Welcome to this week’s online lesson, the 52nd youth session you can check out on our website. Catch up with previous weeks here.
We’ll kick off this week with an older Francesca Battistelli song, “Unusual.”
Please continue to keep Pastor Paul and his family in prayer as they navigate a new chapter in their lives. The same for Pat and Candy Mitchell and so many others who have lost a significant loved one in the past six months or so. Also with Candy, she had her gallbladder removed on Wednesday and they are keeping her in the hospital overnight for observation.
Please remember Jim Mulaney as he continues to handle his cancer situation. Julianna (knee) and Hunter (hand) continue to recover from significant injuries. Alexa has some tests coming up with her kidneys.
Our yard sale is coming next Saturday. Please pray for this unique community ministry and other opportunities for our youth group to minister to the region.
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One of the newer songs from Leanna Crawford is “Uncool.” Check it out here:
We spoke recently about ways to make an impact in our community with other young people, and to have heart for both the bullied and the bullies — but are we willing to set ourselves apart enough to risk being considered “uncool” or “weird?”
There were a number of people in the Bible who were set apart, mocked, jeered and even threatened for their faith. One story comes from Numbers 14:1-9 (NIV), involving Joshua and Caleb and how they were viewed by a group of angry, frightened people on the verge of God’s promised land:
That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
How did Caleb and Joshua’s perspective of the situation cause them to stand out?
They were focused on trusting and honoring God in the next steps of this situation while everyone else was afraid and uncertain. Because of their view, they stood out to the greater group, and we learn in verse 10 how the people viewed Caleb and Joshua for being different:
But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites.
What was so different about these two individuals that set them apart from the others? We learn in verse 24:
But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.
Another example of someone from the Bible who came across as “weird” to the masses for his faith in God and the unique behaviors that he exhibited was John the Baptist. Consider the mental picture of John the Baptist from this description in Matthew 3:1-4 (NIV):
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
He definitely comes across as some sort of hippie … living out in the wilderness in a camel’s hair robe tied off with a leather belt and consuming just locusts and honey. His job was to pave the way for Jesus’ entrance into the world, to tell others of Jesus, and a lot of what he was saying probably seemed — at the time to the people around him who didn’t have the bigger picture — like some sort of lunatic.
And yet, John the Baptist is later rewarded for his devotion to Jesus, getting to baptize the Son of God in the Jordan River … although the persecution didn’t subside. Ultimately, John the Baptist was beheaded by King Herod.
Thankfully, we don’t face the same sort of persecution for our faith, but that doesn’t mean the scornful comments from our peers doesn’t hurt. What does setting ourselves apart for God look like in our present culture? Check out this scene from the movie “To Save a Life” where a young man breaks off from the popular crowd, including his longtime girlfriend, to instead pursue a relationship with God. He recommends his youth group has lunch together in quad, and in the scene, we can see some of the nasty looks and jeers from those who look down on this.
The Bible provides some additional insight into what a life set apart for God — despite the negativity of culture around us — should look like.
From Romans 12:12 (NIV):
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Matthew 5:10-16 (NIV):
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Our goal then is to be conformed into the image of Christ, as outlined in Romans 8:29 (NIV):
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
A number of years ago, the music group DC Talk created a song that talked about this topic, including making a reference to John the Baptist. Michael Tait left DC Talk to join the Newsboys, and the Newsboys did a cover of “Jesus Freak.” Ironically, one of the definitions for the word “freak” by the Merriam-Webster dictionary states: “An ardent enthusiast.” I would personally not have any problem referring to myself as an ardent enthusiast for Jesus.
