Our Youth Group
Thank you so much for visiting our Youth Page at Rehoboth Baptist Church! Take a look at our upcoming events below and come get plugged in! If you would like to reach our Youth Pastor, Jimmy Griffith, please email him at a2jfan1@yahoo.com or call him at 912-282-0187. Don’t forget to follow Pastor Jimmy on twitter
Also, follow us on Instagram and Snapchat: rbc.students
We have Small Groups at 9:30 each Sunday Morning and each Wednesday Night we begin our evening in the
Youth Room at 6:30.
Come join us for youth worship and Bible study! We begin at 6:30 with Praise & Worship, followed by Bible Study.
This Week 12/18/24 Bible Study Is on Luke 2 (NASB
Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem
1Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was pregnant. 6While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. 9And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.”
15When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
Jesus Presented at the Temple
21And when eight days were completed so that it was time for His circumcision, He was also named Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
22And when the days for their purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24and to offer a sacrifice according to what has been stated in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young doves.”
25And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27And he came by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28then he took Him in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29“Now, Lord, You are letting Your bond-servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31Which You have prepared in the presence of all the peoples:
32A light for revelation for the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
33And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. 34And Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and as a sign to be opposed— 35and a sword will pierce your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
36And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She did not leave the temple grounds, serving night and day with fasts and prayers. 38And at that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak about Him to all those who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Return to Nazareth
39And when His parents had completed everything in accordance with the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. 40Now the Child continued to grow and to become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him.
Visit to Jerusalem
41His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42And when He was twelve years old, they went up there according to the custom of the feast; 43and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days required, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents were unaware of it. 44Instead, they thought that He was somewhere in the caravan, and they went a day’s journey; and then they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45And when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for Him. 46Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. 48When Joseph and Mary saw Him, they were bewildered; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You!” 49And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” 50And yet they on their part did not understand the statement which He had made to them. 51And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people.
S.O.A.P Study Method
I hope you‘re eager to deepen your relationship with the Lord this year. Here‘s my daily devotion system, which may prove helpful. If you want, text me and let me know how things are going and what God is doing in your life…would LOVE to hear about it!! 912-282-0187
Something I do is Life Journaling. I use the S.O.A.P. method of writing out the devotions. It may take you 30 min each day, the goal is to have daily encounters with the Lord…don’t be surprised if while your devotion is going on God calls to your mind some other scripture for you to read or brings to your mind things you may need to be praying about or repenting of, etc….God’s word is living and active…expect to be challenged and transformed as you dig into God’s Word!!
- Scripture…read through the scripture for the day and write out a verse or a passage that God draws your attention toward…don’t just write out the reference, but the whole verse…(i.e. don’t write out John 3:16…write out “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16)
- Observation… write about these things: who was the original audience, who were they writing about, what were they writing about…what would it have meant to the original hearers of the word?
- Application… write out how this passage applies to your life today…what did YOU learn from this passage and how will it impact your faith today?
- Prayer… write out a simple prayer…ask God to reveal Himself to you in new and real ways, to help you apply what you have studied to your life and to draw closer to Him, etc…these will be different each day and should come from the heart!
That’s how I do my daily devotions. I hope this benefits you all, and if so, I hope you decide to share that with me! Let me know if you have any questions or comments! Thank you for taking time and having the desire to “Go Deeper” with the Lord this year! See you soon!!
Pastor Jimmy Griffith
Come join us for youth worship and Bible study! We begin at 6:30 with Praise & Worship, followed by Bible Study.
Youth Advent 12/20
Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
Day Twenty: The Hope in the Temple
“And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.’” — Luke 2:22-24
When Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple, they were fulfilling the Jewish law given by God long before. But this wasn’t just about following the rules. It was part of a bigger plan. In these verses, we see a glimpse of God’s incredible faithfulness. God had made promises throughout the Old Testament about a coming Savior, and here, Jesus is presented as the fulfillment of those promises. This small, quiet moment in the temple of offering turtledoves as a sacrifice was part of something much bigger: God keeping His word to rescue the world.
When Jesus was brought to the temple as a baby, it was a moment pointing to the future, where He would offer Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. His mission was clear, even if no one else fully understood it yet.
Jesus was born not just to live a normal life but to save humanity from their sins. From His birth, He was set apart for a purpose: to bring light and life to a world in darkness.The Christmas hymn “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” celebrates this exact thing:
“Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings.”
These lyrics celebrate the promises God kept and the hope we have because of Him: that Jesus came to bring healing, peace, and life to the world. We can choose to experience that same healing, peace, and life in Jesus today, too!
Questions:
1. How does knowing that Jesus’s birth was part of God’s plan to save the world make you feel?
2. What promises of God have you seen fulfilled in your life, or what promises are you still waiting for?
Youth Advent 12/19
Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
Day Nineteen: The Shepherds Share Hope
“And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” — Luke 2:16-20
Imagine you are one of the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth. Reread these verses from that perspective now!
Can you even imagine discovering that Jesus had been born? And the shepherds didn’t keep quiet about what they saw! After meeting Jesus, they praised God and spread the word that the long-awaited Messiah was finally here!
These shepherds weren’t people of power or great influence; they were just regular people who were going about their regular, non-glamorous lives. In fact, shepherds were considered lowly in society and in the culture of the time. But God chose them to be some of the first to see His Son, experience the birth of hope firsthand, and share the Good News! From this, we learn that anyone, no matter who they are, can be used by God to tell others about Jesus.
The song “Go Tell It on the Mountain” is often sung during the Christmas season. The lyrics talk about the role of the shepherds in spreading the Good News of Jesus’ birth! It also encourages us to go and share the Gospel everywhere, just like the shepherds did.
We live in a world of people who need to experience the hope that Jesus offers but don’t yet know about it! And we don’t need to wait to tell them about it. Just like the shepherds, we can be the people to share the Good News: that God sent Jesus to Earth to save us from our sins so that we could be with God forever.
Now, “go tell it on the mountain, over the hills, and everywhere that Jesus Christ is born!”
Questions:
1. Why is the hope of Jesus good news to you?
2. Who is someone you know that needs to hear the Good News of Jesus right now?
3. How can you tell or show that person the Good News today?
Youth Advent 12/18
Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
Day Eighteen: The Gifts of Hope
“When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” — Matthew 2:10-11
Gifts are always nice, but it’s the meaningful gifts that we remember the most, right? When someone takes the time to think about what we like or what is special to us, it means more.
Shortly after Jesus was born, the wise men brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. While these might seem random, each gift had significance. The meanings of the gifts foreshadowed the identity of Jesus and His life!
The gift of gold pointed to Jesus’ royalty. Obviously, gold is an appropriate gift for Him because gold is the “metal of kings.” This gift from the wise men acknowledged that Jesus was the King of kings.
The gift of frankincense showed that Jesus was the great High Priest. In fact, it showed that Jesus was God in human form! Incense was used in the temple for worshiping God. Incense mixed with oil was used to anoint the Israelite priests. It was also part of the meal offerings of thanksgiving and praise to God. Through this gift, the wise men acknowledged that Jesus was fully God and fully man!
The gift of myrrh represented Jesus’ death. In that time, myrrh was used for embalming the deceased. This might seem like an odd gift to give to a newborn baby, but in this case, it was not. The wise men acknowledged that Jesus would die a brutal death to save humanity. He would live a life as an acceptable and worthy sacrifice for the sins of all humans.
The wise men preached the Gospel with the gifts they gave. Their gift-giving told the story of how God Himself came down from Heaven as Lord and King to fulfill God’s plan and die for us. They brought their best and gave gifts appropriate for the Savior of the World who was bringing hope to the world. The same hope that we celebrate at Christmas time!
Questions:
1. What’s the most meaningful gift you’ve ever been given?
2. What made that gift meaningful?
3. Listen to or read the lyrics of “We Three Kings”. Spend some time learning more about each of the meaningful gifts the wise men gave to Jesus.
Youth Advent 12/17
Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
Day Seventeen: Hope Amidst Fear
““When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” — Matthew 2:3-8
We all have fears or things we are worried about. What are some of your fears right now?
In this passage, we read about King Herod. Herod was known for his desire for authority and control. He didn’t want anyone or anything to threaten that. He even executed his own family members whom he thought were disloyal. So, when he hears the Messiah is born, he’s scared of what may happen to his power. We read that not only was Herod fearful, but all of Jerusalem was fearful as well. They may have been scared of what Herod would do, or they may have been anxious about the uncertainty of the future.
Herod investigates more and asks the historians where the Messiah was born. They tell him Bethlehem. Herod then asks the wise men to find the Messiah and report back what they discover. Even though Herod tells the wise men he just wants to worship Jesus, he really wants to put an end to any threat. His fear will cause him to act irrationally.
Sometimes, our fears and anxieties do the same. They often cause us to think irrationally and even act illogically. While a little fear or anxiety can be helpful or even healthy at times, they can also quickly become unhelpful and very unhealthy for us as well. When we face these fears and anxieties, reminding ourselves of God’s truth can help us. Remembering the promises of God can help combat those unhelpful thoughts!
In the hymn “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” we sing about the birth of Jesus bringing “tidings of comfort and joy.” Because of the birth of Jesus, and knowing that Jesus is WITH us, we too can have comfort and joy. We can rest knowing He will comfort us in our fears and give us joy in the midst of our anxiety.
Questions:
1. What are some of your biggest fears or anxieties right now?
2. Does knowing Jesus is with you bring you comfort and joy? How?
Youth Advent 12/16
Note: This devotion material was purchased digitally from YM360 to be used for the Advent Season of 2024.
Day Sixteen: The Wise Men Seek Hope
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” — Matthew 2:1-2
What are some activities you’re looking forward to? You might have a big Christmas party coming up with your friends, a family gathering at Christmas, or something in the new year you can’t wait for. These things give us hope. Many times, when you lack something to look forward to, you might even feel a little hopeless!
In Matthew 2, we’re introduced to the wise men. We don’t know very much about them. But, we do know they were from the East, probably near Persia, and studied stars. Upon discovering the star over Bethlehem, the wise men were instantly filled with hope and left everything to follow that star. They knew the significance of it—that it represented the birth of the Messiah (meaning the anointed one or chosen one)! After centuries of waiting for this King to come, He had finally arrived! Matthew tells us their response to this Good News was to go worship this King. They left behind everything to follow this
star because of their hope in this Savior.
Their hope in the Messiah outweighed their hope in anything they’d find in the world. So many times, we try to find hope in relationships, possessions, hobbies, or money. The wise men left all of these behind because they knew that their ultimate hope was in Christ.
This Christmas, we can have that same hope. The Messiah has come to us. He has lived a life we couldn’t. He has died the death we deserve, and He has risen for us! This Christmas, we can celebrate no matter what we find ourselves facing in this season with this same hope!
Today, read the lyrics to the Christmas hymn “Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! Born is the King of Israel!” “Noel” is a joyous declaration to the world, saying, “A Child is Born, and now all is well!” Indeed, it is. Just like the wise men did, let’s celebrate that this Christmas season!
Questions:
1. What’s something you’re hoping for or looking forward to right now?
2. Why might it be hard to place your hope in Jesus?
3. Why do you think placing your hope in Jesus instead of worldly things matters?