Summit Student Ministries

Following Jesus. The biblical definition of "following" and the expectation that Jesus had when he commanded people to "follow" him has a different definition than what is seen today. To "follow" someone now is so shallow. Click subscribe, click like, scroll through their page, watch their lives through the obscurity and privacy of your own device in the comfort of your own home. You can follow someone in secret without any requirement of your own will, without any requirement of disturbing your own way of living. You can follow someone for a while, and then stop following when you lose interest. You can follow someone until they offend you or disturb you or hurt you and then you can un-follow and just like that you're done. You can follow anything, anyone, for any reason, for any purpose without any work on your end. You get to sit by and watch without any effort without any motivation without any desire to actively participate. You are able to fol...

Verses:  Deuteronomy 10:12 Psalm 33:8 Ecclesiastes 8:13 Ecclesiastes 12:13 Isaiah 33:6 Acts 9:31 1 Peter 2:17 Revelation 14:7 SMALL GROUP: 1. Pick three or four verses to read as a group from the list above. 2. In scripture it says we are to Fear God. How is that possible, if God is a god of love? 3. What do you think the Bible really means when it comes to "fearing God?" 4. Discuss thoughts/ideas/questions/comments from the video.  5. Why does God want us to fear Him? 6. On the whiteboard, write down words to define the "fear" that God is talking about. Show and tell with the large group! 7. Prayer

Repeated Phrase: It is better to give than to receive. Is it better to give than to receive? What are the pros and the cons of giving in comparison to receiving? GIVING Pros: You feel better, it probably makes other people happy, Cons: You may have to let go of something you rightfully deserve; you may not even enjoy or like the person that you are giving something to; you may not feel that person deserves what you are giving them; the cost of giving can be an issue. RECEIVING Pros: someone thought of you and decided to bless you with an item; you feel cared for; you may get something that you need and were unable to get yourself; it makes you smile Cons: you might receive something you didn't want; you might feel pressure to keep the item that someone gave you even if you dislike it and there might be weird family pressure to put on a show of false gratitude because of family guilt. Jesus asks us to give up our lives for Him. When we give up our lives for Him, He will ...

Everything Give thanks for everything. Jesus tells us in Scripture to give thanks in all circumstances. This means we are called to give thanks for EVERYTHING. I am going to offend you. Right now. Right here. As soon as you read on. The following words will offend you. Yes. We give thanks when we pass a test. Yes. We give thanks when we find $5 in our pocket. Yes. We give thanks when someone gives us free food. Yes. We give thanks when our teacher annoys us. Yes. We give thanks when our co-worker tells a lie about us to our manager. Yes. We give thanks when we break our leg. Yes. We give thanks when our parents never understand us or let us be ourselves. Yes. We give thanks when we get dumped. Yes. We give thanks when someone we love is sick. Yes. We give thanks when someone we know passes away. Why would He ask us to give thanks for things that do not make sense? Is He in touch with reality? How in the world can He ask us to give thanks? What does giving thanks d...

Every/Neuron/Obediently/Understands/God's/Heart 1 John 2:22-27 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist - denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you will also remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us - eternal life. (VERSE 22) Who are some people in the Bible that denied Jesus? (VERSE 23) Have you ever publicly denied Jesus? (VERSE 24) What does it mean to remain in the Son and the Father?  (VERSE 25) When does eternal life start? Has anyone ever lied about you to someone else? Have you ever felt ignored or denied from your friends or family? When was that and how'd you feel? Prayer requests.

(18) My dear children, these are the last days. You have heard that the enemy of Christ is coming, and now many enemies of Christ are already here. This is how we know that these are the last days. (19) These enemies of Christ were in our fellowship, but they left us. They never really belonged to us; if they had been a part of us, they would have stayed with us. But they left, and this shows that none of them really belonged to us. (20) You have the gift that the Holy One gave you, so you all know the truth. (21) I do not write to you because you do not know the truth because you do know the truth. And you know that no lie comes from the truth. VERSE 18 Christ has many enemies. What are some enemies in your own life? VERSE 19 Have you ever had anyone leave you? What does rejection cause inside of your heart/mind/life/perception? VERSE 20 What is the gift that the Holy One gave you? VERSE 21 What is the truth regarding God's heart for you? How can you practice rejec...

Children to Fathers to Young Men. The verses are repeated. The tense goes from present progressive to present tense. Progressive // this shows action, currently moving and advancing in real time, this signifies a process. Present // this show a known fact that is true absolutely in the moment. CHILDREN // Unknown Identity John is speaking to the basic fundamentals of identity: forgiven sins, and knowledge of their Father. FATHERS // Need Reminding of Identity John is reminding the fathers who they already know and what they already know to be true regarding God. YOUNG MEN // Establishing Identity John is calling forth the quality inside each of these young men that it takes to become established in their identity in the Lord. They already know the basics: forgiveness of sins, character of God. Now they get a chance to flex their spiritual muscles and become strong in the Lord, which requires them to overcome the enemy. Activity (VERSES 12-14): Draw a Mountain. Place e...