Youth Kick Off

Me

Well for many of you, this maybe the first time you are meeting me, if so. Hi

My name is Ryley and I am the youth pastor here at Family Christian centre.

If you are new with us tonight, I just want to let you know that you aren’t alone. I’m new too.

Also, I sit down when I speak, is it becasue i’m lazy ? A little

Originally, Im from Lloydminter and then i moved to Edmonton, now I’m here

Growing up, I heard this phrase quite a bit, it was “homeis where the heart is,” have you ever heard that before? Yeah?

Well thats a great phrase and all, but no one ever told me what it really means. Here I am as a child, thinking they meant my physical heart. So Whereever I was, that was home to me. It wasn’t until late that I figured out that it was a metaphor and that the “heart” represents love and family, and connection.

BUt it was weord, because that word “home” stuck with me for a while. You see,

We

As youth family, you will hear us use this word a lot. HOME

You see, if you define the word home a lot of things come up. But, maybe you are like me and find that the dictionary can be boring so, you start looking for other defeintions of a word.

So I went on the next most relaible resource… urban dictionary. Now, Imma be honest with you, there where two defintions. The first was, and I quote “A place where I can poop for however long I desire” And all the people said amen.

But then there was this other defintion, one that makes WAY more sense

Listen to how the urban dictionary decsribes home. Home is when you can feel you can be yourself home doesn't have to be a place you live in or even actual place its a feeling so comfortable somewhere or someone you can always go to go back to.

Home.

So why use this word?

Well, if you have glasses, you knwo that that the lens is very important right, like if you get the wrong lens, you can’t see clearly and it sucks. Well in a simalr way, we use the idea of home, as a lens that we see youth through. Here is the thing, we belive that youth is home for all students, doesn’t matter where you coe froem, how awful you think you have been, you have a home here.

You see, Jesus, when we was teaching he told this story about two sons and a father. You may have heard it before as the”Prodigal son”.

God

So in the book of luke that is the third book of the new testemnt in our Bibles, Jesus is record saying this story

“A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.[b]’

22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: Luke & Acts Commentary

At this point, the focus of the parable turns to the father, who took the initiative in seeking his son’s reconciliation and restoration to the family. In a way quite out of keeping with the dignified oriental father, this merciful father saw the son at a great distance and ran out to meet him. Filled with love and compassion, the father welcomed him as he embraced, kissed, and forgave his wayward son (15:20). The son was then invested with tokens of honor and acceptance:

You

Pretty crazy eh? Like could you imagine, your parents give you a while bunch of moey. So you go party it up, blow it all on everyting under the sun. Adn all your feirnds that you amde along the way, leave you becaue they were just here for the money.

Could you imagne the shame and guilt that this son was facing? So in desperation, he turned to on place he knew he could go. Home.

But think about this for a second, imagine the guilt and shame that he must have carried. To the pint where he belived that he wasn’t even worhy to be loved as a son anymore.

Freinds,I’ll be honest with you. There have been many times in my life where I thoughtI screwed up SOOO badly that I thought I couldn’t retun to God. THat I thought I wellGod doesn’t love me anymore

but freinds, each and everytime I ran home to God broken and full of shame, he met me there. Just as the father met the son on the road. You see, this story

The Gospel of Luke The Story of the Loving Father (Luke 15:11–32)

It tells us much about the forgiveness of God. The father must have been waiting and watching for the son to come home, for he saw him a long way off. When he came, he forgave him with no recriminations. There is a way of forgiving, when forgiveness is conferred as a favour. It is even worse, when someone is forgiven, but always by hint and by word and by threat the sin is held over them.

Luke C. Kingdom Celebration over Restoring the Lost (15:11–32)

What compassion and love he shows. Why does Jesus associate with sinners? Because heaven loves them and waits patiently for them to return and repent so the celebration can begin. Heaven’s citizens are repentant sinners.

We

So what does this have todo with home. Well, fthis youth family is created to be a home for all stundents in grades 7-12. THis is ahome for you, a place where you can be yourself, but frinrds this isn’t just a home for those “who go to church.”

No way, we as a youth family is for all students. Doesn’t matter if they vape or do some weird tik tok dances, in the hallway. This is a place for all people to come espeirnce real hope, real love, and real belonging.

So your probably wondering what we are doing at youth for the next several weeks eh?

Well next week we hare having a game show ngiht, and the prizes are increible. But after that, we are having a smallg roup night, this is going to be time for you as youth to conenct and have sme fun within your small groups.