Bible   READ:  Matthew 4:18-20

slideshare DISCUSS:  Ask your youth about who they follow or subscribe to online. Talk to them about what sorts of things YOU follow regularly like this as well. Are there authors, musicians, or influencers that you both regularly keep track of? Who or what is it that you ‘follow’? Do we think about how we are all a follower of something? How are our ideas or perspectives shaped by what we give our attention to?

Praying Hands   PRAY:  God, let us follow you and you alone in our lives. Show us the things that we follow that are not from you.

Bible   READ:  1 John 2:3-6

slideshare DISCUSS:  It's common for many Christians to see Jesus as a savior but sometimes we struggle seeing him as an example for us to live by. Do you feel that God is working through you in your own life? If so, how would you describe it? That last verse, how does it describe how Christians should be living? Is this something that you see in yourself? Have you ever considered following Jesus in a way like this? Think through Jesus’ words and talk about how we could apply these words to our lives.

Praying Hands   PRAY:  God, help us to see you as more than a distant savior but also as a teacher and guide. Help us to better understand your word and for us to walk your path.

Bible   READ:  1 John 3:4-6

slideshare DISCUSS:  These verses use very strong words to describe sin.  As Christians, we believe that Jesus forgives our sins but what else happens according to these verses? How do you ‘practice’ moving beyond sinfulness? How does Jesus “live in” our lives? What do you think it looks like to hit the roadblocks of sin and still look to Jesus? Think back to a few weeks ago, are you the same person you were when we talked about following Jesus? Is there a chance something has shifted since then? What do you think it was?

Praying Hands   PRAY:  Jesus, continue to guide us as we grow closer to you and become more like you. We pray that we can recognize where we fall short in our lives. Forgive us for our sins and help us to not let them be the guiding force in our lives.

Bible   READ:  John 15:1-8

slideshare DISCUSS:  What does the typical rhythm of your day look like? Do you have a written or mental checklist of everything in your routine? Is there a rhythm for your week? A season? Does that rhythm include dedicated time for rest? What about dedicated time for prayer or scripture reading? It’s pretty common for people to make plans or routines when they want to accomplish something like academics or athletics. Have you ever thought about your walk with Christ as something to ‘practice’ regularly? Where can you make time in your life to be present with God and really be an apprentice?

Praying Hands   PRAY:  God, help us to order our lives so that you are more than an afterthought, but rather are the focus. Help us to make time in our schedules for you instead of treating our spiritual lives as an afterthought.