8th-Back2School Birthday Bash

You might have had a birthday over the Summer....or...you might have a birthday coming up this year...either way, we're celebrating EVERYONE'S birthday during our youth group kickoff!!

15th- NCC Q1: What is our only hope in life and death?

Short answer: That we are not our own but belong, body and soul, both in life and death, to

God and to our Savior Jesus Christ.

Big Idea: Certain hope is found only in relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Bible Passage: Romans 14:7-12

Recommended Reading: 

Do Not Be True To Yourself by Kevin DeYoung

The Prodigal God by Tim Keller

Count Me In by Travis Agnew

22nd- NCC Q2 & Q3: What is God? How many Persons are there in God?

Short answer: God is the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything. He is eternal,

infinite, and unchangeable in his power and perfection, goodness and glory,

wisdom, justice, and truth. Nothing happens except through him and by his

will.  There are three persons in the one true and living God: the Father, the Son,

and the Holy Spirit. They are the same in substance, equal in power and glo-

ry.

Big Idea:  God can be fully known only through the passages of Scripture . A correct understanding of the Trinity is essential to right worship of God.

Bible Passage: Psalm 86; 2 Corinthians 13:5-14

Recommended Reading:

Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves

The Trinity: An Introduction by Scott Swain

29th- NCC Q4 & Q5: How and why did God create us? What else did God create?

Short answer: God created us male and female in his own image to know him, love him,

live with him, and glorify him. And it is right that we who were created by

God should live to his glory.  God created all things by his powerful Word, and all his creation was very

good; everything flourished under his loving rule.

Big Idea: Men and women are created by God, in His image and for His glory. God created everything--through His Son, in the power of the Spirit, and for His glory.

Bible Passage: Genesis 1:26-31; Genesis 1:1-31

Recommended Resources:

Defined by Stephen and Alex Kendrick

Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell & Sean McDowell

Sean McDowell's Video Library

3rd-NCC Q11 & Q12: What does God require in the last five commandments?

Short answer: Sixth, that we do not hurt, or hate, or be hostile to our neighbor, but be patient and peaceful, pursuing even our enemies with love. Seventh, that we abstain from sexual immorality and live purely and faithfully, whether in marriage or in single life, avoiding all impure actions, looks, words, thoughts, or desires, and whatever might lead to them. Eighth, that we do not take without permission that which belongs to someone else, nor withhold any good from someone we might benefit. Ninth, that we do not lie or deceive, but speak the truth in love. Tenth, that we are content, not envying anyone or resenting what God has given them or us.

Big Idea:  The commandments are all about loving God and loving others. God desires that His people live in a way that glorifies Him and shows His character to the world.

Bible Passage: Romans 13:8-10; Exodus 20:1-17

10th-NCC Q13-Q15: Can anyone keep the law of God perfectly? Did God create us unable to keep His law? Since no one can keep the law, what is its purpose?

Short answer: Since the fall, no mere human has been able to keep the law of God perfectly, but consistently breaks it in thought, word, and deed. No, but because of the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, all of creation is fallen; we are all born in sin and guilt, corrupt in our nature and unable to keep God’s law. That we may know the holy nature and will of God, and the sinful nature and disobedience of our hearts; and thus our need of a Savior. The law also teaches and exhorts us to live a life worthy of our Savior.

Big Idea: The law of God has been kept perfectly only by Jesus. No other human has, is, or will be able to keep God's law. God created Adam and Eve with the ability to perfectly keep His law.  Sin now prevents the law from being kept. The law serves to reveal sin, to guide, and to communicate the character of God.

Bible Passage: Romans 3:9-20; Romans 5:12-21

17th-NCC Q16 & Q17: What is sin? What is idolatry?

Short answer: Sin is rejecting or ignoring God in the world he created, rebelling against him by living without reference to him, not being or doing what he requires in his law—resulting in our death and the disintegration of all creation. Idolatry is trusting in created things rather than the Creator for our hope and happiness, significance and security.

Big Idea: Sin is rejecting or ignoring God's moral law and rebelling against Him. Idolatry is loving something in the created world more than God, the Creator.

Bible Passage: 1 John 3:4-10; Romans 1:18-25

24th-NCC Q18 & Q19: Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? Is there any way to escape punishment and be brought back into God's favor?

Short answer: No, every sin is against the sovereignty, holiness, and goodness of God, and against his righteous law, and God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them in his just judgment both in this life, and in the life to come. Yes, to satisfy his justice, God himself, out of mere mercy, reconciles us to himself and delivers us from sin and from the punishment for sin, by a Redeemer.

Big Idea: God will judge and punish all those who sin against Him. God has made provision to bring people into a right relationship with Him.

Bible Passage: Ephesians 5:5-14; Isaiah 53:10-11

5th-NCC Q22 & Q23: Why must the Redeemer be truly human?  Why must the Redeemer be truly God?

Short answer: That in human nature he might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for human sin; and also that he might sympathize with our weaknesses. That because of his divine nature his obedience and suffering would be perfect and effective; and also that he would be able to bear the righteous anger of God against sin and yet overcome death.

Big Idea: The substitute sacrificed for our redemption had to be human. Only God Himself is capable of redeeming humanity.

Bible Passage: Hebrews 2:5-18; Acts 2:22-41

12th-NCC Q24-Q26: Why was it necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to die? Does Christ's death mean all our sins can be forgiven? What else does Christ's death redeem?

Short answer: Since death is the punishment for sin, Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God. By his substitutionary atoning death, he alone redeems us from hell and gains for us forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and everlasting life. Yes, because Christ’s death on the cross fully paid the penalty for our sin, God graciously imputes Christ’s righteousness to us as if it were our own and will remember our sins no more. Christ’s death is the beginning of the redemption and renewal of every part of fallen creation, as he powerfully directs all things for his own glory and creation’s good.

Big Idea: There is no possible way for people to be reconciled to God except through the atoning death of Jesus. At the cross, Jesus achieved all that was necessary for the complete forgiveness of sins for those who turn to Him in repentance and faith. God's redemptive work in Jesus benefits His creation as well as His creatures.

Bible Passage: Colossians 1:15-23; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

19th-NCC Q27-Q29: Are all people, just as they were lost through Adam, saved through Christ? What happens after death to those not united to Christ by faith? How can we be saved?

Short answer: No, only those who are elected by God and united to Christ by faith. Nevertheless God in his mercy demonstrates common grace even to those who are not elect, by restraining the effects of sin and enabling works of culture for human well-being. At the day of judgment they will receive the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them. They will be cast out from the favorable presence of God, into hell, to be justly and grievously punished, forever. Only by faith in Jesus Christ and in his substitutionary atoning death on the cross; so even though we are guilty of having disobeyed God and are still inclined to all evil, nevertheless, God, without any merit of our own but only by pure grace, imputes to us the perfect righteousness of Christ when we repent and believe in him.

Big Idea: Only those who are united to Christ, having been elected by God before the creation of the world, will be saved. Eternal separation and punishment will be the everlasting reality for those who are not united to Christ by faith. Only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can we be saved from the punishment we rightly deserve from God.

Bible Passage: Ephesians 1:5-12; John 3:16, 36; Ephesians 2:1-10

26th-NCC Q30-Q32: What is faith in Jesus Christ? What do we believe by true faith? What do justification and sanctification mean?

Short answer: Faith in Jesus Christ is acknowledging the truth of everything that God has revealed in his Word, trusting in him, and also receiving and resting on him alone for salvation as he is offered to us in the gospel. Everything taught to us in the gospel. The Apostles’ Creed expresses what we believe in these words: We believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Justification means our declared righteousness before God, made possible by Christ’s death and resurrection for us. Sanctification means our gradual, growing righteousness, made possible by the Spirit’s work in us.

Big Idea: Faith in Jesus Christ is the belief that Jesus is the Messiah, the one promised by God and revealed in His word. Faith results in a desire to trust, obey, and worship Jesus wholeheartedly. There is one true faith that was handed down by the apostles. God justifies those whom He has chosen and sanctifies His chosen people.

Bible Passage: Galatians 2:15-21; Jude 1-4; 1 Peter 1:1-2

2nd-NCC Q38-Q41: What is prayer? With what attitude should we pray? What should we pray? What is the Lord's Prayer?

Short answer: Prayer is pouring out our hearts to God in praise, petition, confession of sin, and thanksgiving. With love, perseverance, and gratefulness; in humble submission to God’s will, knowing that, for the sake of Christ, he always hears our prayers. The whole Word of God directs and inspires us in what we should pray, including the prayer Jesus himself taught us. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, 
 your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Big Idea: Prayer is talking to God in response to His word. When we pray, our attitude matters. The prayers of God's people should develop in response to God's word. Jesus gave all believers a model of prayer when He taught His disciples the Lord's Prayer.

Bible Passage: Psalm 62; Philippians 4:4-9; Ephesians 3:14-21; Matthew 6:5-15

9th- NCC Q42: How is the word of God to be read and heard?

Short answer: With diligence, preparation, and prayer; so that we may accept it with faith, store it in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.

Big Idea: The word of God should be read and heard prayerfully and with reverence and humility.

Bible Passage: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

16th-Ultimate Pizza Party (Summer Calendar Launch)

If you experienced our Ultimate Pizza Party...you've had a TASTE of what we've been cooking up all year...we'll provide the chef's hat...you bring your apron...

23rd-NCC Q43: What are the sacraments or ordinances?

Short answer: The sacraments or ordinances given by God and instituted by Christ, namely baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are visible signs and seals that we are bound together as a community of faith by his death and resurrection. By our use of them the Holy Spirit more fully declares and seals the promises of the gospel to us.

Big Idea: The sacraments were established by God, for His church, to be a spiritual help to believers.

Bible Passage: Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 22:14-23

30th- NCC Q44 & Q45: What is baptism? Is baptism with water the washing away of sin itself?

Short answer: Baptism is the washing with water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; it signifies and seals our adoption into Christ, our cleansing from sin, and our commitment to belong to the Lord and to his church. No, only the blood of Christ and the renewal of the Holy Spirit can cleanse us from sin.

Big Idea: Baptism is an outward sign of an inward reality--cleansing from sin.  Only the blood of Jesus can save.

Bible Passage: Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 2:15-22

4th- Casi el Cinco de Mayo y El Dia de Star Wars Fiesta

Ummmmm.....Star Wars Day AND nachos??  Sign. Us. UP!!!  We wrap up the year with the most flavorful fiesta we've EVER hosted...so, the only question I have is...¿estás listo?