Burnout
February 23, 2020 • Naomi Zylstra • Matthew 11:28—12:8, Genesis 2:2–3, Exodus 20:8–11
Life’s busy—we all know that. Between school, friends, and extracurriculars, by the end of the day, we’re burned out. And then we have to start homework. . God knows our lives are busy. That’s why He created Sabbath. God invented all kinds of rhythms in nature. Night and day, the different seasons, and the tides of the ocean all show patterns in creation. The cycle of work and rest is another one of those patterns. . In the beginning, God showed us how to schedule rest into our hectic lives. In Genesis 2, it says God not only rested on the seventh day of creation but also “blessed the seventh day and made it holy” (Genesis 2:3). God even takes it one step further: rest gets its own commandment in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11). . Jesus did not save us so we could work until we burn out. Instead, He died and rose again to save us so that we could live joy-filled lives in the rhythm of God’s grace—because of what *He* did. We are made to live in a rhythm of rest and work, acknowledging that, as created humans, we are dependent on God the Creator and Jesus our Savior. . So, how do we practice Sabbath? The simple answer: plan ahead. It sounds difficult to think a whole week ahead, but it makes finding time to sabbath much easier. . Next, find something that is restful to you. That might mean taking a nap or going for a hike, but it should be rooted in restfulness. . Finally, seek God in your rest. The Sabbath is a great day to recenter yourself on Jesus, trusting in Him enough to take a break. This is why Christians typically gather together on their Sabbath day—to remember together that Jesus is the One who gives them rest. • Naomi Zylstra . • What things do you find restful? What would a Sabbath look like for you? . • Different Christian churches get together on different days of the week, and your Sabbath day might fall on a different day than the day you go to church. Read Colossians 2:13-17. Why are we free in Christ to rest and gather on different days? . Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
What About the Ten Commandments?
February 17, 2020 • Kevin Zeller • Exodus 20:1–17, Romans 7:7–14, Galatians 3:24–26, Galatians 3:19
Some rules are made to be broken. . Even reading the Ten Commandments sends a shiver of intimidation down our necks, mixed, perhaps, with something darker. The laws God gave to Moses on the mountain are probably the best summary of human morality the world has ever seen, but the reaction they produce in human beings is frightening. . The culture of ancient Israel was based around the Ten Commandments. It should have been the most successful civilization ever, filled with moral, prosperous people. Instead, the Israelites were evil, sometimes even more so than the surrounding nations. They broke all ten laws, starting with the first two and working their way down the list. . But here’s the thing: the Ten Commandments were never meant to be the end of the story. They were meant to shine a spotlight on all that is evil and futile about the human race. God gave the best morality guide in history to prove humans can’t be moral. . The truth is, God never wanted humans to follow rules. He wanted to fill them with His love, that they might love Him and love others. The goal was always for God’s life, God’s love, and God’s very character to be united with the human race. . That is why God took on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, and that is why the Holy Spirit has come to dwell within His church. God Himself is doing in us what the Ten Commandments never could: producing righteousness and love. • Kevin Zeller . • Read Mark 12:30-31. What two principles does Jesus describe as fulfilling the Ten Commandments? What do the two principles behind God’s laws show us about who He is? . • What questions do you have about the law and the Old Testament? Who is a trusted Christian—such as a pastor, camp counselor, or friend—you could bring those questions to? . Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child [Jesus] who was promised. Galatians 3:19 (NLT)
What Do You Worship?
February 13, 2020 • Cara Campbell • Psalm 135:5–7, Psalm 135:15–18, 1 John 5:21, Exodus 32:1–8
Over and over again, Scripture condemns the worship of idols. The Israelites, God’s chosen people, struggled with idolatry. Even though they repeatedly witnessed God’s power and saw Him work mightily on their behalf, they still turned to man-made images and worshiped them. They turned to statues and other false gods for protection, provision, or sometimes just a little extra “insurance” while they pretended to fully trust in God. It can sometimes seem silly to us as we read through the Bible. How could they put their trust in an object that has nothing to offer them? No personal relationship. No power. Nothing. . The truth is, God created us for worship. We have a yearning, a hunger, a deep desire within us to worship. And if we don’t give our full worship to Him, we will find ourselves worshiping something else. The idols we bow down to are the things we cling to or value more than Jesus. They can set up shop in our hearts and distract us from our need for Him and the life He gives us. . While we might think bowing before a golden calf or wood-carved statue seems silly, what might the Israelites say about how much time and affection we give our smartphones? Or the time and energy we spend trying to attain popularity, a prominent position on the team, or the starring role in a play? While it’s not necessarily bad to spend time doing these things, the problem occurs when we give them our total devotion and turn to them first for our worth and comfort—when they become our identity rather than our relationship with Jesus. . So ask Him to show you the idols of your heart. Where is your attention and affection going? What is the central reason behind every decision you make? Who or what do you turn to when life feels uncertain or hard? Jesus delights in you and wants you to find your identity in Him. He is worthy of ALL your worship. • Cara Campbell . • Is there an idol in your life that you’re turning to instead of God? . • What kind of trust are you putting in that idol? What are you hoping it will do for you? . • How does Jesus provide for the things you think your idol will give you? Why is He worthy of your total trust and devotion? . Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. 1 John 5:21 (NLT)
Transformed
January 27, 2020 • Kristi Dennis • Exodus 34:29–35, 2 Corinthians 3:18
When you know someone well, you generally know how they will act: your dog is going to eat any food that hits the floor, your teacher will stand in front of the class to teach, etc. But what if your teacher started doing handstands in front of the class? Or your dog started wearing tap shoes and a top hat? That would be pretty strange, right? . In Exodus 34, there was something strange about Moses. His face literally glowed! Verse 29 tells us this happened to Moses “because he had spoken with the Lord.” Speaking with God—having a real encounter with Him—made Moses seem weird to his friends and family. . When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave, He changed everything. As Christians, we are now saved from the power of sin. This good news changes us! We might not have glowing faces like Moses did, but we will become more like Christ as we get to know our Savior. We will start loving others better, being kind to those who aren’t kind to us, speaking truth instead of lies, and glorifying God in all areas of our lives. . Moses had to cover his glowing face, but Paul says, “We all... with unveiled faces... are being transformed into his [Jesus’] image” (2 Corinthians 3:18). In other words, as Christians, we don’t want to hide the things God is doing in our lives because we want others to know what we have in Jesus. . We might be afraid it will change our friendships or our status, but all of that is worth the love and peace we find in Jesus. Being like Jesus will sometimes mean we seem as strange as a dog who regularly dons tap shoes and a top hat! . As Christians, we find comfort in 1 Peter 3:14: “if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.” We have a relationship with Jesus, our Hope, who is with us always. Pray God will grant you courage to be more like Christ, even if it means people will notice. • Kristi Dennis . • Have your friends ever told you that you’re weird or that what you were doing wasn’t normal? What made you so different to them? . • Why does following Jesus mean we will sometimes seem very different to those who don’t know Him? . And we all... are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)
Idols Among Us
December 19, 2019 • L.M. • 2 Chronicles 34:29–33, Romans 12:1–2, Exodus 20:3
King Josiah!” Shaphan, the scribe, said as he burst into the palace. “We found this book in the temple. I’ve never read anything like this—if it’s true, then woe for Jerusalem!” . “Read it to me,” said Josiah. Shaphan did, and then Josiah tore his robes and wept! . What Shaphan read was the Book of the Law, the rules God’s people followed to sustain the covenant between God and themselves before Jesus fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17; Romans 10:4). Josiah recognized that Jerusalem was full of sin—the breaking of God’s good rules. There were idols at every corner. So Josiah destroyed them! The next era of Jerusalem was filled with fire; but instead of burning incense to false gods, the city had a thick cloud of smoke over it from burning the shrines, altars, and temples of the idols. . But what does a story about burning idols have to do with us today? You might be thinking, I don’t have any idols! It’s not like I pray to the moon or anything. Consider this: When [insert tragedy] happens, which do you do first? Post about it or pray about it? We as humans often go to other things before we think to go to God. . Humans have a desire to worship. Unfortunately, we tend to forget who made us with that desire and try to fulfill it by worshiping unworthy idols. One of the biggest idols today is our phones, which we place at the center of our lives instead of Jesus. Maybe you have a different idol. Whatever it is, anything or anyone that takes God’s place in your heart is an idol. . So what can we do? By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can burn those idols like Josiah did long ago. (Note: please don’t literally burn your phone—the fumes are toxic!) “Burning” today could look like setting restrictions on your phone, taking time to pause and remember your worth in Christ before you try to find it in an idol. . Once we’ve removed the idol, our hearts need to be built up to become an altar to the true God. Josiah did this by calling Jerusalem together to read God’s laws and to make a covenant with the Lord. In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us, as Christians, to refocus our hearts on Christ alone. • L. M. . • What idol(s) do you have in your life? . • What can you do to “burn” them—remembering that Christ, not your idol, is worthy of worship and where you can find worth and identity? . You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3 (WEB)
Powerful Prayer
November 14, 2019 • Cara Campbell • Exodus 32:7–14, Matthew 6:5–13, John 5:14
We’ve all heard stories of miraculous things happening when people pray. We know from God’s Word that prayer “is powerfully effective” (James 5:16). But perhaps your experience with prayer feels silent. Or maybe God has answered your prayers differently than you expected. So how do we pray in a way that really is “powerfully effective”? . In today’s reading, Moses approached God to plead for his people to be spared after they had sinned against God by building an idol to worship instead of worshiping the one true God. But here’s the interesting part: Moses’ prayer was not just asking for mercy for the people. His prayer was not even for himself, for his reputation as a leader, or for the sake of comfort. . His powerful plea and prayer was for God’s honor and glory to be known. Moses prayed, focusing on God’s faithfulness to the people. He prayed, remembering God’s promises to them. And he prayed his people would be spared from God’s just wrath so that the nations could look on and see God’s powerful hand and marvel at all He had done in and through His people. . What would happen if our prayers were focused on God’s glory rather than our own comfort? What if we prayed with this expectation: “God, I cannot wait to see what You’re going to do here, even if it’s not the answer I want. Show Your strength through me”? . Praying this way takes our eyes off of ourselves and brings them to the One who works mightily on our behalf, even when the outcome isn’t what we hope for. He works in all things and His glory shines, even in our darkest days (Romans 8:28). . So, we can remember what He’s done for us in the past, His faithfulness walking beside us now, and the wonderful hope of His coming kingdom in the future. We can pray expectantly about what He’ll do to show His faithfulness— and His glory—to all who see. • Cara Campbell . • What things are you praying about right now? . • How could you pray for these requests differently by focusing on God’s glory and promises? . This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. 1 John 5:14 (WEB)
He Gone
November 3, 2019 • Heather Risher • 1 John 4:10, Exodus 26:31–33, Matthew 27:35–37, Romans 8:39
We are all human and we all sin, so, until we see Jesus face-to-face, there will be times when we mess up (Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 3:18). . When we stumble, slip, and fall, sometimes it seems impossible to find our way back. We let our failures keep us from going back to our forgiving, loving God, giving them far too much influence in our lives. . Have you ever thought any of the following? . • God could never love me after everything I’ve done. . • He’ll never take me back now. . • He’s probably looking down on me now, thinking, “Well, he gone.” . • What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just get it right? . My friend, let me tell you some truth: you are never too far gone. There is nothing you can do to separate yourself from God’s love in Christ. . We have sinned and will continue to sin; there is no avoiding it. But the good news is that Jesus Christ, who is God, came to live here as a human and die for our sins. When He died on the cross, He took all our sin with Him. He paid the price for our sins so we don’t have to. . Jesus loves us so much that He died for us and will never leave us. Because of what He did, we find our new identity in Him, not in our sinfulness. He will go to the ends of the earth to find us and love us with all His being. . Jesus tore the veil (our sin) that separated us from God (Isaiah 59:2). He rose from the grave and gave us a way to live with Him eternally. . Think about it. We can look at our sin and at that empty tomb and gladly say, “He gone.” • Heather Risher . • What has made you feel like you are too far gone? . • When have you felt this way? Is there anything connecting these times? . • What can you do to remember how loved you are in Christ? . Nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39 (CSB)