This Week #2-9

This Week in OFF ROAD we finished our summer series of "Liquid" by looking at the story where Jesus calls the fishermen to be fishers of men. I started off by playing a ridiculous video from youtube titled- "Fishers of men remix."(see below) I told the students that I found a really cool video that went along with what we are talking about. When the video started they seemed ready to receive it, but after just a few seconds they looked around wondering, "Is Drew serious?" Of course I let it go for a while and then admitted that the song was just silly, but I guarantee that it will be stuck in their head for the rest of the week. Then we dove into the lesson.

As I read this verse I was struck by the simplicity of what was said and the actions taken. Jesus simply walks up to these guys, asks them to drop their nets and follow Him... and they do it. I liked how Jesus related right to these guys and asked the Jr. highers to come up with some ideas of what Jesus would say to people to today. My favorite was to a football player- Drop your pads and football and I'll teach you how to score a touchdown for me (A BIT corny I know, but it got them thinking) When they had finished suggesting a few ideas we got on to the first point of the lesson: To follow Christ we must first drop our nets.

When Jesus saw these guys on the water he didn't say to them, "Hey, hold on to those nets, keep doing what you're doing and then, when you can, follow me." No, these men had to drop their net in order to follow Christ, and the benefit was greater than they could have imagined. I asked the student to give some idea of nets that Jr. high students carry with them that they need to drop to truly follow God. Here are some suggestion: video games, popularity, t.v., homework, anger, and jealousy. It was good to recognize these, but the challenge following these ideas was- DROP THOSE NETS. Parents, I ask you to help your child discover their nets and work with them to help them get rid of them.

Secondly, after we drop or nets we must follow Him, and to follow Him means to become fishers of men, Christians who draw others to Christ. When I read the first word Jesus spoke to the disciples I found it amazingly clear what the calling of a Christ follower is; To show others the way to Christ. When Jesus sees these guys he doesn't say, "Guys, if you follow me I will make you great Christians, or good people," but in a sense, "Follow me and you job is to let others know the greatness of following me." As many of these students have just started the school year God's challenge to them was and is to search out the unbelievers(not hard to do) and them help lead them to the knowledge of God's great love for them. Because the truth is neither we nor they know the deep, deep love God has for us, and the huge desire He has for other to know this love.

Parents, please encourage your and pray with your child, not just this week, but every week to take these three steps to helping others know Christ.

1. Pray- pray for people you know individually who don't know Christ. Pray that you will have the opportunity to show and share God's love with them and that they will be open to hearing it. Pray also for yourself, to have courage when God puts it on your heart to tell others about Him.

2. Love- Love those who don't know Christ. No one is going to want to know the love of Christ if the love you show is no love at all, and no one wants to come to church with someone they hate. So love those around you.

3. Invite- Invite your friends to church. Honestly if it takes telling them, "I've got this really dorky youth pastor that I want you to come to church and help me make fun of," do it!!!! But, take the step to invite them both to church and to a relationship with Christ.

As I looked around the room today I saw about 80 Jr. high students and I was excited, but I I realize that just in our area there are probably 5,000 Jr. highers who don't know the awesome gift we have, but I truly believe that OFF ROAD will play a significant role this year, and in years to come in reaching those who are lost. Please make it a goal to bring others to Christ and to OFF ROAD where they will be loved.