Worn

The Song: Worn by Tenth Avenue North

Main Point of Discussion: Although the circumstances of life may wear us down, Christ renews us inwardly and gives us hope for eternity.

Vital Info Before You Get Started: The following info should help you contextualize this very popular song so you can have a great discussion about it with your kids.

• Tenth Avenue North has been a fixture atop the Billboard Christian charts since their first single “Love is Here” was released in 2008. If your kids listen to Christian music, at all, they have probably heard some of their music.

• This song is particularly important to the band that produced it. Lead singer Mike Donehey nearly died in a brutal car accident as a teenager. It left him with a broken back, unable to move from bed for months, and effectively ruined his lifelong dream of playing sports. Donehey says it was during this time, however, that he first picked up a guitar and learned to play. Years later, his music has touched the lives of millions across the world. It was through this difficult and painful experience that God made (as the lyrics state) “a song to rise from the ashes of a broken life.”

• The song, Worn, comes from Tenth Avenue North’s most recent album, The Struggle. Both the song and album wrestle with some of the most difficult issues of faith, such as finding God in the midst of suffering. The song, Worn, is quite similar to many of the Psalms in that it depicts the deep turmoil and pain that people experience in life; yet it expresses the profound longing for God to bring hope out of the midst of seemingly hopeless situations, and the belief that He is at work in the midst of it all.

• The song comes from a Christian band and is focused on themes of redemption and purposeful life. It is completely clean, along with the accompanying music video. (If you would like to know more about the Donehey’s personal story, you can check out this 4 minute video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGJS5MLgMZc.)

Introducing the Song:
Tenth Avenue North has been one of the most popular Christian artists around during the last few years. I’d like for us to watch a music video from their new song, Worn. The song wrestles with some very difficult feelings that most of us have probably had before. The video uses some powerful imagery and symbolism to remind us of the hope that we have as Christians. Let’s check it out together.

The Music Video: The video can be purchased on ITunes or viewed for free here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zulKcYItKIA

Song Lyrics:

Q: What was the main message in Tenth Avenue North’s song?
A: The singer is reminding himself, even in the midst of his pain, that “all that’s dead inside can be reborn.” He knows that this includes him!

Q: What was the significance of the leaves and bodies rising from the ground? How did that tie in with the lyrics to the song?
A: It was imagery of hope. Even though we’ve fallen, even though we’ve failed, even though we’re beat up and hurting, God can raise us up.

Q: Clearly Tenth Avenue North feels worn down by the circumstances of life, but where does the singer say his hope comes from?
A: From the One he prays to. From the One who can make the dead alive. From the only One who can bring life out of ashes. God.

Where to Take It from Here:
Wherever it feels natural. If these questions lead to a longer discussion on the topic, wonderful! (There’s a guide just after this paragraph that helps you do just that.) If your kids are barely uttering grunts, don’t get discouraged—the next time it feels right, try out another song. Keep engaging them.

For Deeper Discussion: (If your kids seem into diving in deeper, the following discussion guide can help take you there.)

CLICK HERE if you want to look at a quick training article on small groups and drawing questions out of young people—you may find much of the information applicable as you go through this subject with your family members.

Transitional Statement:
The musicians of Tenth Avenue North sound like they are simply exhausted, emotionally and physically. At times, all of us have probably felt that way. Yet, their song still expresses faith and hope that God is working in their lives. Can we have that same hope in our own lives? Let’s talk more about that for a few minutes.

More Discussion Questions:

1. HAVE ALL YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS ANSWER: Before we dive in, everybody take a second to say what class, chore, or task leaves you feeling the most worn out.
2. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: From the lyrics or from the video, how would you describe the artist’s feelings?
3. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: In what ways can you relate to his feeling of being “worn”?

Say something like this:
Leaves that have fallen to the ground are what? Dead. They’re a symbol, a reminder that this world is dying—it’s wasting away. Yet, in the midst of what outwardly looks like death, we see God bring about new life. The video shows us that “all that’s dead inside can be reborn.” This seems backwards to us, but it’s how God can work. Out of the hardships, difficulties, and even tragedies in our own life, God can renew us with hope and new-life. Today we are going to look at a passage in the Bible that also expresses this feeling of being worn down by struggles and difficulties in life. Similar to the song though, it expresses this paradoxical hope that God can bring new life out of the midst of death and decay.

Read the following passage from the Bible:

1. 1. 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

1. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: From reading this Scripture, how would you say Paul, the writer, felt? What evidence do you see that he may have felt “worn”? (Parents – He says he feels hard pressed, perplexed, struck down, persecuted, he says death is at work in us, etc.)
2. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: Despite his feeling worn, what cause for hope does Paul give us? How does he “let us see that redemption wins”?
3. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: Verse 16 might be the key verse to understanding this entire passage. It says that “though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” What do you think this phrase means?
4. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: Paul does not finish with “wasted away.” He says that although outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day. How do you think God renews people? (Parents – A lot of answers might make sense here, but there are two ways that really stand out. First, God is renewing us after the image of our Creator, meaning He is in the process of making us more like Christ. This is a process that goes on for our entire lives and is pushing towards the second, more complete sense. The second way is God renews us by giving strength and hope for eternity. No matter how bad life seems, Christians know that these struggles are not the final word in their story. One day they will be renewed in the eternal sense. This point is really driven home in verse 17.)
5. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: After reading verse 17, do you think Paul is saying that you shouldn’t face many difficulties as a Christian or that your life will be easy? Why or why not?

Say something like this:

Let’s turn over a few chapters and read something that I think will help answer this question for us. Listen to Paul, as he tells us about the trials he faced after he became a Christian.

Read the following passage from the Bible:

1. 1. 2 Corinthians 11:23-31

23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.

1. ASK A FEW FAMILY MEMBERS: How does this passage that we just read about Paul’s sufferings put our own suffering in perspective?
2. HAVE ALL YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS ANSWER: How can this passage encourage you during difficult times? How can you remember these truths in the midst of difficulties?

Wrap Up:
Some of us may feel worn by the situations that we’ve faced in life: harsh words, names you’ve been called, struggles, broken relationships, etc. These things can leave us feeling exhausted.

For outwardly we are wasting away, but inwardly we are being renewed. Let’s thank God for that now.

Close in Prayer