What are the impacts of bullying, prejudice and rejection in your school that you know about?
What might be the impacts you don't know about?
The Bible (in Isaiah 53:3) says Jesus knows exactly what it's like to suffer rejection. Why would he allow himself to feel like that?
How can you stand with those who feel alone or rejected? What hope is there for those who feel this way? Psalm 121:1-2.
A Prayer...
God please help see that bulling, prejudice and rejection really are killers and that we can stand against them. Please help us not to hate those who are different from us, either by our action or inaction but rather to care for and value all life, including our own. Amen.
What's so good about the outdoors and experiencing nature? Why do people enjoy it?
How important is it to you to make the most of opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy it?
What does Psalm 19:1-2 in the Bible suggest that we can learn from nature?
A prayer...
God, with all the comfort, convenience and entertainment modern technology brings, help us not to miss out on the natural playground you've given us to enjoy and help us to see your power in all of it too. Amen.
58 is a film that raises some big questions for us...
What do we know about extreme poverty?
Is it really possible to see it end?
What can we do to help end it?
Will we do anything at all?
The film's called 58 because of Isaiah 58 in the Bible and it challenges us to live it out. Have a look at the chapter and imagine what it would be like if we started living like this.
A prayer
Lord, please help us to learn more about the reality of extreme poverty and to do everything we can about it. At the very least, help us to each do something meaningful to contribute to stopping it. Amen!
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!
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."
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!
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...
How much thought do you give to those in our world who are extremely poor and why?
What does our shopping have to do with the poor and how can buying 'Fairtrade' help?
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.
