Student Devotion Session 3: Teaching What is Right

Key Verses: Titus 2:11-3:2, "¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ¹² It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³ while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. ¹⁵ These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. ¹ Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, ² to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone."

Imagine turning on the TV only to find that a major story was breaking. It appears there is a picture circulating across the media that show President Obama and Osama Bin Laden playing basketball together. Why would this be such a big deal? Because some things do not, cannot, go together. There is no way that President of the United States would be hanging out with a terrorist. It just wouldn't happen.

Presidents and terrorists don't mix. Neither do Red Sox and Yankee fans, oil and water, your mom and your Facebook profile, liberals and conservatives, cats and dogs... some things just are not meant to coexist.

Like godliness and ungodliness.

Read Titus 2:11-3:2. This passage is a letter from Paul to Titus. Titus was one of Paul's closest friends. Titus served as Paul's special representative to the Corinthian church and was tasked with taking up a large contribution for the church in Jerusalem. Paul trusted Titus, who seemed to have some really good administrative skills and a confident personality. From this passage in the letter, we see Paul teaching Titus the importance of walking in a godly manner.

Paul used some pretty straightforward teaching. He basically said, "Say no to all of the stuff that is not of God. Say yes to all of the stuff that is of God." Seems simple enough. But then some questions come up. First of all, how do we know what is godly and what is not godly? And secondly, how do we have the power to say yes or no?

Paul answered these questions in a a way that is pretty cool. The secret is found in verses 11-12. Paul said God's grace has been given to all, and that God's grace helps us know right from wrong. Paul also said God's grace teaches us to live the right way. It leads us to seek what is right and to turn from what is wrong. More importantly God promises to be with us on our journey. He promises to give us strength to do the right thing, day in and day out.

Godliness and ungodliness have no place with one another. Not in your life. Not in this world. Live in such a way that you say "no" to the things that lead you away form God and "yes" to things that build you up in God.

Student Devotion Session 2: Testify to the Gospel

Key Verses: 2 Timothy 1:8-12, "⁸ So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. ⁹ He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, ¹⁰ but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹ And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. ¹² That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day."

What does it mean to be ashamed of something? It means to be humiliated or embarrassed by it. Being ashamed of something is being fearful it might bring you down. When you are ashamed of something, you take actions to dissociate yourself from it out of fear of negative consequences.

What types of things cause a person shame? A person can be ashamed of something he or she did. Let's say a teenaged guy gets arrested for a DUI. This an act that would cause this guy to feel ashamed and embarrassed. The guy would rightly not want to be associated with his arrest. He would logically want to distance himself from it.

There are things that logically bring about feelings of shame and embarrassment. You can be ashamed of something you have don. You can be ashamed of something a family member has done. You can even be ashamed by the actions of a team, or a group of people, or a government, or some other element you might be involved in. Each of these specific entities can do things that would logically result in shame.

But you do not have an option when it comes to the things of God. You are not given a choice. You simply cannot live in such a way that you are ashamed of Christ, His story, or His presence in your life.

Read 2 Timothy 1:8-12. Paul says that even though that gospel had caused him to suffer, he would not stop talking about Jesus. Why? Because he is not ashamed of Christ.

Jesus has saved your life. He game Himself willingly, allowing people to punish Him in the most gruesome ways imaginable. He took the shame of the crucifixion on Him because of your sins. He wasn't ashamed of you. Yet, as you remain silent when you know you should stand up for Christ, you tell the world you are ashamed of Him.

You have been given one life. That's it. You have one chance to make it count for Christ. You cannot do that by being embarrassed or ashamed of Jesus. You simply do not have that choice.

Don't be embarrassed. Be bold. Be courageous. Be strong. Be daring. Live for Christ.

Student Devotion Session 1: Teaching By Example

Key Verses: 1 Timothy 4:11-16, "¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. ⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."

A band leader plays a measure of music, demonstrating the timing of the piece to the class.

A teacher works out an algebra problem on the board while the class follows along.

A dad teaches his teenager the ins-and-outs of carpentry by helping the teen measure, cut, and build.

A coach walks the offense through the play so his or her players can see where they need to go.

A mom shows her teenager how to make a special dish using an old family recipe.

What do these instance have in common? In each one someone is teaching someone else by example. Teaching by example is highly effective. It allows the learner to see exactly what he or she needs to do to be successful.

Read 1 Timothy 4:11-16. First Timothy is a letter from Paul to Timothy. If you remember your Bible stories, Timothy was a young guy that Paul ran into while on one of his missionary journeys. Timothy had a lot of potential as a spiritual leader. Paul was the wise, experienced, grandfather-type who took Timothy under his wing and helped him grow spiritually. In many ways, Paul set the example for Timothy, modeling what it means to live life on mission. But in this passage, Paul turned the tables a little on Timothy.

Paul was nearing the end of his life, so he took the chance to impart some wisdom to Timothy. Paul, who had long set an example for Timothy, urged the young leader to now make sure that he set an example for his followers. Paul basically said, "Look, kid, it doesn't matter how young you are; people are watching. You are expected to show them the right way." The same can be said for you.

You are to live a life that sets an example for all who watch you. How do you accomplish this? First, you need to know what is expected of you. You need to know the standards. This can only happen if you read and apply the Bible. Next, you must make sure you are a vocal and active communicator of what you read in the Bible. Quite simply, you need to make sure you take the opportunity to talk about God's Word and to live it out.

You are called to be an example. You are called to be a disciple-maker. If you live an speak the truth of the Bible, God will do the rest. The Spirit will work through you to reach others for Christ. Which, if you think about it, is really pretty cool.

Student Devotion Session 6: Horizontal Living

Key Verses: James 1:21-24, "²¹ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. ²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like"

Picture this image in your mind: A sunny day, wispy white clouds float by on a blanket of rich blue. Cruising down the Interstate, top down, music playing, a teenage guy. Not a care in the world. Loving life.

But suddenly he sees something that causes him to slow down. Up ahead a police officer is stopped in the road waving her arms, her car lights flashing. The guy puts on the brakes and as he comes to a stop, rolls down his window.

"Just wanted you to know the bridge is out up ahead," the officer kindly says.

"Whew! Thank you for telling me, officer," he replies, "Have a great day!" The young guy then proceeds to slam his foot down on the gas and peel off, barreling straight towards the collapsed bridge.

This story makes no sense, right? Why? Because if the guy were really given such instruction, he would pay attention; he would listen to the warnings and then obey them. In this type of scenario, everyone would heed the potentially lifesaving advice.

Why is it sometimes different with God's Word?

Read James 1:21-24. What is the first thing you see? Verse 21 says it takes humility to accept the Word of God. You see, humans struggle with thinking we know it all. But it is not enough to merely listen to the word and know what it says, is it?

Quite clearly verse 22 says that if you are only hearing God's Word and not putting it into action, you are fooling yourself. Like the guy speeding towards a broken bridge, full speed ahead, not doing what God teaches will only lead to disaster. You must hear God's Word and then let it impact every part of your life. These verses call you to live a life that reflects the teachings of the Bible.

What does your life reflect?

Student Devotion Session 5: Vertical Obedience

Key Verses: John 14:15-24, "¹⁵ If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[a] in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” ²² Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”²³ Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴ Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me."

Jesus' words are pretty straightforward aren't they?

Those who say they love me show it by doing what I say. Those who say they Love me but don't do what I say don't really Love me.

How do these words make you feel? How are you tempted to respond? Do you feel like they are too harsh? After all, no one can obey Jesus all the time, right? You try, and for the most part you do pretty well. But, occasionally you slip up. Does this mean you don't Love Jesus? If this is the standard, does anyone really Love Jesus?

If you read this and think Jesus is harsh and maybe a little demanding, maybe that's not all that bad. Some of what Jesus had to say was a little harsh. See, we tend to turn Jesus into a wimp most of the time. We want Jesus to fix our problems and make us feel good when we feel bad. But most of the time we just want Him to stay out of our business. So, in this sense it's probably a good thing that Jesus rattles our cages a bit.

If this seems demanding, again, this is probably OK. Jesus does demand a great deal from us. He demands absolute loyalty and devotion. He expects to have no other competition for our affection. And here's the kicker, our obedience results from us being loyal and devoted to God. They go hand in hand.

Jesus doesn't ask for us to keep a list of do's and don'ts and to check them off one at a time. That's not obedience to Jesus. That's obedience to morality. Jesus expects us to give Him our hearts and in turn to take up His heart. He wants us to live as He lived, to view the world as He did to see people as His children. And to look at our lives as important pieces in His big-picture plan.

When we live this way, we are living obediently. And our obedience is a demonstration to God of just how much we Love Him.

Student Devotion Session 4: Vertical Worship

Key Verse:

Psalm 103:1-12

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 103

Of David.

¹ Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶ The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Devotion:

Actions. Reactions.

Webster's defines the word action as "a thing done." An action can be anything, right? Standing up, throwing a paper airplane, or texting a friend are all actions. It's simple, really. Anything you do can be considered an action.

On the other hand, a reaction is defined as" a response to some treatment, situation, or stimulus." Basically, a reaction is a response to any action. Want some examples? Think about the actions we listed above. If you were to suddenly stand up in the middle of a nice dinner with your boyfriend or girlfriend, he or she might react with confusion. (or they might look at you like you've lost it.) If you were to throw a paper airplane in the hallway and hit your principle in the eye, his or her reaction would probably spell trouble for you. And if you were texting your friend to tell her that your crush just asked you to the homecoming dance, here reaction would be excitement.

The nature of the reaction depends on the nature of the action.

Read Psalm 103:1-12. This is one of the many Psalms written by David. You know David. The guy that killed the giant. The one who had to hide out from King Saul while Saul tried to kill him. The one who was said to have a "heart like God's." David was an awesome king, undoubtedly the best ruler Israel ever had. He wasn't perfect (You might remember the whole Bathsheba incident.) But he Loved the Lord. And many of his psalms reflect this Love.

If you go back and look at this psalm one more time, you realize something pretty cool. This psalm is all about actions and reactions. David lists some of the amazing things God has done, not just for David, but for the nation of Israel. David says that God forgives sin, heals diseases, satisfies desires, works righteousness for the oppressed, gives freely of His compassion while patiently doling out His anger, and so on, and so on. These are some pretty awesome actions. But what is the reaction?

David makes it clear: His reaction to all of God's actions is to lift up praise and worship to God. The appropriate reaction to God's Love is Love in return. How cool is that?

You have to ask yourself this question: "How have I been responding to all the ways God has shown me love in my life?" If your answer is anything less than giving God the praise He is due, you might need to spend some time examining your heart.

God had done so much for you. His actions demonstrate His Love. Does your reaction demonstrate praise?

Student Devotion Session 2: Love's Great Sacrifice

Key Verses: Deuteronomy 6:5, "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." & Leviticus 19:18, "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD"

The books of Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell a similar story. In each of these books, Jesus is in the company of some of the Jewish religious leaders.

In Matthew and Mark's account, Jesus was asked by one of the Jewish religious leaders what the greatest commandment of the Law was. This guy was trying to trick Jesus, but Jesus turned it around on him.

Jesus actually answered in an amazing way. If he had answered incorrectly, or had given an answer that wasn't well thought out, the Jewish leaders could have accused Him of trying to abolish parts of the Law.

A lot was riding on Jesus' answer.

Before you go on, stop for a minute and read Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. Sum up those passages in one sentence.

We might not get it now, some 2,000 years later, but at the time what Jesus did by putting these two commandments together was a big, big deal.

In answering the Jewish leaders this way, Jesus combined the emphasis of the first half of the Ten Commandments (obligation to God) with the second half (obligation to others). But Jesus did more than that...

Look back at Matthew 22. Compare verse 37 with verse 39. Circle the powerful word appears in both verses. Did you catch it? You should have circled the world Love.

The most amazing thing Jesus did was make His answer all about love. It wasn't about rule following. It wasn't about stale religion. Jesus said we mu;st love God, and love people.

Love God. Love People.

It really is that simple.

Think about any changes you might need to make in your life to begin to show more love and thankfulness to God. Think about any attitudes or issues you have that get in the way of loving others. Now, pray to God that He will help you put into practice the changes you need to make in your life.