Connected Through Christ
This weekend our teens are on our annual spring retreat, a time for our teens to get away from the world and focus on growing closer to God. This year our theme is “Connected Through Christ”. The goal is to spend time studying how Christ connects us to God, connects us to one another, and how we can connect others to Christ through sharing the Gospel. It is my hope our teens will leave our retreat encouraged by what Jesus has accomplished on the cross. Through His death on the cross, Jesus reconciled us to God, established the church, and gave us great news to share with the world.
2 Corinthians 5:21 has become the backbone of our retreat, as Paul summarizes the significance of Jesus’ death on the cross. It reads, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (ESV) Jesus is our substitute. We, as sinners, deserved death – Jesus did not. Yet, Jesus died taking on the sins of the entire world, giving us His righteousness.
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross also made it possible for us to enjoy fellowship as brothers and sisters in Christ. Galatians 3:26-27 is where Paul explains, we are baptized into Christ therefore becoming children of God. The connection we share with one another would be so much less significant if Christ had not made us family. I am thankful for the way our church family at Walter Hill loves one another and demonstrates to our youth what it means to be a part of God’s family.
What a blessing to share the message of Christ with those who need to be connected to God and His church.