Welcome junior youth group! THIS IS YOUR BLOG!!! We had an awesome first meeting last week. Here's a recap of what we discussed.
Philippians 2:19-30 - 19I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. 21For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.22But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon. 25But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.27Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, 30because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.
Paul was a mentor to Timothy. He loved him like a father loves his own son and he taught and encouraged Timothy in the ways of the Lord. In return, Timothy went out from Paul and taught and loved others. Epaphroditus was also one of Paul's good friends and someone Paul mentored.
All of us have people in our lives who have mentored us, taught us. They are the people we go to for wisdom and advice when we face a problem we're not sure how to solve. They are the people who teach us what God's Word says about things in our lives. We talked about who those people are for each of us personally.
In the same way, we each need to be a Paul, a Timothy, and an Epaphroditus to others God has put in our lives. We need to encourage them, give them godly wisdom and counsel when they come to us for advice, walk beside them in what they are going through, love them, and teach them. We talked about those people God has placed in our lives that we can mentor in these ways, such as friends and younger siblings.
Then we looked at the flip side of this coin.
2 Timothy 4:10 - 10for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
Paul helps us see that Demas was one of the seeds Jesus spoke of in Luke 8:14, who fell among the thorns and then the weeds of worries, riches, and pleasures grew up and choked their passion for the Lord.
Luke 8:14 - 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
We talked about those things in our lives that can choke out our passion for Christ and keep us from maturing..."stuff", hobbies, habits, and even friends.
TPCC Youth Group
