A look ahead towards fall 2009…
Last year was our first year of “The Edge” Senior high group. We had a great time growing together in our faith and digging into God’s word. This next year, The Edge will look a little different and we’ll incorporate some worship, crazy games, videos, and time for discussion with peers. Once we start again in the Fall, the material will be posted here each week. Feel free to take a look at some of the nights from last year below!
“Because He Lives, My Sings are Forgiven”
The Edge Sr. High Group April 16, 20
“Take, eat; this is my body. Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’”
Matthew 26:26-27
Preview
What are your “family dinners” like?
Do you remember the first time you had “The Lord’s Supper”?
Dig In
We will really focus in on what it means that because Christ lives, are sins are forgiven.
1. Matthew 26 passage describes the Lord’s supper.
a. Who was at this meal?
b. What do you think was on people’s minds?
c. If you were part of this meal, what would you feel like?
2. Let’s look through these different accounts of the Lord’s Supper
a. John 13:3-5
b. John 13:34; 14:1-3; 15:1-5
c. John 13:35
d. John 15:15; 14:23
e. John 14:25-27; 17:15-17
3. What do you think today’s view of communion is? What does it really mean?
4. How does the Lord’s Supper provide us with strength? Forgiveness of sins?
Your Story
Bringing it Home
1. Consider one or more of these practices for the week:
-Reflection/Meditation: Think and pray about your journey of faith. What does your faith mean to you?
-Journaling: Think about how Jesus guides you. Consider your life right now. What do you want to say to Jesus? Write about anything you=re thinking or feeling.
“Because He Lives, We don’t have to feel alone!”
The Edge Senior High Group, April 9, 2008
“There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow…He is not here; He has risen.”
Matthew 28
Preview
On a large sheet of paper, write everything that you can think of that you can do “alone” or individually.
On another large sheet of paper, list everything that you can think of that you cannot do “alone”.
What is the difference between what we can do alone and what we cannot do alone?
Dig In
Tonight, we’ll try to capture the experience of what it means, “Because Jesus lives, we don’t have to feel alone.
1. Aslan makes a deal with the White Witch to take the child’s spot on the stone table. Aslan knows he must sacrifice himself to protect all the community from evil.
2. The people of Aslan’s community feared the Witch and all she stood for. People were frozen in place and captured by her.
3. Is the crowd gathered around Aslan with torches similar to how Jesus was greeted by the people on his way to the cross? The witch says, “Behold, the Great Lion”, just as in Matthew 27:27-31. Read Matthew 27:27-31. Is this similar to the movie?
4. When they start to bang their sticks on the ground, they are in fact leading up to the point of saying, “Kill Him. Kill Him.” This is also found in Matthew 27:22, when the masses yelled, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him!”
5. The movie shows battle after Aslan dies. Why is this?
6. What are you feeling at this point of the movie? Do you feel afraid and hopeless because of the battle evil is fighting against you? Are you afraid that Jesus won’t do what he says He will, raise again?
7. Continue the movie from the point right after Aslan is raised from the dead.
8. The flies form a formation in the image of an angel saying, “Do not be afraid, I bring great news.” This is also said Matthew 28:5 to the women gathered around the tomb.
9. The battle begins…how do you think the soldiers feel? Scared? Afraid?
10. The stone was broken and Aslan was gone in a flash, and appears alive and well again. Similarly, in Matthew 27:51-53, when Jesus died, tombs were opened and the earth shook, rocks split.
11. There are people literally frozen in time, people who might feel like they were left alone. They are trapped in a dark place. When is a time you’ve felt like you were stuck in a dark place? What is something you’ve struggled with all by yourself?
12. How does the character of Aslan represent Jesus to you? How do you see yourself as part of this story, that Jesus battles for your heart and desires to be close to you?
Your Story
Reflect on these questions…
1. How does Jesus winning the battle for you help your fears in life?
2. Because Jesus lives, what fear is eliminate in your life?
3. Do you fear death? Why do we fear death?
4. How does Jesus’ resurrection give you a sense of “not being alone”?
5. Why is it that we feel alone when God’s spirit is always with us?
Stations of the Cross (from March 2008 Soul Food)
Be Still and Know… 1
(TV Playing in background)
“Be Still and know that I am God.” Is your life a bunch of noise? Are you able to dial in on silence? Silence is a tough thing to come by. Often, we are so busy and caught up in life that we tune out our Creator. Even right now you may have many thoughts running through your mind. (turn off tv) There. Is that better? Look at the blankness of the television. I encourage you to follow the example of the television and turn off the noise in your heart. Take this time to be still and know that He is God.
Prayer
(Silence) God, you call us to be silent. We often lead hectic lives with busy hearts and minds. Help us to shut off the noise in our life to spend time with you. (Silence) Bless our journey this evening as we silently see your great love for us. Amen.
To the Cross 2
(Sandles on the floor, candle lit on small table)
Over two-thousand years ago, Jesus spoke these words to the masses. Jesus says these words to you tonight as you journey along with Him to His death at the cross. A death that he freely chose because he had you on his mind. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world to save the world, to save you…Light has come into the world, but people love the darkness…Whoever lives by God’s truth will come into my light…into paradise with God.” As you look at these sandals, think about the very idea that Jesus is walking beside you, because He is. Jesus wants to show you how much you mean to Him. How about letting him show you?
Prayer Caring Father, You have sent your son into this world for each one of us. Open our hearts to a journey with you tonight as we see the way you love us. We thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus, so that we may see you face to face in heaven. Praise be to you…Amen.
To the Cross 3
Jesus came into this world to serve. He didn’t come just to serve the people he met while his feet walked this earth, but he came to serve everyone to walk this earth for eternity. Jesus came to serve you.
To the Cross 5
Gethsemane
“Jesus traveled with His disciples to this place, the garden of Gethsemane. It was a beautiful and peaceful place, but Jesus and the disciples had many things on their mind. No matter how much Jesus tried to comfort the disciples of his death and their betrayal, the emotions were high. Jesus came here to pray. As Jesus went off from the disciples alone to pray, he was crying. He fell down on his knees and his face to the ground, praying, “My Father, if it is possible, may this suffering be taken from me. Not as I will, but as you will.”
Jesus returned to find his friends sleeping, “Could you not stay awake for one hour? Watch and pray so that you may not be tempted!”
Jesus again went off alone to pray, “My Father, if it is not possible for my sorrow and suffering to be taken away, I will do it and your will be done.” He again found his disciples sleeping when he was done and went alone to pray once more. He prayed the same prayer to His father and returned to his disciples. Jesus knew that His time was almost up and he yelled at the disciples to get on their feet, yelling, “Look, my time is almost up when I will be betrayed and given up to death! Come on, let’s go! Here comes my betrayer! Jesus was taken away from his friends, knowing that he was heading, finally, to his death on the cross.
Prayer Jesus, you chose to die for us. When you were betrayed, you could have been rescued by God, but you knew what you had to do. You had to go to the cross because you choose for us to live, to be free. Praise be to you for that gift. Amen.
To the Cross 6
The Betrayal and Pontious
As Jesus, your Savior, was lead away from his friends, he knew exactly what was going to happen. He was headed to the cross to die. Not just to die, but to suffer. Peter, his friend, turned his back on Jesus and denied Jesus 3 times. Jesus’ disciples choose their life over following their leader. Judas, who betrayed Jesus, choose money over the life of his Savior. Peter chose his own safety and life over following Jesus. What things in your life do you choose over a life with Jesus?
1. Do you choose money (flash money in front of students) Pause
2. Do you choose material possessions, like cell phones, i-pods, video games?3.
What do you choose other than Jesus? As Jesus was lead in front of the masses for trial, Pontious Pilate called for Jesus. Pilate asked Jesus several questions, and Jesus never backed down and responded with answers that chose you over the world. Pilate asked a large crowd of people gathered, “Do you want to release Jesus or this other criminal, Barabas.” The crowd overwhelmingly chose for Jesus to be crucified. Do you deny Jesus in your life? Why is it that we deny the very person who suffered for us? The person that is now choosing to walk to death with visions of you flashing in His mind. Jesus could be rescued by angels, but He knows what he has to do, for you. Chose Jesus, stay close to Jesus, and don’t be ashamed of knowing Jesus.
Prayer God, we praise you for Jesus. Give us the strength and conviction to choose you over all other things in our world. Amen.
To the Cross 7 Walk to the Cross
(Play clip from “Passion of the Christ” of His walk to the cross until Jesus is on the cross, then hit stop) “Thousands of years ago, you were on Jesus’ mind here on the cross. Each drop of blood was for you. His death was for you.” PrayerJesus. Thank you for your gift. Amen.
To the Cross 8 The Cross
(dim room, light on the cross)
You just saw what Jesus did for you leading up to this moment where He is struggling on the cross, suffering, in extreme pain. Jesus was nailed to this piece of wood…he was nailed in the hands, where your wrist and hands meet so that he wouldn’t fall off. His feet were nailed together to the bottom, leaving this the only way for him to push himself up as he fought to breathe. Drip, drip, drip fell the blood from Jesus’ open cuts, lashes, and nail holes all over His body. Drip, he thought of you. Drip, he thought about spending eternity with you. Drip, drip, your sins were washed away. Jesus is now thinking of you as he struggles for his last breath. Jesus loves you. Can’t you see? There are sheets of paper here for you to write anything you want to lay at the feet of Jesus. Write your sins, the things that separate you from a relationship with Jesus. Drop them in the bucket at the foot of the cross, because that’s why Jesus died, so that our sins would be washed away. Watch your sins wash away at the foot of your savior.
