Series: "The Truth About God" - Week 1 - The Cop Around the Corner
Series Big Idea: Too many times we try to create God in our own image. We allow our own misconceptions about God to separate us from Him. In this series we will expose common false images that students often have of God, and give them the true picture of who God really is through Jesus Christ.
This Week's Key Scriptures: John 8:2-11
This Week's Key Thought: God is not a cop around the corner.
Understandable Message: This week we kicked off our new series by shreding the misconcepton that God is just a cop around the corner. Sometimes students believe that God is just lurking in the shadows of their lives looking to catch them. We looked at the account in John 8 when the woman who was caught in adultry was brought to Jesus. In this passage, the men took it upon themselves to have a "steak-out" at this woman's house so they would catch her in her sin. They assumed this is the way God was. They illustrate the reality that we will become like what we percieve God to be. They thought God was a cop around the corner, so they took it upon themselves to catch this woman in her sin.
We see the truth about God and his grace through the response of Jesus to this woman who had been caught in her sin. He did not agree with their undercover operation. Did he say that she did nothing wrong? Absolutely not! He acknowledged her sin and admonished her to stop. However, he was not riding shotgun with the self-appointed holiness five-o looking to stone her in her sin. God is not hiding out in the shadows around the corner looking to catch us in our sin. Rather, God is standing in the open where we can see him. He is standing between us and the full weight and consequence of our sins and destructive choices. He is fully able to uphold the law in every way, however, hehe still seeks to make a way for us to be fully free and forgiven of all charges. He has a rap sheet on us that could condemn us for life, and he has every right to do so. However, he chooses to offer us new life through His forgiveness. What is there not to love about a God like this?
Creative Elements: We had a fun video that we used to introduce this series. We also themed our student chapel to match our series video & graphic title. We had shreadded pictures that represented our different misconceptions about God covering the back of the platform. Also, to go with our subject in the classes, we played the theme to COPS "Bad Boys" when students were coming in and leaving the student chapel to go to their classes. Our classes also used this funny video to introduce the topic of the night (http://sermonspice.com/product/20855/obeying-the-law)
Songs: Glory, Everything I Need (Kutless), There is Nothing Like
Next Week: "The Truth About God" Part 2
Hey Brandon-
You mention in the information above that you have classes. what are they and what do they consist of?
thanks
Linda
Posted by: linda | September 21, 2011 at 03:47 PM