Judas, Peter, and Jesus...

Some of the girls having a blast!

I can't believe there is only one more week until school is out for the Summer! This has been an incredible year at WyldLife Ladera, and I am so thankful to get to be a part of a team of leaders that gets to love kids in Jesus' name! 

Cameron passing a marshmallow to Max!

Today's game consisted of throwing marshmallows into your teammate's mouths. The kids got into four different teams, and then into circles. One of the members got into the middle of the circle, and threw marshmallows to their teammates who had to catch them in their mouth. The winning team was the team who was able to get every member of the team to catch a marshmallow in their mouth.

After the actual game was over, kids started going for distance, or seeing who could catch the most marshmallows in a row. I watched as Matthew Luzuriaga caught 14 mallows in a row! It was pretty incredible, and always fun to see these guys getting to have a blast doing something they might not normally get to do.

Kate, from Rack Harbor, giving an awesome talk!

After the game, Kate, who not only helps us out on Friday mornings, but is the Youth Pastor at Rock Harbor Mission Viejo, gave the talk. She has been such an amazing help this year, and her heart for middle school kids shines out really bright. If you are looking for a church to get involved with that has a great youth program, Rock Harbor Mission Viejo could a great place to check out.

Kate started the talk by asking some kids to share about a time when they got busted. We have all been there, and that moment when you realize you are getting caught doing something you shouldn't have done is miserable. She shared about a time in her own life when she got busted by her mom for hiding math tutoring work that she hadn't done. She talked about how terrible it felt when her mom realized she had been lying, and the guilt and shame she felt.

Then she talked about Judas, Peter, and Jesus.

Judas and Peter were both disciples. Judas and Peter both followed Jesus around, listening to him teach, watching him do miracles, eating meals with him, praying with him, laughing with him, and spreading the truth and love of God with him.

Judas and Peter also both betrayed Jesus and both got busted.

We talked last week about how Judas betrayed Jesus and sold him out to the people that wanted to kill him. Jesus knew this was going to happen and told several of the disciples that Judas was the one betraying him at the Last Supper. After Judas realized what was happening and realized that Jesus was going to be executed, guilt and shame poured over him. The Bible tells us that Judas even tried to give the money he was given for betraying Jesus back, but nothing seemed to take away the guilt and shame. In the end, Judas hung himself.

Peter also denied Jesus. During the Last Supper, Jesus told all the disciples that they were going to abandon him, but Peter promised Jesus he would stay, even if it meant death. Several hours later, while Jesus was being tried, Peter denied even knowing who Jesus was three times! The Bible tells us that Peter even started cursing on the third time saying he didn't know who Jesus was. Jesus turned and looked at Peter the moment after he had done this… and Peter was busted. Enter guilt and shame, and the sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach.

But something different happened with Peter.

Jesus was crucified, buried, and then rose from the dead. All of this was so that we could have a close relationship with God. To show the depths of this, Jesus sought out Peter after he rose from the dead.

I can't imagine what Peter must have felt like, but unlike Judas, Peter waited. Jesus made time to get one on one with Peter, shortly after rising from the dead, to clear the air between them. He asked Peter three times, "Peter, do you love me?" Three times Peter responded, "Yes, you know I love you." Then Jesus restored Peter and gave him the task of spreading the message and giving people life.

Guilt and shame gone, restoration in full force.

I have to believe that the same could have been waiting for Judas. Jesus would never have wanted death for Judas, Jesus stands in opposition to guilt and shame. While Peter accepted forgiveness, Judas accepted guilt. Peter accepted the life that is in Jesus, Judas accepted the death of guilt and shame.

Jesus has the same for us, and for the middle school kids we care so deeply for. Jesus died to take away guilt and shame. We are free to come before God, blameless and fully known and loved. No matter what we may have done, no matter how spotty some of our past may be, even some of our present, God loves us deeply and completely. True life is found in relationship with God through Jesus.

It is my deepest prayer that you discover this life more and more, and that you all accept the gift of life over the burden of guilt and shame. It my deepest prayer that you, and these middle schoolers, accept the gift of acceptance and freedom in Jesus, over the rat race and bondage of trying to earn acceptance through performance, finances, beauty, material things, or success. The truest thing in this world is that the creator of everything knows and loves you as you are, because he wants to, not because of anything you have done or not done.

Please email me if you would like to know about what it might be like to follow Jesus, or contact one of the great churches that we have teamed up with so far (you can find them on the right hand side of the screen). There is nothing better in the world, and there are people that would LOVE to walk with you in this.

Our newest leader, Michele, and some of the girls!