How Young People Should Live

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

CP Walker, Taegu, South Korea

BIG IDEA: YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD REMEMBER TOMORROW

THAT GOD HAS NOT FORGOTTEN THE CHOICES

THEY’VE MADE TODAY.

REFERENCES: Eccl 11:9-12:1 (MSG) You who young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigour. Follow the impulses of your heart. If something looks good to you, pursue it. BUT KNOW ALSO THAT NOT JUST ANYTHING GOES; YOU HAVE TO ANSWER TO GOD FOR EVERY LAST BIT OF IT.; Psalms 139; Prov 22:6 (KJV) Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.; Matthew 19:13-14 (KJV) If we want Jesus to bless and pray for our children ... we must bring them to him. (...; Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.; Ephesians 6:1-3 (GW) Children obey your parents because you are Christians ...

I.ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:1

II. READ THE PERICOPE: ECCLESIASTES 11:9-12:1

III. READ THE TEXT: Ecclesiastes 11:9 (MSG) (You who are young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigor. Follow the impulses of your heart. If something looks good to you, pursue it. But know also that not just anything goes;You have to answer to God for every last bit of it).

IV. PURPOSE: To TEACH the hearers HOW YOUNG PEOPLE

SHOULD LIVE FOR GOD.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “How Young People Should Live”

VI. Protaganist: Young Christians (7-21)

VII. Proposition: There are three principles that YOUNG PEOPLE CAN LEARN that will teach them HOW TO LIVE ...Obey ... This is right (EX. 20:12) ... Remember (in the end) we must explin to God why we did what we did (O.T.R.)

INTRODUCTION: ... As Christian parents, it is our ministry to our children to train them up in the way that they "SHOULD GO" Proverbs 22:6 (KJV) ... for God ... (not "WOULD GO" AS IT RELATES TO matters of corrupt hearts) ...

******TAKE 5 BEATS*******

MOVE 1: God has purposely created each of us for His

own purpose.

a. As parents, it’s our responsibility to help our children SEE THE PURPOSE IN WHICH God has created them.

b. We are grateful this afternoon for our Youth-In-Action Sunday.

c. Our youth are in action with their awesome ministry in SCHOOL, SPORTS, STEP, AND PRAISE & WORSHIP.

d. Please join me in giving OUR YOUTH MINISTRY LEADERS - Sister Nicole Nelson, and Dea. Walker - along with our Step Ministry Leaders (Minister Smith and Brother Shepherd) a round of applause.

******TAKE 5 BEATS*****

MOVE 2: Many of you are already aware of our New Year’s Theme (Young People: Spiritually Alive in 2005) which can be found in your bulletin.

a. This year the Lord is leading us - as we announced during our WATCH-NIGHT 2005 Service - to focus our committment and energies to going beyond the traditional monthly Youth-In-Action Sunday.

b. This year we’re empowering our young people to do

(in words and deeds) even greater things for Jesus Christ - both at home and school.

c. We are aiming to positively change the families

through our young people.

Every UN-CHURCHED FATHER AND MOTHER IS

GOING TO BE TARGETED BY OUR YOUTH.

******TAKE 5 BEATS******

MOVE 3: If McDonalds’ restaurants can utilize our

children to draw us (parents) into McDonalds

or Mickey-Dees; we can utilize the help of our Children TO FULFILL OUR MINISTR’S 7-fOLD

PURPOSE:

a. To bring people to Jesus and membership in His

family, develop them in a Christ-like maturity,

and prayerful multicultural congregation, and

equip them for their ministry in the church and

their life mission in the world,to strengthen

marriages and relationships, in order to glorify

God’s name.

b. ... Children are important to God.

c. Throughout the Bible, from cover to cover, God

has messages for our young people.

d. Whenever, He wants to alter the world or bring

about some sort of deliverance - He always uses a

young perosn. Moses and Jesus are two great

examples that come to mind.

*****TAKE 5 BEATS******

MOVE 4: For who can ever forget ... how Dr. Paul’s

letter to the Ephesian (in Ephesians

6:1-3 (GW) ...) addresses the relationships of parents and children ...

a. Dr. Paul says to the children: Because you are

Christians, you should obey your parents.

b. In other words, children’s responsibility to Christ is to OBEY their parents.

c. So, the first principle that YOUNG PEOPLE should

learn in regard to HOW TO LIVE is OBEDIENTS to

their parents ...

d. Young People can’t possibly fulfill their desire to be GOOD CHRISTIANS until they are willing to OBEY