High School 11:00Am
The main focus for high school students was to take a long and honest look at yourself before you put down others. One of the big hurdles for non-Christians is your hypocrisy. Students pointed out how non-Christians describe your actions as Christians as judgemental and full of hypocrisy. A lot of people have critical views of others while you never see your own problems. I played a humorous parable in a film clip called Food Fight. It was shot in two days and $60 was spent on food. They spit out much of the food they used. But it was all to make the point that Jesus was trying to make to his disciples--you can be critical of others but blind to your own shortcomings.
In fact the non-Christian world often uses this passage to improperly imply that Christians are violating your own standards if you weigh in on the actions and behaviors of others. You have to make time to think what your response will be. I wanted students to wrestle with this challenge. Mike Eddington distributed situations to discuss in smaller groups. I asked it it would be wrong to "judge" the actions or behavior of the person described on it; e.g. a christian who gets drunk at a party, a parent who abandons his or her family to have an affair, a person who drugs and rapes a girl at a party, etc. Students responded along a whole spectrum of choices from hard-core judgment to calls for mercy, understanding, and sympathy.
At the close I wanted to challenge students to consider their own hearts and desires when it comes to being critical of others and when it comes to your own weaknesses. God's truth challenges us to judge rightly. You must begin with yourself first and then others. Putdowns are commonplace. You can make a difference with the Bible as your guide. My prayer is that you will have an experience to share God's truth in a real way. I wonder if you'd like to share what God is doing in your life.
Pastor D
The main focus for high school students was to take a long and honest look at yourself before you put down others. One of the big hurdles for non-Christians is your hypocrisy. Students pointed out how non-Christians describe your actions as Christians as judgemental and full of hypocrisy. A lot of people have critical views of others while you never see your own problems. I played a humorous parable in a film clip called Food Fight. It was shot in two days and $60 was spent on food. They spit out much of the food they used. But it was all to make the point that Jesus was trying to make to his disciples--you can be critical of others but blind to your own shortcomings.
In fact the non-Christian world often uses this passage to improperly imply that Christians are violating your own standards if you weigh in on the actions and behaviors of others. You have to make time to think what your response will be. I wanted students to wrestle with this challenge. Mike Eddington distributed situations to discuss in smaller groups. I asked it it would be wrong to "judge" the actions or behavior of the person described on it; e.g. a christian who gets drunk at a party, a parent who abandons his or her family to have an affair, a person who drugs and rapes a girl at a party, etc. Students responded along a whole spectrum of choices from hard-core judgment to calls for mercy, understanding, and sympathy.
At the close I wanted to challenge students to consider their own hearts and desires when it comes to being critical of others and when it comes to your own weaknesses. God's truth challenges us to judge rightly. You must begin with yourself first and then others. Putdowns are commonplace. You can make a difference with the Bible as your guide. My prayer is that you will have an experience to share God's truth in a real way. I wonder if you'd like to share what God is doing in your life.
Pastor D
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