Youth Rally 2023

Text: Isaiah 50:10-11

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Daniel & Hebrew boys vs all the others

The boys withheld from the food offered to idols and stood firm on what they knew was right.

‌The first chapter focuses on their refusal to eat the rich food and wine provided by the king, as it went against their Jewish dietary laws. Instead, they asked to eat vegetables and water. Their supervisor was worried they'd look unhealthy, but after ten days, they were healthier and more robust than the others who ate the royal food, a sign of God's favor.

This chapter illustrates Daniel and his friends' commitment to their faith and principles, even in a foreign land. It sets the stage for their future adventures in Babylon, where they would continue to demonstrate wisdom, faith, and loyalty to their God amidst various challenges and tests.

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Joseph & Judah

In Genesis 38, the focus is on Judah, one of Jacob's sons. Judah's actions in this chapter are marked by moral failings. He marries a Canaanite woman, engages in inappropriate relationships, and fails to fulfill his obligations towards his daughter-in-law Tamar. Judah's behavior reflects a lack of integrity and adherence to his responsibilities, illustrating his moral shortcomings.

In contrast, Genesis 39 shifts the focus to Joseph, another of Jacob's sons. Joseph, despite facing adversity and temptation in Egypt, consistently exhibits qualities of righteousness and moral strength. He resists the advances of Potiphar's wife, remaining faithful to his principles and God. Joseph's character shines through as one of unwavering integrity and loyalty, setting him apart from Judah.‌

David vs the Wicked Rich

‌Psalm 73, where David kind of vents about how frustrated he is with seeing bad people, especially the rich ones, doing well and living the good life. He's basically saying, "Why do these bad guys get all the good stuff, while I'm trying to do the right thing?" It's like he's struggling with the idea that life isn't always fair.

But as the Psalm goes on, David realizes that God's got a plan and that, in the end, the bad guys will get what's coming to them. So, it's a reminder to trust in God and not get too caught up in being jealous or upset about the success of people who aren't living righteously.

What do each of these have in common. They explain the plight of the man found in Isaiah 50:10

Isaiah 50:10 KJV 1900

Who is among you that feareth the Lord, That obeyeth the voice of his servant, That walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, And stay upon his God.

“Who is among you that feareth the LORD.”

Notice this is not someone that is outside the family of God. This is someone that is following God and cares about the end state of their soul. Notice:

“Obeyeth the voice of his Servant.”

Not only do they want what God wants, they also want to obey God.

They heard the messages at camp this summer and made decisions that they fully wanted to live.

They have chose to dress different than those in their peer group.

They made decisions about their music and deleted hours of content and stations that were pulling on them.

They have made a vow with their mind and are determined to keep a pure mind.

They have confessed a rebellious spirit against their parents and know that such a spirit displeases God.

They have surrendered their future to the control of God.

Here is the problem…

This one that desires for the Lord to transform their lives has to live in an environment that feels like the darkness. They loved the warmth of the light of God’s Word that split across the tire sleepy heart. It was fun listening to the conviction of God and responding to the preached word. You were filled with hope and anticipation of what a real relationship would be like. And yet now it seems like the light is gone and all that is left is darkness.

And now it is so hard.

The emotion of the high point is gone.

The joy of remembering an emotional decision is evaporated

The flesh is pulling you away from your decisions and all your best intentions.

You have lost sight of his promises

You have lost the joy of opening his word.

You have have grown dull of hearing his Holy Spirit’s conviction

You have discovered that if this is going to be real in your life it will take more than the emotion of the high moments.

You’ve begun to doubt if you can remain faithful to your commitments to him.

You may have even begun to doubt his ability to do a work in you.

You have questioned if he wants to use you after all.

I would love to tell you that I didn’t know what this was like, but it is a common issue in the life of ever believer.

I had a friend in my early years of ministry that always said,

“Don’t forget in the dark what GOD told you in the light.”

But here in the dark you sense the impossible work of Isaiah’s final instruction.

“Let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.”

One of the reasons that young people have a hard time with walking with God even in the dark is that there are so many substitutions for the real light. Can I remind you tonight that all the world can provide are substitute lights.

Your generation is doing all that it can to provide itself joy, happiness, relief of conscience, purpose, and excitement.

Isaiah 50:11 KJV 1900

Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: Walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; Ye shall lie down in sorrow.

You can kindle a fire for yourself and throw the sparks up around yourself and deceive yourself that you have found light.

The world is literally telling you-

You don’t need God you don’t need Christ.

Kindle your own fire.

Walk in the light of your own sparks.

They fill their days distracting themselves from the mundane and normal always pushing for more and more.

They Chase thrills on instagram and TikTok.

They chase sexual thrill through meaningless sex and pornography.

They listen to music that is intended to heighten their flesh.

Their lyrics are filled with images that devalue women and degrade young men to animals.

They lie about what brings happiness

They offer labels and name brands that promise to keep you cool and happy

They want you to feel like you belong to a group of people

That you have common purpose, and union and it is a fake.

They want you to feel superior to those around you and treat you like you are the main character

It’s all lies.

Let me remind you that the world has nothing that can satisfy. But neither does religion.

If were honest some of you are turning to that which calls itself Christian but its as worldly as anything out there. That’s still phony fire.

Wise is the one that can see that sparks are not the same as light.

It would be one thing if their fake lights worked but they leave you empty and alone.

“This shall ye have of mine hand: ye shall lie down in sorrow.”

Why is it that these things won’t satisfy? Because you were meant for a relationship with God.

Trust in the name of God.

There are many young people that are trying to live a Christian life like it is their work to do for God. So they end up doing the work alone and then live with the frustration of feeling like a failure and feeling alone. God was never wanting you to do something without Him. But instead aware that you don’t ever have to do anything without him. You have him and if allow you can rely on his grace for the strength and purpose and motivation. If you know any of his good doing in your life it will be by his grace.

SO.

“STAY UPON YOUR GOD.”

You did the right thing when you made your decision for Christ. The problem happens when you stop at the decision or at the action promised. Press on to the God who makes it happen.

Keep your eyes on him.

Depend on him.

Call on him.

Trust in him.

You say preacher I am so many times living for that which makes me feel good or gives me some emotional response. And if I’m honest I have little to know relationship with Him. And I am drawn to the phony lights that the world is offering me.

Then let me give you some bad news. That is all that you will ever have. Phony lights and darkness.

You are going to face the temptation of your sin everyday and you will feel like giving in 90% of the time.

You are going to lash out at those that mistreat you.

You are going to be a gossip most of you life.

You will hate and fight and bicker as the natural state of your life.

You will jump from one relationship to another and just as soon as you pick one a prettier one will come along and you will break the heart of the first one to feel a little better about yourself. And all the while you will not actually change.

You will be selfish and self entitled so much you can’t even spot it in yourself and it will eat at anyone that tries to get close to you.

You will jump back and forth between looking at porn and then shamefully promising to never doing it again and there is nothing you can do about it.

You disrespect your parents and your emotion will swell against any accountablitily because that is what you are. A selfish self entitled brat who lives for one person and one person alone.

And when you finally die and God tosses you into hell where you belong the world around you can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Except:

God had a real good pure holy servant. Of him it was said

Isaiah 50:4–9 (KJV 1900)

The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned,

That I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary:

He wakeneth morning by morning,

He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

The Lord God hath opened mine ear,

And I was not rebellious,

Neither turned away back.

I gave my back to the smiters,

And my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair:

I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

For the Lord God will help me;

Therefore shall I not be confounded:

Therefore have I set my face like a flint,

And I know that I shall not be ashamed.

He is near that justifieth me;

Who will contend with me? let us stand together:

Who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

Behold, the Lord God will help me;

Who is he that shall condemn me?

Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

That same Savior - I mean Servant

Isaiah 53:3–7 KJV 1900

He is despised and rejected of men; A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: And we hid as it were our faces from him; He was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth.

He died on Calvary to wash you clean of all these sins that eat at you. These sins that fill you with shame. They were borne by him. They were carried by him. He went through he darkness of Jerusalem sky.

He went through the darkness of separation from his father.

He went through the darkness of the valley of the shadow of death.

He wen through the darkness of peoples curse and abuse.

HE wen through the darkness of loneliness.

He went through the darkness greater than any man has known so that in the darkness you will find a help that greater than anyone else can offer.

Young Disciple

DO NOT FORGET IN THE DARK WHAT HE DID FOR YOU IN THE DARK.