symc devotionals
DESCRIPTION
Devotionals for the Simply Youth Ministry ConferenceTRANSCRIPT
SYMCPreconferenceDevotion#1:
HeartConditionByKevinMahaffy,Jr.
(AdaptedfromTheCompleteNewTestamentResourceforYouthWorkers)
InMark4:1‐20,Jesustoldastorythatwe’reprobablyallfamiliarwith:
AgainJesusbegantoteachbythelake.Thecrowdthatgatheredaroundhimwassolargethathegotintoaboatandsatinitoutonthelake,whileallthepeoplewerealongtheshoreatthewater’sedge.Hetaughtthemmanythingsbyparables,andinhisteachingsaid:‘Listen!Afarmerwentouttosowhisseed.Ashewasscatteringtheseed,somefellalongthepath,andthebirdscameandateitup.Somefellonrockyplaces,whereitdidnothavemuchsoil.Itsprangupquickly,becausethesoilwasshallow.Butwhenthesuncameup,theplantswerescorched,andtheywitheredbecausetheyhadnoroot.Otherseedfellamongthorns,whichgrewupandchokedtheplants,sothattheydidnotbeargrain.Stillotherseedfellongoodsoil.Itcameup,grewandproducedacrop,somemultiplyingthirty,somesixty,someahundredtimes.’ThenJesussaid,‘Whoeverhasearstohear,letthemhear’Whenhewasalone,theTwelveandtheothersaroundhimaskedhimabouttheparables.Hetoldthem,‘ThesecretofthekingdomofGodhasbeengiventoyou.Buttothoseontheoutsideeverythingissaidinparablessothat,‘theymaybeeverseeingbutneverperceiving,andeverhearingbutneverunderstanding;otherwisetheymightturnandbeforgiven!’ThenJesussaidtothem,‘Don’tyouunderstandthisparable?Howthenwillyouunderstandanyparable?Thefarmersowstheword.Somepeoplearelikeseedalongthepath,wherethewordissown.Assoonastheyhearit,Satancomesandtakesawaythewordthatwassowninthem.Others,likeseedsownonrockyplaces,hearthewordandatoncereceiveitwithjoy.Butsincetheyhavenoroot,theylastonlyashorttime.Whentroubleorpersecutioncomesbecauseoftheword,theyquicklyfallaway.Stillothers,likeseedsownamongthorns,heartheword;buttheworriesofthislife,thedeceitfulnessofwealthandthedesiresforotherthingscomeinandchoketheword,makingitunfruitful.Others,likeseedsownongoodsoil,heartheword,acceptit,andproduceacrop—somethirty,somesixty,someahundredtimeswhatwassown.’
o Howhaveyouseenthetruthofthisparablesurfaceinyourownlife?
o Howwouldyou“translate”thisparablesothata4‐year‐oldcouldunderstandit?
o WhydoesJesustellthedisciplesthatiftheyhavetroubleunderstandingthisparable,they’llhavetroubleunderstandingeveryparable?(vs.13)
Devotion:“HeartCondition”continued…Ofcourse,thepointJesusismakingisthatwhilethemessage(seed)isthesame,theconditionofourheart(thesoil)determinesourresponsetoGod’sWord.Inotherwords,theeffectofthemessagedependsonthestatusofthehearer.Jesusdescribesfourdifferenttypesofsoilwhichrepresentfourdifferentheartconditions.
Surface—Thisisthepathalongwhichtheseedfell.Becausetheseeddidnottakeroot,itwasquicklysnatchedupbythebirds.Shallow—Thisistherockyplacesuponwhichtheseedfell.Becausethegroundwasrocky,theseedwasnotabletoputrootsdowndeepenoughtosustainlife.Strangled—Thisisthornypatchuponwhichtheseedfell.Theseedwasabletotakeroot,butbecauseitwascrowdedbythornsandthistles,itwasunabletoproducefruitorreachitspotential.Successful—Thisisthegoodsoiluponwhichtheseedfell.Becausethegroundwasfertile,theseedwasabletoputdowndeeproots;itwasabletospringtolife;anditwasabletoproduceanabundanceoffruit.
o InwhatwayshasSatanattemptedtostealtheseedoftheWordofGodbeforeithasachance
totakerootinyourlife?
o WhatkindsofthingscauseustorespondtoGod’sWordinashallowway?
o WhatkindsofthingschoketheWordofGod,andholdusbackfromreachingourpotentialinChrist?
o WhatkindsofthingscausetheseedofGod’sWordtoreallygrowinourlives?
o IfJesusweretotakeasampleofthesoilofyourhearttoday,whatwouldHefind?
o What’sonethingyou’vedone,oraredoing,tocreateafertileenvironmentinyourheartforGod’sWord?
Asyou’reheadingtowardyourtimeatSYMC,rememberthatthefruitthatcomesaboutasaresultofwhatisimpartedtoyouiscontingentuponyourlevelof
expectancyandopenness.Taketimeprayaboutwhatyou’vebeenthinkingaboutinthisdevotion.
SYMCPreconferenceDevotion#2:
JesusIsByKevinMahaffy,Jr.
(AdaptedfromTheCompleteNewTestamentResourceforYouthWorkers)
Haveyoueverjourneyedthroughahardseasonoflifeandfeltlikeyouwereallalone?Haveyoueverneededtotalktosomeoneaboutsomethingbutthoughtthatnoonecouldpossiblyunderstandwhatyouweregoingthrough?Oh,whoarewekidding?We’reyouthworkers,we’veallbeentherebefore!We’veallfeltthoselonely,frustrating,hopelessfeelings.
Wheneverwe’regoingthroughsomethingdifficult,andweneedsomeadvice,somehelp,orsomedirection,moreoftenthannotwewanttotalkwithsomeonewhohasbeenthroughwhatwearegoingthrough.Why?Becausewewanttohearfrompeoplewhoknowwhatthey’retalkingabout.Lotsofpeoplewithgoodintentionsmayhavethingstosay,butunlessthey’vebeenthroughwhatwe’regoingthrough,they’rereallyjustguessing.Whatwereallywantistohearfromthevoiceofexperience—fromsomeonewhohaswalkedinourshoes,feltwhatwearefeeling,andreallyknowswhattosayorhowtorespond.
Hebrews2:18,speakingofJesus,says:
“Becausehehimselfsufferedwhenhewastempted,heisabletohelpthosewhoarebeingtempted.”
HowcanJesuspossiblyknowallthatyouandIgothrough?Hecan’tpossiblyknowwhatit’sliketoleavethecomfortofHisownbedandthecompanionshipofhisamazingfamilytospendasleepless,prank‐filledweekendwithjuniorhighkids!Thereisnowayhecanunderstandtheintensetemptationtostrangleakidyou’vebentoverbackwardtohelpgotocampwhenyoufindhimsmokingpotbehindthecabin.Yet,theauthorofHebrewsgoesontosay,“Forwedonothaveahighpriestwhoisunabletoempathizewithourweaknesses,butwehaveonewhohasbeentemptedineveryway,justasweare—yethedidnotsin”(Hebrew4:15).
Theincredibletruthis,whilethespecificsofourtrialsmayvary,Jesusunderstandsandcanhelpusthrougheverythingwefacebecausehehasfundamentallybeenthrougheverythingwegothrough—Heknowshowtoshowusthewaythroughthechallengesweface.HeknowsbecauseHechosetogetoffofHisthroneinheavenandcometoearth.Hechosetobecomeahumanbeingjustlikeyouandme.I’malwaysinaweofthefactthatHedidn’tjustcomedownasamatureadultreadytohandleeverythingthatwasthrownHisway.Hecameandwasbornasababyinthehumblest,mostinconspicuousplaceimaginable—inastable,inabedofstraw.TheBibletellsusthatJesusgothungry,thirsty,angry,andemotional.Hewepthardandoftenfeltlonely—theseareallofthethingsthatmakeushuman.Jesus,aswesay,hasbeenthereanddonethat!
Notonlythat,butJesusdidn’tchoosetocometoearthandnotdealwithourproblems.Heenteredrightintothemessinessofourworld.
Devotion:“JesusIs”continued…
InTheMessageversionofJohn1:14reads:“TheWordbecamefleshandblood,andmovedintotheneighborhood.”
Jesusenteredintothehurt,thepain,thehostility,theinjustice,thecrime,thedeath…everything!Philippians2:5‐11tellsusthatJesusidentifiedwithusallthewaytodeath.Frombirthtodeath,Jesuslivedthefullyhumanexperience.JesusevenchosetoexposeHimselftothetemptationsthatweface.ThemostfamousaccountofJesusbeingtemptedisfoundinMatthew4:1‐11,whereSatancomestoJesusinthewildernessandtemptsHimfor40daysand40nights.Butmakenomistakeaboutit!ThatwasnottheonlyperiodinHislifethatJesuswastempted.Hewastemptedonadailybasiswithmanythings—bothgoodandbad—whichwouldderailHimfromthemissionHewason.InorderforJesustobefullyhuman,HehadtoexposeHimselftothesamethingsthatweallfaceonadailybasis;otherwiseitwouldnotbeaccuratetosaythatHefullyidentifiedwithus.Heknowswhatitistobetempted,justasyouandIaretempted.YetHewaswithoutsin.ItisbecauseofHisfullyhumanexperiencethat“Heisabletohelpthosewhoarebeingtempted.”Jesus—Godintheflesh—cametoearth,livedaperfectlife,overcamesinanddeath,andwasraisedtolifeinvictory.TodayHehasreturnedtoHisFatherinheavenwheretheBibletellsusHeisintercedingforyouandme(Hebrews7:25).Thatis,HestandingbeforeGodtheFatheronourbehalf,rightnow,advocatingforus,offeringushelpasweseektowalkinthevictorythatHehasalreadywon.
Takeaminuteandrespondtothefollowingreflectionquestions.Ifyou’recomingtoSYMCasagroup,considerdoingthisasindividualsandthensharingtogetherasagroup.
o What’ssomethingyou’regoingthroughinthisseasonofyourlifethatmakesyoufeelaloneorneedy?
o NowconsidertherealitythatJesuscanfullyidentifywithyouinthissituation.Whatmakesithard,oreasy,tobelievethistruth?Explain.
o NowgobacktothesituationyouwroteaboutaboveandwriteaboutwhoJesusistoyouinthatsituation.Example:I’mdealingwithaphysicalsickness.Write:JesusisHealer.
o AfteryouhaveproclaimedJesus’presenceinthatarea,prayyourproblembacktoGodandthankHimforprovidingtheanswerinJesus.
AtSYMCwe’reprayingforyou!YoucanpostspecificprayerrequestsbyvisitingourFacebookpage,andevenrequest
someoneonourprayerteamtocontactyouifyou’dlike.Andifyou’recomingtotheconferenceandfeelingalone,check
outtheConnectGroupswhenyougethere!There’saConnectGroupOpenHouseonFridayfrom4:30‐6:00pmintheConversationLounge!Andifyou’reneedingone‐on‐onesupport,counselingorcoaching,visittheShelteratSYMC—
it’sasafeplacethatyoucangotogetthehelporencouragementyouneed.
SYMCPreconferenceDevotion#3:
Hopes&DesiresByKevinMahaffy,Jr.
(AdaptedfromTheCompleteNewTestamentResourceforYouthWorkers)
AbriefsurveyofJesus’liferevealsthathewasconstantlysurroundedbypeopleinneed.TheycametoHimbecausewordonthestreetwasthatHehadthepowertohealandsetpeoplefreefromthingsthatweretroublingthem.TheycametoHimhopingandexpectingthatHemightbehealer,deliverer,Saviortothem.Amongtheinstanceswereadaboutinthegospelsonethingthatispresentmoreoftenthannotisanexpressionofthatneedbythepersondesiringatouch.
ConsiderthestoryofBartimaeusinMark10:46‐52:ThentheycametoJericho.AsJesusandhisdisciples,togetherwithalargecrowd,wereleavingthecity,ablindman,Bartimaeus(whichmeans“sonofTimaeus”),wassittingbytheroadsidebegging.WhenheheardthatitwasJesusofNazareth,hebegantoshout,“Jesus,SonofDavid,havemercyonme!”Manyrebukedhimandtoldhimtobequiet,butheshoutedallthemore,“SonofDavid,havemercyonme!”Jesusstoppedandsaid,“Callhim.”Sotheycalledtotheblindman,“Cheerup!Onyourfeet!He’scallingyou.”Throwinghiscloakaside,hejumpedtohisfeetandcametoJesus.“Whatdoyouwantmetodoforyou?”Jesusaskedhim.Theblindmansaid,“Rabbi,Iwanttosee.”“Go,”saidJesus,“yourfaithhashealedyou.”ImmediatelyhereceivedhissightandfollowedJesusalongtheroad.
Muchcouldbesaidaboutthisstory,butjustconsiderthisonepoint:BartimaeusisablindbeggarwhomakesanembarrassingscenetothepointthatJesusstopshisfinaljourneytoJerusalemandcallsforhimtobebroughttoover.Itwouldn’ttakearocketscientisttofigureoutthathecouldnotsee.YetJesus,thisverysmartman,askedhimwhatHewanted.WhywouldJesusdothat?Intruth,JesusalreadyknewwhatBartimaeuswanted.Ifhewasn’tseekinginformation,whydidheaskhimthissillyquestion?JesusaskedbecausehewantedBartimaeustoarticulatehisneedandexpresshisfaith.Throughhissimpleanswer—“Iwanttosee”—BartimaeusrevealedthathebelievedwhoJesuswasandthatHehadthepowertohealhim.ThatwasallthatJesuswaslookingfor—thatsimpletrust.
Weseethisoverandoveragainthroughoutthegospels...JesusaskingpeoplewhattheywantHimtodo.DidJesusknowwhattheyneeded?Absolutely.Buthewantsustoverbalizeourneedasanexpressionoffaith.
Devotion“HopesandDesires”continued…
Someofyoumighthavesignedupfortheconferencewithsomeveryspecificgoalsinmind.Othersofyoumightjustbecomingwithcompleteopennessandnorealagenda.Formostofus,we’reprobablysomewhereinbetween.
TheheartbeatofSYMCisour5CoreValues:Relationships,Jesus‐Centered‐ness,Innovation,In‐DepthLearning,andAuthenticity.Takesometimetothinkthrougheachoftheseareasusingthequestionsbelowsothatyoucancomewithabitoffocus.Don’tworry,it’snotacheck‐list.WejustwanttogiveyouachancetoexpressyourhearttoGodandcomewithanattitudeofexpectancy.
o Relational:Writearelationalgoalfortheconference:(Examples:Iwanttomeetsomeonefrommyareaandhaveaconversationwiththemoverlunch.Or,Iwanttofindarookieyouthworkertoencourage.Or,IwanttomeetwithaveteranyouthworkerandaskthemforsomeinputondealingwithatoughsituationI’min.)
o Jesus‐Centered:Wherehaveyougottenoff‐trackorlostfocusasafollowerofJesus?InwhatareadoesHeneedtoregainleadershipinyourlife?HowdoyouplantomaketimeatSYMCfortheOnewhomattersmost?
o Innovation:What’soneareaofyourministrywhereyouseemtobedoingsomethingwithoutpurposeor“justbecausethat’sthewaywe’vealwaysdoneit”?Wheredoyoufeelstuck?
o In‐DepthLearning:Asyouexplorethetrainingtopics,considerfocusingongoingdeeperwithatrackorhalf‐track,andseekingideasforapplicationinsteadofthefire‐hoseblastofinfo.Listoneortwokeyareasofyourministryorleadershipthatyouneedtofocuson.
o Authenticity:What’soneareaofpainorstrugglethatyouneedtoopenupaboutandsharewithsomeone?Whocanyoutalktoaboutit,andwhenwillyoudoit?(Note:Ifyouneedsomeonetotalktoattheconference,pleasevisitTheShelter—asafeplaceforyouthworkerstofindrefuge.)
o Writeanyothergoals/hopes/desiresfortheSimplyYouthMinistryConference:
LetushelpyoustayorganizedandmakethemostofyourtimeatSYMC!Inthefinalfewdaysbeforeyouleavepleasecheck
youremailforimportantdetailsandlogisticswe’llbeupdating!Also—planyourwholeconferenceschedulein
advancewiththeonlineschedulingtool(visityouthministry.com/symc)andaccessitfromyoursmartphone!