Final Youth Sermon

Intro

After church hang out instead of small groups

English Standard Version (Eph. Chapter 4:32)

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Story

We are called to include, not exclude

Vitamin Deficit

Have you ever taken a multi-vitamin before? I’m huge vitamin person. Every morning I wake up and set out everyone’s vitamins for the morning. I do this, because the food we eat does not always give us the vitamins and minerals we need. Even when we eat healthy, there are gaps in getting what we need. So, we take vitamins to fill those gaps.

When you don’t have what you need nutritionally your body cannot operate at maximum capacity. Your immune system is lower, your brain function is minimized, and long term health complications happen. So what do we do? We fill the gaps.

The first thing Paul tells the church is to be “kind to one another.” I think Paul was speaking to a church that had a similar issue to us today, there was a gap in something essential to life - kindness.

We are called to encourage, not discourage

When Paul asks us to be tenderhearted to others, he is asking us to have empathy. Being an “empath” is kind of made of fun of right now, because of a bad understanding. What the scripture is telling us is that we are ALL asked to have empathy. And, when we have empathy for others, we are careful with our words and actions so as not to discourage them, but lift them up and encourage them.

Story of Jesus and the adulterous woman.

English Standard Version (Chapter 8)

Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.

We are called to forgive, not hold grudges

Lastly, I want to talk about forgiveness. This is a tough discussion today. We live in this society that places a high value on our ability to push people out because of the wrong actions (whether that is even accurate or not).

Lord’s Prayer

English Standard Version (Chapter 6)

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.