Fusion Youth Ministry

Seeking Truth: Devotions To Transform How We THINK // FEEL // ACT

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Due to the fact that I can't control the weather (it'd be pretty cool if I could though!), and Mother Nature clearly has other plans for this Friday, the Fusion Outdoor Game and Bonfire Night has to be rescheduled for a different evening. I'll watch for a night without the chance of severe storms sometime after VBS - stay tuned.

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Listening to capture the flag rules. #seriousbusiness #flooded #listentobetheveryone @hendersonbeth (at Plymouth First United Methodist Church- Plymouth, Michigan)

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Today is your last chance to read through the book of Matthew before our Flooded event tonight at PFUMC from 7-9 pm! If you haven't been following the daily reading plan, NO BIG DEAL. Just take some time today to read through Matthew's account of Jesus's time on Earth. And don't forget about our After Hours event from 9-10 pm. It'll be the prefect evening to make s'mores by a bonfire. 🔥🍢 (Not sure what this is, but it kind of looks like s'mores in totally the wrong order!) (at Plymouth First United Methodist Church- Plymouth, Michigan)

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Flooded meets at PFUMC this Wednesday from 7-9 pm. We'll be celebrating everyone who read through Matthew these past few weeks, and gearing up for the book of Mark. If you're just getting started on the reading challenge, please come! Bring $3 for dinner, all your friends, and your fun-filled spirit! From 9-10 pm, there will be a special after hours event for those who want to stay. We'll have a bonfire, s'mores, and outdoor games at the back of the church. See you there! (at Plymouth First United Methodist Church- Plymouth, Michigan)

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Thank you PFUMC! #generoushearts #jesusislove (at Plymouth First United Methodist Church- Plymouth, Michigan)

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Who wants to have a light saber battle? Join us in the Core at 9 am for summer Sunday school every week. We'll have popcorn, action, and enlightened discussion! #theforceisstrongwiththisone #starwarstheforceawakens (at Plymouth First United Methodist Church- Plymouth, Michigan)

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Yeah ya were! You guys rock! 👊🏼😘 #lovethosefusionyouth (at Plymouth First United Methodist Church- Plymouth, Michigan)

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Graduation Sunday! We ❤️ you! #somuchawesome (at Plymouth First United Methodist Church- Plymouth, Michigan)

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A roomful of youth for the Flooded kick-off last night! Zeke taught us about phylacteries (hint: they are not glands 😂) from Matthew and we started our reading plan. You can stay accountable to the readings by searching "Flooded Gospel Reading Challenge!" on Facebook and joining the group. Grab a friend to join with you! We'll also have discussion/thinking questions and we welcome comments and questions. The reading for today is Matthew chapters 2 and 3. (at Friendship Church Canton)

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March 26, 2016 Day 40 Challenge: Saturday of Holy Week You made it to the last day of Lent. While Saturday of Holy Week is not a day for celebration, know that you have worked hard and sacrificed. Take time to reflect on your motivation for these sacrifices: were they to grow in your relationship with God, to make your heart more Christ-like, or were they to help you appear a certain way to others? Remember what Jesus says in Luke 12:34 - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." In other words, your heart will match whatever you value. If you love God and desire a deeper connection with Him, this will be reflected in the condition of your heart. If you value attention, status, and outward appearance, your heart may look different to God. Use Saturday as a day to focus on the sacrifice made by Jesus for you, and where you are in terms of growing more like Him. When you've finished with your personal introspection, read through the devotion below to learn more. Jesus Joins the Righteous (Written by Dr. Gary M. Burge) Readings: Psalm 22 Friday afternoon, Jesus “died and was buried.” He remained in His tomb in Jerusalem from Friday afternoon until Sunday morning. However, during this time, Jesus was not idle. He entered into the realm of the dead and joined the righteous who were “resting” in a place of “shadows” awaiting their resurrection. Jesus’ disciples and His family no doubt mourned tremendously because few believed His promise of resurrection. They thought this was the end, and they grieved deeply. Few of us have the skills we need for public grieving. In Jesus’ day, grieving was loud, messy, and emotional. People wore clothes signaling their grief; some might wear ashes on their head or tear their garments, and at times they might simply sit in silence. On the cross, Jesus recited Psalm 22 (a grave psalm) —and sadly, we do not read it all the way through. It begins: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” It ends 31 verses later with praise and confidence in God. Christians also have long-standing traditions around grieving. Many Christians sing one of our greatest hymns: “O Sacred Head Now Wounded.” It is our grave song for Jesus and for centuries, it has been in use on this day before Easter. Many Christians wear black. Many refrain from shopping and working, and many spend the evening quietly at home without turning on music or TV. This day cannot be an ordinary one. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11 ESV) Meditate on the words to “O Sacred Head Now Wounded.” Let them fill you with gratitude. The hymn, now 900 years old, has many verses and came into prominence when J.S. Bach wrote a melody for it in the 1700s. Since then it has been in continuous use. Hear Fernando Ortega sing it and follow the words below. We will use three verses. (1) O sacred Head, now wounded, With grief and shame weighed down, Now scornfully surrounded With thorns, Thine only crown; How pale Thou art with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn! How doth Thy visage languish, which once was bright as morn! (2) What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, ‘Twas all for sinners' gain; Mine, mine was the transgression, But Thine the deadly pain. Lo, here I fall, my Savior! 'Tis I deserve Thy place; Look on me with Thy favor, Vouchsafe to me Thy grace. (3) What language shall I borrow To thank Thee, dearest friend, For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end? O make me Thine forever, And should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never Outlive my love for Thee.

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March 25, 2016 Day 39: Friday of Holy Week For me, today represents the darkness that we often encounter in life during times of crisis or distress. We feel low and often can't see how it can get better, much like the disciples felt this day. However, we're lucky enough to know that the light is coming, if we remain patient. Keep going. Fight through it. The darkness will not win this battle. The Final Moment By Dr. Gary M. Burge Readings: Mark 14:32–15:47 Today Christians throughout the world remember Jesus’ death. Jesus was arrested late Thursday night, remained in custody until Friday morning, and then on Friday afternoon, after His trial, He was crucified. Before sundown, He was removed from the cross and buried in the tomb of a man named Joseph of Arimathea. Christ followers remembered well what happened while Jesus was on the cross since there were many eyewitnesses that day. Jesus spoke numerous words and each has been studied carefully. Perhaps the most famous words are those reported by Luke: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34 ESV). This is a fulfillment of His frequent teaching: “I say to you, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’” (Matthew 5:44 ESV). On the cross, He forgave and loved even those who were hostile to Him. We know as Christians, we should love our enemies as Jesus did. But there is more here. Not infrequently, we know we are often disgruntled disciples, angry with God because of something that has happened and we wonder if these attitudes separate us from Jesus’ love. Jesus forgave those who crucified him. He does the same for us. The shock of Jesus’ arrest and death begins our season of grief in Holy Week. In some parts of the world, Christians wear black on Good Friday as a private, personal reminder. These are our grief clothes for Jesus.

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March 24, 2016 Day 38: Thursday of Holy Week Easter is almost here, and with it comes the end of Holy Week. These last few days before the resurrection are filled with love, confusion, pain, and suffering for Jesus and His disciples. Amidst all of this, though, one thing remained clear for Jesus: that He was to sacrifice Himself so that we may be free of sin. Read the devotion below, written by Dr. Gary M. Burge, to learn more about this. In the Upper Room Readings: Mark 14:12–31 John 13:1–20 Today Christians throughout the world gather to tell the story of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet and the story of His final meal—the Lord’s Supper—in a private room in Jerusalem. Some ancient churches begin a worship service this night and remain in worship continually until Easter Sunday morning. The Jewish Passover Feast was set to begin at sundown, so throughout this day, Jews went to the Temple to ceremonially sacrifice a lamb for the Passover meal that night. Because the meal had to be eaten by dusk within Jerusalem’s walls, Jesus had prepared a room where He and His disciples would meet and celebrate together. His final meal, eaten this night, is one of His best-known activities. We call it the Lord’s Supper. This same evening, Jesus dressed as a slave and washed the feet of His disciples, and they found His action shocking. Foot washing was a common practice—however it was one that was always done by a servant. By His action, Jesus clearly demonstrated a model of how His followers are to live: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14 ESV). For Jesus, lowly service—service beyond what anyone might expect—is another hallmark of what it means to be His follower. In this deed, Jesus literally “made them clean” but He also saw this as a convenient symbol. They would be completely “cleansed” by His death on the cross where their sins would be forgiven. Remarkably, we are to join Jesus in this work. “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:15 NIV). How can I imitate Jesus’ service to others?

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March 23, 2016 Day 37: Wednesday of Holy Week How might Jesus have spent the Wednesday before His death? Read the devotion below, written by Dr. Gary M. Burge, to find out. The Essence of Faithfulness Readings: Mark 12:28–34 Matthew 25:31–46 During this week, Jesus taught for hours inside the Temple. He was both confrontational (with the Temple leaders) and compassionate (with the crowds). His desire was to show average people what it meant to love God. When a teacher asked Him what was most important, He recited the ancient creed of Israel from Deuteronomy 6:5 that we should love God exhaustively. But then He included his own addition from Leviticus 19:18 that we should love our neighbor with equal strength. The teacher agreed: This is worth more than all the sacrifices made at the Temple. And Jesus complimented him. The next night Jesus would say the same thing to His closest disciples: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34 NIV). For Jesus, how we love is as important as the faith we hold. We often think that what God wants is complicated. It isn’t. God asks us for our undivided devotion, but he also asks us to love richly those who are around us. This includes our families, our colleagues, our friends. In Jesus’ mind, this must have been the hallmark of a faithful person. How can I love as Jesus loved?

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March 22, 2016 Day 36: Tuesday of Holy Week Continue with your sacrifice from yesterday. When it gets difficult, spend time in prayer asking God for strength and discipline. Read the devotional below to better understand what Jesus's Tuesday may have looked like during Holy Week. (Devotional written by Dr. Gary M. Burge) Friends in Bethany Readings: Mark 14:1–9 John 12:1–8 The remarkable thing about this little village just over the hill from Jerusalem is that it offered a welcoming home to Jesus during this entire week. Bethany was the village of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. We can assume all their extended families lived there as well. They were all Jesus’ friends, which underscores the importance of our families to support and sustain us. But there is more. This family did something courageous: they were able to discern God’s will in this moment for Jesus and support Him in it. They loved Him and did not choose to dissuade Him from the fate that awaited Him. When Mary anointed Jesus with expensive perfume, it became a symbolic anointing for the work He would accomplish through His death later in the week. It was a lavish gift, but more importantly, through her action, Mary showed her acceptance of the reality of Jesus’ impending death. Having families and close friends who can stand with us as we discern God’s plans for our lives is a great gift. There are families that actually talk together regularly about how they can better support each other. Or how they can see what God is doing more clearly. Some families help one another make hard decisions that may be difficult but right. Other families help one another accept a hard reality they do not want to face. Is there a time when I have accepted a difficult reality for a loved one or myself? Reflect on this. In the present time, is there a family member or friend facing something difficult?

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March 21, 2016 Day 35: Monday of Holy Week We started 'Lent is Love' back on February 10th, and if you've participated in at least ONE of the challenges, the odds are that you're a different person now than you were back then. Hopefully, you've grown more connected with God and more compassionate toward others. For the last 6 days of Lent, the challenge will be the most intense yet. Think about something you have that you love dearly. What's the one thing you couldn't do without? Be honest. What's the thing that you put above all other things? Have an idea? Now, show God that He means more to you than whatever it is. Commit to giving it up through Easter Sunday, because you love Jesus more than the 'thing' you thought you couldn't live without. I told you this would be hard, but I'm also telling you when you complete this sacrifice, it will be worth so much more to you than anything else you've done. Christ sacrificed His life for you, so that you might live a new life washed clean of your sins. He hung on a cross for YOU! How could you ever show Him how much that meant to you? He knows your heart. He knows what's most important in your life. Spend some time in prayer and figure out what that item is and then hand it over to Him for the next 7 days. This 'fast' will help you connect more deeply and become more grateful for Jesus's sacrifice for you. Since you'll be fasting from your 'thing' this week, each day I'm going to post a short devotional from Dr. Gary M. Burge on what Jesus's experience was probably like during that day of Holy Week. Read through the devotion, spend time reading the accompanying scripture, and then pray on what you've read and learned. Use your empathy and compassion to connect more deeply with Jesus and understand His mindset better. Be ALL IN for growing deeper in your relationship with Christ this week. Monday - Jesus in the Temple Readings: Mark 11:15–33 Matthew 21:33–46 When Jesus was in Jerusalem this week, it’s clear He was unhappy with what He saw in the Temple. This was God’s House, but He was not pleased with what it had become. The temple had evolved into a commercial enterprise with rules that restricted access to only certain people. In other words, it was there to make money and to reinforce exclusivity. After overturning many of the tables of the merchants and moneychangers, Jesus said, “My house shall be a house of prayer for all nations” (emphasis added). Jesus made this statement while standing near a short wall that displayed a threatening sign to those who were not Israelites. Foreigners who tried to pass the wall would be killed, and Temple police were armed and ready to enforce this rule. For Jesus to pronounce His house (the Temple) as a house of prayer for all nations is a remarkable statement. When Jesus said “all nations” this meant other national or ethnic groups, other people not ordinarily welcomed in religious places. Jesus did not miss an opportunity to include those who were usually excluded. This means many of us who feel unworthy or excluded should be welcomed and discover hospitality when we meet God’s people. You should feel welcome regardless of your background or history. And we should extend that welcome to others, no matter their “nation.” How can I extend a welcome to others who have found little welcome in life?

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Not only is it Palm Sunday, it's also the first day of spring! Double yay! We have Fusion today at 5:30 pm. We'll finish up our paintings for next week, try out a new game, and worship with the Fusion band. See you soon!

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March 19, 2016 Day 34 Challenge: Put it all Together We've spent this past week working on our relationships with God, because almost all of us fall into the category of those without spirit. You've learned about a number of ways to connect deeper with God, including reflecting on your prayer life, using Lectio Divina as a method for reading and understanding scripture, using doodle prayer to focus better during prayer, choosing a reading plan for scripture around a topic you're interested in, and using random journaling to capture your thoughts throughout the day to see how much they are directed toward God. That's a lot, and to be honest, these are all activities that need to be done more than once for growth. Take time to reflect on which of these activities helped you connect with God in a way that was different than you normally do. Use the time for today's challenge to try it out again. Push yourself to move into an area that might feel a little uncomfortable initially. The more time you spend in it, the more comfortable it will feel. And always remember that what God wants is time connecting with you and your heart - He doesn't care about whether it seems awkward or not. :)