Teen Studies

Today we are having the sword-tagging group over and as I'm getting a study ready for it I realized I did not post the last two studies we did! Here for now are those two, and later tonight I will post the one from today.

This first one is from June 30th of this year:

Read Hebrews 2:1-4

The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who were converts to the faith during a time of intense persecution. From the text, it appears that there were some who thought it might be easier to return to the Jewish faith rather than remain Christians (comment on the irony of this). So the author of this letter, some think Paul, is providing exhortation and even chastisement for these people. We know, of course, that ulimately the Author is God.

So keeping this thought in mind, let us quickly discuss what has come in the 1st chapter of this letter:
1) God speaks to His people in diff. ways
2) The Son is higher than all created creatures, indeed, the Son is the express image of the Father, and is called by God by the Psalmist (herein we see the teaching of the Triunity of God).
3) The Son is He through and for whom all things have been made.

We see also that He is worshipped by the angles themselves! Notice Hebrews 1:14 "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" Who is that? The elect of God, all those who are saved by the blood of Christ!

So all these verses focus on what?
On Christ!

He is the object of chapter 1...it is to His awesomeness that the author is pointing. Why do you think this is? (discuss how if Christ if whom He says He is then why go elsewhere?)

Having learned all this, we can look again at the 4 verses in chapter 2.

"Therefore..."

because of all that has been discussed!

"we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard"

pay close attention to because it is worth paying attention!

"lest we drift away"

What does this mean?

the KJV renders this as "to let them slip" and this is a correct reading of the Greek, which is the word pararrhueo, which literally means to flow by.

So unless we pay careful attention to the Word of God, we stand in danger of letting it slip away, of drifting away from that which is true!

How does this work out in the life of a Believer? (discuss lack of Bible reading, lack of church attendance, lack of a consistent prayer life)

But the warning is much stricter here too...

Note verses 2-3
What do these refer to?

The Word of God, the gospel of our salvation, came to us from Christ Himself! He IS the living Word! Not only this, verse 4 tells us that the miracles of the day, the wonders and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, were done as testimony to these truths!

And guess what? Every sin, every transgression of the law will be justly punished by God! All those who live their lives apart from Christ will stand under condemnation. So the warning is here. We have all heard the gospel...the question is how will we respond to it. Human accountability and responsibility stand here exposed to the call of the gospel.

One final thing...Note that verse 4 says all the miracles and signs were done as testament, but according to the will of God. It is never for us to test God by demanding a miracle in exchange for faith. He grants miracles and gifts and healings according to His own will, nothing else.

Read and briefly discuss Hebrews 11:32-40, then close in prayer..

This next study is from July 7th:

Acts 15
The Law & Grace

Read Acts 15:1-5

What's going on here?

There were those men who were saying in order to be saved you must be circumcised right? That, in essence, you had to become a Jew! Here we have the gospel coming to the Gentiles and immediately there are those who would add something to the Gospel. Note that in Romans 10:9 we read that "if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

But these men from Judea were adding to this...and adding what is not in the Scripture! In Jude 3 we are told to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." So obviously there are various biblical doctrines to which a true Believer will hold, but in this passage we are seeing true Christians (the brethren) being unfairly judged and held to a false standard by other Christians.

Note that Paul and Barnabas both rightly engage in probably very heated discussion with these men...and so it was decided that the church should hold a council and decide this matter.

Read Acts 15:6-29

We see that the elders and apostles rule in favor of what? Freedom in Christ!

Note verse 10)
Strict adherence and obedience to the law was something impossible to do! The Law itself could save nobody because not one person except the Lord Jesus could actually keep it! And so the Jerusalem council decreed that circumcision was NOT necessary in order to be saved.

What does this mean for us?

If we are no longer bound by the law does this mean we can do anything we want? Of course NOT! (discuss the heresy of antinomianism)

Look with me at Acts 16:1-5

What in the world is going on here?

Paul had Timothy circumcised!

Why?

For the sake of the gospel, but NOT for the sake of salvation (discuss)

Read 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

How do these verses relate to what we've been looking at in the book of Acts?

(Discuss)

Realize this brothers:
Whatever the Bible tells us to do, we must do
Whatever the Bible tells us not to do, we must not do

Aside from this, we are free in Christ to do as we feel right, keeping in mind always to be loving towards those among us who are weaker. But we dare not add to the Scripture and become legalists when the Bible has remained silent on the issue.

Remember that the faith has been delivered once and for all. We have our Scriptures, let us live lives of obedience without adding to the perfect revelation of what God has given us!

Close in prayer