Teenagers and the young
A teenager is in a curious time...between being a child and being an adult. I remember that I don't think I liked being called a teenager. I think it had a stigma about it. Maybe because of the behavior of teenagers in general in the world.
Youth and the Temptation of Evil
It seems like the goal of many teenagers and young people is to trash their lives as quickly as possible. Before they reach 20 if they can. They do this by getting themselves pregnant or drowning themselves in alcohol and sexual immorality. They often end up with a bad job or no job at all because they're too busy dealing with debt and things they shouldn't have gotten themselves into. But it's not that there's no better plan out there for them. There is. God has laid out a plan that will make for a much smarter life than this.
Our main text would come from:
2 Tim 3
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money [I've seen that], boastful [I've seen that], proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents [I've seen that], ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without selfcontrol, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God– 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
[I've seen 13-year old kids who are so indignant against their parents that they are the parents. They throw a fit when they don't get their way and have no discipline and their parents end up cowering. Unfortunately, with their maturity level, they really don't know what's best for themselves. And so it's likely that, like many teenagers, they're going to have quite a few bad ideas that they're going to put into action regardless of what their parents say...sometimes even with their parents' permission.]
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6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weakwilled women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, [sounds a bit like TV] 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth–men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
10You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, [remember this smarter way of life that we mentioned?] 11persecutions, sufferings–what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, [Paul doesn't say life will be perfect for a Christian. But with God's plan, I think it can be a lot easier than living without God.] 13while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is Godbreathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
[It seems like many young people don't have this equipment. They have the car but no steering wheel. A Christian allows God to direct their lives. This, in turn, means they are obedient to their parents, sensible, not following every impulse they have, not trying to trash their lives before they even start. They are smart.]
Having read this, I think we have some wonderful young people in our congregation who are doing good things with their lives. As Paul says to Timothy, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of.
All people are subject to influence whether they realize it or not. When you're around someone a lot, you want to get along with them. This may even mean doing the things they do to fit in. This can lead to trouble if they are a bad influence.
1 Cor 14
20Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.
We are to be naive in terms of evil...not wanting to taste and touch and surround ourselves with it.
Parents and Children
Eph 6
1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2“Honor your father and mother”–which is the first commandment with a promise– 3“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”[a] 4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Young men
Titus 2
6Similarly, encourage the young men to be selfcontrolled. 7In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
1 Peter 5
5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those
who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one
another, because, “God opposes the proud
but
gives grace to the humble.”[a]
6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may
lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he
cares for you.
8Be selfcontrolled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
More advice from Paul to Timothy
1 Tim 5
1Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
Young women
1 Tim 2
9I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
This has become such a problem in the world today...the way people dress...with this and that hanging out. Why do they do it? To get attention. This isn't the sort of attention we should seek after. Someone who likes you because you're showing all the right stuff is going to be a shallow person. You get what you pay for. Instead, look for someone who has the same beliefs you do. This ends up being so important, but many realize it too late.
Energy and Optimism of Youth
While you are young, you have freedom to carry out many things that you might not be able to when you're older because of various responsibilities that come up.
1 Cor 7
32... An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs–how he can please the Lord. 33But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world–how he can please his wife– 34and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world–how she can please her husband. 35I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
Another advantage you may have as teenagers is that you might be more optimistic than an adult. This can be a good thing. Maybe you're more likely to talk to someone about Christ rather than always assume they won't listen. This is a good thing and a lesson all of us need to keep in mind. Those of us who are older need to work not to become too lazy to do good to others and to continue to work for God. Not to lose that energy of youth, but to continue to do what is needed. If you look at what Paul did throughout his life, you'd think he had the energy of a young man.
There is strength and energy in youth. Don't waste it. Apply it according to God's will.
Mark 10
13People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
The kingdom of heaven is innocent like children. A small child is innocent and hasn't yet learned intentional evil. They haven't yet learned to disobey their parents whenever possible. They haven't yet learned to spread malicious gossip about others. They haven't yet learned real hatred. Unfortunately, they can learn these things over time if they and their parents aren't careful. All of us must strive for this innocence. Christ can cleanse us no matter what our past is.
On another occasion with Jesus and his disciples,
Mat 18
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
The world encourages a sense of entitlement. Take what you want and knock everyone down who gets in your way. You're the most important person there is. Don't submit to anyone. But Jesus taught the opposite. Humble yourself. Serve others. Jesus thought this such an important point that he washed his disciples' feet to make the point. Jesus thought nothing of worldly reputation and we shouldn't either. We have to learn not to care whether the world thinks the bible is foolishness.
Your youth can be a wonderful time in your life. You have freedom and energy to do good things.
Psalm 37
1 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD ; trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret-it leads only to evil.
9 For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.
12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.
...
25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.
27 Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
28 For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
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