Below are some additional interactions on the article: The World’s Not Safe!. Read it first.
Challenge:
1 John 2:15–17 says:
Do not love the world or anything that belongs to the world. If you love the world, you do not love the Father. Everything that belongs to the world—what the sinful self desires, what people see and want, and everything in this world that people are so proud of—none of this comes from the Father; it all comes from the world. The world and everything in it that people desire is passing away; but those who do the will of God live forever.
Make a list right now of things “of this world” that you love—yelling at strangers, getting drunk, getting the last word, making someone pay for what they did, tricking someone, cheating, manipulating, getting a new smart phone, whatever it is. After you make the list, pray over each one for God to begin to change your heart. Spend some time looking for Scripture that applies to your list and be honest with God about where you are at in this process. Sometimes we have to begin to change by asking God to give us the desire to want to change. I encourage you to start today!
Quizical:
When we live our lives according to the truth in Scripture, and not according to the world’s guidance, we are working to bring about the Kingdom of God here on earth! This is really amazing since Jesus was talking about it 2000 years ago and you are actually a part of it!! So let’s test your knowledge about the parables that cover the Kingdom of God with this quiz. If you don’t know them, don’t worry! You can read up on them later in Matthew and try again!
Audio:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Scripture:
Matthew 17:20—It is through faith in Christ that we can find stability and confidence in this world.
John 16:33—In the face of all the uncertainty and instability in the world around us, it’s good to keep Jesus’ words in mind!
Revelation 21:1–8—A look at what the will happen when Jesus returns and the world is made new!
2 Samuel 22:31–35—Another promise of protection and strength from our amazing and personally engaged Creator!
John 15:26–27—You don’t have to face the world’s instability alone!
Video:
Take a look at this music video by the Newsboys, and, as you do, think about how you can begin to tell the world that your God is not dead—in fact, he offers the answers this world so desperately needs!
Here is the trailer for a movie that came out Easter 2014 called Heaven is for Real! It tells the true story of a young boy who died and was brought back and remembered his experience in heaven during those brief moments of death! Think about the ways that Jesus has shown up for you in your life, clearly showing you that he is present and involved in your story and you have to make the decision of how you are going to respond.
Life Questions:
- Think back over the past day or week, or even your whole life if that’s easier. Consider the different times you were faced with a choice to follow God or the ways of the world. Spend some time talking to God about where your heart is now and how you see his presence in your life. Don’t be afraid to ask for whatever you need—faith, hope, strength, etc. The Lord is so eager to bring restoration into your heart and show you the life he intended you to have!
- Look over the different Scriptures in the previous sections and choose one (or part of one) to memorize this week. Put it by your bed, fridge, locker, or somewhere you will see it multiple times a day. Tell a family member or close friend why you chose that verse and ask for their prayer support and encouragement as you try to live out the truth in the verses you are memorizing.
Music:
Reflect:
Read through this scripture and think about what it is teaching us about the world. It’s obvious if you spend any time in Proverbs that God values intelligence, wisdom, and knowledge, so why do you think he spends so much time belittling it here? What is the Lord teaching us about this world?
1 Corinthians 1:18–31:
For the message about Christ’s death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God’s power. The scripture says,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and set aside the understanding of the scholars.”
So then, where does that leave the wise? or the scholars? or the skillful debaters of this world? God has shown that this world’s wisdom is foolishness!
For God in his wisdom made it impossible for people to know him by means of their own wisdom. Instead, by means of the so-called “foolish” message we preach, God decided to save those who believe. Jews want miracles for proof, and Greeks look for wisdom. As for us, we proclaim the crucified Christ, a message that is offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles; but for those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, this message is Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God. For what seems to be God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and what seems to be God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
Now remember what you were, my friends, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing. God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise, and he chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful. He chose what the world looks down on and despises and thinks is nothing, in order to destroy what the world thinks is important. This means that no one can boast in God’s presence. But God has brought you into union with Christ Jesus, and God has made Christ to be our wisdom. By him we are put right with God; we become God’s holy people and are set free. So then, as the scripture says, “Whoever wants to boast must boast of what the Lord has done.”
