Want to impact the next generation? The greatest gift we can give to them is to equip them to study the Bible themselves! They have to interact with the Scripture if they are to own their faith. There is absolutely nothing in the world like watching a high school or college student say, “It’s not just my parents’ faith anymore! I am in the Bible myself to see if these things are true! This is mine, now!”” I had the joy of working with an amazing group of high school women over the spring semester and our first study was to find out the answer to the question-“WHO IS GOD FROM SCRIPTURE?”. I went through my old Campus Crusade for Christ “follow-up” materials , Grace Bible Church “Essentials” packet , and my own notes to boil all of this down to (in my opinion) a beginning framework for these young women. Here’s what we talked about!
I.Who is God from Scripture?
Psalm 139 ( Personal Skill: Mark the words “you” ,“me” and “God”-can this be a personal text?)
(V.1-6)”O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all.”
(V. 13-18) “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me when as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.
Omnipotent means that God is the all powerful Ruler of the universe, able to do anything He chooses, yet never chooses to do anything contrary to His plan or character. He is all powerful yet personal! He is just but loving!
II. Who is Jesus from Scripture?
Jesus Distinct as the Son: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His ]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.”
Jesus Part of the Trinity: Colossians 2:9 ” For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.” Philippians 2:5-8 ” Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Awesome Quote -“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God.” C.S. Lewis
III. How does this affect me?
*God is FOR you! Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” “Always lives”=present help!
*God knows you! Isaiah 43:1-3 “But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel,“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” You are His girl!
*God can handle your mess! Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Hebrews 13:5 “He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” He will help you!
Challenge Time: READ a few of these verses this week. WRITE down your prayer requests and date them . (Always super cool to SEE Him answer you!) ASK God to help you in a hard (impossible?) situation. TAPE this study with verses up on your mirror-you will look at them a ton and you will have new strength!