Hi Parents!
When we're teenagers, a lot of things are decided for us. But no one else can answer for us the question, "Who do you say Jesus is?" Early on we're taught about God and Jesus and we learn from others who Jesus is. But the beauty of growing as a Christian is that we begin to know the Lord more intimately through Bible study, prayer, worship, and our own personal experience. For example, we learn that Jesus loves us because someone tells us or we read it in Scripture. But we believe that Jesus loves us by having faith that he died for us and by seeing his love at work in our lives. Over time, our knowledge and experience will grow, but we can see the power of Christ at work in us no matter what our age. Knowing Jesus begins with faith and develops as our relationship with him deepens. With so much decided for us, we get to decide how to answer this most important question: "Who do I say Jesus is?"
How will you answer? How will your child answer? When Jesus asked his disciples , "Who do you say I am?" their answers revealed the deepest conviction of their hearts. "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God," Peter answered. Jesus asks each of his disciples the same question and is the same question he asks each of us:
Ask your child...
Who do you say Jesus is?
Challenge your child...
Have your child make a list of who Jesus is to them. (Friend, promise keeper, the one who holds my hand...). As their experience with Christ grows, keep adding to the list.
Prayer...
Dear Lord, speak to us through our confusion, and help us to understand more deeply who you are. Reach through our doubt and insecurity so that we can hear and remember who you say we are. Amen.
When we're teenagers, a lot of things are decided for us. But no one else can answer for us the question, "Who do you say Jesus is?" Early on we're taught about God and Jesus and we learn from others who Jesus is. But the beauty of growing as a Christian is that we begin to know the Lord more intimately through Bible study, prayer, worship, and our own personal experience. For example, we learn that Jesus loves us because someone tells us or we read it in Scripture. But we believe that Jesus loves us by having faith that he died for us and by seeing his love at work in our lives. Over time, our knowledge and experience will grow, but we can see the power of Christ at work in us no matter what our age. Knowing Jesus begins with faith and develops as our relationship with him deepens. With so much decided for us, we get to decide how to answer this most important question: "Who do I say Jesus is?"
How will you answer? How will your child answer? When Jesus asked his disciples , "Who do you say I am?" their answers revealed the deepest conviction of their hearts. "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God," Peter answered. Jesus asks each of his disciples the same question and is the same question he asks each of us:
- When you are ridiculed, belittled, or don't fit in, we can ask, "Jesus, who do you say I am?"
- When we are discouraged with ourselves and our circumstances, we can ask, "Jesus, who do you say I am?"
- When we struggle with shame or mistakes that have gone public, we can ask "Jesus, who do you say I am?"
Ask your child...
Who do you say Jesus is?
Challenge your child...
Have your child make a list of who Jesus is to them. (Friend, promise keeper, the one who holds my hand...). As their experience with Christ grows, keep adding to the list.
Prayer...
Dear Lord, speak to us through our confusion, and help us to understand more deeply who you are. Reach through our doubt and insecurity so that we can hear and remember who you say we are. Amen.
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