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
THEIR PARENTS .
e. THE WORD obey means literally in the Greek to
"stand under". It means to be under another
person’s authority, and it is used inmany places in the Scriptures as a military term.
f. It’s the same word that would apply to a soldier in obeying his orders. It’s a verb which
means to ACTIVELY LISTEN to the point of doing what you’ve heard or to follow orders.
g. In other words, DO WHAT YOUR PARENTS SAY. SO THE
FIRST PRINCIPLE OF HOW YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD LIVE is OBEDIENTS.
*****TAKE 5 BEATS ******
MOVE 5: The Second Principle to How Young People Should Live refers to the reason why YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD obey ... in the first place.
a. BECAUSE IT IS the RIGHT THING to do.
b. In other words, in accordance with GOD’S WORD (Ex. 20:12) it’s RIGHT for CHRISTIAN CHILDREN TO OBEY THEIR PARENTS.
c. Dr. Paul says what he has already said in VERSE 1 ALL OVER AGAIN.
d. But this time, he focuses on the ATTITUDE behind the obedience. He says it is not only important to obey, butit’s important to obey in such a way as to HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER.
e. THE ATTITUDE OF OBEDIENCE IS exceedlingly
important.
f. Who can forget the story of the little boy whose
mother wanted him to sit down but he wouldn’t sit
down. Finally she took hold of him and sat him
down in the chair. He looked up at her with
defiance in his eyes, and said, "You may make me
sit down outside, but I’m still standing up
inside!"
g. THIS WHY THE FIRST COMMANDMENT WITH A PROMISE ...
WAS THE COMMANDMENT ...(EXODUS 20:12) "Honor thy
father and thy mother," ...
******TAKE 5 BEATS*****
MOVE 6: Now, In our SCRIPTURES today we find the
SCRIPTURES INSTRUCTING our YOUNG PEOPLE to
live life to the full while they are young.
a. Don’t let anyone discourage you from enjoying the
abundance of physical vitality that you have. Use
it, and take full advantage of your capacity for
imagination, and adventure.
b. The scripture tells OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO take life
as it comes, and don’t feel envious over the
opportunities others have.
c. Instead, lay hold and use the opportunities that
come to them and be glad for them.
d. Do not let someone else run your life: walk in the
sight of your eyes and the ways of your heart.
e. Boy ... I sure wish I had knowledge of these
scriptures when I was younger .... (PERSONAL
EXAMPLES)
f. Still, Young People are to make the choices ...
KNOWING THAT ALL THESE THINGS WILL BRING THEM
JUDGMENT IN THE END.
****TAKE 5 BEATS*****
MOVE 7: IN OTHER WORDS, GOD IS NOT SAYING, ALL RIGHT,
GO AHEAD ENJOY YOURSELF, BUT JUST WAIT, I’LL
GET YOU IN THE END.
a. NO, QUITE THE CONTRARY, I BELIEVE GOD IS SAYING, "
b. "REMEMBER, THERE IS ANOTHER ASPECT OF LIFE THAT IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, ...
c. REMEMBER THAT AS YOU DO THESE OTHER THINGS, IT IS
POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO GO WRONG.
d. YOU NEED MORE THAN JUST YOURSELF. LIFE IS TOO BIG FOR YOU TO HANDLE ON YOUR WON. AT THE END, EACH OF US IN THIS LIFE MUST GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF OURSELVES,
AND THE THINGS THAT WE’VE DONE
e. SO, THE THIRD PRINCIPLE that refers to How Young
People Should Live in 2005 refers to REMEMBERING
f. And it is summed up in verse of 1 of Chapter 12
which says:
g. "Remember your Creator when you are young, before
the days of trouble come and the
years catch up with you ... ECCL 12:1 (GW).
*******TAKE 5 BEATS****
CELEBRATION: In other words, the Word of God reminds us that our YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD REMEMBER TOMMORROW ....
THAT GOD HAS NOT FORGOTTEN THE CHOICES THEY’VE MADE TODAY.
