In the Old Testament, God asked his people to spend 6 days working, serving and creating in ways that would honor Him. But, then, just like God the Creator did from the beginning, God asked His people to spend the seventh day differently. He asked them to make it holy. He asked them to make it restful. He asked them to remember on this day that God is in charge. This day was called Sabbath.
In order to refocus our ministry toward the Creator, Ever-Present God and not toward our efforts or schedules, we are taking the week of April 8th-April 14th as a week of Sabbath. Granted, we cannot just expect teens and families to stop living life. That isn’t the point. This week, we encourage each of you to just take some deliberate sacred times of your day and set them apart to celebrate God’s activity in your life.
The youth ministry will have no FORMAL events (small groups, Sunday School, etc) this week (although there is some fun stuff happening with our friends from Mexico). Here are some suggestions for how to spend your days as Teens and/or families in order to set apart this week as holy before God.
Please post your comments on this blog if you partake in any of these ideas.
Sunday, April 8th
Spend the day doing things together as a family after going to church. Watch golf. Hide Easter eggs. Play football in the yard. Go fly a kite. Eat a lot of food and then take the left-overs down to the Alpha Center!
Monday, April 9th
Just For Teens (JFT) – Ideas:
1. Read Esther Chapters 1 & 2
2. Instead of watching your favorite show, write 6 notes to people you would like to thank or encourage.
Families – If the weather permits, walk outside together with a football or Frisbee in hand
Tuesday, April 10th
Just For Teens (JFT) – Ideas:
1. Read Esther Chapters 3 & 4
2. Write out your favorite scripture on a note card to give to one of the Mexico kids tomorrow.
Families – Eat dinner together! Here are the rules though:
a. No phone calls or text messages can be taken or responded to
b. No TV or music on
c. Everyone needs to help clean after
Wednesday, April 11th
Just For Teens (JFT) – Ideas:
1. Read Esther Chapters 5 & 6
2. Sit at a different lunch table and while you eat, silently pray for the people at your table.
Families – Come to the Mexico Choir Dinner and Concert from 5:30-8:00 at church. After, go get an ice cream and answer this question together, “What would it look like if we lived in Tijuana with these kids?”
Thursday, April 12th
Just For Teens (JFT) – Ideas:
1. Read Esther Chapters 7 & 8
2. As soon as you get home from school, clean your room and do the dishes to serve your family.
Families – Decide as a family, who you can take a meal to on Friday night and decide what you want to fix for them. Then, call that family and let them know!
Friday, April 13th
Just For Teens (JFT) – Ideas:
1. Read Esther Chapters 9 & 10
2. Write a one-page prayer to God telling him everything that you dream of for yourself.
Families – Go take the meal to the aforementioned family (stay if that has been decided upon). Tell them that you just wanted to show them God’s love tonight. Go home and watch a movie together. Popcorn is a must!
Saturday, April 14th
Just for Teens – Ideas:
1. If possible, go for a walk at Tawawa Park and just spend some time praying for someone who is really hurting.
2. If you’ve been reading Esther, write out why you liked the book & what it meant to you.
Families – Have the parents share what they wanted to be when they grew up. Have the kids share their dream vacation.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
April 7 - Reluctant Souls
(submitted by Chris Heckaman)
John 11:3-6
“So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling Him, “Lord, your dear friend (Lazarus) is very sick.” But when Jesus heard about it He said, “Lazarus’ sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days.”
Sometime it’s hard for us to understand. Why did Jesus wait? Why didn’t He act right away when we all know if He really wanted to He could have?
He said Lazarus’ illness was so that the Son (actually Himself) could be glorified. That’s good for Him but how does it help us? God’s glory is for our good. You might say, “Yeah, I know that.” But more than just reluctantly accepting it, you can realize more so His glory is for our greatness. I think that says it best. In the end His answer will blow us away and be proven well worth the wait.
Jesus though still gets some bad press. He waited two days before leaving to go see Lazarus. It would take Him another two days to get there beyond that. He wept when He finally did get there, but it wasn’t the word for a deep cry, just a trickle of a tear from His eye. We can still think deep down he doesn’t really care, at least not enough. Mary didn’t even go out to meet Him when he arrived she was so bent.
Have you ever read the story though that closely before? Chapter 10 reveals the last time Jesus went to that region they were planning on taking Him and stoning Him. You know, it’d make me want to wait till the time was right before I went back. When Jesus did arrive did you notice He didn’t or maybe even couldn’t go into the village, but rather He stayed on the outside of the little community? Martha had to go out to meet Him. The crowd of mourners was the same crowd of previous “wanna be stoners.” Further, when Martha was told he had finally arrived, whoever told her He was near whispered it in her ear, not wanting to draw attention in front of the others. Virtually immediately after Jesus performed His miracle, bringing Lazarus back from the dead, the Jewish leaders went back to planning His demise.
Do you see? There is nothing Jesus wouldn’t do for you. Say that last sentence again, but this time out loud. Do you think it was just a little hard for Jesus to stand before Lazarus’ tomb knowing what He would encounter for Himself just a few days away? He let us as humankind taste the fruit of resurrection first. What was that like Lazarus? Even before Jesus enjoyed it for Himself. Again, there is nothing Jesus wouldn’t do for you.
Will you pray with me? Jesus, thank you. Thank you for coming to my aid. Forgive me for not thinking you really don’t care. May my devotion to you better reflect your devotion proven unto me. Amen.
John 11:3-6
“So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling Him, “Lord, your dear friend (Lazarus) is very sick.” But when Jesus heard about it He said, “Lazarus’ sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days.”
Sometime it’s hard for us to understand. Why did Jesus wait? Why didn’t He act right away when we all know if He really wanted to He could have?
He said Lazarus’ illness was so that the Son (actually Himself) could be glorified. That’s good for Him but how does it help us? God’s glory is for our good. You might say, “Yeah, I know that.” But more than just reluctantly accepting it, you can realize more so His glory is for our greatness. I think that says it best. In the end His answer will blow us away and be proven well worth the wait.
Jesus though still gets some bad press. He waited two days before leaving to go see Lazarus. It would take Him another two days to get there beyond that. He wept when He finally did get there, but it wasn’t the word for a deep cry, just a trickle of a tear from His eye. We can still think deep down he doesn’t really care, at least not enough. Mary didn’t even go out to meet Him when he arrived she was so bent.
Have you ever read the story though that closely before? Chapter 10 reveals the last time Jesus went to that region they were planning on taking Him and stoning Him. You know, it’d make me want to wait till the time was right before I went back. When Jesus did arrive did you notice He didn’t or maybe even couldn’t go into the village, but rather He stayed on the outside of the little community? Martha had to go out to meet Him. The crowd of mourners was the same crowd of previous “wanna be stoners.” Further, when Martha was told he had finally arrived, whoever told her He was near whispered it in her ear, not wanting to draw attention in front of the others. Virtually immediately after Jesus performed His miracle, bringing Lazarus back from the dead, the Jewish leaders went back to planning His demise.
Do you see? There is nothing Jesus wouldn’t do for you. Say that last sentence again, but this time out loud. Do you think it was just a little hard for Jesus to stand before Lazarus’ tomb knowing what He would encounter for Himself just a few days away? He let us as humankind taste the fruit of resurrection first. What was that like Lazarus? Even before Jesus enjoyed it for Himself. Again, there is nothing Jesus wouldn’t do for you.
Will you pray with me? Jesus, thank you. Thank you for coming to my aid. Forgive me for not thinking you really don’t care. May my devotion to you better reflect your devotion proven unto me. Amen.
April 6 - Good Friday
(submitted by Dan Gildner)
Read: John 13:1-17 and John 19:16-30
Carlo Carretto wrote in In Search of the Beyond, “We are not happy because we are unforgiving and we are unforgiving because we feel superior to others. Mercy is the fruit of the highest degree of love, because love creates equals, and a greater love makes us inferior. First, let us establish three premises:
-Those who do not love feel superior to everyone else.
-Those who love feel equal to everyone else.
-Those who love much gladly take the lower place.”
I do not love when I feel superior
Like when I am forced to spend time with someone who annoys me.
Like when Judas betrayed Jesus because Jesus wasn’t living up to his expectations.
Like when I think I own the corner market on theology
I do not love.
I love when I feel equal
Like when I am working with a team or family who expects everyone to be treated the same.
Like when my sense of justice kicks in and I equate love with fairness
I love much when I gladly take the lower place
Like when I apologize even when the other person should do so.
Like when Jesus was staring at and loving two guilty thieves with a bloody crown on his head.
Like when the people I am forced to be with become Jesus and I get to wash their feet.
This day, let us reflect on where God might want to purify our love.
1. How can I get to a place (to begin) where I do not feel superior to ANYONE?
2. What causes me to feel superior?
3. How can I move from a feeling of equality to one where I take the lower place?
4. Where can I model Jesus’ sacrificial love today?
Read: John 13:1-17 and John 19:16-30
Carlo Carretto wrote in In Search of the Beyond, “We are not happy because we are unforgiving and we are unforgiving because we feel superior to others. Mercy is the fruit of the highest degree of love, because love creates equals, and a greater love makes us inferior. First, let us establish three premises:
-Those who do not love feel superior to everyone else.
-Those who love feel equal to everyone else.
-Those who love much gladly take the lower place.”
I do not love when I feel superior
Like when I am forced to spend time with someone who annoys me.
Like when Judas betrayed Jesus because Jesus wasn’t living up to his expectations.
Like when I think I own the corner market on theology
I do not love.
I love when I feel equal
Like when I am working with a team or family who expects everyone to be treated the same.
Like when my sense of justice kicks in and I equate love with fairness
I love much when I gladly take the lower place
Like when I apologize even when the other person should do so.
Like when Jesus was staring at and loving two guilty thieves with a bloody crown on his head.
Like when the people I am forced to be with become Jesus and I get to wash their feet.
This day, let us reflect on where God might want to purify our love.
1. How can I get to a place (to begin) where I do not feel superior to ANYONE?
2. What causes me to feel superior?
3. How can I move from a feeling of equality to one where I take the lower place?
4. Where can I model Jesus’ sacrificial love today?
April 5 - Holy Thursday
(submitted by Megan and H Kearns)
In a borrowed room he prepared a feast for his friends, he offered them himself. Around the table sat his closest friends, those whom he loved. And from this lot there was one who would betray, one who would deny and many who would flee from the events that would soon follow.
But here is my Jesus… he doesn’t run from betrayal or denial, running never enters his mind… he serves… He gets up from the table and prepares to wash the feet of the ones he loves. In those days this was a task for the lowest of servants, washing the feet of the guests on arrival. There wasn’t a servant present on this day, as Jesus got up he removed his outer garment, grabbed a cloth, some water, and served, his friends, the very ones who would quickly forget the depth of his love. The King of Kings humbly knelt at the feet of each one, they did not come to him, he went and washed them.
The humility of my Jesus the extremes of his love, astound me. He loves not because he has to; he loves because he is love. I am not sure we get this, really. He does not rationalize his love, he just gives it. He comes to wash us, do we receive him?
Just over a year ago I sat in the garden of Gethsemane. I was awestruck. I cannot explain the vastness and intensity of the Holy that surged through me. At first all I could do is look, my eyes drinking in every detail. All of my senses heightened to my surroundings. We were secluded inside the walls, allowed to just be in the garden. Overwhelming is the word that comes. I could not deny the presence of God, even as I type these words tears come, emotion wells up inside me as I remember. As I stood and looked, listened, and breathed it became very real in me that it was here that Jesus came to a place of yes. A place of yes for all I understood—but a place of yes for me became very intimate for me.
An ordinary garden, a beautiful place of surrender, I was overcome. Breathing was difficult as I started to walk across the garden. I am not sure how to make that feel real to you through words on a page. A knowing, a feeling, a touch, a sound, a smell, the wind, the sun, all of creation seemed to suddenly sing out, “He is here, it is here Jesus said yes for you, Megan.” My casual walk became almost a sprint. But as I moved I was over come with the presence of Holy. My heart started pounding the realness of the presence of God was thick, I was weak, the depths of my unworthiness overwhelming.
One of our companions stepped in front of me, wrapped me in a big hug and held me as I wept with Jesus. There were no words exchanged, words were not needed we shared a knowing place. The embrace we shared in Gethsemane, I believe, will remain with me forever. Jesus met me through the heart of another reaching out in a tangible way to show me his love for me.
Jesus has prepared a feast for you, for me, he knows our sin, he loves us anyway, he calls us unto himself. He offers us all of himself. He has removed his outer garment, prepared the cloth and the water, he kneels at your feet. He comes to wash will we let him.
This Holy Thursday… will you accept the invitation of Jesus?
April 4 - Psalm 51
(submitted by Barbara Staley)
Journeying with the psalms this Lenten season has been rewarding. I traveled more slowly than I thought I would. Instead of covering a lot of territory, I was more fully present in every step. Psalm 51 stands out. It bites. It is David “coming clean” with God. Nathan, the prophet, has called David out after he committed adultery with Bathsheba. David confesses to God in verses three and four: “For I know my transgression, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done evil in your sight.” We can read this psalm and focus on David and his sin and hear his repentance without being personally affected. When we read the psalms as a poetic adventure we are uplifted. But when we read the psalms as God speaking to our very beings we are made new.
Psalm 51 is God calling us out. Taking what we want and disregarding everyone else is accepted in the secular, but God does not accept this type of behavior. God will not let us forget our sin. God’s intent was not to make David miserable. God’s intent was to transform David that David would trust God enough to admit his sin. Confession of sin is not an end for God. God wants the very substance of who we are to be transformed. God longs for us to be made whole. Admitting who we truly are and confessing sin opens us to God’s mercy.
An image of a fearful, punishing God leads us to run from God’s due punishment. Nathan came as a gift to David. David would have lived his entire life running from the forgiveness of God. Instead, David accepted his guilt and pleaded “no contest” to the judge of all judges. David knew God was a just God. It is fearful when we realize that we are going to receive the punishment we deserve. If we could just pay some form of retribution for our sins and not receive punishment that would be great. David knew that with all his wealth he had no way to pay for his sin. David trusted God. He confessed. He was repentant and prayed this revelation from God in verses 16 and 17: “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart,”
The truth is that when God speaks conviction of sin to us, God is holding out mercy to us. Mercy is God not punishing us for our sin but rather forgiving us. This is the middle of Easter week and Jesus walked on the earth to give us mercy. The cross was that gift of forgiveness. Our sins are forgiven and we do not get what we deserve.
If we live in the joy of the resurrection and the forgiveness of the cross we can trust God to confess as David did. When we surrender our egos and trust God to transform us, we can plead “no contest” with a broken spirit and contrite heart.
May you have a transformed Easter!
Love in Christ,
Barbara
Journeying with the psalms this Lenten season has been rewarding. I traveled more slowly than I thought I would. Instead of covering a lot of territory, I was more fully present in every step. Psalm 51 stands out. It bites. It is David “coming clean” with God. Nathan, the prophet, has called David out after he committed adultery with Bathsheba. David confesses to God in verses three and four: “For I know my transgression, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done evil in your sight.” We can read this psalm and focus on David and his sin and hear his repentance without being personally affected. When we read the psalms as a poetic adventure we are uplifted. But when we read the psalms as God speaking to our very beings we are made new.
Psalm 51 is God calling us out. Taking what we want and disregarding everyone else is accepted in the secular, but God does not accept this type of behavior. God will not let us forget our sin. God’s intent was not to make David miserable. God’s intent was to transform David that David would trust God enough to admit his sin. Confession of sin is not an end for God. God wants the very substance of who we are to be transformed. God longs for us to be made whole. Admitting who we truly are and confessing sin opens us to God’s mercy.
An image of a fearful, punishing God leads us to run from God’s due punishment. Nathan came as a gift to David. David would have lived his entire life running from the forgiveness of God. Instead, David accepted his guilt and pleaded “no contest” to the judge of all judges. David knew God was a just God. It is fearful when we realize that we are going to receive the punishment we deserve. If we could just pay some form of retribution for our sins and not receive punishment that would be great. David knew that with all his wealth he had no way to pay for his sin. David trusted God. He confessed. He was repentant and prayed this revelation from God in verses 16 and 17: “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart,”
The truth is that when God speaks conviction of sin to us, God is holding out mercy to us. Mercy is God not punishing us for our sin but rather forgiving us. This is the middle of Easter week and Jesus walked on the earth to give us mercy. The cross was that gift of forgiveness. Our sins are forgiven and we do not get what we deserve.
If we live in the joy of the resurrection and the forgiveness of the cross we can trust God to confess as David did. When we surrender our egos and trust God to transform us, we can plead “no contest” with a broken spirit and contrite heart.
May you have a transformed Easter!
Love in Christ,
Barbara
April 2 - Journeying Through the Wilderness
(submitted by Chuck Price)
“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13
The Christian life is not always a mountain top experience of continuous fellowship and amazing spiritual insight. In fact on our journey with the Lord, there are times when it seems that we are simply wandering around in the desert.
This can be particularly true when we are perplexed by difficult circumstances, feel betrayed in unexpected ways by trusted friends, or we are confronted with the reality of our own failings and previous wrong choices. And sometimes life is just hard.
That is when we are the most vulnerable because Satan, the enemy of our souls, wants us to doubt God by getting us to feel isolated and alone. King David certainly understood those times and he knew the importance of honestly processing his emotions in light of the truth of the Trustworthiness of God.
Psalm 27 is really a song of trust in God. In my Bible the subtitle of the Psalm says: “A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.” And as I have read and mediated on this passage during those seasons of my life when I feel like I am wandering in the wilderness I am drawn to an overwhelming sense of worship because I am reminded of the goodness of God.
God is good! And His goodness is there for me no matter what I am feeling at the moment.
But lest we forget, at the end of this wonderful “song of trust” the writer concludes with a strong admonishment to trust the Lord. Psalm 27:14; “Wait for the LORD; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.”
“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13
The Christian life is not always a mountain top experience of continuous fellowship and amazing spiritual insight. In fact on our journey with the Lord, there are times when it seems that we are simply wandering around in the desert.
This can be particularly true when we are perplexed by difficult circumstances, feel betrayed in unexpected ways by trusted friends, or we are confronted with the reality of our own failings and previous wrong choices. And sometimes life is just hard.
That is when we are the most vulnerable because Satan, the enemy of our souls, wants us to doubt God by getting us to feel isolated and alone. King David certainly understood those times and he knew the importance of honestly processing his emotions in light of the truth of the Trustworthiness of God.
Psalm 27 is really a song of trust in God. In my Bible the subtitle of the Psalm says: “A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.” And as I have read and mediated on this passage during those seasons of my life when I feel like I am wandering in the wilderness I am drawn to an overwhelming sense of worship because I am reminded of the goodness of God.
God is good! And His goodness is there for me no matter what I am feeling at the moment.
But lest we forget, at the end of this wonderful “song of trust” the writer concludes with a strong admonishment to trust the Lord. Psalm 27:14; “Wait for the LORD; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.”
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