Jesus always trusted and obeyed His Father.

Scripture: Matthew 26:31-56 

Central Truth

Jesus models for us that we should respond by trusting God when He asks us to surrender our will. When we take steps to obey God and lay down our own expectations, then we see the blessing in obedience, making it easier to obey the next thing He asks of us.

Key Question

Do you find it difficult to surrender your will to God? Why or why not? What steps can you take to commit to follow His will above your own?

Keep in Mind

Your students have probably experienced betrayal, at least on some level. Betrayal often produces a distrust of others, not just of those who betrayed us. Some of your students may even struggle with a painful distrust of God—of who He is, if He’s truly good, or if He cares about them. One of the greatest ways to help these students is to be someone they can trust. When we model for them what it looks like to be consistent, to obey Jesus, and to faithfully love them, it begins to break down the barriers they’ve put in place as a form of self-protection. Students want to know God is who He says He is, and we have the opportunity to display this truth as we serve them. 

APPLICATION

Jesus modeled trust in the Father. When have you struggled to trust God in a difficult season of life?

THE WIN

FOR THE STUDENT: Jesus knew His death had to take place to fulfill Old Testament prophecy and to free us from the bondage of sin, yet He still begged His Father for another way. This shows students they can pour out their deepest desires, needs, and requests to the Father. God longs to hear from them, and He longs for them to trust Him in the same way Jesus trusted Him. 

FOR THE LEADER: God’s character never changes; it doesn’t depend on our circumstances or our perfection as leaders. When we cling to this truth, it helps us trust the Lord at all times.