Parents and Students can work together in reading and studying the Scripture at the dinner table.
Take a few minutes each evening to sit and share as a family.
BIBLE STUDY : SUCCESS ... READ JOHN 9
May I ask you, what will give you satisfaction as being successful? Will it be a fat salary or a well-respected reputation? Perhaps it is well to note the power of the passage in John chapter 9, where Jesus takes a down-and-out blind beggar and gives him sight. This is a new man, with a whole new life ahead of him! Mark now what the people ask him and how he answers (I'll paraphrase this.)
"You look familiar, but the guy we knew who looked like you was blind," the people said.
"It's me, for sure, " answers the former blind man.
"Well, wait a minute," the people respond. "How did you get to be able to see?"
"You see, Jesus did it all..." answers the new man.
Notice that all his success starts with Jesus. He gave no opinion of himself or of anything or anyone but Jesus. Jesus was the reason for the miracle, and it's Jesus who gets the credit. THAT is success for the Christian, friends. It's Jesus first and foremost. Please remember this throughout your career, and no matter where you go, you will find that for the Christian, this is true.
BIBLE STUDY: God is a God of Invitation! READ THE FIRST VERSES OF ISAIAH 55
Take a look at Isaiah 1:18. Take a look at Isaiah 55:1. Didn't Jesus say "Come unto Me and I will give you rest?"
And I also see that God invited Noah into the ark, where He was. Isn't that a great picture of salvation?
Best of all, look at Revelation 22:17. You know the qualifications for coming to Him? You must be thirsty and you must be willing. That's it. Let's look up other references besides these, where God openly invites people to receive His blessing.
BIBLE STUDY OUTLINE: Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-23 - The Greatest Christmas Celebration Ever: We Will Rise Again!
1. It's a verified fact that Jesus was resurrected (1-11)
a. Jesus was resurrected and seen by more than 500 people.
b. Josephus writings attest to Jesus.
2. It's an eternal hope (12-23)
a. v. 17 vain literally means "void of results."
b. v. 19 literally "people that should be pitied."
3. It's going to be an incredible party!
a. Revelation 5, the singing of the redeemed - an incredible number!
b. We will be joined (Rev. 5) by angelic beings as well - what a choir!
BIBLE STUDY: GOD THE FATHER Read John 3
Texts: John 3:3-15 (We are His children)
Matthew 7:21 (We are to obey and respect Him)
Name a few of the father images you see on TV. What are their good traits ... and bad traits. How do you copare these dads to God the Father?
Does God lose His patience? Would God allow a wrong attitude to continue? What would God do in a troubled situation? How does God treat us, His children?
Let's find as many of the fatherly traits of God as possible. Then let's pray a prayer specifically thanking God for His benevolence as a Holy Father.
BIBLE STUDY: SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER Read Romans 8
The question has come up again and again throughout the years of my teaching ministry - "Can I lose my salvation? Does the Bible say I will have my salvation taken away? What does the Bible say about eternal security?"
Due to the overwhelming interest in this area to new believers, allow me to share some Scriptures with you.
1. God does not let saints fall
Micah 7:8 - "when I fall I shall arise"
Psalm 37:24,25 - "Though he fall he shall not utterly be cast down...I have not seen the righteous forsaken..."
2. This is the Lord's doing, and it is not in our power to "undo" it.
Psalm 37:37,40 - "But salvation of the righteous is of the Lord..."
2 Tim. 1:12 "He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day."
Jude 24 - "...now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling..."
1 Peter 1:5 - "who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
3. God knows the believer. John 10:14 - God tells us He knows His child. Compare that with the lost He speaks to in Matthew 7:23. "...I never knew you..."
4. The believer is in Jesus' hand.
John 10:28 - "...neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."
5. The believer will not come into condemnation.
John 5:24 - "He that...believes on Him that sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation..."
BIBLE STUDY: GENUINE CHRISTIANITY
VERSES ON OPENING UP AND BECOMING REAL Read Acts 2
We see hypocritical people and deceptive practices all around us every day. From false advertising to unreal movie action, we are bombarded with sham activity and thoughts. Can we as Christians be real in a false world? Share this dicussion with your teens.
HOW TO BECOME "REAL"
* Read Acts 2:42-45 ... what one point stands out to you most about the early church? What do you like most about their attitude of sharing and caring?
* Read Psalm 22 - this is known as the Messianic Psalm, because it so closely details the crucifixion experience Christ endured...but look at verse 6. See how Christ refers to himself. He is referring to how he feels as he is being persecuted. Have you ever felt so despised and lonely because you were standing up for the Lord? Our youth group wants to be a refuge from the hardness and cruelty Christians face in an unsaved world. How can we do that?
Read Proverbs 11:2 - What does the humble Christian receive? How can we relate this to our lives?
BIBLE STUDY: THE RIGHT KIND OF EXERCISE
1. A great exercise for a Christian is practicing humility to help point others to Christ.
TEXT: John 1:7 John would not let himself be exalted, but pointed people to Christ, the true Light.
2. Prayer and studying the Scripture helps us exercise our readiness to witness.
TEXT:Acts 1:8 We should prepare not only to witness to our neighbors and classmates (Jerusalem) but also other neighborhoods and areas (Judea) and far-reaching regions (Samaria & uttermost parts of the world)
3. Memorizing Scripture is a good exercise to help guard the soul against testimony-killing sin.
TEXT: Psalm 119:11 Hiding God's Word in our heart is a defensive measure against sin.
4. Preparing to actually verbally witness opens up new opportunities.
TEXT: 1 Peter 5:13 Being ready to share our hope keeps us from getting caught 'flat-footed.'
BIBLE STUDY: INITIATIVE
2 Timothy 4:6-7
"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith..."
The newspaper article in the Florida newspaper told it in grim detail. The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reported the death of a 12 year old boy who hung himself. Why? The merciless taunting of his classmates because of his weight. The boy was 5 foot 4 inches tall and weighed 174 pounds. Seems the classmates couldn't get enough of teasing him. So one evening at midnight, he crawled out of the window of his home and went to the backyard tree, got a stool, slung a rope over a branch and hung himself. His 8 and 10 year old brothers found him as they were getting ready for school. His mother collapsed as the paramedics pronounced him dead on the scene. The father immediately took an axe and cut down the tree.
You might say the boy was literally teased to death. Isnt that absolutely tragic?
One observer put it this way: Our kids learn a lot about science and math - but they don't really hang onto the instruction about compassion. Maybe there has been a bit of taunting and teasing here in our own families. It's painful. Stop it now. Start showing Christ living in you.
But let me ask you...surely there was at least one student in his school who was a Christian, who could have befriended him, and made him feel welcome. WHERE WERE THE CHRISTIANS?
Maybe this same situation is brewing at your school. Are there others who need your care? As a Christian, take the initiative.
Verses for study:
1 Timothy 6:12 - "Fight the good fight...:
2 Timothy 4:9 - "Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me..." Jesus wants folowers who are loyal to Him!
GOALS - a Bible Study on careers and stuff
Even more important than planning for college and a business career is the need to prepare for a life of ministry for Christ.
This Bible study helps teens think about their goals in serving the Lord as the years go by. It starts by getting the teen to write down Godly goals for this school year! Let them write some thoughts down in the flyleaf of their Bible.
* Read John 10:12-13 and discuss: what kind of a mentality does a hireling have? Have you ever had a hireling mentality when it came to serving Jesus?
* Read Acts 17:22 Paul stood in the midst of Mars Hill and he made quite a stand - what was his goal? Could that be our goal as well?
* Proverbs 16:17 What is the goal of the upright, according to this verse? How can you do that?
May I ask you, what will give you satisfaction as being successful? Will it be a fat salary or a well-respected reputation? Perhaps it is well to note the power of the passage in John chapter 9, where Jesus takes a down-and-out blind beggar and gives him sight. This is a new man, with a whole new life ahead of him! Mark now what the people ask him and how he answers (I'll paraphrase this.)
"You look familiar, but the guy we knew who looked like you was blind," the people said.
"It's me, for sure, " answers the former blind man.
"Well, wait a minute," the people respond. "How did you get to be able to see?"
"You see, Jesus did it all..." answers the new man.
Notice that all his success starts with Jesus. He gave no opinion of himself or of anything or anyone but Jesus. Jesus was the reason for the miracle, and it's Jesus who gets the credit. THAT is success for the Christian, friends. It's Jesus first and foremost. Please remember this throughout your career, and no matter where you go, you will find that for the Christian, this is true.
BIBLE STUDY: God is a God of Invitation! READ THE FIRST VERSES OF ISAIAH 55
Take a look at Isaiah 1:18. Take a look at Isaiah 55:1. Didn't Jesus say "Come unto Me and I will give you rest?"
And I also see that God invited Noah into the ark, where He was. Isn't that a great picture of salvation?
Best of all, look at Revelation 22:17. You know the qualifications for coming to Him? You must be thirsty and you must be willing. That's it. Let's look up other references besides these, where God openly invites people to receive His blessing.
BIBLE STUDY OUTLINE: Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-23 - The Greatest Christmas Celebration Ever: We Will Rise Again!
1. It's a verified fact that Jesus was resurrected (1-11)
a. Jesus was resurrected and seen by more than 500 people.
b. Josephus writings attest to Jesus.
2. It's an eternal hope (12-23)
a. v. 17 vain literally means "void of results."
b. v. 19 literally "people that should be pitied."
3. It's going to be an incredible party!
a. Revelation 5, the singing of the redeemed - an incredible number!
b. We will be joined (Rev. 5) by angelic beings as well - what a choir!
BIBLE STUDY: GOD THE FATHER Read John 3
Texts: John 3:3-15 (We are His children)
Matthew 7:21 (We are to obey and respect Him)
Name a few of the father images you see on TV. What are their good traits ... and bad traits. How do you copare these dads to God the Father?
Does God lose His patience? Would God allow a wrong attitude to continue? What would God do in a troubled situation? How does God treat us, His children?
Let's find as many of the fatherly traits of God as possible. Then let's pray a prayer specifically thanking God for His benevolence as a Holy Father.
BIBLE STUDY: SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER Read Romans 8
The question has come up again and again throughout the years of my teaching ministry - "Can I lose my salvation? Does the Bible say I will have my salvation taken away? What does the Bible say about eternal security?"
Due to the overwhelming interest in this area to new believers, allow me to share some Scriptures with you.
1. God does not let saints fall
Micah 7:8 - "when I fall I shall arise"
Psalm 37:24,25 - "Though he fall he shall not utterly be cast down...I have not seen the righteous forsaken..."
2. This is the Lord's doing, and it is not in our power to "undo" it.
Psalm 37:37,40 - "But salvation of the righteous is of the Lord..."
2 Tim. 1:12 "He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day."
Jude 24 - "...now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling..."
1 Peter 1:5 - "who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
3. God knows the believer. John 10:14 - God tells us He knows His child. Compare that with the lost He speaks to in Matthew 7:23. "...I never knew you..."
4. The believer is in Jesus' hand.
John 10:28 - "...neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."
5. The believer will not come into condemnation.
John 5:24 - "He that...believes on Him that sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation..."
BIBLE STUDY: GENUINE CHRISTIANITY
VERSES ON OPENING UP AND BECOMING REAL Read Acts 2
We see hypocritical people and deceptive practices all around us every day. From false advertising to unreal movie action, we are bombarded with sham activity and thoughts. Can we as Christians be real in a false world? Share this dicussion with your teens.
HOW TO BECOME "REAL"
* Read Acts 2:42-45 ... what one point stands out to you most about the early church? What do you like most about their attitude of sharing and caring?
* Read Psalm 22 - this is known as the Messianic Psalm, because it so closely details the crucifixion experience Christ endured...but look at verse 6. See how Christ refers to himself. He is referring to how he feels as he is being persecuted. Have you ever felt so despised and lonely because you were standing up for the Lord? Our youth group wants to be a refuge from the hardness and cruelty Christians face in an unsaved world. How can we do that?
Read Proverbs 11:2 - What does the humble Christian receive? How can we relate this to our lives?
BIBLE STUDY: THE RIGHT KIND OF EXERCISE
1. A great exercise for a Christian is practicing humility to help point others to Christ.
TEXT: John 1:7 John would not let himself be exalted, but pointed people to Christ, the true Light.
2. Prayer and studying the Scripture helps us exercise our readiness to witness.
TEXT:Acts 1:8 We should prepare not only to witness to our neighbors and classmates (Jerusalem) but also other neighborhoods and areas (Judea) and far-reaching regions (Samaria & uttermost parts of the world)
3. Memorizing Scripture is a good exercise to help guard the soul against testimony-killing sin.
TEXT: Psalm 119:11 Hiding God's Word in our heart is a defensive measure against sin.
4. Preparing to actually verbally witness opens up new opportunities.
TEXT: 1 Peter 5:13 Being ready to share our hope keeps us from getting caught 'flat-footed.'
BIBLE STUDY: INITIATIVE
2 Timothy 4:6-7
"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith..."
The newspaper article in the Florida newspaper told it in grim detail. The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reported the death of a 12 year old boy who hung himself. Why? The merciless taunting of his classmates because of his weight. The boy was 5 foot 4 inches tall and weighed 174 pounds. Seems the classmates couldn't get enough of teasing him. So one evening at midnight, he crawled out of the window of his home and went to the backyard tree, got a stool, slung a rope over a branch and hung himself. His 8 and 10 year old brothers found him as they were getting ready for school. His mother collapsed as the paramedics pronounced him dead on the scene. The father immediately took an axe and cut down the tree.
You might say the boy was literally teased to death. Isnt that absolutely tragic?
One observer put it this way: Our kids learn a lot about science and math - but they don't really hang onto the instruction about compassion. Maybe there has been a bit of taunting and teasing here in our own families. It's painful. Stop it now. Start showing Christ living in you.
But let me ask you...surely there was at least one student in his school who was a Christian, who could have befriended him, and made him feel welcome. WHERE WERE THE CHRISTIANS?
Maybe this same situation is brewing at your school. Are there others who need your care? As a Christian, take the initiative.
Verses for study:
1 Timothy 6:12 - "Fight the good fight...:
2 Timothy 4:9 - "Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me..." Jesus wants folowers who are loyal to Him!
GOALS - a Bible Study on careers and stuff
Even more important than planning for college and a business career is the need to prepare for a life of ministry for Christ.
This Bible study helps teens think about their goals in serving the Lord as the years go by. It starts by getting the teen to write down Godly goals for this school year! Let them write some thoughts down in the flyleaf of their Bible.
* Read John 10:12-13 and discuss: what kind of a mentality does a hireling have? Have you ever had a hireling mentality when it came to serving Jesus?
* Read Acts 17:22 Paul stood in the midst of Mars Hill and he made quite a stand - what was his goal? Could that be our goal as well?
* Proverbs 16:17 What is the goal of the upright, according to this verse? How can you do that?
The Life of Christ: Why did Jesus need to be baptized?
RED – Read the passage(s): Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-23a; Exodus 28, 29
Don’t continue this devotion until you have read the passages. Each person at the table should read one passage aloud.
GREEN – Here’s the explanation:
Jesus’ baptism is confusing to many people: the baptism obviously has nothing to do with salvation, since Jesus wasn't lost: it has nothing to do with repentance, since Jesus wasn't a sinner: it has nothing to do with any decision Jesus made to love and serve his Father — he had been doing so since his early childhood. What exactly, then, was this baptism all about? And why did Jesus go to John the Baptizer? And finally, why should you care?
Since evangelical Christians typically only use baptism in connection with salvation and membership in the visible Church, we can easily miss what John and Jesus were doing. Baptisms were a common part of the religion of Israel whenever holiness and consecration to a special use or relationship were in view. John's baptism unto repentance was one use; others symbolically cleansed articles used in worship. Baptisms were also used to set apart the priests unto their ministry (using oil, water, and blood in separate anointings). Exodus 29:1-37 tells us how baptism (anointing) was used in the priests’ consecration. The high priest was ceremonially washed, dressed in special garments (including the golden crown), and anointed with oil. Then there were the sacrifices made for the high priest. Blood from the offerings was sprinkled on the priests in their garments, along with anointing their right ears, thumbs, and big toes, to set them apart in holiness to their service. Here is the key to understanding what was going on at Jesus’ baptism.
You may already know that it was to be John who prepared the way for the Messiah’s arrival. You must remember that John was a son of Aaron, on both sides of his family. His lineage was impeccable, and by virtue of calling, family, and character he was a priest chosen of God to minister to the nation through his ministry of calling God s people to holiness. God placed his mark upon John from before his birth — in God’s mind, it was John who spiritually fulfilled the role of the high priest in Israel.
So now compare the events of the anointing of the high priest and those involved in Jesus’ baptism:
Aaronic Consecration - Exodus 28, 29 Christ's Consecration - Mt 3:13-17; Mk 1:9-11; Lk 3:21-23a
Ceremonial cleansing with water (29:4) Baptism fulfilled all righteousness; (Jer. 23:5. 6)
Anointing with oil (28:41: 29:7. 29-30) Holy Spirit descending upon him
Golden plate on forehead (28:36-38) God's declaration of Sonship
Offerings (29:1-3. 10-37) Christ offers himself (cf Heb. 9-10)
Conclusion: Jesus’ baptism by John is the public consecration of Christ our High Priest to his public ministry.
BLUE – Here’s the application:
So why is this important to you? Because you have a perfect High Priest who lawfully intercedes for you as the only Mediator between God and Mankind. Jesus fulfilled every shadow, every prophecy, every pattern laid out for us in all of God’s dealings with men from Creation onward. And He did it publicly, so no one would miss it. With Christ to die for us, live for us, and intercede for us, you don’t need any other human being or any other creature to stand between you and your Heavenly Father. As the writer of Hebrews says, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb. 10:19-22 ESV)
RED – Read the passage(s): Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-23a; Exodus 28, 29
Don’t continue this devotion until you have read the passages. Each person at the table should read one passage aloud.
GREEN – Here’s the explanation:
Jesus’ baptism is confusing to many people: the baptism obviously has nothing to do with salvation, since Jesus wasn't lost: it has nothing to do with repentance, since Jesus wasn't a sinner: it has nothing to do with any decision Jesus made to love and serve his Father — he had been doing so since his early childhood. What exactly, then, was this baptism all about? And why did Jesus go to John the Baptizer? And finally, why should you care?
Since evangelical Christians typically only use baptism in connection with salvation and membership in the visible Church, we can easily miss what John and Jesus were doing. Baptisms were a common part of the religion of Israel whenever holiness and consecration to a special use or relationship were in view. John's baptism unto repentance was one use; others symbolically cleansed articles used in worship. Baptisms were also used to set apart the priests unto their ministry (using oil, water, and blood in separate anointings). Exodus 29:1-37 tells us how baptism (anointing) was used in the priests’ consecration. The high priest was ceremonially washed, dressed in special garments (including the golden crown), and anointed with oil. Then there were the sacrifices made for the high priest. Blood from the offerings was sprinkled on the priests in their garments, along with anointing their right ears, thumbs, and big toes, to set them apart in holiness to their service. Here is the key to understanding what was going on at Jesus’ baptism.
You may already know that it was to be John who prepared the way for the Messiah’s arrival. You must remember that John was a son of Aaron, on both sides of his family. His lineage was impeccable, and by virtue of calling, family, and character he was a priest chosen of God to minister to the nation through his ministry of calling God s people to holiness. God placed his mark upon John from before his birth — in God’s mind, it was John who spiritually fulfilled the role of the high priest in Israel.
So now compare the events of the anointing of the high priest and those involved in Jesus’ baptism:
Aaronic Consecration - Exodus 28, 29 Christ's Consecration - Mt 3:13-17; Mk 1:9-11; Lk 3:21-23a
Ceremonial cleansing with water (29:4) Baptism fulfilled all righteousness; (Jer. 23:5. 6)
Anointing with oil (28:41: 29:7. 29-30) Holy Spirit descending upon him
Golden plate on forehead (28:36-38) God's declaration of Sonship
Offerings (29:1-3. 10-37) Christ offers himself (cf Heb. 9-10)
Conclusion: Jesus’ baptism by John is the public consecration of Christ our High Priest to his public ministry.
BLUE – Here’s the application:
So why is this important to you? Because you have a perfect High Priest who lawfully intercedes for you as the only Mediator between God and Mankind. Jesus fulfilled every shadow, every prophecy, every pattern laid out for us in all of God’s dealings with men from Creation onward. And He did it publicly, so no one would miss it. With Christ to die for us, live for us, and intercede for us, you don’t need any other human being or any other creature to stand between you and your Heavenly Father. As the writer of Hebrews says, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb. 10:19-22 ESV)