Small groups this week

Here is the info from both small groups that met this past Monday. For the next two weeks we will be taking a break from small groups as it is spring break for most districts (March 12 and 19). We'll start back up again on March 26. The Junior High group will finish their last week of their current series ("A Fresh Look at the New Testament") while the Senior Highs will be starting a new study on leadership from the book of Nehemiah. We have decided to spend four weeks on leadership to help prepare our up and coming grads to lead their own small group next year! I'll post more info about this in the coming weeks as we (Carlon, Bob and myself - the current leaders for the group) work with the students to see what this could look like. Until then, here's the lesson info from Monday:

Junior High (Grades 7-10)

Dear parents,


Our small group study on the New Testament continued this week with a lesson on the resurrection of Jesus. This event is significant in many ways. William Lane Craig, a noted Christian philosopher and theologian, writes: “Without the belief in the resurrection the Christian faith could not have come into being. The disciples would have remained crushed and defeated men. Even had they continued to remember Jesus as their beloved teacher, his crucifixion would have forever silenced any hopes of him being the Messiah. The cross would have remained the sad and shameful end of his career. The origin of Christianity therefore hinges on the belief of the early disciples that God had raised Jesus from the dead.”

Based on the truth of the Resurrection, the Apostle Paul says:

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless (1 Corinthians 15:56-58).

We discussed these verses and how we have no reason to fear faith, fear doubts, or fear death because of Jesus’ resurrection. Here are some questions you could ask your teenager this week:

• Which event do you think is more important: the birth of Jesus or Jesus’ resurrection? Why?
• Is it OK to have doubts about your faith? Why or why not?

Your teenager may have many doubts or questions about being a Christian, or your child may be quite confident and assured. I’d encourage you to pray for wisdom and give your teenager plenty of “space” to explore and examine and discover what it means to follow Jesus. It’s my prayer that all of our students would own their faith and pursue a personal, vibrant relationship with Jesus! Have a great week!

Senior High (Grades 11-12)

Dear parents,

We've wrapped up our four-week series in our small groups on the sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of John. We've learned a lot! Here in our final week, we read from John 15 and 16, when Jesus warned his disciples that they could face persecution because of their faith in him. The same is true for us as Christians today. People in some countries face the threat of death because of their faith. Most of us won't face that kind of persecution, but we may have friends who reject us when we follow Jesus.

This week, I'd encourage you to find time to talk with your child about the cost of following Jesus. Has your teenager faced persecution or rejection from friends? How would persecution or rejection affect your student's commitment to following Jesus? Here are some other questions that you could incorporate into your conversation:

• How might it have felt being a disciple and hearing Jesus say that you would face persecution, rejection, and maybe death? How might that have affected your willingness to continue believing in Jesus?
• Based on what you read and discussed in your small group, when you face persecution or rejection, what helps you to endure it?
• This passage includes some of the final words Jesus spoke to his disciples before his crucifixion. How might that fact affect the way you view, understand, or apply what he said?

You might consider taking a step of faith as a family by inviting some neighbors to church or praying about people who you'd like to tell about Jesus. My prayer is that your whole family has a deeper and more personal understanding of Jesus' incredible love and mercy!