Christian

What is a Christian?  What would would you say makes someone a Christian?  Why?

God doesn't want the meaningless rituals.  He wants our hearts.
Colossians 1:15-23 (The Message version)

A Christian is someone who...
  • Recognises Jesus (v15-20).  Christianity is not about religion - it's about a person - it's about Christ.  How is Jesus described here?  How true do you think the description is and how can you be sure?
  • Trusts and follows Jesus and is friends with God (v21-23).  What do these verses tell us about what a Christian really is?  Could this describe YOU?  How would you feel if your relationship with God could be described in this way?
I heard a conversation today where someone was asked if they were a Christian and they hesitated and said, 'Um, well I was christened and I used to go to church.'  They were trying their best to answer the question but they clearly weren't sure what a Christian actually is and the best they could come up with was about religious traditions.

I was recently involved in surveying about 180 people about Jesus and only 1% thought that Jesus was all about religion.  Why is it that so many people think being a Christian is about being religious when nearly everyone recognises that Jesus wasn't?

Someone once said, 'Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger!'  They're right.  Going to church, reading the Bible, praying, singing worship songs - all of these can be great but none of them make you a Christian. 

Christianity is not about religion or about traditions.  It's about a personal relationship with God through Jesus.  It's about believing that Jesus is who he says he is (God!) and trusting him for forgiveness, friendship with God, life to the full and life forever.  Rob Bell (the guy from the video) is right.  God wants our hearts!

Why not take some time to check out 2 ways to live - the choice we all face and respond?

Lecrae music video - Don't waste your life

Lecrae

A 10-minute video this time - of a powerful story.  Make yourselves comfortable...


"I just couldn't wrap my head around this being true - this being real...  For me, church wasn't about God.  It wasn't for me.  It was probably not real - probably something people just use as a crutch."

"My car flipped over again and again.  The roof caved in, the windshield caved in, no seatbelt, glass everywhere, my glasses that I had on were molded into the frame of the car... and I didn't have a scratch!"

"I've learned to stay close to my source of significance, to my source of worth: to God."

Questions to consider
  1. What do think of Lecrae's story?
  2. What would you ask about it?
  3. What do you think of Romans 8:37?
  4. What's impact could all this have on your story? 
A prayer
God, thank you for Lecrae's story.  Help us to consider the journey we're on and to consider our next step forward.  Please guide us into the truth about you.  Amen!

More Lecrae
Lecrae music video - Don't waste your life
Album trailer

Refugee


Keep quiet no longer,
We'll sing through the day,
Of the lives that we've lost,
And the lives we've reclaimed
Questions to consider...
  1. How much thought do you give to those in our world who are extremely poor and why?
  2. What does our shopping have to do with the poor and how can buying 'Fairtrade' help?
  3. What do you think of the command in Proverbs 31:8-9 in the Bible? 
A prayer...
Lord, please open our eyes to how rich we are.  Save us from mindless greed and help us to think of those who have little or nothing.  Help us consider the consequences of our actions and to use them to help the poor more than ourselves.

Fairtrade
Lift the Label
Exeter Foodbank

Bungee


Classic!  Doing a bunjee jump must be scary enough without your mates making it even worse by playing a prank like this.  On the serious side, facing our fears and challenges is arguably a crucial part of growing (and even having fun) in this life. 

Questions to consider...
  1. What fears or challenges have you faced head on and how did it go?
  2. Think of a time when you've overcome a fear or a challenge.  What helped you?  Who helped you?  How do you feel about it now?
  3. What challenges are you facing right now or what challenges lie ahead for you and what/who will help you face them?
  4. What would your life be like if you never did anything challenging or difficult?
  5. How can you help others with their challenges?
A Bible verse to consider...
There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear... (1 John 4:18)

A prayer...
God, whether the challenges we face are good or bad, please show us how to rise to them and overcome them.  Show us who can help us and how we can help others.  And help us to trust you above all.  Amen!

Firework

The PS22 choir singing Katy Perry's 'Firework' at a press conference, promoting their appearance at the Oscars!  Denise does a fantastic job standing in for an absent-from-school-that-day Kurria!


'Cause baby, you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky

Questions to consider...
  1. How do you calculate what a person is worth?   
  2. Is one person worth more than another?  
  3. How much are YOU worth?
  4. Jesus says something similar in Matthew 5:16.  What do you think?
  5. How can you show people what you're worth today?   
A prayer
God, please show us how much we are really worth.  Help us to see ourselves the way you see us.  Help us to value ourselves and others.  Amen.

For a bit of fun, check out Human For Sale