I will be with you...

"I will be with you..."  Those are some comforting words aren't they?  Think about it.  There are probably a few times in life that we have all heard words like these...usually when we need them most.  A close friend or relative dies..."I'll be here if you need anything."  You are stressing about what do with your life..."If you need to talk, you know I am here for you."  Even when you first learned to ride a two wheeler...remember?  Dad or mom was there right behind you holding onto the seat...and as you began to lean into those pedals, they would whisper in your ear, "Don't worry, I am here, I will be with you, I won't let you fall."

Usually these words come when we are on the brink of a major decision, there is a huge obstacle in our way, or we are taking a leap of faith into a place where we have never lept before...

"I will be with you."

Those are some comforting words...words that help get us through the adventures of life. 

Lets face it...following Jesus...at least the way the Bible describes it, is like an adventure.  Jesus, knowing that those who would truly follow Him were up against a challenging adventure proclaimed these same few words to his followers before He left them with their life mission..."I will be with you always, even until the end of the age..."

I was thinking this past week about how often, in my day to day life do I live like I need those words of Jesus to be true...?  Of course I needed Jesus to die for me and to give me a relationship with God.  But in my day to day life...living as a follower of Jesus, do I live like I need Jesus to be with me...as if I am riding a bike and the only way it is going to work is if he is right there guiding me along...?  Or do I look at following Jesus as a safe, sit on the sidelines, be a good guy, keep my faith to myself type of "adventure" (which doesn't seem like an adventure at all!). 

What I am really asking is:
Do I look at following Jesus...making disciples...living for Him everday, as such an adventurous journey that I am dependent on His strength everyday?  Or do I do just enough to get by on my own strength? 
Jesus calls us to be His ambassadors...to make disciples...that sounds like a scary adventure...just like when I first learned to ride a bike...I don't know if I can do it...lucky for me when I was a kid, my mom and dad where right there with me...Jesus, being the perfect daddy, says the same thing..."I've got this...trust in me...I am with you..."

Use the questions the below to help guide you through this idea of what God's Mission looks like in your everyday life as a teen!

1. Re-read 2 Cor. 5:13-15

- How have you been persuaded by God's love?  What does a persuaded life look like?

- Are you TRULY convinced that what Jesus did on the cross for your sin was enough to make you right before God?

- How does this affect your everyday life?  How you act, how you view people, how you react to certain situations, etc...?

2. Re-read 2 Cor. 5:17

- What does it mean to be a NEW creation?

- What does "new" mean?

3. Verse 20

- How do you respond to the part where it says that God choose us as His followers to be the way He reaches the world with His love...?

     - Why us?

     - Why not just use His own power to do it Himself?

4. An ambassador is someone who represents someone else...this is what we are for God...we represent the changed life we can have from God through Jesus and what He did on the cross for our sins...

     - Ambassadors are APPOINTED to a specific territory...where has God PLACED you to live out His mission?

     - Ambassadors may face DANGERS in their jobs...what may be DANGEROUS about being an ambasadors for God in your life?  What "dangers could you face?"

     - Ambassadors, in a way, give up a certain way of life by living in thei

r appointed country or territory...When we say yes to following Jesus...What are you giving up?  What are you gaining?

Join us at Matt & Amanda's on Thursday night at 7pm as we take this material deeper in our lives!