putting up walls around us and trying to convince everyone that everything is fine even when it isn’t. But if NXT is really going to be family, than you have to actually let your brothers and sisters in.
But a lot of times, we put up walls so that
Encourages one another.
Encourages one another.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Family encourages one another. We’re there to pick you up when the burden gets heavy, and we’re here to encourage you to keep running towards Jesus.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
How could we do an even better job of this here in NXT?
Challenges one another.
Challenges one another.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
We’re supposed to challenge each other. Hold each other accountable to the faith you say you have in Jesus.
Wrap Up
Wrap Up
My heart is that NXT isn’t just another youth group. I want us to be different. I want us to be family just like it talks about in the scriptures.
That’s why we did this tonight. We got to have a family dinner.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
