Youth Sermon: Actions

Introduction

Have you ever told someone you love them? Maybe your parents, siblings, or even your pet? We say "I love you" a lot, but do we show it? You know, actions speak louder than words. The Bible says the same thing. We show our love for God by obeying His commands.

Imagine you're playing a video game, and you've got this big mission to complete. You've got to defeat the boss, save the princess, whatever it is. That's kind of like what Jesus gave us. He gave us a mission, the Great Commission, to tell everyone about Him, not just in our neighborhood, but all over the world.

We show our love for God by obeying His commands.

The Early Church and the Jerusalem Council

But here's the thing, the early church, they kind of dropped the ball. They were all about telling people in their city about Jesus, but they didn't really go beyond that. It's like they were playing the game but never left the first level.

Then, in Acts 15, they had this big meeting, the Jerusalem Council, and they realized they needed to level up. They needed to reach out to the Gentiles, people who weren't like them. They realized God's Kingdom was for everyone, not just their own group.

The Great Commission and Power-ups

Throughout history, there have been shifts in how we do missions. It's like upgrading your gear in a game. We've learned more about who needs to hear about Jesus and how to reach them. We've also seen that people from different countries can be missionaries to their own people.

So, how do we complete this mission, this Great Commission? Here are five "power-ups" we need:

1. Teamwork: Churches and organizations need to work together, not compete. It's like joining a guild or a clan in a game.

2. Active Churches: Churches need to pray, raise resources, get their members involved, and send out missionaries.

3. Strategic Churches: Churches need to plan and strategize, like planning your attack in a game. They need to focus on reaching the unreached.

4. Skilled Missionaries: We need missionaries who are trained in specific areas, like having a healer and a tank in your team.

5. New Targets: We need to reach new people groups, not just the ones we're already working with. It's like exploring new areas in a game.

Conclusion

So, what does this mean for you? You might not be a missionary in Africa, but you can still be part of the mission. You can pray, you can give, you can learn about different cultures, and you can tell your friends about Jesus.

Let's pray.

God, thank you for giving us this mission. Help us to show our love for you by obeying your commands. Give us the courage to tell others about you, whether they're in our neighborhood or on the other side of the world. Amen.

Small Group Breakout Questions

1. Why is it important to reach out to the unreached people groups?

2. How can we show our love for God through our actions?

3. What are some ways we can contribute to fulfilling the Great Commission?

4. How can we cooperate with other churches or organizations to spread the gospel?

5. What are some specialized skills that could be useful in missions?

Get the Full Youth Group Plan

• Icebreaker: The Great Commission Relay
• Group Activity: Youth Group Activity: "Mapping the Unreached"
• Youth Challenge: Pray for the Unreached