Given the circumstances, its no surprise that many youth are restless, insecure, jaded, and desperately searching for meaning to explain all the hurt and suffering they see around them, meaning for their very existence. Sadly, many within the church offer nothing more substantive than the vaporous teachings of the world. In some churches, youth group has become synonymous with over-the-top games, entertainment, and shallow teaching. They are told, yes, life here on earth is a mess, but dont worry, one day youll die and go to heaven. There things will be right. In the meantime, want to see how many marshmallows I can stick in my mouth? Do we really believe the faith of our youth is so pointless that the best God has for them now is a temporary escape from the world on Wednesday night and Sunday morning? This sort of ministry just reinforces a belief in the meaninglessness of this life. Where are meaning and hope found? In Jesus. I am firmly convinced that what todays youth need most is the gospel of Christ Jesus the Lord. He is the one in whom the fullness of God is found, and hes the one in whom we are filled (Col 2:9-10). Moreover, he is the one who gives meaning to this life. He didnt come to escape the world but to redeem it. When you read the Gospels, you see the way in which Jesus and his kingdom brought redemption to this world by overcoming physical evil (emotional and physical sickness), metaphysical evil (Satan and the demons), and moral evil (sin). And the amazing message of the gospel is that we are transferred into Jesus kingdom of redemption and the forgiveness of sin (Col 1:13-14), a kingdom we pray comes on earth as it is in heaven (Matt 6:10). Its a kingdom of meaning for today that heals the broken and strengthens the tempted as they live in the world (but are not of the world). This is why, then, Paul pleas for the early Christians in Colossae to walk in [Jesus], rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving (Col 2:7). But the assumption Paul makes is that all Christians—including young ones—have been taught this kingdom-bringing Jesus,the Messiah as presented in the Old and New Testaments. This is the Jesus in whom youth today can truly root their faith and be fed, grown, and established.
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 03:55:08 +0000
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