Youth Sermon: Keep the Way

Introduction

Hey everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something super important: our hearts, minds, and mouths. We're going to dive into a passage from the Bible that might seem a bit tough, but don't worry, we'll break it down together.

Following Jesus isn't just about following rules, but about keeping a close watch on our hearts, minds, mouths, and motives. We'll be looking at Matthew 5:21-37.

Following Jesus isn't just about following rules, but about keeping a close watch on our hearts, minds, mouths, and motives.

Object Lesson

But first, let's start with a cool object lesson. I have here a glass of water and a sponge. Now, imagine this sponge represents our hearts and minds, and the water represents the things we see, hear, and think about. When we soak up good stuff, like God's Word and positive influences, our hearts and minds are filled with good things. But when we soak up bad stuff, like negative influences or harmful thoughts, our hearts and minds get filled with not-so-good things. Just like this sponge, what we soak up affects what comes out of us – our words and actions.

Matthew 5:21-37

Now, let's read Matthew 5:21-37 together. In this passage, Jesus talks about anger, adultery, divorce, and oaths. It might seem like a lot to cover, but we're going to focus on keeping watch over our hearts, minds, mouths, and motives.

In this passage, Jesus is teaching us that it's not just about following rules, but about the condition of our hearts. We need to be careful about what we allow into our hearts and minds because it affects our words and actions. We need to fight the good fight of faith, as it says in 1 Timothy 6:12, and keep pressing on, like Paul talks about in Philippians 3:10-14.

Practical Ideas

So, how do we do this? How do we keep watch over our hearts, minds, mouths, and motives? Here are some practical ideas:

1. Be mindful of what you watch, listen to, and think about. Just like the sponge, what we soak up affects what comes out of us.

2. Surround yourself with positive influences – friends, mentors, and role models who encourage you to grow in your faith.

3. Spend time in God's Word and in prayer, asking Him to help you guard your heart, mind, and mouth.

4. When you mess up (and we all do), ask for forgiveness from God and others, and keep pressing on.

Remember, we can't do this on our own. We need Jesus to help us. He's the reason we press on and fight the good fight of faith. With His help, we can live lives that honor Him and reflect His love to others.

Closing Prayer

Let's pray together:

"God, thank You for Your Word and for teaching us about the importance of guarding our hearts, minds, mouths, and motives. Help us to be mindful of what we allow into our lives and to rely on Your strength to live lives that honor You. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Small Group Breakout Questions

1. Can you think of a time when you acted hypocritically? How did you feel afterward?

2. What are some practical ways to guard our hearts, minds, and mouths as we follow Jesus?

3. How can we support each other in our journey of faith and in fighting the good fight?

4. What are some challenges you face in living out your faith consistently? How can you overcome them?

Get the Full Youth Group Plan

• Icebreaker: Hypocrisy Charades
• Group Activity: Heart, Mind, Mouth Relay
• Youth Challenge: Faith Consistency Challenge