Key Verse: Joshua 24:15, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
INTRODUCTION
Ah, sweet freedom! The day you’ve been waiting for is finally here. You’re finally done with high school and headed off into the real world–on your own! It’s exciting and maybe a bit scary too. Think of all the areas in your life that will change: friends, phone numbers, where you live, where you work–your daily routine in general. Life is going to change big time!
What changes are you looking forward to the most?
What part of your life do you want to remain the same?
SCRIPTURE
Read Joshua 24:14-15. Here’s the set-up. Joshua and the Israelites have entered into the Promised Land. Their lives are going to completely change–for the better! No more harsh labor in Egypt. No more wandering in the desert. Just freedom! God has finally given them the Promised Land. But they still have some issues to address.
What is the choice Joshua presents to the Israelites?
Would it have been possible to keep both the gods and God? Why or why not? (See also Matthew 6:24.)
Gods can be anything–not just like the idols the Israelites took with them from Egypt. Think about your life. Do you have any gods that need to be thrown away?
APPLICATION
You can’t choose God by yourself because God first calls you through the power of the Holy Spirit. But you can make all sorts of decisions that affect your relationship with Him. For example, on Sunday morning you can decide to climb out of bed and go to church or you can worship at St. Mattress. You can pray each day or just forget about it. You can read God’s Word daily or you can let the Bible gather dust–along with your textbooks! The choice is yours!
After high school, your faith will either grow stronger or weaken but it probably won’t stay the same because everything else is changing. Like any other relationship, your relationship with God also takes an effort to keep it strong.
How many friends will you stay in touch with after high school? Will it be easy or difficult to stay connected?
What are some ways to keep your faith strong after high school?
DISCUSSION
As you make decisions on life after high school, remember that it doesn’t matter where you live–in dorms, apartments, fraternities or sororities, or (gasp!) even your parent’s basement; it’s how you live. Your relationship with God goes with you wherever you go.
What words does Peter use to describe you as a Christian? Read 1 Peter 2:9-11.
Have your parents made a choice for you in the past regarding involvement at church? What role will the church have when you’re on your own?
In the future, do you think your relationship with God will stay the same, get better, or get worse? Why?
Life after high school means making choices you’ve never had to make before. But there is one choice that Christ makes for us. He calls us into having a saving relationship with Him through the cross. It is in the cross we are given a new identity and way of life. Being a Christian means living out that identity as God’s child for the rest of your life one day at a time.
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