CELL NOTES 19/11/07

ICE BREAKER

When did you leave home to be on your own for the first time? How did you get on?

THEME

The Kingdom of God for the Under 25’s

SERMON SUMMARY

Ben’s message fell into three parts.

1) We looked at a series of common logos – as a reminder of the way we (and especially young people) are under immense pressure to wear the same things, buy the same goods, have the same image as everybody else.

2) The Kingdom of God works on a different basis from the world. Entering the kingdom is to be in a place where we have a freedom to go God’s way, and not be squeezed by the values around, many of which are very unhelpful.

3) In coming into a Christian community there are three aspects

            BELONG

            BELIEVE

            BEHAVE

Many young people (and indeed adults) need to belong first, so that they can then come to believe, which will then impact behaviour. This is particularly true where people may have had a broken experience of family life. Past expectations may have started with the belief, moved to behaviour, with sense of belonging coming at the end.

QUESTIONS OF APPLICATION

1) Read the passage. How would you explain v 17 to a non-Christian friend? Can you illustrate it form your own experience?

2) What does it mean to you to be in the kingdom of God? How does that affect your attitude to leisure, Christmas, fashion and shopping?

3) How does the kingdom seem present to you, and in what ways, “Not yet”?

4) What has been your experience of “Belonging, believing, behaving? Which order have they  come in?