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That makes me hot! That leaves me cold!

This subject deals with the questions: What makes you hot? What turns you on? What leaves you cold? In the bible, there is also the text "being hot for Jesus". Try to make a comparison to this and think about this with the group: Why do lots of things make us hot while Jesus often leaves us cold. As an introduction into the subject, the following questions can be distributed which are to be answered in writing (without mentioning any names). The resulting answers are then worked through. It will be interesting to find out what makes the youths hot and why.

That makes me hot! That leaves me cold!

1. What would make you hot?

2. What would leave you cold?

3. What was a hot situation which you found yourself in?

4. What do you understand about: "That makes me hot"?

5. What do you understand about: "That leaves me cold"?

6. Why does a certain situation become so hot?

7. Why does a certain thing leave us cold?

8. How could we say/describe "that makes me hot" in another way?

The comparison with the text from Revelations (see below) comes from the fact that the subject of this text is also hot and cold. We can find out what it means "to be hot for Jesus" and that it is not helpful to be luke warm. We can find out that there are things in life which make us quite hot but other things which leave us cold. It is slightly different for each and every person. Faith is such a subject and everyone can understand that the „middle of the road“ is often bad and is often only a lazy compromise. Jesus certainly did not imagine a half-hearted follower but a follower who follows with his whole heart.

Concluding questions:

What makes you hot?
What is your „burning“ passion?
How hot are you for Jesus?

Revelations 3, 14 – 22
"To the angel of the church in Laodicea writes: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Do some of you recognise yourselves in this text? It’s obvious – those who are only half-hearted or are not fully engaged cannot bring the best performance or stick with something. This text can also be taken in this way. It is no good being half a Christian. It’s better to be consequential (and not fool anyone else) and leave it alone.

That makes me hot! That leaves me cold!

That makes me hot! That leaves me cold!

Concluding questions:

And if you are serious about Jesus, do things whole-heartedly. Be hot and not luke warm.