I thought I would try this and see what happened. I got to preach for the youth group this past Wednesday and this was the message that I gave.
In getting ready for my message, I really struggled with finding something that I wanted to talk about. I spent Monday night and nearly all day on Tuesday trying to figure out where God wanted us to go tonight. As I have been doing my own personal quiet time, I have been focusing on certain struggles and sins that I have. Scripture has really spoken to me the last couple of weeks. It is amazing at what is says when you let it say what it has to say. As I was reflecting on this these past couple of days, it hit me last night that I knew exactly what to talk about.
So many times we get caught up in coming to church and just coming to worship and coming to get fed, but there are times when we leave church without confessing things that we need help with. Confessing things that we are struggling with. It is when we do this that healing begins to take place. There is something about confessing that helps you overcome it although it isn’t going to be easy. I know for me that when I was struggling with something I always had the intention of going and talking to someone about my struggles but I would always back down and not do it.
Ephesians 5:1-21
"1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
I love this chapter in Ephesians. When I was in high school, there was one summer that we were at camp and the praise team met with the Casey Shock band and he challenged us because this is what leaders should be. This is what all Christians should be.
Verse 3 says “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”
So we should be clean of sexual immorality, we should be pure, and not greedy. We should be God's holy people and we should do everything that we can to be holy just like Christ was. We should also have a tight reign on our tongue. I once hear that "Our tongue is a direct representation of our walk with Christ."
Then in verse 8 it says 8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
We need to live in the light and stop living in the darkness. We need to stop living what the world wants us to live and live for Christ. We are called to be the light of the world.
Another scripture that talks about bringing our sins into the light is- John 3:19-20 says "19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."
As well as...
Hebrews 12:1-2
"1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
If we want to over come this darkness and sin we have to throw everything that hinders us off. We must get rid of it and we must flee from it. We cannot keep some of it around if we plan to overcome it. We must also fix our eyes on Jesus because he is the only one that can heal us. We must spend time in his word and in prayer if we intend to overcome our struggles as well.
I was thinking about different stories in the Bible that showed the they were human just like us and they struggled with the things just like we do and I came across the story of David and Bathsheba. Kind David was chosen by God to be the King. Yet while Bathsheba’s husband was at war he had sex with her and got her pregnant. David tried to cover this up with her husband came home and he thought he would have him sleep with her but her husband spent the night outside of the palace. So his plan did not work and he ended up having Bathsheba’s husband killed in the battle. So here we have a man who was chosen by God but yet he still sinned. It's funny. We try to hide things but in the end they just get revealed anyways so why hide them?
Even though you are the only one that is behind closed doors God knows what you do. It might be a secret from me or from your family or even your friends but God knows. We need to bring our struggles into the light and expose them. Satan loves it when we keep everything in the dark but he hates it when it is brought into the light.
