We believe to have a lasting impact and reach this next generation is to see the light of the church be combined with the heart of the family. We desire to continually grow as a ministry in our partnership with parents. There is great power in a parent who raises up a child spiritually, and we want you to know you don’t have to do it alone. The Parent Cue is one way to come alongside your teen in what they are learning.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Series: BODY ARMOR (Jan. 5th - Feb. 8th)


In the same way, someone would not go into battle without equipment or play football without a helmet and pads, Christians must put on the armor God has given us to withstand evil temptations that come our way. Over the course of six weeks, this series will explain and apply each article in the armor of God—as described by Paul in Ephesians 6:10-18.

Week 1: The Belt of Truth | Ephesians 6:14a; John 8:31-36 (1/5/17)

In a world filled with a lot of wrong ideas about who or what will save you, having the truth of Jesus will set you free. When you know the truth that Jesus is the only one who can save and change you, the other approaches the world offers (be a nice a person, make your own god, etc.) start to look ridiculous. We know that in order to get healthy and lose weight, we have to eat right and exercise. We cannot simply close our eyes while we eat chocolate cake, expecting the calories to disappear. You cannot just eat foods that start with the letter “H” (for healthy) or eat cake in the shape of a banana. There is only one way. A belt in ancient times did not exist to hold your pants up. A soldier would belt up his skirt so he could easily run and fight without tripping on it. The belt allowed you to be ready for action. The truth about Jesus makes you ready for action. Putting on a belt in ancient times was like putting your hair in a ponytail before the soccer game or rolling up your sleeves before a fight. All of us are tempted to create “truths” about life that will make us comfortable. For example, some people believe “the only way I can deal with my anger is to let it all out and explode around the people I love.” We will remain trapped in our lies until we know the truth of Jesus.

Week 2: The Breastplate of Righteousness| Ephesians 6:14 (1/11/17)

We will be protected from making bad decisions by trusting in God’s righteousness, and working towards living a righteous life ourselves. Have you ever touched a hot stove even after someone told you not to? Have you ever been bit by a dog because you were trying to play with it after someone already warned you? You would have been protected from that pain if you had trusted the person warning you. If you live your life by always asking, “What does the Bible say about that?” before making a decision, you will know God’s will in your life. “What does the Bible say about how I treat my parents?” “What does the Bible say about how I should act around people who don’t go to church?” The more you do this, the more it will become natural for you to do the right thing. Practice makes perfect. Living a righteous life is not just about protecting ourselves, though. Living a righteous life allows us to worship God through our actions, and help others know him better.

Week 3: The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace | Ephesians 6:15 (1/18/17)

What Jesus did on the cross for us is a message of good news that will change the rest of our lives. Jesus’ resurrection is not simply an event we celebrate at Easter. It should be a mindset we celebrate every single day of the year. When we sing worship songs, we are singing because we are grateful that Jesus saved our lives. The gospel acts as “shoes” in the armor of God because it motivates us to go into the world to tell others about Jesus. He saved our lives and he can do the same for everyone at your school, so why not tell them about him? The Bible talks about a “cup of wrath” (Jeremiah 25:15-17, Matthew 20:22) that Jesus drank in our place But Jesus comes and drinks the cup for us.

Week 4: The Shield of Faith | Ephesians 6:16; Hebrews 11:4-7 (1/25/17)

You cannot genuinely follow God without putting your trust in him and his promises.
There are two definitions of “believe” that Christians get confused. It is not enough to believe that God exists. You must also believe in God, that is, trust Him. Do you trust God? If God asked you to do something, would you trust that it was a good thing to do? All of the pieces of the armor of God are connected. Knowing that God is righteous will help you trust Him more. You only have to trust someone when it is something you do not already know. No one has to tell you “2+2=4…Trust me.” Trusting God means walking into the unknown, still confident that God is going to take care of it. The enemy will try to destroy your faith by causing you to trust your own self, rather than God.

Week 5: The Helmet of Salvation | Ephesians 6:17a; 2:8-9 (2/1/17)

Salvation is offered to us, not because of anything we did to deserve it, but as a gift because of God’s love for us. Jesus is better than Santa Claus because Santa only gives gifts to those he thinks are good enough, but Jesus gives the gift of salvation to anyone and everyone. You do not have to be good enough to receive it because you cannot be good enough.

Week 6: The Sword of the Spirit | Ephesians 6:17b; Hebrews 4:12 (2/8/17)

Big Idea of the Message: Making the Word of God a part of our daily routine will cut away the aspects of our lives that keep us from becoming more like Christ. The word of God is your only offensive weapon against the enemy. This is how you fight back against the temptation and troubles in your life.