Two Trees

We had an awesome service last night at Cultivate. We played Fishing for Worms & Word Up!

This week has been an amazingly fruitful time. We have had several students make first time decisions for Christ and we look forward to plugging them in!

Sermon Notes: Two Trees-Matt 7:15-20

Have you ever heard of a Lukewarm Christian? In Revelation 3, God calls out a church. He says they're lukewarm. They aren't hot; they aren't cold. Have you ever tried to drink lukewarm water? Doesn't it taste nasty? Hot water has a purpose. It's good for something. Cold water has a purpose. It's good for something. But lukewarm water is a waste. God goes on to say that he will spit out the lukewarm water. This carries the idea of gagging or vomiting. Imagine God saying, "You make me want to throw up!" Jesus doesn't want your idle religion. He wants your all or nothing.

In James Chapter 2, we read...

"Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?" The Message

Have you ever met someone who claims to know Jesus, but they don't act like it? You can't say you met Jesus but nothing change about your life. When you meet Jesus, everything changes. You won't be perfect. You will still make mistakes. But if you meet Jesus, you will slowly become more like Him. Ask yourself the following questions:

1.) Have I met Jesus?

2.) Has anything about my life changed?

3.) Are there areas that need improvement?

Matthew 7:15-20

"Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned." The Message

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus you will recognize them by their fruits." English Standard Version

We will encounter people who try to give your shortcuts to God. "Call now and donate $29.99 and you'll receive God's blessings!" Or people will tell you there are many different ways to get to heaven when Jesus said there was only one way. God says watch out for those people. Those people are easy to spot sometimes. How do you recognize a poser? Ask them questions and observe their reactions. Jesus tells us that our actions will match our beliefs. He then goes on to describe a healthy tree and an unhealthy tree. A good tree produces a good fruit and a bad tree produces a bad fruit. Ask yourself the following questions:

1.)What kind of tree am I?

2.)What kind of fruit am I producing?

3.)Do my actions match my beliefs?

We now have video of sermon content. Please check out Part 1 & Part 2 of Wednesday night's lesson.

-Daniel your friendly neighborhood youth pastor

The Narrow Road

We had an excellent service at Cultivate. Thanks to all the students who came out! We played the Oreo Challenge. You can check out some live footage on the our YouTube page. Greg Sumner shaved his head in honor of our high attendance and students made a few prank calls to friends!

Sermon Notes

Series: Red Letters

Passage: Matt 7:12-14

Title: The Narrow Road

There are very few times that you can separate the bulk of humanity into two categories. In this passage, Jesus offers the world two options. Two paths. You can only choose one. We see that which road we choose places us in one of two categories. There are no other options. Jesus did not give us the option of straddling the fence or playing in the median. We must choose one or the other.

In verse 12, Jesus reminds us of the Golden Rule. In Matt 22:34-40, a man ask Jesus what the greatest command was. Jesus gave two great points. 1) Love God with all you've got 2) Love people with all you've got. The second point flows out of the first. You will not love people if you do not love God. God is love and is therefore decides how that love will be practically displayed.

Jesus also reminds us that we should treat people the way we would like to be treated. We tend to want to dismiss this command because it sounds like something our mothers would say. We can't ignore this truth. Do you enjoy being made fun of? Do you enjoy feeling like the outcast? If we are honest, we have all felt like the outcast at some point. Jesus makes this statement because he wants to correct this great problem that we all face. The student sitting alone at lunch needs love. The student who walks into the youth room for the first time needs love.

In verses 13-14, Jesus tells us of two paths. The broad path that leads to destruction and the narrow path that leads to life. Is it not strange that people don't choose to get off the path that leads to destruction? Here are some questions that we asked about each path....

The Broad Path That Leads to Destruction

Why do people choose the broad path?

1.) They don't see the coming destruction

People are blind to the fact that they is an eternal judgement. Some are blind to the fact that they need God. Some are blind to the fact that they are sinners who cannot save themselves. How can we help? We can humbly and lovingly share the truth of God's word with them. We can invite them to a church service to hear about God's love. We can invite them to experience Christian community.

2.)It's easy.

It's easy to do what everyone else is doing. If most of your friends are on the broad path, which path are you most likely to choose? It's easy to get drunk, have premarital sex, and do what the world is doing. A real challenge is going against the flow.

The Narrow Path Leads to Life

1.) Why is the gate narrow?

Not many will walk this path. It's not because the path is hidden or because the path is limited to only a few. Anyone can choose to walk this path. There is a teaching known as Universalism that teaches that everyone will go to heaven. You have celebrities like Oprah telling the world that everyone is on an individual path that leads to God. She will tell you that all religions are the same. I agree. All religions are the same. All religions require you to work your way to God by deed and morality. The Gospel is nothing like religion. In religion, you have man trying to gain favor with God. It's as if God is on top of a mountain and you must create a path and climb up to the top in order to meet God. In Christianity, God comes down the mountain and gets us. There are not many paths that lead to God, only Jesus. In John 14:6, Jesus makes it clear that he's the only path.

2.)Why is the path hard?

It calls you to step out from among the masses. The call to salvation is literally a call to die to self. You have to repent and place your faith in someone other than yourself. You have to place your faith in someone you can't see. It is a call to come and die. But it is a better path.

3.)Why will few find it?

They are blind to their need of a savior because they bought into a lie and because living as the world is easy. Few will find it because they reject it.

4.)How do I know if I've found it?

Go back to the Great Commandment. Do you love God with all of your heart, mind, and soul? Have you repented and placed your faith in Jesus. He is the only path that leads to life.

It is a narrow road, but it's wide enough for all.

-Daniel the friendly neighborhood youth pastor

watching- Alice Cooper's testimony

Room at the Table

Last Wednesday we had our costume party and started the evening off by celebrating Martin Luther and the Reformation. Martin Luther is one of my favorite heroes of the faith. His boldness and dedication to God's word changed the world forever. He also set a great example for believers. Martin Luther did not have sex until he got married. Martin Luther didn't get married until he was over 40. Teenagers find that strange.

When had many students test their creativity with costumes. We had characters ranging from the Geico Caveman to Jack Sparrow. I tried my hand at dressing up like Sheriff Woody.

We were caught off guard. There are days that feel like few students will show up. It felt like one of those days. And then they started coming and coming. A quick count of the room revealed a new attendance record.......101. Congratulations to all the students who worked to hit their goal of 100. I commend those who made the commitment to invite their friends week after week. I'm encouraged by your actions.

Love Our World- Light During a Time of Darkness (Halloween)

In 1 Thes 5:5, we're told that we are the children of the light and not of the darkness. That tells us that we don't have to be afraid of the darkness anymore. We are given the commission to shine our light into the darkest regions of the our home, schools, world, and even our churches. We have many visitors who attend our services on a weekly basis. Many of these students don't look like your typical church kid. Our youth groups draws a large variety of students: the jocks, the preps, the goths, emo kids, geeks, nerds, band kids, the country bumpkins. We have a little of everything. It would be very easy for these groups to ignore one another. That would not be a good example of light. By God's grace, we can love the things that are different form us. We are given this huge task of loving others. Why? Because God loves. God, in his mercy and kindness, can even love us. The creatures who are broken, messed up, depraved, and even enemies with him. What if Jesus would have said, "Clean yourself up, stop all sin, live the perfect life, and then try to find a way to me." The beauty of the gospel is that Jesus meets us right where we are. We are told to come as we are. You don't get cleaned up to take a bathe. God loves you right where you are, but he loves you far too much to leave you there. If meet Jesus, we will be changed. We must create an atmosphere that allows people to meet Jesus, just as they are. We must give them the opportunity be changed, not change them in hopes to creating an opportunity. We accomplish this by shining our light into the darkness. We accomplish this through love. Real love that loves the things that it hurts to love.

I love the Great Commission. I love as the risen Jesus fires up his rocket pack and starts to ride into the atmosphere (maybe he didn't have a jet pack :)) that he reminds his followers of their task. Remember, this comes after Jesus had performed miracles, healed the sick, gave life to the dead, rubbed mud and spit in a dudes eyes and magically he regained his vision (gross!), went to a cruel cross, was placed in a borrowed tomb, and then got up 3 days later. If you hadn't made up your mind before this point as to whether or not Jesus was God, I think it might sway your decision. If I see a guy raise from the dead, I want to be on his team. Even after all this, we see in Matthew 28:17 that as all the people gathered around the triumphant Jesus, some still doubted. There is room at the table even for those who doubt. Our church must be an open table. Before you label me a Universalist, I believe that only those who trust in Jesus have eternal rescue. I'm not saying everyone gets to spend eternity with Jesus. While that sounds cute, we see in Matthew 7 that the road is narrow that leads to life and few find it. But even this narrow road is paved with love. We will never win anyone to Christ by treating them as if they are worthless, as if we were somehow better than them. It is easy to hate and fear the things that are different than you. Try love instead.

Current Listening- Hillsong United- Tear Down The Walls

Current Reading- 11 Innovations in the Local Church by Stetzer, Towns, Bird

- Daniel the friendly, neighborhood youth pastor