This Week # 2- 16

This Week # 2-16

This Week we continued our DUSTY series as we focused on the “S.” “S” stands for strengthening our desire to imitate Christ. We were privileged to have Tim Buchanan, a good friend of mine and one of the junior high pastors at Menlo Park Presbyterian speak to us on what it looks like to strengthen our imitation of Christ.

For a great example of what it looks like to imitate Christ Tim took us through Acts chapter 3. This story shows the actions of Peter and John, two of Jesus’ disciples, who spent the most amount of time with Jesus. Jesus had recently ascended to heaven and left this work in the hands of the disciples. It was now their job to imitate Christ and show the world who Jesus is and what he is all about.

The verses tell us that Peter and John were on their way to prayer when they encountered a beggar. The beggar asks these two guys for money, which they do not have, but instead of turning away they heal the man, and he is able to walk! John and Peter faced the choice of helping someone in need or turning away to do their own thing (They were going to pray). When the choice was to be made they choose to help the cripple. (Says something about priorities, huh) In the same way we need to help those in need. Now, we probably won’t encounter beggars who can’t walk every day, but a day won’t go by when we won’t interact with someone in need. (Whether that be helping Mom with the dishes, giving someone who doesn’t have a lunch yours, etc.) To imitate Christ we need to help those in need.

Just after Peter and John healed this man the people started questioning them about the authority they were using to heal the cripple. You know what they did… Peter and John spoke the truth. They shot them straight, they told the people like it is, they told the people what’s up, and they did all this with a firm knowledge of God’s word. We must also speak the truth and know God’s word. If we have opportunities to share Christ we need to do it. If we are faced with someone doing something inappropriate or wrong (Insulting others, cheating, etc.) we need to speak out against it. To imitate Christ we need to know the truth (God’s word) and speak the truth.

Although this doesn’t cover all aspects of imitating Christ (that lesson would be about a year long) is gives us a great foothold of where to start. So this week let’s look for opportunities to imitate Christ.

Parents ask your child these questions this week:

What does imitating Christ look like?

Why is imitating Him important?

Who do you see that is like the beggar from the acts story? (Really pry them hear, try to get them thinking about the people around them that they could help every day, not just the big issues)

When do you feel like you need to speak the truth? (Be specific, not just “school”)

Are you studying the Bible for yourself?

What do you want to learn from the Bible?

This Week # 2- 15

This week in OFF ROAD we had an awesome worship night during the Saturday night service. If you didn't make it you really missed out!!!! Rick shared about his time in Laos, and the realization of how blessed we are to be able to live and eat like we do and to even worship like we do. Josiah shared his testimony and how he realizes that God is so much more than anything we can comprehend and we can't put God in a box, we just have to rely on Him. Throughout the night we sang worship to God and had an intimate time of sing, reading scripture and being silent in front of God.... It was good.

Parents, ask your child these questions this week:

What does it mean to worship God?
What are some ways you can worship God besides singing?
Do you pay attention to the words you sing, or do you tend to just sing to God without thinking about it? Why?
How can you continually be in worship?
Why do you worship God?

Also, spend some time worshiping God as a family this week (outside of "church")

This Week # 2-14

This Week in OFF ROAD we continued our series on DUSTY with a look into what it means to be unified with other believers. We looked at a couple passages out of 1^st and 2^nd Corinthians that showed us how to be unified but we started off with a good example of disunity. As I started talking Will was being a distraction talking to some of the kids so I asked him to stop. After asking him a few times we got into an argument, got really angry and he stormed out of the room. Some of the kids caught onto the act, but a few of the students felt totally awkward and shocked that such a thing was happening. This note only got their attention but kicked of the topic with a great negative example.

From there we turned our attention to 1 Corinthians 1:10-17. Paul is writing to the church of Corinth telling them that they should be of one mind and thought for Christ’s sake, that divisions in their church should be put aside and the focus of what they do should be Christ. Paul also speak to the fact that each of us individually are not anywhere near as great as we are together so we need to work together for Christ. This verse was accompanied by a demonstration where students were able to win a prize and all they had to do was come up and grab the prize to win it. The only catch was they could only use their… shoulder…elbow…wrist…finger. After 4 volunteers unsuccessfully attempted to win the prize the fifth volunteer was able to use all of those together, and of course, won the prize. It is the same way with Christ we must use our gifts collectively for him for the greatest good.

The next passage we looked at was 2 Corinthians 3:1-4. Paul is again writing to the Church of Corinth, but this time he is telling them their role to the world. He states, “We are Christ’s love letter to the world.” We as OFF ROAD, as Westgate, as the Church are God’s love letter to the world. If there is disunity and anger towards each other in the church, what does that say to the world. We need to be unified for Christ’s sake so that others can see and want to be part of God’s family.

We have to remember in all of this; it cannot be done on our own. We must invite God into each one of our relationships and let him be the center. When this happens relationships are healed, relationships are good and relationships are the way God created them to be.

We want to be unified so that OFF ROAD is a place where anyone can walk in and feel totally loved and accepted, a place where students who come every week, or once a year, desire to be part of because they know that at OFF ROAD they can be themselves and they will be family. OFF ROAD should be unified for the glory of God.

Parents ask your child these questions this week:

What is the importance of unity in the church?

Do you feel unified with others at OFF ROAD?

How can you help OFF ROAD be more unified?

When you come to OFF ROAD do you feel part of the family? Why/ Why not?

What can you do to help others who come to OFF ROAD feel like part of the family?