Ephesians 5:20, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
We have entered into the thanksgiving season. It is one of my favorite holidays where we can be thankful for but also thankful to God. Plus, we get to eat a lot and get to see family.
Last week we had a youth activity and after the activity a teenager from years past was waiting to see me and asked if we could go out to lunch, so we scheduled lunch for the next day and I didn’t know if this was going to be a counselling appointment or a problem in his life.
I had not seen him in a long time, and this young man wasn’t what you consider a “super Christian”, you know, one called to preach or going to Bible college or serving the Lord full-time, that we cliche around, but he was a good young man as we began to talk he told me about his life. He told me how he works a job, has a wife, is busy in his church, and how he has a heart for God. That he has changed his music, life, clothes, entertainment etc. He tells of his burden for souls and co-workers who he has witnessed to that have able to come to church.
He then began to tell how thankful he was for the Christian school, and all the teachers and principle who were seemingly hard on him at the time. He also said how he was thankful for the pastor and me the YP.
He then began to quote some of the sermons I had preached while he was in the youth dept. I went away from that lunch WOWed and humbled. It reminded me of when Jesus went away when the lepers were healed, and how at least one returned to glorify him. We often focus on the 9 that didn’t and forget the 1 that did say thanks and glorified Christ.
While there are many teenagers who don’t say thank you while they are in the youth Department, there is a lot who are thankful. I just want to say there are four teens who we ought to be thankful for as YPs.
1. The Faithful teenagers
If we are not careful, we look over the teens that are there every week. We get there and may have nine and say, “Since no one is here…well were gonna do whatever.” Well timeout, 9 people are there. Don’t mistake the faithful ones. Be thankful for them. The one that show up for everything whether its cleaning the church, going to an amusement park, or soul winning, they are always gonna show up. BE thankful for them! You know if you had an activity counting gravel in the parking lot, you know those teenagers will be there. Be thankful for the faithful ones
2. The Spiritual Teenagers
We ought to work as hard ad we can to win teens to Christ. We work tirelessly to disciple teenagers and get teens to serve Christ, but we ought to be thankful for the spiritual ones. The ones that read their Bible, that serve, that pray, that want to Know Christ, and that sit up front. We ought to praise God for the Young men who want to know more about what it means to preach, to go soulwinning, and want to do more for Christ.
3. The Soulwinner Teenagers
Teens that take tracts to their public schools. Teenagers that go into a gas station and pass out tracts. Teenagers who are not afraid of a angry face or rough person, but are so desirous for that person to know Christ that they witness anyway. We ought to praise God for teens like that and be thankful that there are teens who swallow their pride every week and go out on a bus route and give the gospel.
4. The Encourager Teenagers
For teens who encourage us and each other for the older young man who encourages the 7th grader to grow. For the 11th girl who takes a younger girl under her wing and adjusts her to the youth Department. We ought to be thankful that there are still friends in the youth Department that not everybody is a jerk or mean or calls names. Encouragers, who are good Christian young people who encourager others. That write notes to their pastor parents
If you are reading this and are saying, “I don’t have any teenagers like this in my youth department.” then you ought to decide that you are going to help the teens you have to become teens like these. If you do have teenagers like this you ought to go to them this week and say, “I am thankful for you.” you ought to write them a note. As Yps we ought to be thankful for our teenagers.
William Davis | Assistant Pastor
Clays Mill Baptist Church | Nicholasville, Ky
https://www.claysmill.org
