In regards to their education we're thankful for brother Josh and his family Lord what a blessing they've been to our church
I pray to you bless this evening bless the service the singing most importantly the preaching of your word
We love you. We thank you pray this thing's in Jesus name. Amen. You may be seated on number
364 standing on the promises
on number
364 on that first verse
standing on the promises of Christ my king
Through eternal ages. Let its praises ring
Glory in the highest. I will shout and say standing on the promises of God
Standing on the promises of God my saviour
Standing on the promises of God standing on the promises that cannot fail
The storms of doubt and fear, a sin shall prevail
Standing on the promises of God
The promises of God my saviour
Standing on the promises of God
The promises of Christ the strongest
The promises of God
Verse four, I'm sorry. Oh, verse four, eh?
Standing on the promises that cannot be a moment to the spirit's call
Resting in my saviour as my own
Standing on the promises of God
I have B on us trying to sing only three verses
Thank you for being here this evening
Just a few announcements here before we continue with the graduation tonight
Of course, we welcome you to come back to our Thursday evening service at 7 p.m.
Of course, that's our Bible study as we go through the book of Isaiah
You see the soul winning times listed there in the middle
In the list of expecting mothers
Congratulations to the Carries once again on the announcement of their seventh child, I believe
If I'm not mistaken
So congratulations to them and then we have the stats there for salvations and baptisms for the month of April
As I mentioned this morning that the team went out to TJ yesterday and they got 11 salvations
And so that was exciting on the right hand side is the upcoming events
Of course, we have our graduation ceremonies today
We had the elementary graduation this morning
And then today this evening we have the high school graduation for brother Josh Rodriguez
And so we're excited about that end of school parties on Saturday
May 31st, you can see my wife Sarah for details on that
And then we have a ladies prayer breakfast coming up on Saturday, June 7th
Meeting at the building at 10 a.m
And so you can see Ms. Janelle Gonzalez for more details if you'd like to participate
Or help out in that little activity there if you'd like
And then we have a father's day hike coming up on Saturday, June 14th
May I say that this is not only for fathers
All men are welcome to come to this and so
You know sometimes our church is a little overly literal
And you know they're just like well it's only for fathers
Well it's a father's day hike
It's the Saturday before father's day so everyone's welcome to participate
All the men are welcome to participate in it
That'll be at 6 30 a.m.
Maybe that might dwindle down the group just a little bit
You have the address there and brother Jose is heading it up
So you know if it goes well goes wrong
I'm just kidding now we're excited about it
It's gonna be good
Please make sure you silence your phones during the preaching
So it's to not be a distraction during the service
Now this time we are going to go ahead and go through here
Our high school graduation for brother Josh Rodriguez
And before we get into that I do want to acknowledge the parents
And Miss Courtney and brother Robert
And just give them a round of applause for their investment in Josh's life
Really proud of you Josh
I personally as a pastor am very proud of you
I have a lot of love in my heart for you
I pray for you often
And I'm just really thankful that we have a young man like you in our church
And you are an encouragement to us all
And you are an example that a young man can grow up in 2025
And still be godly, righteous, love the Lord, go soul winning
Come to church and honor their parents
And be respectable and honor those in their church as well
And so I just thank God for you
And I thank God that he's brought you along this way
And of course we know that the journey doesn't stop here
It doesn't end here
Your education continues on hereafter
And so we are here for you as a church
We're here for you as a family
And we will continue to pray for you
At this time, why don't you come on up and receive your diploma here
Congratulations
He wanted us to keep it short and sweet
He doesn't really like a whole lot of attention
So why don't we go ahead and bring him up again
No, I'm just kidding
Just kidding
No, let's give him one more round of applause, brother Josh
Great job
Good work that you put in
Stay faithful, brother
Stay faithful, all right
And so thank you
That's pretty much it
Let's pray and we'll be dismissed
No, I'm just kidding
Nah
All right, we're gonna sing our next song
Song number
What do we got here?
Oh, we got the song sheet "Until Then"
I don't have a hand
I'll go and please raise your hand
Oh, we got quite a few
Quite a few ushers
Thank you, gentlemen
"Until Then" a very powerful song
On that first verse
My heart can't sing when I lost you
Remember to find me
And see the Savior as well
So on that last we'll change from city to Savior
On that last verse
This we bring
Please turn your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 6
1 Timothy chapter 6
Evening to now we're in 1 Timothy chapter 6
1 Timothy 6 the Bible reads
Let as many servants as are under the yoke
Count their own masters worthy of all honor
That the name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed
And they that have believing masters
Let them not despise them because they are brethren
But rather do them service
Because they are faithful and beloved
Partakers of the benefit
These things teach and exhort
If any man teach otherwise
And consent not to wholesome words
Even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ
And to the doctrine which is according to godliness
He is proud knowing nothing
But doting about questions and strife of words
Whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmising
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds
And destitute of the truth
Supposing that gain is godliness
From such withdraw thyself
But godliness with contentment is great gain
For we brought nothing into this world
And it is certain we could carry nothing out
And having food and raiment
Let us be therewith content
But that that will be rich
Fall into temptation and a snare
And into many foolish and hurtful lusts
Which drown men in destruction and perdition
For the love of money is the root of all evil
Which while some covet it after
They have erred from the faith
And pierced themselves through with many sorrows
But thou, O man of God, flee these things
And follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love
Patience, meekness
Fight the good fight of faith
Lay hold on eternal life
Whereunto thou art also called
And hast professed a good profession
Before many witnesses
I give thee charge in the sight of God
Who quickeneth all things
And Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate
Witnessed a good confession
That thou keep this commandment without spot
Unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ
Which in his times he shall show
Who is the blessed and only Pontate
The king of kings and lorded lords
Only hath immortality dwelling in the light
Which no man can approach unto
Whom no man hath seen nor can see
To whom be honor and power everlasting
Amen
Charge them that are rich in this world
That they be not high-minded
Nor trust in uncertain riches
But in the living God
Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy
That they do good
That they be rich in good works
Ready to distribute
Willing to communicate
Laying up in store for themselves
A good foundation against the time to come
That they may lay hold on eternal life
Oh, Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust
Avoiding profane and vain babblings
And oppositions of science falsely so called
Which some professing have erred concerning the faith
Grace be with thee, amen
Let's pray, dear Lord God
Just thank you for your word, Lord
And just thank you for this church
And thank you for this next generation
That you're raising up to serve you, Lord
And just thank you for our pastor
Please bless him right now
And fill him with the spirit
As he preaches in your word, Lord
And just be with us in the congregation
To hear the word being preached, Lord
We pray this all in Jesus' name, amen
Amen
Okay, tonight is our high school graduation
And so I'm going to preach a sermon
Entitled "A Charge to the Youth"
"A Charge to the Youth"
Now, obviously, it's our high school graduation
But you know, we've got a lot of young people
In our church
That I want to address as well
Give a charge to
And you know, I really like first and second Timothy
Because of the fact that it's written to a young man, right?
We see that it's written to a young man
The apostle Paul refers to him as a youth
We don't know exactly how old he is
But we know that he is young, he's a youth
Yet in spite of all that
The apostle Paul refers to him as a man of God
Why is that?
Well, because of the fact that the apostle Paul
Is holding Timothy to a higher standard, right?
Even though he's young, even though he's a youth
Even though he's not necessarily older in age
He's not necessarily an elder
The apostle Paul is saying, hey
You need to make sure that you behave yourself like a man
And in fact, look at verse 11 of 1 Timothy chapter 6
He tells him here, but thou, addressing who?
Timothy, O man of God, flee these things and follow after righteousness
Godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness
Fight the good fight of faith
Lay hold on eternal life
Whereunto thou are also called
And hast professed a good profession before many witnesses
He goes on to say in verse 13
I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickeneth all things before Christ Jesus
Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession
That thou keep this commandment without spot
Unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ
That's a pretty hefty charge that he's giving Timothy who is a youth
He's not saying hey you know you can play video games every once in a while
Hey go hang out with your friends every once in a while
Hey you know just be childish every once in a while
He's treating him like a grown man and he's telling them here
You need to make sure that you keep these commandments until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ
You know it's no wonder that Timothy ended up being a really godly person
He's someone who the apostle Paul couldn't trust with the church at Ephesus
To preach there, to disciple there, to lead doctrine there, to be a great leader at the church of Ephesus
Because of the fact that although he was a youth he was treated as a man
And I'm a strong believer, I'm a firm believer that we need to treat the youth as though they're grown men
Obviously we don't want to rob them of their youth, rob them of their childhood
Rob them of having a good time as a youth
However, we need to make sure that we have an expectation of them that they need to grow up, right?
Why? Because they are the next generation
As Brother Cody prayed before the sermon tonight
You know, they are the next generation who's going to take up the torch
They are the next generation who's going to take up the torch of doctrine, the torch of preaching
The torch of being the next members of our local New Testament church
To lead the success of God's work here at First Works Baptist Church
What does it mean to charge?
Well, to charge means to impose, to impute, or ascribe responsibility
To instruct, to lay command, or injunction upon
And this evening, I want to give a charge to the youth of our church
So it's not specifically directed at Josh
Although much of it is, of course, because this night is about him
But Josh, this is about all the other youth in our church as well, okay?
And so the youth in our church better not be like, "Yeah, this is all for Josh"
No, this is for you too, okay?
Christian, wherever you're at, this is for you too, all right?
All the young men in our church, and obviously we can say, "What is a young man?"
We can say it's a teenager all the way up into a young adult in their 20s
And so you 20-year-olds, give heed to this sermon as well
This applies to you
Go to Ecclesiastes chapter 12
Hold your place there in 1st and 2nd Timothy
And go to Ecclesiastes chapter number 12
Let me give you a couple things that I would like to charge our teenagers with
And obviously, you know, the time will not permit for me to go through all the things that
I would like to instruct our teenagers with
Obviously that requires a lifetime of instruction, a lifetime of teaching the Bible
And as the years go by, you will learn a lot in this regard
But first and foremost, if I were to give you one charge
First and foremost, I would say this, seek God in your youth
Seek the Lord in your youth
You know, young people have a tendency to seek frivolous things
Things that are vain, things that are sinful, things that do not profit
Whereas the Bible consistently charges for the young people
To seek God in their youth, in their young age
Seek the Lord and his power, alright?
Euryan Ecclesiastes 12 on Beritchi from Psalm 71 verse 17 says
Oh God, thou hast taught me from my youth
And hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works
That is a pretty powerful statement if you think about it
You know, David here is writing in the book of Psalms
And he's saying, you know, the Lord has taught me
He's instructed me since I was a little kid
And what does that show us?
It shows us that David was someone who walked with God even as a youth
It's someone who sought the Lord in prayer
And in the reading of the scriptures since he was a very young man
I would hope that the young man in the church can say with confidence
God has instructed me since I was a teenager
And look, these little five-year-olds that graduated this morning
That's my prayer for them
That they would say the Lord instructed me since I was five years old
And make no mistake about it
Being in a church that's family-integrated aids with that, right?
It helps with the young people learning the word of God
And obviously it gets a little noisy in here when the kids are in here
And you got to discipline them and take them out
But make no mistake about it
The kids in our church are paying attention to the preaching of God's word
They're taking notes
Sometimes they pay better attention than the adults
The adults are just cracking open a Red Bull or something
They're thinking about dinner
They're thinking about everything else
Whereas the kids are actually paying attention to what's going on
So how do you know?
Because I talk to my kids who are in the service
And they ask questions about the sermon
They ask questions about the things of God
Folks, they are soaking up
They're soaking up God's word
They're soaking up the preaching of God's word
They are being instructed from their youth, right?
But in order to be instructed from your youth
You have to choose to be instructed though
You have to seek God out
The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 12 verse 1
"For you young people, remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth"
You know what it tells me?
It tells me that it's easy to forget God in your youth
It's easy to forget God during your younger years
Why?
Because you got so many other things that you're being distracted with
You have so many other activities that you're involved with
Sometimes God is placed on the back burner
Whereas the Bible is telling us here
Make sure you remember God when you have the time to walk with God
Make sure you remember reading your Bible when you still have time to read the Bible
Make sure you pray when you still have time to pray
Make sure you go to church while you still have time to go to church
Why?
Look what it goes on to say
"While the evil days come not"
Now that's a powerful statement
What is it telling us?
It's a promise to you young people
Evil days are coming
Bad days are coming
Afflictions are coming
Heartaches are coming
Tribulations coming
Hardships are on its way
And you know when you're young
You don't really think about those things
You know obviously the youth of today
Is different from the youths in my day
You know spending time with frivolous things in my day
Would be basically watching TV all day
You guys know what a TV is?
It was a square box that we used to use back in the day
That had images
And you couldn't choose when a show came on you had to just be there when it came on and if you missed a show
You just missed it there was no like playback there was no you know you couldn't do any of that if you missed a special you
Just missed a special and then you have to go to school the next day and hear all your friends talk about that cartoon that
You didn't get to watch you know, but you guys everyone's like what why don't you just YouTube it, bro?
Like why did you cuz we didn't have that you know when you're younger you don't really worry about it
You don't worry about bills. You don't worry about your health
You don't worry about you know the the cares of this life that adults worry about because the evil days come not and so what?
Is God specifically saying to the youth you need to make sure that you seek God out
Why you still have the liberty to do so because the older you get the more difficult it becomes to seek the Lord
Why because when you get older?
hardships come and that is a major that plays a major role sometimes and
Hindering adults from seeking after God unfortunately, you know balancing everything out balancing work balancing family balancing
economic issues balancing what's going on in this world and
Fitting the Lord and walking with God and serving God within that scope, right?
Whereas the the the writer here Solomon is saying, you know
The best time to start seeking God to build the discipline to read your Bible is now
When you don't have the bill stacking up when you don't have the heartaches when you don't have the afflictions
He says here remember now that that creator in the days of that youth while the evil days come not
Nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them
In other words when you become before you become a grump old people are grumpy grumpy people sometimes, you know
Because they've seen the evil and it changes their disposition
It changes their attitude about life with kids and they're always happy kids are just happy
They're always having a good time and God is saying, you know use that rejoicing and that joy
That youthful disposition to seek after the Lord
He says nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them
When while the Sun or the light or the moon or the stars be not darken nor the clouds return after the rain
Obviously the imagery that's being portrayed here is when sad days come, you know
the older you get the more sad he becomes sometimes because the reality begins to set in of how life can actually be right the
Difficulties of life and you know young people in our church are probably thinking like
This is depressing. You know, is it really like that? Well, obviously life is beautiful life is great
But it doesn't it's not that it's great at the exception of receiving evil as well
though and while you're still living with your parents while you do not have the
Responsibilities of an adult God commands you to open your Bible and read it and seek after the Lord
Remember your creator now learn to have God's favor on your life now learn how to get a hold of God
Now learn how to build the discipline of walking with the Lord now
Because folks once you get older it gets a little more challenging to do
So, you know what adults struggle with this all the time for the Josh adults struggle with this all the time
Adults struggle with seeking after the Lord in their older age all the time
The the most the best thing that can happen to you is that you learn how to seek God through his word
While you're young so the disciplines already there
It's like brushing your teeth when you get up in the morning if you if you do that
I don't know what the youths do nowadays, you know
There's certain things that are just natural to us when we get up in the morning
It's just second nature, right and you know walking with God should be one of them
But that only happens if you build that discipline early on in your life
And that discipline is only built if you listen to this remember your creator in the days of your youth
The Bible also says you don't have to turn there in Psalm 14 verse 12 that our sons
May be as plants
Grown up in their youth that our daughters may be as cornerstones polished after the similitude of a palace
The desire for parents the desire for spiritual leaders
The desire for elders is that the young people of our church would grow as a plant does in their youth
They start as a seed and we just see them grow and sprout and become that strong
Redwood that strong palm tree that has not moved but it all starts
We're building the right foundation when they're in their youth see God in your youth young people
You know if you're here in church tonight, that's you seeking God in your youth
Thank God that we have a church where young people come they come to hear the preaching of God's word
They come to learn about the statutes and precepts of God
That is then putting God first seeking the kingdom of God in order to put him first
Turn with me if you went to the book of Proverbs go to Proverbs chapter 23 if you would Proverbs chapter 23
Charge number one is that you seek God in your youth
I would hope that tomorrow morning you young people have the discipline of getting up in the morning and reading your Bible
Not going through Instagram not going through tick-tock not going through not turning to the video game console
Opening up your Bible and seeking God out asking God to teach you something from his word do that early on you won't regret
Later see God in your youth, but let me also say this
You know another charge that I give to the young people to the youth is that you love and honor your parents
love and honor
Your parents now look folks. Let me just let me let you young people in on a little secret parents aren't perfect
I know that's shocking to everyone
There's no such thing as perfect parents the only perfect parents that exists are to five-year-olds
Because to a five-year-old their parent can do no wrong parents are just perfect to a five-year-old their parents are the heroes
But as we grow we begin to see the flaws of our parents and that they're there
They're creeps in a temptation to not honor them and love them as God commands us to let me just remind you
Here's the best insurance policy for your life. You love and honor your parents
No, the best insurance policy is just to be healthy and to make sure that I have enough money in the bank and make sure
That I stay away from vices. Yeah, that's good and all but I'm gonna tell you right now
The greatest insurance policy according to the Bible for any young person is to love and honor their parents
The Bible says in Ephesians 6 verse 1 children obey your parents in the Lord as long as they're Christians
No
I just says in the Lord for this is right honor thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise
That it may be well with thee and thou mayst live long on the earth
So it sounds to me as though God is saying if you want me to extend your life
if you want to live a long and prosperous life this side of eternity the number one thing you can do is love and honor your
Parents obey them and you'll live long on this earth now. I'm not here to explain to you how that works
I'm not here to say well
You know the way the reason that works this way is because let's go ahead and cross reference some scriptures here in the Bible
That teaches specifically what is the practical reasons behind obeying your parents and how that keeps you you know from dying sooner
I'm just gonna tell you that's what just God says and so if God says obey your parents
Just do it if God says honor your parents do it if God says love your parents do it now look folks
You know we can all point
I'm sure we can spend the entire evening pointing out the flaws of our parents
We all can and you know what one day our kids will be able to do the same to us
They can point to our flaws too, right?
but at the end of the day what we're supposed to do as children as sons as daughters is
Accentuate their strengths and minimize their weaknesses and recognize that their weaknesses are something that you will inherit as a weakness as well
So you better you better read you better understand that you need to sow
The right type of seeds in order to not reap the weaknesses of your parents in the long run, okay?
You know, it's important for us to realize. Hey, I need to love honor and obey my parents
And yeah, I may inherit the weaknesses of my parents because we all inherit the weaknesses of our parents to a certain degree
Okay, we all do whether it's an attitude whether it's a habit. It's a disposition
We all inherit something from our parents, but you know what Christianity offers a new nature that helps us to supersede and transcend
Those habits those dispositions and those things that we inherit from our parents
The point that I'm making here is that you know instead of blaming our parents for maybe areas that they fell short in
Why don't we accentuate their successes in order to sow seeds in the future for us as well?
So we can live longer and honor God by doing so you like why I just don't think you know
My parents deserve that honor. Yeah, but God deserves that honor though, you know
It's like a wife who's just like well my husband doesn't deserve me to like reference
Yeah, but does God deserve for you to reverence your husband though?
Of course he does so whenever the leaders in our life fall short and they don't seem
They don't seem worthy of that type of respect honor or love
Then we circumvent that and do it as unto the Lord point that I'm making here is a charge that I give to the young
People's love and honor your parents now
This is important today because in the day and age in which we live we have young people who despise their parents
mock their parents
Beat their parents
Ridicule their parents do evil unto their parents, right? The Bible says in Proverbs 19 verse 26
He that wasted his father and chased it the way his mother is a son that causeth shame and bringeth
reproach look at Proverbs 23 verse 22 says hearken unto thy father that begat thee and despise not thy mother
When she is old showing us that there is a temptation amongst young people
To despise their parents the older that they get whereas the Bible is teaching us here to obey them to love them to honor them
You say well, you know, you just don't know my parents
Yeah, but I know my parents though and there's nothing new under the Sun and you know at the end of the day
We have to realize that we don't honor and love our parents necessary because they're worth it
Although in many instances they are it's quite free. Let's just be honest. We can just spend an entire evening
Highlighting their failures, but we all we can also spend an entire evening. Talk about all the good that they've done as well
You know, how about the fact that they had you right? How about the fact that they fed you they clothed you
They put a roof over your head. Yeah, but it didn't give me an Xbox now
Is that I don't even know if that's a thing anymore. Yeah, but they didn't give me this that or the other
Well, that's a good thing
You know
I think of some of the things that my mom abstained from giving me that I complained about when I was younger
But now that I'm older I'm thinking to myself actually that's good that I didn't get that, you know
I remember being young and I remember you know when I was in elementary
The thing that was really in was buying these these these black Nikes just air Nikes
I don't I don't know what they're called, but there are these black all the kids have you know
When all the kids have them you got to have them too, and I was just like me
And you know you're just coveting all the day long. You're just like man. I want those so bad
That's why people get Yeezy's even though. They're so ugly because everyone else has them okay
So then you know I wanted these Nikes, and I remember telling my mom like I want these
She's like I got no money for that. I'm just like come on mom. Please let me get these like
Please let me get you know please let me get and then you know I didn't get them
And then you know later on it was like the Air Force ones that were really popular which I think they're still popular
But you know the white Air Force ones, and I'm like mom
Please and she's like I got no money for that like me. I'm like, but I need shoes though
You know I need shoes for school. She's like okay. Let's go get you some shoes
So we go to this place is it was called oh yeah payless
go to pay less and
She's like pick the shoes that you want you know and you know I ended up getting these shoes
That they weren't air Nikes. They're called air walks. I mean no air walks are okay
They're just like the payless version of my keys
And you know you get those in it and you can tell they try to make it look like a like an Air Force
Nike and I'm like man
I got to make sure I get pants that are baggy enough to just cover these suckers so that no one sees what kind of
Shoes I got and you know I had an older brother and he knew that I wanted some air Nikes
He knew that I wanted him he knew that I couldn't have him so I came home with these air walks
He's like oh you got some new shoes. I'm like leave me alone. He's like what those exactly
Airwalks that's where I've never heard of air walks before I'm like no bad mom
I was bothering me you know when I was a kid just like man
You just can't have those things and it's like man that sucks, but you know what looking back
I'm thankful that I didn't get those really thankful and it built character in me it helped me not to be
Appropriate helped me to be a young man who was content with such things as I had and you know what it helped me
Not to be a spoiled brat because when you give a child everything they want they become spoiled
Ungrateful and quite frankly it helped me to be grateful for the other things that I end up getting that were nice
So they later on when I did get a pair of Nikes
I was grateful for them to the point where I would even walk all weird so that you know there would be no creases
Trying to stay away from big crowds, so they wouldn't get scuffed
I learned to appreciate things point that I'm making here is that you know sometimes you view the rules of your parents Institute upon you as
Being grievous in for the moment. They are grievous, but later on they do yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness
Love and obey your parents and may I say this young people learn to tell your parents that you love them
Don't tell them you love them. That's gay though. You know no it's actually a godly thing to do and
Let me just say this you'll thank me later
You'll thank me later because let me just tell you young people your parents aren't always gonna be there
I'm not trying to be doom and gloom, but there's gonna be a time when your parents are gone
And you know what something a lot of times young people
Later on in their latter years are filled with regret over bad decisions that they made in their youth towards their parents
Because they didn't verbalize love
Turn with me if you would to first Timothy chapter 4 go back to first Timothy go to chapter 4 if you would
Here's my charge to the youth seek God in your youth
Love and honor your parents. Here's a good one. Number three abstain from being despicable
Don't be a despicable youth. Don't be a little punk. Don't be a little brat
Don't be someone that the our society just can't stand don't be someone that people despise
Look what the Bible says in first Timothy chapter 4 like oh man, that's not good. That's kind of rough
Well, look what the Bible says in verse 12. Let when addressing Timothy he says let no man despise thy youth
Now, let me clarify what he means there. Okay. He's not telling Timothy. Hey, don't let no one boss you around
Don't let one do hate on you. Don't let anybody disrespect you. No, he's actually telling him
Conduct your life in such a way that people don't despise you be a likable young man be a likable youth
he says let no man despise that youth but be thou an example of the believers in word and conversation and
charity and spirit and faith and purity till I come give attendance to reading to exhortation and
Doctrine go to 2nd timothy chapter 3 2nd timothy 3 he tells him once again in 1st corinthians 16
Actually when addressing the Corinthian church and talking about Timothy it says in verse 10 now if Timotheus come see that
He may be with you without fear for he worketh the work of the Lord as I also do
Let no man therefore despise him but conduct him forth in peace that he may come unto thee for I look for him
With the brethren now if the Bible is telling Timothy if Paul's telling Timothy hey
Don't let anybody despise you this is kind of showing us that the youth even then had the temptation or
the habit of being despicable now
You know this as well as I do and you know because of the advent of social media
Instagram and tik-tok, you know that is accentuated how despicable young people can be
disrespectful
prideful
arrogant
Despicable right what I have you actually skipped second Timothy go to Proverbs chapter 30 Proverbs chapter 30 if you would Proverbs chapter 30
You know he tells Timothy the way you can offset being a despicable person is by being an example
Being an example in word meaning the way you talk right and obviously, you know
You got Gen Z language out there Gen Z lingo, and you know, whatever
Sometimes I gotta Google it like what is this? What is brain raw, you know?
What is what is this particular and then sometimes I look so long like oh man
I wish I'd never looked that up when the world is this and then I start saying some of this stuff
I'm just I gotta get these words out of my mind, you know
some of these but it says to be an example in word meaning learn how to conduct yourself as young person in your
actual verbal conversation in the way that you talk and you know
what that's why it's important for young people in our church to be able to fellowship and talk to
Grown adults, you know part of the reason young people have a hard time conducting themselves without being despicable
It's because they only have each other you put them in a school with people their age for eight hours a day
It's no wonder they produce what they produce
But you put young people along with adults godly adults people of wisdom
They will begin to adopt the attributes and characteristics of adults as well and speak properly and being encouraging in that manner
So he says being an example of the believers in word in conversation
We would use conversation the way we talk to each other
But conversation in the Bible is referring to your conduct your way of life
He says in charity you should be an example of how loving a person is right
He says in spirit now
This is something the young people are really good at because what does it mean in spirit?
You know just how zealous they are
Excited they are they're lively and this is why it's good to have young people in the church because it adds
Rivalry to the church, you know one day we're gonna have really old people in our church where everyone is just really old
It's gonna happen one day, right?
And you know, hopefully when that time comes we still have young people in our church because young people add
Vitality to the church to add excitement to the church. They add energy to the church as they should
He says in charity in faith and in
Purity. Oh man, that's important
This is a temptation for young people to go out and fornicate to go on and commit lewdness
To go out and do things that are displeasing unto the Lord being involved lasciviousness and uncleanness and abominable actions
What we need is a new generation of young people who commit to purity who abstain from fornication
Who abstain from uncleanness who despise those things right be holy and pure and body and mind and in spirit
And then of course he says to give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctor look at Proverbs 30 verse 11 this
There is a generation. It says that cursed at their father and does not bless their mother. Oh, man
We're in that generation today aren't we making YouTube videos about the parents
Criticizing their parents cussing out their parents cursing their parents spreading
Lies about parents not blessing their parents you want to cut your life short go go ahead and do something like that
And by the way, it's not saying that there's a generation that cursed their father like it's a good thing
He says there is a generation that are pure in their own eyes
What does that mean means? Oh, they're they're they're valid in what they're doing against their parents
They're pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthiness
They're seeking to remove the moat out of someone's eye all the while
They have a beam in theirs. He says they're pure in their own eyes yet
They themselves are not washed from their filthiness
There is a generation. Oh how lofty are their eyes and their eyelids lifted up from all the selfies, right?
Pure they're vain. He says there there's a generation whose teeth are as swords and their jaw teeth as knives to devour the
Poor from off the earth and the needy from among men
This is a curse to a generation when there is a group of young people or when society is filled with young people
Who curse their father and their mother they are a reproach to that nation?
They are approached to that society and this is written in order to deter us from raising young people
with these types of
Characteristics by the way for someone to curse father and mother you have to have a pretty hardened heart to do that
I mean, right you have to be pretty hardened
Hold-hearted and callous to despise your father and mother you say well, you know, you don't know my parents
Well, you know, I don't have perfect parents either and I'm not gonna stand here and just tell you all the failures of my parents
And my father and my mother or whatever, but you know, we've been through some pretty traumatic stuff
But in spite of all of it, I'm not gonna curse my father or my mother. Obviously. My mom's in church here tonight
So, you know, she's doing great. She's been a blessing to me and she has you know prospered in our church
We have a great relationship. You know, my father hasn't necessarily been in the picture, but you know in spite of that
I'm not gonna curse him. I'm not gonna curse him
Why because I don't have a heart in heart, you know
My heart is tender toward towards the things of God
It's tender towards the Bible and you know what part of the problem with this society in this generation is
I hate to say but social media has caused young people to be hardened towards the things towards just love towards their parents
I mean some of the things that people find funny on social media is crazy people dying is like funny to people
That's a fact and so this is why this generation exists and second Timothy, you know, you didn't turn there
Are you I had you turn about how'd you go to Proverbs 30 stay there in Proverbs?
Second, Timothy 3 1 says this know also that in the last days perilous time shall come. What does it mean to be perilous?
dangerous times for men shall be lovers of their own selves
covetous boasters proud blasphemers listen to this
disobedient to parents
unthankful
unholy without natural affection that's referring to reprobates
truce-breakers false accusers
incontinent fierce
despisers of those that are good traders traitors heady high-minded lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God
What's the point that I'm making point that I'm making here is that young people need to learn how to abstain from being a
Despicable young person and quite frankly, it's actually not hard in the day and age in which we live to stand out from that crowd
You know, it's just like, you know
What do I have to do like how much scripture that I need to memorize to not be despicable?
You could just learn don't resist 316 and you're already ahead of like 90% of the young people in this nation
it's like, you know when you when you talk to young people about getting a job and
Succeeding in in this world. It's not very hard anymore because everyone's just lazy. They don't want to work
They don't want to like get promotions. They're not willing to learn and to augment their understanding of their skills
It's not very hard to stand out as a successful person anymore
So it doesn't really take much but the point that I'm making is that you can be a person of nobility young man
You can be a person of purity
You can be a person of who's admirable in the eyes of the adults other than the eyes of our society and just know this
Like this generation is essentially relying upon you depending upon you to take up the torch
Abstain from being a despicable person who hates their parents who hates godliness who are despisers of those that are good
Go to first Samuel chapter 17 if you would first Samuel chapter 17
Here's another charge that I have for the young people in our church slay the lion the bear and the giant
So what I mean by that I'm not talking about the hundred men versus the silverback gorilla
Because we all agree that a hundred men would win there. I said it
Yes, you put a hundred men against the gorilla hundred men would absolutely demolish that gorilla
We might sacrifice five or ten guys in the process
They might you know get handicapped or whatever, you know
The the first five guys like you guys got it you guys got it, you know, but then everyone else
I'm not encouraging for you to go fight a silverback gorilla because I know you'd win. What am I talking about?
Well before you go to first Sammy chapter 17
Let me read to you from judges eight
Very one of the saddest verses in the Bible when it comes to young people judges a verse 20 says and he said into
Jethro his firstborn up slay them but the youth drew not his sword for he feared because he was yet a youth
his dad's like get up and start cutting dudes up. This is my command unto you and
Jethro
Refused to draw his sword. He said well, I'm just a kid and the question I have is like then
Why do you have a sword on you know, you want to act like a man you want to dress like a man?
You want to talk like a man? Well, it's time to step up and be a man
It's like draw your sword and he says he was afraid because he was yet a youth and you know what today
We have a generation of young people who are unwilling to take the responsibility
To overcome their sinful habits to overcome obstacles and challenges because they're not willing to draw the sword
And you know what the sword we could apply that to just remove the s the word young people
You need to draw the sword, which is the word of God. What do I mean by slaying the lion the bear and the giant?
I mean overcome the lions and the bears in your youth
You know if you're a young person in our church and you've opened certain doors to sinful habits
To sinful thinking to things that are just displeasing unto the Lord
It's up to you to slay those just to slay those lines and those bears now
Before they get out of hand later
And let me just tell you this slain the lion and the bear in your life now prepares you for the giant later
Look at verse 31 at first Sammy 17 and when the words were heard, which David spake
They rehearsed them before Saul and he sent for him. Now, let me give you a little bit of background what's taking place here
Goliath is essentially challenging the nation of Israel to fight
Of course Goliath is a giant and everyone is just scared of him. You know, they're like they're wimps Saul scared
David's brothers are all fearing
Everyone's just scared to fight the giant and really the giant, you know Goliath is just saying why don't we just you know
Instead instead of having an all-scale war you just get your best guy and fight against me and whoever wins
Wins the war but no one's willing to do this. They're not willing to fight the giant. So David's coming
He's bringing cheese to his brothers
His dad sent him to bring cheese to bring him lunch and he sees all this commotion and he hears Goliath's
Blaspheming the Lord and he's just like who's this uncircumcised philistine saying all this nonsense
Why isn't anybody stepping up and doing something about it and everyone's like scared and they're just like yeah
Well, you know Saul said that like whoever defeats him. He's gonna let him marry the daughter
He's gonna his father's gonna be tax freed, you know, and he's not gonna have all these he's gonna reward him
basically and
David's like I'll do it
So all the soldiers who have training start rehearsing the words of David who's simply keeping the sheep bringing cheese to his brothers
They rehearse the words in the ears of Saul bunch of whips. We're talking about soldiers here
Who are accustomed to warfare?
They want to send the 17 year old to do the man's job verse 32 says and David said to Saul
Let no man's heart fail because of him thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine as boss right there
He's like hey tell these guys not to be afraid
You know these 20 year olds 30 year olds fighting in the war
I'll go fight verse 33 and Saul said to David
Thou are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him for thou art but a youth and he a man of war
From his youth. Yeah real encouraging their Saul. Well, aren't you the king Saul?
So why don't you go fight the Philistine Saul and David said into Saul and by the way, let me just say this young people
Sometimes the older generation will seek to discourage you from doing things that you know
That God can enable for you to do and let me just say this, you know, we do respect our elders
But sometimes we just need to like shut them off and not listen to that not listen to the old prophet
Not listen to the elder who's trying to squelch your zeal for God and you know, you know, hey you older folks in our church
Don't discourage the young people from being zealous in our church. Let them be on fire
Let them be zealous for the things of God. Don't be like Saul. Oh, you're just like a young guy
Who are you David said into Saul verse 34 thy servant kept his father's sheep
I like that. He used that as like a resume. He's a whoa. What is he saying?
I obeyed my father and what comes with obeying your father a long life
Thy servant kept his father's sheep and there came a lion and a bear and took a lamb out of the flock and I went
Out after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth
And when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and smote him and slew him now
That's pretty amazing if you think about it now
I don't you know
We don't know the details to this this event if both a lion and a bear came at the same time or these are separate events
We don't really know the point is he slew a lion in the bear. What is his name?
This is my resume. This is why I'm qualified to destroy the Philistine because I have a track record of slaying the lion and the bear
Young people. Let me say this before we continue with the story
I hope that while you're in your youth you're slaying the lion and the bears and your life as well behind closed doors
When no one else is watching I hope you slay the lion and the bear of laziness
I'll hope you slay the lion and the bear of pornography. I hope you're slaying the lion and the bear of idleness
I hope you slay the lion and the bear of vanity. I hope you slay the lion and the bear of godlessness
Overcome those lions and bears today because those that's the that is the resume for the major fight
You're gonna face in the future. Let me just tell you right now
I you know spiritually speaking these these soldiers are soldiers that didn't slay a lion and the bear later on
That's why they couldn't take on Goliath David on the other hand had the confidence
He had the resume he had the experience it would have goes on to say in verse 36
Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear and this uncircumcised
Philistine shall be as one of them seen he hath defied the armies of the living God David said moreover
The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear
He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine and Saul said unto David go and the Lord be with thee
You know you would think Saul be like man. This is so embarrassing
I can't believe a kid's gonna fight my battles or just listen to be like man. I was inspiring. Let me just go do it
He's like you know what go for it man. God be with you, but you know David said you know God's the one who delivered me
What does that show us it shows us that David was right the Lord did instruct him from his youth
He was walking with God from his youth and you want young people. Yeah, you may be young you may lack experience
But you're building the experience now though
You know the word of God abides strong in you you've overcome the wicked one because the word of God abides strong
you need a you need to identify the weaknesses in your life as a young person and
Slay that bear and slay that lion because I'm telling you right now
They're gonna come back to bite you in the long run if you don't they're gonna affect your marriage
They will affect your future job
They will affect your life in the future if you don't handle the lines and the bears today slay them don't be like
Jethro who just refused to get up and start hacking away because he was just a youth
Look at verse 43 the Philistines said into David. Am I a dog that thou cometh me with staves and the Philistine cursed David by his guys
Now what is this? What is the Philistine doing? Why are you bringing a stick a twig?
Why are you bringing this lightweight to me this guy who victim weight to me to come fight with me?
That's what he means by staves
He's like you're bringing a spear to come fight me verse 44 and the Philistines said to David come to me
And I will give thy flesh into the fowls of the air into the beasts of the field
You know, it's pretty intimidating. You got this guy this giant
Speeming saying that he's gonna use you as bird feed your carcasses bird feed
But look David's not deterred look at verse 45
Then said David to the Philistine that comes to me with the sword and with the spear and with the shield
But I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts
The God of the armies of Israel whom thou hast defied this day
will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand and I will smite thee and take thine head from thee and I will give the
Carcasses of the hosts of the Philistines this day into the fowls of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth
That all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel
That's powerful because you know that the Philistines come to him and say he's saying I'm gonna use you as bird feed and he's
Like I'm gonna use you as bird feed and I'm also gonna feed you to the to the beast of the field, too
And I'm gonna chop off your head David's, you know
He's pretty bold and he says and at the end of all this everyone's gonna know that there's a God in Israel
Why did God deliver David?
Why did God deliver the Philistine into the hand of David because he knew that David would glorify him in the long run
Verse 47 says in all this assembly shall know that the Lord save it not with sword and spear
For the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hands and it came to pass when the Philistine arose and came
And drew nigh to meet David that David hasten and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine
I want you to notice this, you know, David's not running away from the fight. He's not he didn't run away from the bear
He didn't run away from the lion. He's not running away from Goliath either
He runs toward the fight not away from the fight
Can I say this young people stop avoiding your weaknesses and face them head-on?
Stop avoiding the problems and face them head-on confront the weaknesses confront the problems
Run towards the war run towards the battle not away from it
it says in verse 49 and David put his hand in his bag and took fence of stone and
Slang it and smote the Philistine in his forehead that the stone sunk into his forehead
And he fell upon his face to the earth so David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling with the stone and smote the Philistine
And slew him, but there was no sword in the hand of David. Let's just read this for good measure here verse 51
therefore David ran stood upon the Philistine took his sword and drew it out of the sheath thereof and
slew him and cut off his head therewith and when the Philistine saw their champion was dead they fled so it sounds like David actually
fulfilled his promise first of all he used the stone to kill him once he was dead he took Goliath sword and he
Decapitated his head now. We're not gonna read the rest of the story though. It's great. David's just walking around with that
Where's that? Where's that head brother Ulysses? You know he's just walking around with Goliath his head
I mean, I don't know how big it is, but it's pretty massive. It's a giant and he's like
Once he once they're done with the battle. He's just walking around the camp with the head when he goes to meet Saul
He's just like I mean, that's pretty gruesome. And let me just say this. It was a young guy who did this
Why do you think this is every child's favorite story? It's great story pretty pretty gnarly gruesome, but it actually happened
What's the point that I'm making here? The point that I'm making is that David conquered the lion?
He conquered the bear which ended up preparing him to conquer the giant, you know young people
I'm not trying to be gloom and doom with you this evening, but let me just say this Josh
You know Josh and everyone else you're gonna face a major giant one day major giant one day
It's gonna come comes for everyone giant is just it's intimidating major affliction major problem big
Giant and in order for you to have the confidence to defeat that giant in your life
You better make sure you've taken care of the lion and the bear in your youth to build the confidence not just in yourself
But let me just say this in the Lord because the Lord delivered him out of the paw of the lion of the paw of the bear
He knew the Lord was gonna deliver him out of the hand of the Philistine and you know what the Giants to come in your
Life, you will have the confidence to defeat Goliath if you
Implemented defeating the lions and the Bears today
Slay them up and slay them. The Bible says in second Timothy 2 and verse 22 flee also
youthful lusts
But follow after righteousness faith charity peace within the call of the Lord out of a pure heart
He says go back to Proverbs if you wouldn't Proverbs chapter 20
I'm gonna breeze through some of these next points are almost out of time. Here's my charts to you young people
Next one is this learn how to rely upon the Lord in your youth
You know if you live with your parents, thank God for that, right?
They provide for you, but I want to challenge the young people to pray for things pray for things
Hey, if there's something that can impart unto you tonight Josh is this learn how to get things from God
You know, don't ask mom. Don't ask dad learn how to pray pray down Christian learn how to pray down Robert
Learn how to pray down as a young person
one of the greatest things you could ever learn as a youth is to get things from God yourself to have power in
Prayer to know that God is listening and you can pray into him John Michael and that the Lord will provide for that
That's powerful right there
Why because you know the faith of a child is great and if we can just maintain that faith through our youth
That'd be even greater
One of the greatest ways to do that is by continuing to exercise faith in God for our necessities even in our youth
You see look at Proverbs 20 verse 29 says the glory of young men is their what?
Strength and the beauty of old men is their gray head. What does it say?
You know young people don't rely upon God as much why because they glory in their strength. They're strong
They're physically strong. They don't need as much sleep
they can sleep for four hours and just function and go to Six Flags and you know, then go soaning then
You know, they could just no sleep and still have the strength to just go to church and do everything
They just they're just physically mentally strong
They have a lot of vitality to them and then they can hit a PR thereafter at the gym with bad nutrition
No training little to no training and just go hit 500 on the deadlift looking at you Geo
Why because the glory of young men is their strength
But let me just remind you what Isaiah 40 verse 30 says even the youth shall faint and be weary though
And the young men shall utterly fall but they that wait upon the Lord though shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not think you know you're strong young man
But your strength will only go so far and so learn to rely upon
Lord learn how to get things from God through
Where learn how to get wisdom from God through prayer learn how to pray it all down
Point that I'm making here is the charge that I have for you is to learn to rely upon the Lord
I'm gonna skip this point here. You'll just have to learn to do without it. Go to 1st Corinthians 13
It was a really good point too. So too bad, you know, it's gonna have to read the Bible
I guess I made this point already to a certain degree. But let me just say this is that young man
Here's another charge is that you need to grow up mature. Grow up. Bible tells us watch in 1st Corinthians 16
It says watch you stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong psalm 144
We read this earlier verse 12 says that our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth
Look at 1st Corinthians 13 verse 11 when I was a child. I spake as a child. I understood as a child
I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things. It's a powerful verse there
What does it say? It's saying grow up be a man get a job. Hey get a job
Hey learn how to work learn how to get up early in the morning
Get a job learn how to have a good work ethic learn how to read your Bible in the morning learn how to take
Responsibility get a job learn how to overcome laziness
Learn how to serve in your local New Testament church to take on more responsibility in your church
Take on more responsibility at home take on more responsibility at your job be a man don't run away from responsibility run towards
Responsibility, you know young men in our church and we have great men young men in our church take on more responsibility
Ask for more tasks. What can you do for your church? Ask not what your church can do for you
But you can do for your church and you know what that requires for you to put away
Childish things now look you got to relax every once in a while. I get it. I get it
I know you have to unwind every once in a while. Of course, we all do
I know you have to just kind of you know, just chill out and get on your phone every once in a while
But you know what at the end of the day though that time should be before bedtime though
Not past bedtime through the wee hours of the morning till five o'clock in the morning six o'clock in the morning
Playing video games. Why because you're supposed to put away childish things
So you're a grown man understands
I need to get to bed because I need to wake up in the morning because I have to walk with God in
The morning I need to get to bed because I got a Bible to read in the morning
I need to get things from God
I need to seek the Lord early and cause it and me seeking the Lord early
Would require for me to go to bed on time and not playing video games all night. Amen now
Look, I know I can shout this from the housetops and you're all because it's still play video games
I know your manner
But if I could reduce it just a little bit by this preaching and just admonish you and exhort you to grow up be a man
Esteem, you know that the things of God far more than your you know
Activities than your pastimes, you know, I if I can just get you past that I feel like I have succeeded
Folks because we need more young people to take things more serious nowadays
Take on more responsibility to grow up put away these childish things put away the video games put away
The the you know, I don't know what what are young people even do nowadays. I'm such an old geezer now Pokemon Pokemon cards
Sell your Pokemon cards. Was that a personal testimony or something?
Brother Cody put away your Yu-Gi-Oh, is that even a thing anymore put away your Sailor Moon cards?
Pokemon cards look I'm not trying to be extreme about this because obviously everyone has a pastime and if you do Pokemon cards
That's weird. But hey, that's that's that's you. You know, I mean just don't tell me that that was you
Okay, let me be ignorant of your vice
But you know what if it's not if it's but if it's cutting into your responsibilities of being a mature young man
That's a problem put away childish things understand as a man think as a man
Become a man by putting away these childish things grow up
And in fact lamentations 325 says this the Lord is good into them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord
And I want you to notice this it is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth
God says that's good for you to work hard be tired
And look if you're working hard all day you don't have time to go home and play video games
You just knock out because you're so exhausted
Says it's good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth now
Go to Ecclesiastes 11 because I want to I want to be balanced when it comes to this point because look young people
I'm not trying to rob you of any fun. I just don't have any fun
Well, I just don't want you to waste your life with frivolous activities that don't mean anything that won't amount to anything
You know, there's nothing wrong with a little rejuvenation a little recreation
All that stuff is good. But let's just be honest. The vast majority of young people are not just doing it recreationally
It's just their life
I mean, I just I just learned about this like within the last year or two years or so how people just literally stay up
All hours of the night playing video games young people. Don't look at me like that. You're like, wow, really? Yeah, you wow
Shocking no way. Yeah you it's a waste of a life and you know what that robs you of just mental energy
That's needed for the Lord. You know, you wonder why you have trouble memorizing scripture and thinking the right things
Thinking righteously being sober in your mind being able to overcome sinful thoughts
I'll tell you why because you've made yourself a weak-minded man sleep is necessary my friends
He'd give it his beloved sleep a man
But let me give you the balance of this and that is that you need to enjoy your youth as much as you can
So grow up, but don't grow up too fast
meaning that if you're still living with your parents you can be mature but just still recognize you're still living with your parents and
You know what growing your knowledge of the Bible, but don't don't be too big for your britches though still enjoy your life
Enjoy your youth as much as you can look at Ecclesiastes 11 verse 9 says rejoice
Oh young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth
You know what let our young people laugh
Let them joke around and laugh and enjoy life and be innocent and enjoy the simple things in life
Let them do it. Don't douse that flame. Don't don't don't try to hinder them from enjoying their youth
They only have one Josh. Enjoy your youth laugh it up. Have a great time
Love your mom. Love your father hug your mother hug your father
Give them kisses sit on their lap you laugh, but you know what? That's what young people do
You know my son right now. He that's what he does. He has no shame of that
You know what? I want him to continue to enjoy his youth because he's a young boy, you know young people
There's nothing wrong with that. Enjoy that way you can enjoy it. Hey cuddle with your parents
Why not? It's nothing wrong with that cuddle with your parents. Let your heart cheer thee in the days of your youth
Walk in the ways of your heart
You know, it's the gift that God has given to you to be a young person to enjoy such things and you know what?
The only reason it's embarrassing to some people it's because they're part of the public school system
Where that's like talked down on but you know the people who don't really you know
The people who doesn't bother and they don't really have peers to make fun of them about that, right?
I just know because I was a part of a public school system or like being a normal kid was just like shameful
You know, you have to be tough and arrogant and you have to just you know
Have this pompous attitude whereas you know what God has given the innocence to a child all the way up to his teenage years
Just let him be a kid. Let him hug his mom and his dad. Let him cuddle up with his parents
Let him just have fun as a young person as he's maturing it says it right there
However, it goes on to say rejoice our young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of that youth
Walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes
But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. What does it mean by that?
You know live life careless as a young person. Enjoy your life, but just recognize, you know
Don't be so careless that you make bad decisions understand that actions still have consequences
Understand that God will still bring thee into judgment so enjoy your youth, but don't become sinful about it
Don't delve into wickedness and iniquity because you will end up reaping what you sow if you sow to the flesh
He says therefore remove sorrow from my heart put away evil from thy flesh for childhood and youth are vanity
What does that mean? You're not going to be young forever
So first of all, enjoy it while you can right when the summers are long days are long when the cares come not
Enjoy that but likewise recognize that actions have consequences as well exercise wisdom
And the last thing I want to say is this you don't have to turn there
Actually, I'm not even gonna read out more more scripture. I'm just gonna tell you this last point young people
Here's the last charge and that is learn the value of commitment be a committed person
What I mean by that commit your life unto the Lord commit your life unto the service of God commit to your parents
Learn the discipline of commitment so that when you're older you commit to your spouse you commit to your children
you commit to the things of God learn the value and the virtue of
Commitment young people and here's the best place to start right here in God's house. What's the sermon this morning this evening?
Here is the charge that I give to you young people and I'm not gonna repeat them all
Point that I'm making here is that you know young people are important in our church
God values the young people in our church and God is rooting for you
We're rooting for you. Your parents are rooting for you. The future kind of depends upon the decisions
Do you make today young people we're praying for you?
We love you guys and we hope that you prosper and succeed in the Christian life in the things of God
And I would hope that you would apply these principles. Let's pray father. We thank you for this evening Lord
We're thankful for all the hard work that our young people put in thankful for
Josh, of course, and what a great testimony. He's been to our church
Blessing he's been Lord's it's been pleasant to see him grow up and commit himself here at first works Baptist Church
Pray Lord that your hand be upon him and the other young people in our church as well
You would use them greatly Lord to accomplish great things for you. I pray they would they would not
Just let this message go in one ear and out the other
I pray that they would apply
What zeal that which they heard tonight in order to experience success and I pray you bless this as we go on our way
We love you. We thank you pray this things in Jesus name. Amen
248 in your hymnals now I belong to Jesus song number 248
on number 248
That first verse