Yesterday we looked at Giving our whole heart to God - Loving God. Our main verse was Matthew 22:34-38,
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment.
We considered what it meant to love God, talked about different ways we can express our love for God;
- spend time talking to God
- show some love to someone in the name of God
- obey God in an area of our lives where we've been disobeying him
- spend time getting to know God better in the Bible
- giving some money to God's work
- spend time worshipping God
- write a prayer or poem to God
- other:
We chose one of these to practice over the next 48 hours.
Monday, November 30, 2009
SENIOR HIGH YOUTHQUEST
HOW DOES BELIEVING IN GOD AFFECT MY MORALS?
- No one should judge another person based on their sexual orientation
- If someone sincerely believes that their religion is the right one, they should be entitled to their own opinion
- Whether a mother has her baby or not should be completely up to her
- If I am a good person, that's all that is really important
- If two people really love each other, no one has the right to tell them they can't live together
- Claiming Christianity is the only path to God is intolerant and arrogant
1. What do you think of these statements? Do you agree or disagree with the thinking here?
2. Have you ever heard someone say that there is no moral absolute truth? If so, what has your response been in the past when you've heard that?
THE ORACLE - read Matthew 25:31-46
1. How does Jesus describe the actions of those who follow him (the sheep)?
2. If Jesus described the actions of sheep in today's culture, what types of activities do you suppose he would include?
3. How does Jesus describe the actions of those who are not genuine followers (the goats)?
4. If Jesus described the actions of goats in today's culture, what types of activities do you suppose he would include?
5. Jesus talks a lot in this passage about 'the least of these.' Who were ' the least' in this passage?
6. Does Jesus' teaching match up with what you would have thought the moral standard is supposed to be for a Christian? Why or why not?
7. Notice how integrally Jesus tied the idea of moral behaviour with how we treat people. How does that impact the way you think about moral behaviour?
SELF REFLECTION
1. What is it that determines your moral behaviour? Is it rooted in anything concrete, or (in all honesty) does the way you happen to feel today influence what you believe is wrong and right?
2. What stops you form looking to Jesus for moral guidance?
3. How would your life look different if you decided to follow Jesus' words?
* taken from Following After God - What difference does God make? By Daniel Hill
- No one should judge another person based on their sexual orientation
- If someone sincerely believes that their religion is the right one, they should be entitled to their own opinion
- Whether a mother has her baby or not should be completely up to her
- If I am a good person, that's all that is really important
- If two people really love each other, no one has the right to tell them they can't live together
- Claiming Christianity is the only path to God is intolerant and arrogant
1. What do you think of these statements? Do you agree or disagree with the thinking here?
2. Have you ever heard someone say that there is no moral absolute truth? If so, what has your response been in the past when you've heard that?
THE ORACLE - read Matthew 25:31-46
1. How does Jesus describe the actions of those who follow him (the sheep)?
2. If Jesus described the actions of sheep in today's culture, what types of activities do you suppose he would include?
3. How does Jesus describe the actions of those who are not genuine followers (the goats)?
4. If Jesus described the actions of goats in today's culture, what types of activities do you suppose he would include?
5. Jesus talks a lot in this passage about 'the least of these.' Who were ' the least' in this passage?
6. Does Jesus' teaching match up with what you would have thought the moral standard is supposed to be for a Christian? Why or why not?
7. Notice how integrally Jesus tied the idea of moral behaviour with how we treat people. How does that impact the way you think about moral behaviour?
SELF REFLECTION
1. What is it that determines your moral behaviour? Is it rooted in anything concrete, or (in all honesty) does the way you happen to feel today influence what you believe is wrong and right?
2. What stops you form looking to Jesus for moral guidance?
3. How would your life look different if you decided to follow Jesus' words?
* taken from Following After God - What difference does God make? By Daniel Hill
DEEP THOUGHTS
Never try to have more faith... just get to know God better. And because God is faithful, the better you know him, the more you'll trust him. The way to get to know his trustworthiness is to risk obeying him - John Ortberg
Monday, November 23, 2009
JUNIOR HIGH YOUTH RETREAT
This past weekend, the junior highs went to Muskoka Sports Resort for a retreat. There were over 500 junior highs there and we had a great time of getting to know each other and being challenged by the sessions which included great worship music from the band Esoteric.
DEEP THOUGHTS
I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do – Helen Keller
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
CORNERSTONE YOUTHQUEST BASKETBALL
Another great night with a large group of boys out. Congrats to Shane and Osei for winning MVP honours. They showed honesty during the games and all night!
Monday, November 16, 2009
JUNIOR HIGH SUNDAY SCHOOL
Yesterday, our Sunday school class was about love - "SHOW THE SIGN." our main verse was JOHN 13:34-35,
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Our goals were: To learn that loving one another should be the distinguishing mark of Christians, to discuss implications of our youth group being loving to each other and to agree to a group application of holding each other accountable to love. Our dare was a group dare. To show love and unity.
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Our goals were: To learn that loving one another should be the distinguishing mark of Christians, to discuss implications of our youth group being loving to each other and to agree to a group application of holding each other accountable to love. Our dare was a group dare. To show love and unity.
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