Peripatetics: The Art of Walking
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
If you weren't able to make it to church on Sunday, you might want to check out the main website and give the sermon a listen soon. He started with an example I told him of a (former) student in our ministry.
The illustration (which I got permission from the former student before Pastor Tim told it to the church, so don't worry!) began with a conversation I had with a student a few years ago. This student was obviously growing in their relationship with Christ, serving all over the place and going on mission trips and such...really an ideal student for any youth pastor.
I asked this teen what their personal time in the Word was like.
The student told me that it was virtually non-existent.
I asked "why?"
The student told me that there was great Bible teaching at CBC...that you could get deep teaching from pulpit in Big Church; that you got excellent teaching in any number of Sunday School classes; that you got great insights from Bible study leaders each week.
There didn't seem to be a need since three times per week you were getting incredible Bible teaching, and even when you did study the Bible on your own you didn't get that much out of it. It was really the best use of time to get the teaching from the "professionals" and meditate on that stuff.
But 2 Timothy 2: 14--19 has something decidedly different to say to us.
"Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless, and leads to the ruin of the heavens. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astry from the truth saying the resurrection has already taken place, and thus they upset the faith of some. Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands having the seal, 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness.'"
Read through this a couple of times as we'll be here for the next two or three days...
But for today, think through whether or not you relate to the former student's story. Do you think that attitude is generally true or not true for the average Christian teenager today? If so, what solutions can you offer that you got from the passage above? If not, what examples could you give to support your belief?
Brent 4:54 AM
Comments:
Where I went to church as a teen the teaching from the pulpit was pretty great. But we were not encouraged to read or study on our own. The teaching of the world was everywhere. My belief was inexorably eroded simply because there was no foundation. I too tried to read the bible in college and got absolutely nothing out of it. Back then I thought to approach the bible in much the same manner I approach literature. But I have learned now that if I drink a little, but drink deeply from the Bible and then spend the rest of the day savoring it, the precepts are made more clear.
But ultimately, is this teen's response unique to an age group, or is it indicative of an age?
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But ultimately, is this teen's response unique to an age group, or is it indicative of an age?
