Last night, Wednesday, July 9th the YouthRoom was very intense again for the 2nd week in a row. It seems to me that God is really working in the hearts of several students. I pray so.
I taught again from Luke. This time it was Luke 12:35-53.
This is such a rich passage loaded with good stuff. As I was preaching, it dawned on me that this could easily be broken up into several good sermons.
Verses 35 through 40 are a wake up call…literally! Jesus is saying to us that he is coming back soon and we do not know when that will be so we best be ready. He says, stay awake waiting for Him. Verse 37 states it so well “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes.” I love the word servants, and I love the fact that the redeemed are servants of our Master Jesus. I asked the youth, when Christ returns, will He find your ready, waiting? Will you be wide awake?
Verses 41 through 53 are so radical. They are the Jesus that many people who do not read the Bible are not aware of. In these verses, Jesus through a parable speaks of the Master (who refers to Him) coming home to find the servants not ready, so he cuts them to pieces and beats them. Then later on Jesus asks the question “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth?” Then He answers it by saying “No, but rather division.” These statements are radical. Jesus Christ is radical. There is no one like Him. And He can save you.
Right in the middle of these radical statements Jesus speaks “to whom much is given, much is required.” We spent some time seeking to understand this statement. We discussed how we have been given much, and so are we doing what is required? Are we taking what we know & have (the good news of Jesus. His salvation.) and taking it to others? This is required of us.
Finally, these three things (Ready, Radical, Responsible) are the reality. That is the truth. Jesus is real and what He says here in Luke 12 is the reality. We cannot continue to think that He is the god who is not serious about disobedience and punishing sin and hating sin. We must know what he love and hates so that we will grow to love and hate the same things.
I hope and pray that the youth are grasping the reality of God’s Word and God’s Son.