Youth News and Family Devotional for May 18-24, 2015

Attention Parents!  Note our first two items below have time sensitive information:

Mission Trip: Any students that want to attend our mission trip to Fort Worth, TX this June 14-18 need to sign up by this Wednesday, May 20.  The cost per student is $120.  The deadline has moved up because we have to turn in our information to Fortress Youth Development Center this week.

Camp Meribah, July 4-9 – League Street’s Church Camp applications are out for all students currently in grades 3-12.  Many families have asked about multiple student pricing.  If you are sending multiple campers, the first camper will cost $120, every camper after that will cost $100 each.  Adult workers will pay $50 each to offset costs for the week of camp. 

Urban Legends – We meet every Wednesday night at 6:30 PM for an exploration of urban legends and how they affect our relationship with God.

Prayer Breakfast - Thursday at 7:00 AM in the church fellowship hall. The Santillian family is providing breakfast this week.

Drive - The Youth Ministry is in a series on Sunday morning focusing on God’s mission for the world and our place in it.  There will be family devotional sheets available every week that build off of the Sunday lesson.  These lessons will be available in both paper format and on this blog (see below).  Take advantage of these family devotional times with your child(ren.)

Monday Night Bible Study has taken a break for the summer effective May 18.  Watch this space for more information about other Bible studies this summer!

This blog is intended to help communicate to you what the youth ministry at League Street Church of Christ in Sulphur Springs, TX has planned.  This blog will be updated weekly and will be advertised through email and our Facebook group.  You may come to this blog at any time to get information on upcoming events for the youth ministry.

Drive: The Mission of God in the World 

Lesson 5, Family Devotional 

“Practice makes perfect.” We’ve all heard this phrase. We’ve all been told that it takes practice to improve and get better at whatever endeavor we are seeking to accomplish.  But the truth of the matter is that it takes more than practice to become the best at what you are attempting. It also takes some sacrifice. In all that we do, the more we are willing to sacrifice, the better we will become. 

If you are to become a better musician, you may need to sacrifice social time with friends. To achieve athletic excellence, you may need to sacrifice your freedom to eat whatever you wish in order to remain physically fit. In all this sacrifice, there is great gain! 

As followers of Christ, we are called to join Him in His mission of sacrifice. Following Christ comes with great cost, yet it is no greater a cost than what He Himself paid. As in all sacrifice, when we pay the cost of following Christ, we will experience great gain and reward. Take a few minutes to read John 12:23–33. 

In this passage, Jesus was just five days away from laying down His very life as the ultimate sacrifice. There were many who wanted to come see Him because word had spread throughout the region of all His marvelous and miraculous deeds. What He had to share came as a shock to those listening. Jesus not only sacrificed many of life’s pleasures and comforts while He ministered on earth, but He was willing to sacrifice His very life. If we are to live on mission as Christ did, we too will be asked to sacrifice. We must remember that the results of our sacrifice make it all worth it. The good thing is that when we pay the great cost associated with following Christ, God is honored and others are drawn to Him. 

CONNECTION QUESTIONS 

1. Parents, what are some of the sacrifices that you have made to get where you are today? Were they easy? What gain has come from your sacrifices? 

2. Students, what are some of the sacrifices that you have had to make in life? Were they easy? Were they worth it? 

3. We must always consider the costs of something before we commit to it. Have you fully committed your life to the mission of Christ? What are some of the costs that you may have to pay? Think in terms of relationships, finances, time, and talents. Are you willing to pay? 

4. Consider the following statements. Which one best describes where you’re at in terms of following Christ? a) I am willing to go anywhere and do anything for Christ. He is my top priority in life. b) I want be the kind of follower that Christ is calling me to be, but I have some big questions. 

5. Think of the benefits of following Christ. What benefit would you expect to see in your life? What would you expect to see in the lives of those around you?