Sunday Class Followup - 4/30/17

Grades 9-12 | Buried Treasure
We’ve now finished the third of four lessons that dig deep into how Jesus described himself in Scripture, in our series called “In His Own Words.” We’re discovering the ways Jesus “framed” who he is—his purpose, motivation, and intentions.
In this third lesson, we slowed down to chew on two very short parables Jesus told—the pearl of great price and the treasure buried in the field—that Jesus uses to describe himself. The idea behind each of these parables is simple: Once you understand what an incredibly valuable treasure Jesus is, it’s a no-brainer to give everything you have to gain him.
This week, I encourage you to spend a few minutes talking with your teenager about our lesson. Here are a few questions to consider asking:

• What’s the most valuable thing you own, and what makes it valuable to you?
• In some countries it’s illegal to follow and worship Jesus publicly—if you lived in such a country, but the government said you could buy a “license” to follow Jesus publicly, what would you be willing to pay for it, if anything? Explain.
• What aspects of who Jesus is make him a “treasure”?

Grades 6-8 | Understanding God’s Greatest Gift
We’ve launched a new series focusing on the topic of forgiveness. Each week, teenagers are examining Scripture to discover truths about God’s forgiving character.
In this first lesson, we explored Luke 7:36-50, when Jesus was anointed by “a certain immoral woman.” Forgiveness is one of the greatest habits we can practice, and a true lifestyle of forgiveness is only possible after we’ve allowed Jesus to forgive our sins. We owe a debt that cannot be paid—our sin separates us from God, and there’s a penalty that must be paid for that sin. Fortunately, God loved us so much that he provided a way for that debt to be paid—through Jesus.
This week, I encourage you to spend a few minutes talking with your teenager about our lesson. Consider fueling your conversation with these questions:

• Why do we sometimes think some sins are worse than others?
• Why are “sinners” drawn to Jesus—and why is he drawn to “sinners”?
• How is your life different because of Jesus’ forgiveness?

​Thanks for all your prayers for our teenagers and our ministry. Have an amazing week!