March 3rd Sunday School for Teens

To First Lutheran Parents of Jr. & High School Children,

Below are some Spring 2013 – “Growing In Christ” videos, and a weekly devotion that I thought that you may want to share with your child(ren). 

 Just the sheep of His hand, Melody

Is there an unforgivable sin?

Before or after watching the video, ask your students “How would you answer this question?” Allow volunteers to answer. Follow up the video with these discussion questions.
  1. Which answer to the question about sin most caught your attention? Why? Do you think what the person said was true? Assure your students that Jesus Christ died for the sins of all people (Luke 19:10; Acts 10:43; and other passages) and that God forgives the sins of all who confess (1 John 1:8–9).
  2. What sin then cannot be forgiven? Only a sin that we stubbornly refuse to admit and confess is not forgiven (1 John 1:8; Matthew 18:17).
  3. What assurance do we have of forgiveness from God?God’s Word assures us of forgiveness, as we have seen. God has provided His Church with Confession and Absolution in the Divine Service, so that we might hear His Words of forgiveness from our pastor as from God Himself.

Who would you die for?

Before or after watching the video, ask your students “How would you answer this question?” Allow volunteers to answer. Follow up the video with these discussion questions.
  1. We call a person who dies for their faith in God a martyr. Who are some Christian martyrs? Acts 6:8–8:3 records the death of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. History tells us that most of Jesus’ disciples died for their faith. Throughout history there have been many others. [Wikipedia.org has an extensive list of Christian martyrs.]
  2. Did you notice? Some of the people in this video answered the question “Who would you die for?” But one of them answered question, “Who would be willing to die for you?” How would you answer that question?
  3. Who did die for you? Central to our Christian faith is the confession that Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, was sacrificed on the cross for our sins (Romans 5:6–8).

Is there a heaven/hell?

Before or after watching the video, ask your students “How would you answer this question?” Allow volunteers to answer. Follow up the video with these discussion questions.
  1. How did most of the people in this video think about heaven? How did they think we get there? Most of the responses emphasized Law, as if we get to heaven through our good works.
  2. Can anyone be saved, that is achieve heaven, through the Law? No, the Law condemns everyone; no one is able to keep the Law perfectly and earn salvation (Galatians 3:10–11).
  3. How does the Bible teach we get to heaven? God gives eternal life as a free gift to all who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin (John 3:16).

Weekly Devotions

Sunday, March 3, 2 Corinthians 5:17–18

Made New in Christ

When Jeremy was a young man, he didn’t obey his parents or teachers. He hung around with friends who were a bad influence on him. He was often in trouble. One night, Jeremy and his friends stole a car. As he drove faster and faster, his friends laughed and celebrated. Suddenly, there was a loud crash, and everything went black.
When Jeremy woke up in the hospital, he learned that he had hit another car. The woman driving that car would be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life. A jury sent Jeremy to jail.
In jail, Jeremy had a lot of time to think about his life. A pastor who visited the jail became his friend. Pastor Colton told him about Jesus, who came to take away our sins. Jeremy studied God’s Word and learned that Jesus died and rose again for him. He prayed, and he knew God forgave him because of Jesus.
On the day Jeremy got out of jail, Pastor Colton took him out for lunch. As they walked into the restaurant, Jeremy noticed a man in a wheelchair. This was a painful reminder that someone was in a wheelchair because of what he had done. He ran out the door in tears.
Pastor Colton followed and gently put his arms around Jeremy. “Even though God forgives you, there are still consequences for sin,” said Pastor Colton. “Seeing someone in a wheelchair may always remind you of your sin. But it can also remind you of the great things God has done for you. Each time you see a wheelchair, thank God for the victory He gave you over your sin.”
Journal: What things remind you of your sins? how can these same things make you think of God’s goodness? How does the cross remind us of both terrible and wonderful things?
Pray: Father, let the forgiveness of my sins remind me of what Jesus has done for me. Thank You for the gift of new life in Baptism. Amen.

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