YOUNG ATHLETES
RESET: Week 2
Warmup: SIMON SAYS
WELCOME:
Today we are going to learn that when Christ resets my perspective, I’m free in Him.
“STOP FIGHTING, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD, EXALTED
AMONG THE NATIONS, EXALTED ON THE EARTH.” —PSALM 46:10
WARMUP:
In our game, some of you got invited back to play even when you did nothing to earn your way back into the game.
This is called grace.
Even Peter needed grace from God when he messed up.
Once he accepted God’s grace in his life, he was able to reset, start again and be free from his mistake because he let God reset his life.
WORKOUT
BIBLE STORY: Peter’s Denial and Reinstatement
Luke 22:54-62 or Mathew 26:69-75
Peter Denies His Lord
They seized him, led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. Meanwhile Peter was following at a distance. They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, and Peter sat among them. When a servant saw him sitting in the light, and looked closely at him, she said, “This man was with him too.”
But he denied it: “Woman, I don’t know him.”
After a little while, someone else saw him and said, “You’re one of them too.”
“Man, I am not!” Peter said.
About an hour later, another kept insisting, “This man was certainly with him, since he’s also a Galilean.”
But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. So Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Think back to a time when your coach got mad at you because you messed up. Everyone makes mistakes, but they are upset because they know that you should have not done what you did, right? My softball coach would get mad at us if we didn’t run as fast as we could through the base, even if we knew we were going to get thrown out. He wasn’t mad that I wasn’t the fastest one on the team but that I didn’t try my hardest and looked for the easy way out.
In our story, Peter looked for the easy way out because he was scared. He denied knowing Jesus right after Jesus was crucified because he thought he would be hurt if people thought they were friends. Peter loved Jesus. Jesus reset his whole life, but in that moment, he let fear win, which made him mess up big time.
Peter was upset. The Bible even says he “wept bitterly,” which means he was upset and cried because he denied Jesus. As you will see in the coming days, Peter’s story doesn’t end with him crying. Peter knew he wanted to make things right; he just didn’t how. Peter needed to stop and reset in order to recover from his mistake. To be free, Peter had to repent and give his mistake to God once he realized he still wanted to be a follower of Jesus.
WRAP-UP:
Answer the following questions with your group leader.
Q: God wants us to come to Him when we mess up. Why do you think that is?
It’s so He can forgive us and set us free, free from feeling guilty and shame from the mistake. He wants to set us free so we can continue to follow Him!
Q: What is something you want to be free from?
(Ex. fear, pride, jealousy, anger, etc.)
Q: What do you think you would have done if you messed up like peter?
BE FREE:
“SO IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU REALLY WILL BE FREE.” —JOHN 8:36
“NOW THE LORD IS THE SPIRIT, AND WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS FREEDOM.” —2 CORINTHIANS 3:17
PRAYER
Heavenly Father,
Teach us to stop fighting and to trust in Your perfect plan, just as You guided Peter through his mistakes and showed him grace.
Help us, to embrace Your forgiveness and grace, allowing us to reset our perspectives and find true freedom in You.
May we run our races with the strength and peace that come from knowing You are God, exalted among the nations and in our hearts.