I realized a while ago that I never really fleshed out my thoughts on the final episode of season one. And I'm still not sure what to say about it that hasn't been said about previous episodes.
This is easily my favorite episode of season one. Jesus meets with the Samaritan woman at the well and begins his his public ministry. I love the promise of this episode - the sense of expectation at the end - like something BIG is about to happen.
I think the thing that hits me hardest about this episode, though, is Simon and his expectations for Jesus' ministry/mission. Simon, like most Jews in the 1st century, has been on the lookout for Messiah - the one who will come from God and release them from Rome's oppressive control.
As Jesus finishes his conversation with the woman at the well, he announces that it's time to make himself known to everyone. And Simon is ecstatic - and rightfully so! He's expecting Jesus to step up in might, to break down the political walls of oppression and change the world.
And that's where the episode ends - with Jesus and his students marching into the sunset with the song "Trouble" playing.
This is easily my favorite episode of season one. Jesus meets with the Samaritan woman at the well and begins his his public ministry. I love the promise of this episode - the sense of expectation at the end - like something BIG is about to happen.
I think the thing that hits me hardest about this episode, though, is Simon and his expectations for Jesus' ministry/mission. Simon, like most Jews in the 1st century, has been on the lookout for Messiah - the one who will come from God and release them from Rome's oppressive control.
As Jesus finishes his conversation with the woman at the well, he announces that it's time to make himself known to everyone. And Simon is ecstatic - and rightfully so! He's expecting Jesus to step up in might, to break down the political walls of oppression and change the world.
And that's where the episode ends - with Jesus and his students marching into the sunset with the song "Trouble" playing.
I feel like, as the second season unfolds, I'm going to find myself getting frustrated with Simon (mostly because I can relate to him in so many ways). I can't imagine how patient Jesus must have been with him - as he tried to make them understand what exactly his ministry was all about. Simon must've been so disappointed to discover Jesus wasn't the conquering warrior they were hoping for (at least not with this particular visit to Earth).
And I have to admit, I feel a little bit like Jesus with his disciples when it comes to teaching in youth group.
Last night, we started a new study on the book of Ephesians. We watched a 15 minute video from Tony Merida and then had some discussion questions to go through. And one question I asked stemmed from Ephesians 1: 2, "May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace."
I asked, "How does it make you feel to know you're covered by God's grace and peace."
The answers I got weren't exactly what I was expecting. I had a student talk about gifts and talents, how they were because of God's grace. And the more they talked, the more I realized they didn't have a full understanding of what God's grace was.
So, I explained how we're all sinners. I explained that because of our sin, we deserve punishment from God. We deserve to die. But, because Jesus took that punishment for us, we have forgiveness in God. That's grace - we're given a pass because someone else took the punishment for us.
And that led to a discussion on why Jesus died. I had a student say they felt bad - they felt guilty that Jesus died. They didn't have to kill him.
So I tried to get them thinking a little more. I made the comment that guilt was a good thing! That it's good we feel bad about things that are wrong because that leads us to want to do better. It leads to change.
Then I had a student ask if cussing was a sin. Which got us on a whole other discussion on whether or not Jesus cussed...and whether you can be a Christian and cuss. Ultimately I brought it back to a point made in the video - that our words and actions are an overflowing of our heart. I said that if we're following Jesus, we'll want to be more and more like Him. We'll want to do the things he'd do, say the things he'd say. I asked my group - based on what you say and what you do on a regular day, will people know your a Jesus follower? If not - something needs to change.
If Jesus is the focus of our hearts - if He's what fills our hearts - it'll show in our words and actions.
And I could sense their frustrations. They didn't necessarily like hearing that they might need to change the way they do things. They cuss - and don't necessarily see it as a bad thing. "They're just words. It's the way my family has always talked. It's just the way I express myself," they said.
So I clarified myself a little. I told them I wasn't saying that you can't be a Christian and cuss. A lot of good Christians cuss. "I'm just saying, if we're to be like Jesus... Do you think Jesus made cussing a regular part of his vocabulary?"
That's basically where we left our discussion for the night.
I could feel their lack of understanding making it hard for them...and me. Whether they understood what they were hearing and just didn't like it....or truly didn't grasp the bigger concept of grace and living a changed life in light of it...I don't know.
I do know this - sometimes I wonder if I'm really cut out for this job. I want so badly for these kids to open up, to take Scripture to heart, to make it their own. I want to see their lives reflecting their faith in real and tangible ways. And yet - I find myself constantly coming to terms with the idea that I have zero control over it. Only the Spirit can work in their hearts and bring about transformation. Only the Spirit can.
Only the Spirit can.
I just have to have faith that the Spirit WILL!
And I have to admit, I feel a little bit like Jesus with his disciples when it comes to teaching in youth group.
Last night, we started a new study on the book of Ephesians. We watched a 15 minute video from Tony Merida and then had some discussion questions to go through. And one question I asked stemmed from Ephesians 1: 2, "May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace."
I asked, "How does it make you feel to know you're covered by God's grace and peace."
The answers I got weren't exactly what I was expecting. I had a student talk about gifts and talents, how they were because of God's grace. And the more they talked, the more I realized they didn't have a full understanding of what God's grace was.
So, I explained how we're all sinners. I explained that because of our sin, we deserve punishment from God. We deserve to die. But, because Jesus took that punishment for us, we have forgiveness in God. That's grace - we're given a pass because someone else took the punishment for us.
And that led to a discussion on why Jesus died. I had a student say they felt bad - they felt guilty that Jesus died. They didn't have to kill him.
So I tried to get them thinking a little more. I made the comment that guilt was a good thing! That it's good we feel bad about things that are wrong because that leads us to want to do better. It leads to change.
Then I had a student ask if cussing was a sin. Which got us on a whole other discussion on whether or not Jesus cussed...and whether you can be a Christian and cuss. Ultimately I brought it back to a point made in the video - that our words and actions are an overflowing of our heart. I said that if we're following Jesus, we'll want to be more and more like Him. We'll want to do the things he'd do, say the things he'd say. I asked my group - based on what you say and what you do on a regular day, will people know your a Jesus follower? If not - something needs to change.
If Jesus is the focus of our hearts - if He's what fills our hearts - it'll show in our words and actions.
And I could sense their frustrations. They didn't necessarily like hearing that they might need to change the way they do things. They cuss - and don't necessarily see it as a bad thing. "They're just words. It's the way my family has always talked. It's just the way I express myself," they said.
So I clarified myself a little. I told them I wasn't saying that you can't be a Christian and cuss. A lot of good Christians cuss. "I'm just saying, if we're to be like Jesus... Do you think Jesus made cussing a regular part of his vocabulary?"
That's basically where we left our discussion for the night.
I could feel their lack of understanding making it hard for them...and me. Whether they understood what they were hearing and just didn't like it....or truly didn't grasp the bigger concept of grace and living a changed life in light of it...I don't know.
I do know this - sometimes I wonder if I'm really cut out for this job. I want so badly for these kids to open up, to take Scripture to heart, to make it their own. I want to see their lives reflecting their faith in real and tangible ways. And yet - I find myself constantly coming to terms with the idea that I have zero control over it. Only the Spirit can work in their hearts and bring about transformation. Only the Spirit can.
Only the Spirit can.
I just have to have faith that the Spirit WILL!