The Church’s Young People 1/25/42
Scripture: Matthew 16: 13-20
Text: Matthew 16: 18 “On this rock I will build my Church....”
With these words, Jesus Christ began building his church on transformed and redeemed personality. As a child and as a youth, Jesus must have given much thought to the world in which he played and worked. He became acutely aware of its evils and of its possibilities. It became his greatest concern to know the will of God for the people of this world; to do that will himself and to point the way for others.
While he was still a young man, he set out in the service to which he felt called, and gradually gathered others around him who could be fired with the same fine enthusiasm. Some of his close disciples were men mature in years, with experience at fishing, collecting taxes and other livelihoods. Others, like John, were comparatively youthful. He could use them all if they loved him and would follow him.
After a particularly fervent expression of complete trust and faith in him by one of those disciples, Jesus to that disciple, whose name was Simon, -- from now on you are Peter (the word means “rock”) and upon this rock I will build my church.
Personally, I do not think that there was any magic and not much mystery about it. (I know that Peter went right on being human; inspired and splendid much of the time, once in a while weak and sinful, as when in danger, he denied his Lord.) I think that Jesus meant that his church would be built on persons - on their dependability, on their faith and courage and optimism, on the spiritual power which might be given them from God. The church of Jesus Christ is not an aggregation of saints who have achieved perfection. It is a fellowship of those who have a God-given ideal of perfection and are trying in that light, and by Christ’s grace, to be as good as they know they ought to be.
The church’s fellowship is made up of old and young alike. Today, just for a bit of emphasis, we call particular attention on the young folk, with the emphatic assertion that our church has a deep interest in them, and a recognition that the young folk have a great concern in the church.
A half dozen years ago, Dan Poling returned from a trip around the world, reporting to American young people that he had found youth “on the march” everywhere he went. In Italy and Germany they were marching, physically and mentally, as their dictator leaders wished them to do. But they were on the move. Much of the Russian hope of success was built on its youth. Chinese youth had a passionate enthusiasm for a new China. Japanese youth were trained in a fanatical devotion to their emperor.
Movement, enthusiasm, faith in a cause, are native to young people. The dictators have been exactly right in their determination to capture this power for their own ends. They have been wicked in focusing the faith of youth on unholy ends and personal power. Even if Hitler had been a good man, he would not have been good enough for the adoration which German youth has been trained to lavish upon him. Alas for the youth of Japan! Their emperor may be worthy of their respect and civil obedience. But he is not a god to be worshipped as the army have required him to be worshipped.
To be marching toward lasting victory of life youth must have more than a man for a leader. No one but Christ is great enough to lead young and old permanently. None but the God of Christ is worthy of our worship.
Young people expect of their church that in its fellowship they may be introduced to Christ; that in his companionship and leadership they may find God; that led by Christ, they may offer their loyalty, their faith, their energy, their talents to the service of God in a world that belongs to the God who created it.
The church expects its young people to receive its torch of power, brighten it, and pass it on burning brighter than ever before.
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Dates and places delivered:
Wisconsin Rapids, January 25, 1942 (apparently a “youth sermon”--a second sermon follows)