Wait for Jesus! God is in the Storms Youth 021908
Have you ever been really scared, like you might die? When we are young, we may think we are invincible, but storms will come.
Whenever we feel like life is a mess and nothing seems right, God is here with us in the middle of the storm.
What do you want more than anything else in life right now? Can you wait?
Illustration: “You’ll never be able to have children.” Shelly had sex only one time before she was a Christian, but that one time gave her a sexually transmitted disease and she would never be able to have children. (Source: Radiant Life Today’s Thru-the-Bible Feb. 12)
Review:
1. Nehemiah 10:30: the people made a commitment to not marry ungodly people.
2. The Samaritan woman tried to find love in six different men, but only found satisfaction in Jesus.
3. Ephesians 5 – What does a Christian marriage look like? Husbands give their lives for the wives; wives submit themselves to their husbands.
John 6:16-17
1. We should wait: The Disciples Went Down in the Dark
The disciples take off without Jesus and get into trouble. Whenever we go on our own without God, we will get into trouble.
Where were they going? “To the other side?”
We are chasing what the world says is “happiness.” Some of us are so desperate for someone or something to make us happy that we can barely think straight.
We sometimes want something so bad that we can’t wait: Maybe we are getting into a boat but Jesus isn’t.
Illustration: Adultery now or later: According to a "Homemade" article, those who have sex early are more likely to have an affair later in life. For women who have their first sexual relationship after 21, cheating occurs in 16 percent of those women. Up to 50 percent of those who have sex earlier cheat. (Source: Radiant Life Young Teen Curriculum Gospel Publishing House)
2. The Sea got rough: Life can be rough, its worse without Jesus:
Some of you know your life is a mess, and you are just trying to make it better yourself, but God wants to tell you its okay. Your life does not need to be perfect for Him to do miracles.
If your life seems like a mess, or you desperately want something you don’t have, take a deep breath and know God is here, right now. Everything does not have to be perfect
3. But they Kept Rowing!
If everything is a mess, don’t keep going the same direction. Wait for Jesus! (Don’t Row, Row, Row your boat!)
Tasmanian Devil Lifestyle: "Me Want Rabbit!"
Focus on being where God is in your life right now instead of trying to get somewhere else. Some of us are so concerned about having a boyfriend or girlfriend (or something else) that we cannot see God’s will and that He wants to do something amazing right now.
Illustration: Why don’t you go to church anymore? Hannah and Jacob had dated for seven months. Without realizing it, Hannah had dropped out of her youth group because of her relationship with Jacob. (Source: Radiant Life Today’s Thru-the-Bible Feb. 11)
Repent: Turn around to God. Some of us have been living our lives so long on our terms that we are “out to sea.”
4. Jesus shows up: Don’t be Afraid.
Jesus is walking on water into our storms:
God is so good! He is doing amazing things right now! But sometimes we are so worried or consumed with our agenda, our goals, what we want, that we can’t see what God is doing.
They gladly took Him into their boat.
If you have been living your life without Jesus (I am talking to Christians too!) stop, get Jesus in your boat.
Here comes Jesus – walking on the water into our lives. Will we take Him into our "boat?"
They got where they were going. As soon as Jesus is in our boat, we will be exactly where we are supposed to be!
Illustration: Waiting Miracle - Northern Illinois Shooting
Wait for Jesus! He is worth the wait!
