Inward Prayer

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

1. If Jesus called disciples like a typical Rabbi, do you think you would make the cut?
2. If Jesus’ call on your life is to not simply know him, but be his apprentice (mathatis)… how does that change how you would follow him?
3. If following Jesus, helps you to learn the “unforced rhythms of grace,” living a life that is “free and light”… does this describe your walk with Jesus? If so why? If not why?
4. Have you accepted the invitation to follow Jesus? If so, have you taken the step to be baptized? (Being like Jesus, who was baptized)
5. Who in your life models this well? How can you spend more time with that person?
6. What would Beulah Youth look like if every single person lived with the character,
   heart, and love of Jesus? Personally, how would your life look different?

Outward Prayer

ABOUT US SERIES
WEEK 2
JESUS

 

WHAT’S THE POINT?

We are about JESUS!

Being part of the Beulah Youth family means that we take following Jesus seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

Being about Jesus means that we recognize everyone is on a faith journey and we want to help students grow in a deeper relationship with Jesus as we follow the teachings and ways of Jesus.

Following Jesus doesn’t simply mean knowing about him or doing things now and again to please him. Being a follower of Jesus literally means apprenticing under Jesus. Living lives where Jesus is in the driver’s seat. And our everyday lives start to look radically different.

WORD UP

Main Scripture

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Supporting Scripture

Matthew 11:28-30
28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 4:19
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Context of Scripture

Every Rabbi/teacher in Jesus day would have two common things:

1. They would have a yoke

2. They would have disciples

A yoke was the way in which Rabbis would interpret the scriptures and live it out. It basically was their interpretation of what it meant to be human. Disciples would have been highly educated, skilled, promising young men who had completed a number of years of school, testing and interviews. Disciples in Jesus day would be called “Mathatis” [math-ah-taze]. Mathatis can be translated best in our culture as an apprentice.

So when Jesus says, “Come follow me” or come be my disciple… He is really saying, “come be my apprentice.”

And to be an apprentice of a Rabbi like Jesus meant you basically had to re-orientate your life around three key principles:

1. Be with Jesus
2. Do what Jesus would do
3. Become like Jesus

So being an apprentice of Jesus would literally mean, eating when he ate, going where he went, listening constantly to him, being with him 24/7 so that you could become like him! But what is amazing about Jesus’ model as we discover in the gospels is that he calls people who are not “highly educated, skilled, promising young men”… but rather fishermen, tax collectors, down-and-outs, and women.

WAKE UP

1. Share an example in your life where you tried to be like somebody, was it a sibling a friend, the popular person in your class? What did you do and how did it turn out for you?

2. When did you make the decision to follow Jesus and how did that look different to anything else you have followed?

WHY DO I CARE?

We are a church youth ministry. We are not the basketball team, the YMCA after school club, or another religious youth group. We are Beulah Youth. Our number one priority is being about Jesus. Helping students grow in a deep relationship with Jesus where they know him personally, with their heart, mind and soul.

If you choose to be a part of Beulah Youth, know that we will make no apologies for being Jesus people. That is a huge part of who we are. And not simply knowing about Jesus but following him. We will cultivate a lifestyle where we follow the ways of Jesus being his apprentices, living out the love and purposes of God.

You should care because this is what you are signing up for. You are saying yes to your life being transformed by Jesus and to become like him in all you do.

Beulah Youth is about JESUS!

WHAT DO I DO?

 

1. Say yes to being Jesus apprentice
2. Follow the ways of Jesus every single day (live in the way he did)
3. Read the gospels more to understand how Jesus lived
4. Surround yourself with people who look a lot like Jesus
5. Be Jesus to those who don’t know him yet