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The Ten Broken Commandments, part 1

There’s a story in the gospels about a young man who came up to Jesus and asked the question most of us want to know at some point: “What must I do to be saved?” I don’t want to get into the different things we could mean by “saved,” but most of us want to know the answer. Jesus tells him, basically, keep the commandments – specifically the all too familiar 10 Commandments. The man’s response? “All these I have kept since my youth.”

Jesus goes on to challenge this self-righteous notion of perfect adherence to the Law by telling him to sell everything he has and give it to the poor. He can’t do it because he was very wealthy. In that one response, Jesus exposes our misunderstanding of what the 10 Commandments are really there for.

Continue reading → The Ten Broken Commandments, part 1
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!ADVENT: For the Love

This is the fourth and final week of Advent 2020. Can you feel it? Christmas is right around the corner. It’s probably going to look different for many of us than we are used to. But that’s ok. Because Christmas isn’t ultimately about getting what we want. It’s a celebration of the love God showed for us by coming down to be with us, to be one of us. As the song says, “Fullness of God in helpless babe.”

Throughout the centuries mankind has been trying to get to be where God is through various forms of religious rituals, practices, and beliefs. There are those who say, “All paths lead to God.” But the incarnation, the Christmas story, shows us that we have sorely missed the point. God doesn’t demand that we find a path that leads us to him. He has already come to be with us! That’s what Immanuel means – God with us.

Continue reading → !ADVENT: For the Love
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Advent: Perfect Peace

This Advent season, the Lawrence County Youth Network is teaming together to bring you weekly videos, discussion questions, and an overview podcast. Each week we will be reflecting on one of the main themes of Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

What do you think of when you think about Peace? Is it a cozy winter day reading a book and drinking hot chocolate under your sherpa-lined blanket? Is it binging Netflix with no other responsibilities to worry about? Is it your parents finally getting along, or at least pretending to? Is it the end to a military conflict overseas?

I would think for most of us, Peace means a sense that all is right in the world – or at least in our world. Let’s think about Peace as we begin. This first video is one of my favorite Christmas songs by Peter Hollens, called “December Song.”

Peace that Surpasses Understanding

In this week’s teaching video, Gabe Garcia from Mt. Pleasant Christian Church brings us a message about Peace. Check it out, and then spend some time working through the discussion questions below.

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HOPE: Divine Expectation

hope marquee signage surrounded by trees

This first week of Advent we focused on the idea of HOPE. When we talk about hope in relation to faith in Christ and as it is used in Scripture, it’s more than tossing coin in the proverbial wishing well. Hope is something we are sure is going to happen, but it can only happen if and when God moves. Sometimes the word for hope is translated as waiting. Those who hope in (or wait upon) the Lord shall renew their strength, says Isaiah.

If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out my previous post with all the teaching materials and videos on Hope as presented by the Lawrence County Youth Network. But right now I want to take a little time and answer these discussion questions for myself. If you’re feeling up to it, let me know how you would answer these questions by leaving a comment below.

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ADVENT: Hope

Hope Does Not Disappoint

For this first week of Advent we are going to focus on the idea of HOPE. The coming of Christ, God-with-us, brings light to the darkness, life out of death, love out of hatred, and hope out of despair.

Start today by watching this video from The Grey Havens called “At Last, the King.” It’s not your traditional Christmas song, but it captures the feeling of HOPE that this time of year brings.

In collaboration with the Lawrence County Youth Network, we are bringing you weekly videos about each theme in Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. This week, check out Dave Adams’ video about HOPE. Stick around after for some discussion questions.

Continue reading → ADVENT: Hope