Testwood Youth: Encounter 5/4/2020 Scott Rushby Testwood Youth

@testwoodyouth

Living Under the Cross (So right now, I’ve got snacks… specifically biscuits and Haribo – maybe you guys should get snacks and

then come back!!??)

Introduction

Check out my intro video for you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XQ9esTgetU - (Turn your sound on!)

So – how are you doing? Like actually…? Maybe take a moment to be real with yourself, and real with God.

Why don’t you spend a moment with Jesus and tell him how you’re really coping during this time. It’s

important to be really honest with our feelings and emotions, especially during this strange time of

isolation. If you feel comfortable, why not share these feelings and thoughts with a

parent/guardian/sibling? Maybe you could pray with one another, or just pray yourself

Take a few minutes to think about some of these questions (could you chat them through with a

parent/guardian/sibling??)

If you could build a model of ANYTHING and out of ANYTHING, what would you use and what would

you build? (here’s a model I built this week out of LEGO! Do you know what it is??)

What movies have you watched this week?

Do you remember how many packets of crisps you’ve eaten this week?

Which Fast food chain are you MOST excited about re-opening? (Can’t stop thinking about Nandos)

You’ve been given an Elephant. You can’t get rid of it. What would you do with it?

(Okay, so perhaps some of them aren’t really related to today, but I got carried away!! At least the first

question was, I promise!!) – For reference, I’ve watched Robin Hood and Star Trek this week and I’ve had

like maybe 6 packets of crisps… Oh and I’d definitely teach the Elephant to backflip... maybe…

Testwood Youth: Encounter 5/4/2020 Scott Rushby Testwood Youth

@testwoodyouth

Random (optional) Activity

How many CROSS shape or related things can you find in your house in 5 minutes!!??

Time yourself – GO!

(I’d love to see a picture of everything you found (parents))!?

Main Session

Remember – Why do we look at the Bible?... Why don’t you pray right now that God would speak to you as

you read His Word? (Here is a prayer you can use: “Father, thank you for Your Word, the Bible. I pray

that you would speak to me as I read it now, and that I might grow to be more like you, Lord Jesus. Amen.”

Make sure you grab a Bible – we’re gonna check out a few different verses today!

If you don’t have a Bible at home (please let me know as I will get you one), here is a link to the Bible

online, you can search any reference: https://www.biblegateway.com/

Read: SO – in the last few weeks we’ve been on our journey to the cross, having looked at: Approaching

the Cross, The Heart of the Cross & The Achievement of the Cross. This week, our final week before Easter,

we going to look at Living Under the Cross (or living in light of the cross).

And I want to focus on 2 things, briefly:

1. Looking to the cross for our MODEL (there’s the link…)

In your Bible, or online, check out: Ephesians 5 v 1-2

What are we to do? (v1)

How are we to do this? (v2)

Read: Everywhere we look in the New Testament, the cross of Jesus is the motive and measure of our

actions. Let’s look at a few examples together:

Check out: Philippians 2 v 3-4 – What is the instruction here, in light of the cross? Can you think of one

example of how you can put this into practice?

Check out: Philippians 2 v 5 – What area of our lives does this verse say should be modelled on Jesus?

What sort of relationships do you think it means?

Check out: 1 Peter 4 v 8-10 – Can you pick out all the actions here as to how we can we live in light of the

cross? In v10, it talks about using whatever gifts WE have – what gifts do you think you have that you could

offer in service of Jesus? (Maybe think about what you’re good at or what you like doing, and then think

about how you can use that to encourage others or the church)

Read: You see it all comes back to call of Jesus: “If anyone would come after me, they must deny

themselves, take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9 v 23). The sacrificial love and self-denial that

Jesus shows us on the cross is the model we are to use to shape our daily lives. It’s hard. Really hard. Jesus

is asking us to give Him everything and do everything for Him. But John 13 v 17 tell us that the way of the

cross is where we find true blessing, so let’s be encouraged in that.

Testwood Youth: Encounter 5/4/2020 Scott Rushby Testwood Youth

@testwoodyouth

The second thing to focus on (even more briefly) is:

2. Looking to the cross for our ACCEPTANCE

Read: The cross is our model, but it’s so much more than our model! It’s our hope, our salvation, our acceptance, our life. We need to constantly return to the cross to rediscover acceptance, pardon, forgiveness and grace. That’s why Jesus gave us the symbols of bread and wine in communion.

In your Bible or online (via the link above) check out: Romans 8 v 1

To be in ‘in Christ Jesus’ just means those who have accepted Jesus into their lives (Christians) – what is there no longer any of, for these people (us)? Do you know what that word means?

Check out the google definition here: https://www.google.co.uk/search?safe=strict&sxsrf=ALeKk00S0zX4tSBP95ok1fSCECMq8OQOkg%3A158591291693

6&source=hp&ei=VByHXq7JNayJlwSilpXoDQ&q=define+condemnation&oq=define+condemnation&gs_lcp=CgZwc3

ktYWIQAzIHCAAQRhD5ATICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADIFCAAQzQIyBQgAEM0CMgUIABDNAj

oFCAAQgwE6CQgjECcQRhD5AToECCMQJzoECAAQClBqWNkbYKYgaABwAHgAgAF9iAGMDZIBBDE2LjOY

AQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwiuw7iAkszoAhWsxIUKHSJLBd0Q4dUDCAg&uact=5

Read: This means, that because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross, by taking our sin to the grave and offering us forgiveness and eternal life, there is no longer a punishment or sentence for us to pay (and this is amazing news!!). Now it’s important to remember that God doesn’t just sweep my sin under the carpet and pretend it’s not there. God has dealt with my sin seriously. But He dealt with my sin on the cross. Jesus, the sinLESS one, became like a sinFUL one because He took our sin. He died our death. He paid our penalty.

Now, many of us will know this in our heads, but still our hearts urge us to prove ourselves. Perhaps we’re reminded of this on Sunday mornings, (like right now, today), but still on Monday, we try to find identity and acceptance in our work or our relationships. We can act as if we have a contract with God: He’ll bless us if we serve Him. Tear up that imaginary contract! We’re not God’s employees. We’re God’s sons and daughters. Yes, we do serve God. But we don’t serve God to win His blessing. It’s the other way round: we’re saved so we can serve Him (Ephesians 2 v 8-10). By grace we begin a relationship with our beautiful, glorious, loving heavenly Father. And as that happens, serving Him becomes its own reward.

Questions for Reflection

Today is Palm Sunday – do you remember what big event happened on this day in Jerusalem?

As we enter this week leading up to Easter – what can you give God thanks and praise for?

Can you think of any areas in your life that you struggle with acceptance in? Be encouraged that our

acceptance comes from Jesus alone!

And finally… and this is a real deep question: how many Easter eggs are you hoping to consume this

week?...

If you want to check out the animated story of Palm Sunday – click on the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTmbTuutBgg

Testwood Youth: Encounter 5/4/2020 Scott Rushby Testwood Youth

@testwoodyouth

Prayer Time

P – PAUSE – take a minute in silence, and bring your worries and thoughts to God

R – Reflect – Why not think of 3 things you can THANK God for, even in these strange times

A – ASK – What would you like to ask God for in this time? Can you ask God for something for

yourself and for someone else?

Y – YEARN/YES – To Yearn for God means to actively want Him more. Ask for God’s help to

remember that He is our model and our acceptance comes from Him.

REMEMEBR: You can still send in Church Family News (CFN). The best way

to do this is visit the CFN page on the website and submit your news into

the table: https://www.testwoodbaptist.org/onlinechurch/church-family-news-online/

Please do keep in touch and send me photos and updates of how you’re getting on and how you’re

keeping yourselves occupied! Email me at scottr@testwoodbaptist.org

On the last few pages are some extra activities to do if you wish – you can simply print out the specific

pages or do them from the screen! Last week’s link to the prayer activity is there if you missed that and

there is also Easter Week Devotionals if you’d like to do that on your own or with family.

Have a great week – and remember – keep reaching out to one another during this time!!

Bless you guys

Scott

Testwood Youth: Encounter 5/4/2020 Scott Rushby Testwood Youth

@testwoodyouth

Extra Activities (Optional)

If you missed last week’s prayer activity – check out the link below. All you need is paper

and scissors!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnXz3Zxxqx8&t=6s

Below is a colouring page for Palm Sunday – feel free to print it out if you fancy!

Testwood Youth: Encounter 5/4/2020 Scott Rushby Testwood Youth

@testwoodyouth

Testwood Youth: Encounter 5/4/2020 Scott Rushby Testwood Youth

@testwoodyouth

If you would like to use the template to make sermon notes:

Testwood Youth: Encounter 5/4/2020 Scott Rushby Testwood Youth

@testwoodyouth

Easter Week Devotionals