Teaching Notes

(used from NorthtownChurch Lockin in 2004)

Characteristics of a Christian

MONDAY

Jesus said, "The first in importance is, 'Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.' And here is the second: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' There is no other commandment that ranks with these."  - Mark 12:29-31

A Christian must love God. This is the very first characteristic of a Christian is that they love God.  This is not a love in words but also in deed.  This means that what God requires is the most important thing to you.  You will not allow anything else to be before your love for God.

Thought for today: How do you show your love for God? The things you do around your friends, can they tell you love God?

Prayer: Lord allow my love for you to show though my actions.  If I say I love you then I must obey you.  Help me to obey you even when it calls for me to do some difficult things.

TUESDAY

Peter and the apostles answered, "It's necessary to obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, the One you killed by hanging him on a cross. God set him on high at his side, Prince and Savior, to give Israel the gift of a changed life and sins forgiven. And we are witnesses to these things. The Holy Spirit, whom God gives to those who obey him, corroborates every detail." - Acts 5:29-32

A Christian must obey God. This goes hand in hand with yesterdays lesson.  If we say we love God then it should be evident in our desire to obey him.  When we want to have our own way and refuse to listen to him we do not show the respect and love we should show for our Heavenly Father.  When we obey God even above what people want us to this is what is required of God.

Thought for today: Do I obey God even when I might not look good around my friends?  Do I obey God when it might require me to make a stand that others refuse to make?  What is really most important, obeying God or being well liked and recieved?

Prayer: Lord help me to obey you even above what my friends or others may think.  Help me to make you my focus in everything I do.  I will try to get along as best I can with others but never if it calls for me to disobey you.

WEDNESDAY

"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. - Matthew 5:43-47

A Christian will love their enemies and pray for them. Jesus challenged the people to go deeper.  He challenged them to love their enemies and pray for them.  He challenged them to go above a simply hello or greeting them.  He says even sinners can do that.  He challenges them to love those that would abuse them, hate them or even want to harm them.  What a strange request.  We must understand those Jesus spoke to were being asked to love the very people that had destroyed them, kill their people, taken their land.  If he could ask them then to do such a thing, surely he can require the same from us.  As Christians if we are asked to do it, we will be equipped to carry it out.

Thought for today: When was the last time you prayed for someone that had mistreated you?  When was the last time you showed love to someone you did not like?

Prayer: Lord you ask us to be loving even to those that have been our enemies.  This is a hard request but because we love you we will obey you.  We will do as you have requested us to do.  We will show love to others and we will pray that you would have control in their lives.

THURSDAY

“Pray without ceasing.” - I Thessalonians 5:17

Christians pray. It often amazes me how little we think we need to pray as Christians.  We think if I prayed this morning or the quick prayer over my meal that is enough for today or even for several days.  However one of the most amazing characteristics of a faithful Christian is one that prays.  We must be willing to pray all the time, in all situations and in all circumstances.  We pray when things are good.  We pray when things are bad.  We pray for ourselves.  We pray for others.  We pray.  This is one of our greatest sources to be able to gain power from God and to hear his direction for us (as well as through the reading of his Word.).

Thought for today: Do you pray often?  Do you say a quick prayer and move on or do you pray and then take time to hear God speak back to you?  How important is prayer to you?

Prayer: We want to hear from you today Lord.  We want to know your voice and to know you speaking to us.  Help us to pray without ceasing for all things and for all people.  Help us to become people of prayer.  It does not matter our age or any outward things, you look at our hearts.  Help us to have a heart of prayer.

FRIDAY

“That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” - Phillippians 2:15

Christians are light. If we are children of God we must reflect God through our lives.  Others must be able to see the Light of Christ in us. We cannot look like the world around us and then try to look like God, it cannot be.  We cannot be darkness and light.  We cannot be holy and unholy.  We cannot be crooked and straight.  We are either one or the other.  God requires his children to reflect who his Son is.  We must be light.  Light dispels darkness and you can see what is truly in a room for instance when you turn the light on.  We then must reflect truth.  We are transparent and people can see that what we say is what we really believe.  We won't say we believe in Jesus but live as though we do not.

Thought for today: How do you reflect the light of Christ around you?  Do others know you are a Christian by your acts or do you have to tell them in order for them to know?  What ways can you reflect Christ more?

Prayer: Lord allow your Holy Spirit to direct me every step of my way.  Help me to be a light not hidden but one that shows to those around me who I belong to.  Help me reflect light so that others will want this relationship that I have with you.  Help me draw people to you.

Teaching Notes

Titus 2

Who Am I?

In my book, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made I ask this question in one of the chapters.  The results of study showed your (teenagers) answers to this question. Some said they wanted to have a college degree (88%).  Some stated a comfortable lifestyle.  Some of the responses were related to spiritual matters. 50% said they wanted to be commited Christians and 46% said they wanted to make a different in the world.  All these are goals you can go for, but it must first start with you understanding who you are from God's perspective.  We will look at Titus 2 to see what we can glean from this chapter.

MONDAY

1-6 Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives.

As you read these verse of scripture they are instructions on how all parts of the family of God should behave.  It calls for the older women to help the younger ones how to be virtuous and pure.  It requires young women not to be gossipers but models of what is good and acceptable of God.  So this lets us know that even in our pursuit of careers or jobs we are still expected to have good moral behavior.  This is so others will not look down on the message of God badly because of our behavior or actions.

Prayer - Lord today we seek you to help us have the right behavior, first before you and then before others.  We do not want to hinder the message of Christ because of foolish behavior or actions.  Help us to be an example because as we grow older we then should be examples for those coming behind us. Amen.

TUESDAY

7-8 But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, incorruptible in your teaching, your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around.

What is interesting about this part of the chapter is the reason why we should have right behavior.  The reason is so that we will not keep others from coming to Christ. It says if anyone is dead set against believers when they find that what you are saying is not misguided by they see the evidence of godly behavior as it is lived out in you, they might come to accept the truth of God.  This does not guarentee it, but it says it is possible if we live right before others.  So we are required to live right before others so we can become more and more like Christ.  That is really how you will find who you are to be.

Prayer - Lord today help my light shine so someone else that may have turned away can see you in my life and want what they see I have.  If that light is not shining as it ought to, then help me so I can become a good witness to others about your goodness and your mercy. Amen.

WEDNESDAY

9-10 Guide slaves into being loyal workers, a bonus to their masters—no back talk, no petty thievery. Then their good character will shine through their actions, adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God.

Well thank God we are not slaves today but the principles can still be applied today. If you are a worker, have a job you are required to have godly character on your job.  That means you don't steal or disrespect your teacher (this is true for school or any other place you find yourself in).  This will show your good character and will add to your witness.  It shows you are one that trust in the teachings of Christ and you walk right before him.  This is what is important if you are to witness to others.  It is more about what you show than what you tell people you know.

Prayer - Lord help us to make good decisions in all areas of our lives; work, school and home.  Help us to be a good godly example so that others will believe that we do seek to live a life worthy of you.  Help us to show others who they can become as we live for you. Amen.

THURSDAY

11-14 God's readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation's available for everyone! We're being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness.

What can you become? Who are you? This scripture tells us if you are a child of God you are forgiven.  It is no longer a secret about the salvation made available to all that seek it.  We have been given the tools to move from a life that is not pleasing to God (one that is more concerned with self than God) to one that is filled with honoring and loving our savior. We can rejoice because what we have now is only a taste of what will come when we see Jesus when he appears.  He offered himself to free us from darkness (this is the darkness on our lives because of sin) and now gives us that which will help us live a good and pure life.  This can make us people God can be proud to call his own.  This is who we can be, a people set aside for God and one that he shows his love upon.

Prayer - Lord today we thank you for loving us enough to help us live in the right way.  Help us to let go of anything that is not pleasing to you.  Help us to be willing to spend time with you.  We do that in our prayer time, in our study of your Word (reading our Bibles) and in our times of worship (both by yourself and with the people of God at church). Amen.

FRIDAY

Today let us take a look back at the scripture and ask ourselves some questions.

1. This scripture was written to Titus from Paul and he tells Titus it is his responsiblity to teach sound doctrine. After reading Monday's scripture, what do you think Paul meant by "solid" or sound doctrine?

2. Paul tells Titus the best way he can teach sound doctrine to those that follow him is by doing it himself.  Why do you think it is important for you to be an example to others about what you say you believe?

3. Titus is told how to guide slaves in being right before they masters.  We explained how that can be used for us today.  It can mean anyone in authority over you.  If you have someone over you and you do as the scripture says, what could possible happen?

4. Thursday's lesson talked about how God's offer of salvation is readily available to all.  Why is this important for us as believers to know?

Prayer - Lord, we are thankful for all the wonderful things you give to us.  We are thankful for your Spirit that helps us to be able to do those things you set before us.  Equip us today to live so that we can know who we are and we can also show it to others.  We are children of God. Amen.

Teaching Notes

Praying God's Word

This week I would like for us to do something different.  I want us to pray God's word.  You will find the scripture references within the prayer for each day.   Let us pray together this week...

                                                                                                                              

MONDAY

Lord I thank you today for peace.  ...Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1).  I could not have this peace had you not saved me. Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, becasue in his forebearance God had passed over the sins that were previously commited, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26). Thank you I am forgiven because of Jesus and because of him I have peace in you. Amen.

TUESDAY

I am set free. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, wo do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1).  Because of Jesus, I do not have to live with guilt or condemnation.  You have set me free from my past sins and mistakes. You love me so much that you also interecede for me. It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us (Romans 8:34). You love us enough that you not only set us free but that you intercede on our behalf so that we can be victorious in our walk.  Thank you for loving us enough to die for us. Amen.

WEDNESDAY
I am a heir of God's kingdom. If children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorifed together (Romans 8:17). Because of Jesus' sacrifice I have a great inheritance.  I also am given a eternal life with God through Christ. ...He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Romas 8:10-11).  Thank you today for eternal life through Jesus Christ and because of it, you have made us heirs to your kingdom.  We praise you forever. Amen.

THURSDAY
I have life. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (John 10:10).  Jesus thank you for giving me more life in this life. This life does not come by any other way than through you. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Today help me to know you are my true salvation and to live for you completely. Amen.

FRIDAY
I can be forgiven. I have heard about Jesus, yet I have continued to ignore his call to me.  Today is the day I make the decision to live for God. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). You promise me that if I confess to you my sins, you will forgive we no matter what I have done. I now want to live for you and I need your power so that I can live for you completely. I need your Holy Spirit which will enable me to obey you. We have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter (Romans 7:6), and he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you (John 14:26).  Thank you for salvation through Jesus and for your Holy Spirit to guide me and teach me. Amen.

Teaching Notes

What if you decided you could swim this lake?  Would you simply jump in and start to swim?  No, you would want to know some detail about it.  Why?  Well, you wouldn't want to jump into something unaware and become a victim to it.  We should also think about our walk with Christ as one that we must prepare for.  No this does not mean you and I must do something before we are saved.  It means we must be willing to let go over everything that would stop us from crossing over to the otherside.  We do not want to become victims of the waves and the currents.  We want to do whatever God requires of us so that we can be able to withstand in this walk.

Figure the Cost

Luke 14:25-34 (The Message)

25-27 One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one's own self!—can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple.

MONDAY

Jesus was walking and he turned and gave thes message to those that were following him.  What he was actually saying to them was if there is anything in your life that is more important tham me, you cannot really be my disciple. He tells them they cannot even put their own desires and wished above him.  Nothing could take the first place in their lives above God. NOTHING!

Question for Today - Do you think Jesus was really saying that you had to hate your family? Or was he really saying that nothing can be above him in your life?

Prayer: Lord help us to be able to let go of anything that is moving you out of the first place in our lives.  Help not to put our own desires above what you desire for your lives.  Help us this day to seek to do things in your way because your ways are perfect.

TUESDAY

28-30"Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn't first sit down and figure the cost so you'll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you're going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: 'He started something he couldn't finish.'

Jesus ask them about someone that builds a house.  If that person decides to build a house they will first see what it will cost them and then make sure they have what is needed so they can accomplish that task.  You would not want to invest your money in building a house to only have the foundation laid and never complete the task.  He says if you do that, when people come past they will make fun of you because they will know you did not count the cost on what it would take to finish your project.  He is comparing this with counting the cost of salvation.  Jesus is not trying to turn people away, but instead have them think about what they are doing so they will finish the course and not stop short because they did not realize what would be needed to go all the way.  This goes back to yesterdays message.  If you are not willing to put everything else behind God, then you will become discouraged and want to stop the process.  You will only get the foundation laid but nothing else.

Question for Today: What do you think it takes to "count the cost"?  What do you need to do to help yourself stay the course on this Christian journey?

Prayer: Lord help us not simply lay the foundation, but help us to build upon it.  Help us to let you come in and set each brick in place.  Lord set each thing in place so that we can be the "house" that your Spirit dwells in.  Help us to stay strong on this journey and not become weary and want to give up.  Keep us because only you are able to.

WEDNESDAY

31-32"Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can't, won't he send an emissary and work out a truce?

Again, Jesus is showing the importance of thinking about your journey.  He uses the example of a king.  A king would not place himself into a battle he cannot win.  He will see if there is something he can work out so he will not be defeated.  That should also be the mindset of the believers.  We should not walk into this Christian life not prepared to do battle.  We fight not against flesh and blood, but against spirits and powers in high places.  We are in a spiritual battle, even though this world seems not to think so. If you see that you are unable to stand in the battle you should get the help you need. That help comes from God. He will equip you so that you can stand, however it really means you must really take an inventory of yourself and see where you are standing.

Question for Today: What are the areas in your life that need working on?  Are there some areas that if "battle" hit you there you would be defeated?  What can you do to make yourself stronger for the spiritual battles in life?

Prayer: Lord we seek your guidance and strength to help us prepared for the spiritual battles in our lives.  Lord help us so that we do not go into this life unprepared and unfit for it.  Help us to be able to stand.  Gives us the ability to see where we are weak and in need of help. 

THURSDAY

33"Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple.

Jesus ends this scripture how he started it.  He say if you are not willing to put everything behind you, both plans (ideas, thoughts, agendas) or people (loved ones, friends, family, associates) you will not be able to be his disciple.  Do you know the reason why?  It will be impossible to be pleasing to God if you are always worried about pleasing others.  It will be impossible to be submitted completely to God's plan when other plans are fighting for first place.  In order to be a disciple of Jesus nothing can be in the first position but him.

Question for Today - How do you put Jesus in the first position in your life?  How do you know when you have not put him in the first position in your life?

Prayer: Lord today we want to be totally submitted to your way.  We do not want anything to stand in the way of our worship and service unto you.  Help us release anything that stands in the way, this day we pray.

FRIDAY

34"Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it's useless, good for nothing.

"Are you listening to this? Really listening?"


The final point is about salt.  Jesus says that salt is excellent.  This means that salt is going to do what it was made to do.  It was meant to be salt.  It has many characteristics that are useful.  To add flavor, to perserve just to name a few. Yet, what if it lost its flavor?  It would no longer be excellent because it could not do what it was made to do.  It is then good for nothing.  The question then is are your really listening?  What Jesus is saying to us today is this, we were made for excellence.  We were made to be like salt.  We are to add flavor to this world, to perserve the truth of God just to name a few.  Yet if we lose our flavor (our ability to do what we were created to do) we are not useful to God.  God created us to worship and honor him.  He created us so that we could show his excellence through us. Yet if we do not allow him first place in our lives we become like useless salt.  God wants us to yield to him so that he can bring about excellence in our lives.
 
Question for Today - What excellence does God want to bring through your life?  Are you allowing him or are you resisting?  Meditate on this lesson from this week to see if God is trying to tell you about something that needs to be changed in you.
 
Prayer: Lord we want you to have total access to our lives so that your perfect and excellent work and show through.  As we go about the rest of this week and weekend help us to see how to be more of what you are calling us to be.  Help us to figure the cost of this journey and then prepare us to complete the task.