willamette students
Middle School
INHABIT: choosing to be set apart
May 16th
We begin a new series this weekend: INHABIT.
The series is based on the life of Daniel.
Week 1: INTENTIONAL.
Week 2: INFLUENTIAL.
Week 3: INDIVISIBLE.
Week 4: INGRAINED.
We’ll post teaching previews, summaries, Scriptures, and questions in this space.
Ask [Almost] Anything: We’ll tackle some great questions this Sunday
May 12th
![ASK [Almost] ANYTHING.](http://cl.ly/6jRS/ask_almost_anything_240.png)
Students have awesome questions. Many times curiosity drives their exploration of faith and truth, and we want to reward their wonderings with some godly wisdom and timely truth. A few times a year we do this in our ASK [Almost] ANYTHING sessions. This Sunday our teaching time will be fielding the students questions and succinctly responding to them.
We’re received questions about relationships:
- How do you help a friend who is struggling?
- How do I get along with my siblings?
- I have a friend who likes someone who I think is rude. Should I tell her, or should I just leave the issue alone?
And on Christian living:
- Why does God want us always to forgive? Isn’t it sometimes too bad to always forgive?
- What did you make me for? What is my purpose?
- How can I hear God talking to me?
Questions about God:
- Who created God?
- [Asking God] Why did you make Satan if He knew that he would become the devil?
- [Asking God] How do You know all?
- Why don’t You do stuff like the burning bush anymore?
And serving:
- What are some things that I can do as a home school student to serve God?
- What are more ways to serve God and others?
There are also questions on doctrine and theology:
- What age do babies automatically stop going to heaven?
- What is it like in heaven?
- When will the world end?
And many other questions showing the students’ curiosity:
- Was Solomon really the smartest man ever?
- Will you wash away my sins?
- I believe in God, but sometimes I am afraid that I will go to hell. How can I be sure that I won’t?
- When you pray for something, does it come true?
Peter Made New (John 21)
May 8th
Today we taught the middle schoolers about the life of Peter, the close friend of Jesus who vowed to never leave His side, and then buckled under the pressure. Peter betrayed Jesus for temporary security, and even denied publicly he ever knew Him. We’re just like him.
We’ve all experienced betrayal from a close friend, and it hurts so deeply. What if we are the one who has betrayed the trust of another? Like Peter did. What if the one we betrayed was God Himself? Is there any hope for us? Like Peter, there is grace and truth, which can satisfy our longings to change, and because Christ is who He is, we can become who He calls us to become. Like Peter we are loved. Like Peter, we can be made new.
Jesus chased after Peter and restored him. Read all about it in John 21.
- When have you needed to say “I’m sorry” to a close friend? (Did you apologize? How did it go?)
- Why is it hard to admit our mistakes and follow through — to apologize?
- In what area of your life do you want to be ‘made new’?
Resurrecting goldfish? (John 20)
Apr 26th
This Sunday we are grateful to have our High School Pastor, Chris Nye, teaching us God’s Word. We’ll be in John 20:1-23, looking at the Resurrection of Jesus.
Chris writes a preview for us:
I can remember when my first goldfish, Bowser, died. I had bought Bowser on sale at the local pet store after begging my dad for 25 cents. He was trying to talk me out of it, telling me that I wouldn’t feed it, that cleaning the bowl would be difficult, but I insisted over and over again that I would take care of him and love him forever.
It would be only three weeks before Bowser died. But I would like to take this time to defend myself: I fed Bowser, I cleaned his bowl, and I even gave him a nice spot in the shade on the counter in the kitchen. Even though I followed all the directions perfectly, Bowser still died.
My first thought, upon seeing his lifeless body float to the top, was this: was Bowser murdered? My dad never seemed to be a fan…but then, upon thinking more about Bowser dying, I thought: why? I did everything right but he still died. As a small child, I understood the idea that still sits with me: death is wrong. Death is not normal. Death should not be a part of this life.
Sometimes we say things like, “It was his time to go,” or “that’s just the circle of life” or “the way things go.” But why? Don’t we agree that death is bad and life is good?
We do agree on that and God agrees with us. So much so, that the death of His only Son would not be the end of the story, but rather the beginning. The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation on which all of Christianity is built. In our suffering and in our terror, Jesus says, “You will have new life.” We put all our rest and hope in this historic fact: that though we may die, through Christ we may truly live.
Let’s explore that together.
Honest answers.
Apr 20th
On Sunday we continued our study through the Gospel of John (‘The Face of God’) as Ben taught from John 17. Here we see Jesus praying in the Garden the night He was betrayed and went to the cross. He is envisioning the future of His followers, and praying for them. There’s best life is in view, and He of course knows we will wrestle with our fears and desires. We desire to be free from fear (from pain and regret), and we fear losing what we desire.
Ben asked us three great questions:
- Describe your idea of a “perfect life.”
- What do you think Jesus wants for your life?
- How do these two match up?
The student’s card pictured above notes an honest assessment. Oftentimes what we want most in life is not what God wants for us.
Why do you think that is? does He want less joy for us?
Preview: Glory to Us (John 17)
Apr 15th
Hey y’all,
This upcoming Sunday I get the opportunity to speak on John 17. As we begin Holy Week and anticipate the coming of Easter, it seems fitting to teach about the night before the Crucifixion.
As you all know, this last Sunday Jarred taught about Jesus washing the disciples feet at the Last Supper. We will continue are look at the Last Supper as we examine the final prayer of Jesus recorded in John’s Gospel before he goes out and is betrayed.
In chapters 14-16 we see Christ give his farewell discourse to the disciples in which he reveals to them what will happen after he leaves them. Christ will send the Holy Spirit as a helper to them, but he also tells them of persecution that will come from being one of his disciples.
Jesus concludes by praying not only for them, but also for the future believers. In this prayer we see Jesus pray for four main things. Christ prays that the Father keeps the believers, that they be sanctified, have unity, and end up glorified like Christ. Why does Jesus pray for these things, and why at this time? Read with your child John 14-17 and see what you think.
In Christ,
Ben
The Servant’s Heart
Apr 14th
This last Sunday we had the pleasure of hearing from Jarred as he spoke on John 13:1-20. As we lead up to Easter, our look into the gospel of John has brought us to the account of the night before his crucifixion.
As Jesus and his disciples are eating dinner, he arises and to the astonishment of the disciples, Jesus begins to wash their feet! It is in this act that Christ gives an example of what it means to serve, but he also illustrates something deeper. Jarred did a wonderful job of explaining how Christ, in his act of taking off his garment and washing the feet of his disciples is a picture of how Christ humbled himself by coming down from heaven to humbly serve and die for us on the cross. The disciples had an immediate need that day that Jesus filled, but we must not forget that Jesus’ whole life fulfills an immediate need of us all, and that is the forgiveness of our sins.
Christ served his disciples that day, but he has served us all through his death and resurrection. During this Easter season, let us remember Christ’s humility and service and both rejoice in it and use it as an example of how we can serve.
In Christ,
Ben
BELIEVE’11 highlight video
Apr 5th
On March 25-26 a bunch of students and leaders attended the BELIEVE conference in Portland. Here are some video highlights of our trip.
Can You Hear Me Now? (John 10)
Mar 30th
This last weekend Gary spoke on John 10:1-18. In this passage, Jesus refers to himself as the “good shepherd” and contrasts himself with a thief. As the good shepherd, Jesus is more than just a hired hand who flees when times get rough. Jesus doesn’t leave us in times of trouble; rather he gives his life for us in order that we might have life!
- What sticks with you from the message today?
- How are we all like sheep?
- What do you enjoy most about Jesus being our Good Shepherd? (Is it hearing His voice, or being protected, or led into the good life?)
The Well (John 4)
Mar 8th
On Sunday we continued our journey through the Gospel of John (THE FACE OF GOD). We found ourselves at THE WELL in John 4.
This woman was drawing water from a deep well in the heat of the day as Jesus enters the scene. He knows how this well symbolizes her personally misery. She is an outcast in society, having sought the affection of five men and found no rest for her soul. She was thirsty for love, and Jesus came to satisfy her with a new hunger and thirst for righteousness.
We are just like this woman, in that we turn to a whole list of things to fill the needs in our hearts, only to be disappointed every time. The more we turn to these God-replacements, the longer the list gets. For this lady it was one man who failed her, and another, and the cycle was repeated over and over (five men in all). For teen boys the list can be all our video games, and for girls it can tend to be the attention of boys.
The list gets longer and longer … we move from one thing to the next … until we stop at the place of our misery and wait for Jesus there.
Only in waiting will we find Him there; He longs to satisfy us.
Notice how Jesus offered her grace and a new start at the well. He came to rescue her from her co-dependency on horrible God-substitutes. He met her in her place of misery and became her Savior. When we have met Jesus in our place of misery (not just once, but every day) — when we’re anxious, confused, angry, tired, bored, rebellious, scared, or forgotten — we now have a story of how Christ has been enough for us. Only then can we lead others to Him. He has met us there and is changing our hearts. As long as we pretend everything is fine and turn to our secret list of sins, we will see no life change, and continually come up thirsty. Jesus offered this woman “living water” which will never run dry. She will never thirst again. As you and I turn to Christ every day, we find this same Living Water able to satisfy our depends longings and hurts.
Wait for Him at the well; He will find you there. Drink of His living water ’til you’re full.
Discussion questions:
- When has Jesus met you in your place of misery? What happened?
- To what things, places, or people do you tend to turn when you are anxious, bored, scared, or feel forgotten? How are those empty God-substitutes for you?
Andrew Martin