THE RUNDOWN
Weekly Information for CBC YOUTH MINISTRY (Houston, Texas)
Week of March 31-April 7
- Preparing for Easter
- CBC YOUTH MINISTRY Recommends // Podcasts
Preparing for Easter
What is Palm Sunday? Jesus rides into Jerusalem thus beginning the last week leading up to his death and resurrection. It's ironic that the crowd that welcomes Jesus home with cheers of victory and salvation will the ones cheering for his death in a matter of a week.
(For a full account of the events of this day, see Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, John 12:9–19.)
How does CBC YOUTH prepare for Palm Sunday? There's a lot you can do with Palm Sunday and the week leading up to Easter. I think where I would have us focus is on this question of: "Is Jesus the King?" When the people saw Jesus come into Jerusalem their expectations of Jesus was that he would come as their savior of oppression, savior of poverty, and savior of identity...not in an eternal sense but more of a temporary fix. Jesus becomes someone who fixes the situation so that people can move on from where they are at. Jesus doesn't do that obviously. Jesus never apologizes for being the King and he never hides his demands as King. What about us? What about our youth group? Who is Jesus for us? This is always the question isn't it? Because we can say "yes, Jesus is King" all day long but if our lives don't reflect that...then something is off.
When you read the passages covering the week you'll see how people will respond to this question. For some will quickly reject Christ because he doesn't give them what they want. They are not willing to give up their comforts, their relationships, their lifestyles, their status in order to submit themselves to this so-called King. Others are skeptical whether this King will come through. They want to keep their options open just in case he fails the test (like dying). Others will unapologetically give up everything they have - their money, their reputation, their health in order to follow this King. They trusted that this King was the promised Messiah and that his kingdom is far beyond that of government and power, but it was an eternal kingdom that went far beyond this lifetime.
So where is our youth group? How would your DG answer this question? How would our youth parents answer this? Do we truly believe this Jesus from a no-named city, born to peasants, really be the Son of God? Is He really from God? Does he really have the power to save us from sickness, from death, and from sin? And if he is truly THE King...what does it mean for our lives?
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1. Pray for your DG as we approach one of the most significant time periods in the Christian church calendar.
2. Talk and think through this question with your DG, parents, and mentees. What does it mean that Jesus is King? Is he King in your life...is he really though?
3. Read through the Passion Week narrative and see how people encountered Jesus.
CBC YOUTH RECOMMENDS // PODCASTS
2. The Briefing with Albert Mohler
3. Doctrine & Devotion
4. 15 Minutes with Frank
5. Ask Pastor John
6. Breakaway Ministries
7. Youth Culture Matters
8. Knowing Faith
9. Passion City Church DC
10. The Austin Stone
11. White Horse Inn
12. The Village Church