Challenge to the Church

Introduction:

My assignment is to give an challenge to the church.

Knowing the others will do a wonderful job addressing the students and the parents I will attempt to stay in my lane.

I like the fact that as “family of faith” we have a role in the life of these graduates. I am very proud to be associated with them and their families.

Let me address you as I would in a Volunteers Meeting or Business Meeting

They still need us, in the same way we still need each other.

Those you once had in your Sunday School Class and you were cleaning up after will soon be teaching the kids in our church… but they will still need us. Just in a different way.

They need us to help them abound in thanksgiving. Colossians 2:7 “7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

Gratitude is one of the greatest resources we have to fight the battle of the mind.

Today is a graduation service, a reception with cake, but it is a time that we remind them that they have much to be thankful for.

They need us to keep encouraging them to make being led of the Spirit the priority of their life.

We are told we can have a tendency to despise youth. 1 Timothy 4:12 “12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

This verse tells youth to not be indifferent about the opinions about adults. To do so would be rebellion and foolish.

Our opinions are not to be supreme in their life.

Youth should look to God to set the standard of their life and we should encourage them to do that.

Don’t let the culture set low expectations for what you may accomplish for Christ.

They need us to lovingly and persistently go after them if they go astray.

As John went after Peter three days after Peter’s failure.

As James tells us to do in James 5:19–20 “19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

There is a blessing for the one who loves his brother enough to confront him, and who turns him from the error of his way.

Closing

Prayer that our church will live up to our God given responsibilty in the life of these young adults and thank God for the opportunity to watch them follow Jesus.