How to Keep Ministry focused towards Children

Text: Luke 18:9-14

Intro: When I say the word Revival what comes to your mind. Maybe series of meetings, maybe a series of boring meetings, Maybe a series of meetings were you will get on fire for a short time.

One man has defined revival as the joy that one experiences when he stands in a right relationship with God. Revival is powerful because with God in view, his people are willing to die to the old man and live in newness of life. It is powerful in the life of a believer because the presence of God is felt its powerful. Revival is so powerful for the church because when God is clearly present with His people in His house the lost are able to be impressed by him all the more. I Cor 14

Youth in Revival

ln every generation, God has been faithful to bring revival to His people and spiritual awakening to nations. In almost all cases, those movements of the Spirit were most evident among young people. Most modern day surveys indicate that up to 85 percent of all people who get saved are converted before age 30, and most before age 25. One preacher described young people as "kindling" which helps set fire to "old logs."

Old Testament Revivals

Joshua and the generation under 20 - "Your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it" (Deut 1:39).

David - the young hero. "You are not able to ... fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth ..." (I Sam 17:33).

Josiah - the boy King who started a Revival. "In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David ... and he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places ..." (II Chr34:3).

Jeremiah -the young prophet. "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth. But the Lord said to me: 'Do not say, I am a youth. For you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak'" (Jer 1:6, 7).

History

Yale College - In I796, 26 Yale students founded an organization on campus called the "Moral Society" which discouraged profanity, immorality and drinking. In just four years nearly one half of the college students were members and this group is credited with laying the foundation for four revivals that occurred later on that campus.

DJ-. Moody - In 1858, Dwight Moody began an outreach to young people in Chicago. He started a Sunday school for youth in a vacant tavern which soon grew into a church filled with young believers. This was the launching pad for one of the great ministries of the 1800s.

C.T. Studd - Saved under Moody's ministry at Cambridge University in England. Studd became part of the "Cambridge Seven." This group consisted of Moody's helpers or his converts, who toured universities and challenged students for missions. They were called "holy madmen, launched out to redeem another generation of spiritual warriors."3

Wales - From a report in 1859, "one of the most striking characteristics of the movement was its effect on young people. "The youth of our congregations are nearly all the subjects of deep religious impressions. Very young people ... from 10 to 14 years of age, gather together to hold prayer meetings, and pray very fervently. In many places, the young people hold a prayer ' meeting of their own, and these sometimes proved instrumental in bringing the powerful influences of the revival to that particular locality. The majority of all converts of the revival... were young people."4

The 20th Century

Evan Roberts - A movement known as the Welsh Revival began in 1904 when Evan Roberts, at the age of 26, said to his college principal, "I keep hearing a voice that tells me I must go home to speak to our young people in my home church."

History tradition teaches says that this revival began as a group of teens met in the church house to pray. It wasn't there parents it was lead by the Sunday school teachers or organized by the pastor the churches in that revival were changed.

It is said in the parish of Ban/as that there was a dance held in the gym of the public school. Eye witnesses said that the dancers were convicted by the power of the holy Spirit so great that a majority could be found at the church weeping and begging God for mercy on their sinfulness.

So began a sweeping revival in which 100,000 people were converted in five months throughout Wales.

"The revival seems to work especially among young people. Its form, which is that of prayer, praise and personal testimony, and its absence of method make it the most methodical expression of the emotions of young hearts aflame with the love of God."5

In our text tonight we find two different men in God's house. One that leaves right with God, One that has been changed and usable for the Kingdom of God, and a man that left the same way he came and if this were more than a parable that man would be in hell tonight.

Hear an Evil Prayer

When we read this passage with a Western mindset we get a little squimish. We think like really God is trying to make it very obvious who we are not to be like. Like God is pointing a big red arrow down for us to see this pious gas bag pray.

But the truth is that this was a standard Pharisee prayer. In fact, there is a common rabbinical (rabbi) prayer that goes like this. God I thank thee that I am not a Gentile, a bondslave, or woman." Isn't that classy.

However bad this sounds there they say that the prayer was all about the fact that as a man they in their culture believe that a * Jewish man had full right in worship with God. A Gentile, bondservant, and woman did not have complete access to the worship system to Jehovah. And this was a prayer of gratitude to the Father.

I. The Pharisee approached God on "What I Am Not" Worldly (Unsaved)

So when this man comes to God in his prayer he is thanking God that he has right to stand in the house of God unlike this publican who from the looks of it did something really wrong. He is giving himself a right to approach God. Literally he is saying

"I have a right to be here, because I am not one of these low life's that you usually deal with."

You do this don't you. Your conscience begins to tear at you, ^ and you get yourself off the hook by saying something like. Hey, I am not doing what my other friends are doing.

This is the picture of America today. They involve themselves in sinful activity that God literally hates but they have no worries because they look and act and talk no different than anyone else. Or in their flesh they have a list of things that they do or don't do that makes them better than all else.

Have you stopped to recognize the reality that most of the things that you do God hates. Justifying your sin on the shoulders of others will is only pushing you deeper in pride.

I will remind you that not only is the gate narrow so is the way.

According to the Pharisee's standards these men do not have as strong a standing with God as say a Pharisee.

For there are only two options for the person who lives like the world and says yeah im ok. Im not as bad as them.

1. You are deceived

You like Lot have vexed your righteous soul and you are doomed to make a mess of this life.

2. You are going to hell.

If I were honest with you tonight I don't believe we have such a problem with the saved acting like their lost once in a while. As we do lost people that act like Christians once in a while. I will warn you tonight if you are happy to stay in your sin and unmoved by the Word and the Spirit you must heed the instruction of Scripture.

2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV 1900

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

And the question I will ask you is not did you pray a prayer but rather has there been a change. Did you place your faith in him.( Not how do you feel how has his spirit moved in you to make you more like Christ.

II. The Pharisee approached God on "What I Do" Self -Righteous

Fasting

According to tradition the Pharisee would fast on Monday and

Thursday. The teaching was that Moses ascended on a

Thursday and descended with the commandments on a

Thursday.

Tithe

Matthew 23:23 says that the Pharisee would give tithe of the herbs (mint and cumin) in their cupboards can you imagine * momma measuring out the Mrs. Dash.

When I was working as a youth pastor I would spend most of my time with teenagers. I tell you right now that some of the greatest times I have had in the last eight years have been with young people.

Do you know what I saw with my own two eyes. Some of the most powerfully used young people can come right out of a very bad situation. Listen I don't know what your home life is like tonight but I will tell you God will use you and don't ever listen to ' someone who says he won't.

I also learned something else some of the worldliest most reprobate, deviant, hateful, disrespectful, and hypocritical young people hide behind a veneer of dress right, talk right, homeschooled, Christian schooled, Church all your life people.

You know what I found out - kids from a Godly home can serve and love God, and kids from a home that hates God can love God. But they are the ones that choose.

But you know what happens in youth groups today we have made these divisions that did not exist in the first church. I

mean people that had worship idols last week were praying next.

to the deacons. And Acts said they had all things in common. They were together. Anyone was welcome to be a part.

You do not have privileges because you have standards, as a ' matter of fact you have a greater responsibility to make certain that your standards don't become an act like you love Jesus instead of just loving Jesus.

III. The Pharisee approached God on "Who I Am"

We see an entirely different story with the publican. The publican dealt directly with what matters.

I am a sinner

Right here is where most of God's people have a problem and most of them will never know the joy of revival. Or the strength of a walk with God.

Oh now I know you come to God everyday and say that prayer. Ages ago you heard some preacher pray that you are vile and wicked, you are a sinner. And we come to God and say something like, ' God I know I am bad, I am wicked, I am vile, proud, hateful. And you really mean it too. Yeah right let the pretty girl in the Youth group say the same thing about you and you'll be depressed for a week - why because you don't believe it.

You don't say anything about my momma. We will fight for our momma's honor. You'll kill for your honor.

See most people will never deal with who they truly are. That is way there are so many people will pray a prayer and when they die they'll burn in hell. Because they prayed a prayer they didn't see themselves a sinners in need of a savior they saw themselves as someone worth saving because of all they have done.

It goes beyond the day you were saved too. When we talk about revival we talk of changing the world we can get real excited but too few are willing to take the journey, and pay the price.

You want to know what separated these two men - miles.

- The Pharisee wants to deal with who he is not.

Well here I am all settled in church ready to worship. Oh yeah can't wait. Oh there's that new girl. But I hear she carries an NIV. I watched her she didn't even stand when the Scripture was being read who does she think she is. I am glad that is not me.

When your walk with God has you vs. anyone else you haven't gotten a hold of God.

I mean if we had been there maybe we could have stopped the Pharisee and pointed out that

Extortioners - Zaccheus

Unjust - The Ten Lepers

Adulterers - Woman taken in the Act

Publicans - Matthew

Seemed were the ones Christ was most interested in.

Mat 9:12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. Christ was showing that the Pharisees had it wrong.

- The Pharisee wants to deal with What he does. You can almost hear it can't you

I tithe

I soul win

I teach

I Shake hands

I will be like the most high...

I will ascend unto the heights of the clouds

Anytime we attempt to be accepted on the basis of what we do, be as sincere as you might but it is pride. Always your works are as filthy rags because they will always be full of pride. When you try to earn heaven you are spitting on the cross, and God knows you evil heart.

Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV 1900

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

bent on emotionalism that we have boiled our walk with God down to stirring. We say Oh that message stirred me. But like Leonard Ravenhill says, the question isn't were you challenged the question is were you changed.

Christians go into God's house hear of his righteousness and go out into the streets more blind when they heard the truth.

But we do the same thing when as believers, we have a long list of things that we do you are involved in every ministry and haven't grown in the last two years you are not doing it in his power. If you haven't been walking with him he is not going to somehow just look the other way and say oh he meant well even if he didn't do it in my strength and relying on my power.

You say why is it that these two "Who I am not", "What I do", so bad? Because they focus on the horizontal. They are not focused on the vertical.

Here is what the Publican did.

He focused on Who he is.

1. Care about God's assessment.

The beginning of wisdom is the start of fearing God. As soul winners in our churches we have made to much of a prayer and not enough of God.

The modern soul winner will do good if he spend less time getting people to pray and more time helping see where they have offended God

The same is true for the born again. You will strive for holiness more readily if are constantly aware of how Holy God is.

The problem is that we have lost sight of the fact that most of the things we love God hates.

2. Carry on till you have changed.

We live in a culture that is bent on an emotional rush. They want moving drama, when they watch their movies women want to cry, and guys want to shoot something. Problem is that we are so 11

Luke 18:15–17 KJV 1900

And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

Do you want to know if Jesus parable made an immediate impact?

In the very next verse they are keeping the infants and children away.

We hear the humility of our Savior in these words.

Luke 18:16 KJV 1900

But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

CIT: The way for us to keep our ministry focused at reaching kids is to keep ourselves humble enough to bring them to Jesus.