Two weeks ago we started talking about how we are going to grow our youth group. We said that there are 3 essential pieces to growing the group. Those 3 pieces are ME, GOD, and MY FRIENDS.
We talked about how the most important person to growing our youth group is the person in the mirror. I brought in my best friend and the person I think most about. And I said that the person in the mirror must be committed to God and committed to our youth group.
If we are going to be a functional youth group (which means more than 2 teens each group), we need a strong foundation of teens that are committed to always being here.
We also defined a group as multiple (2 or more) people working together towards one common purpose. We talked a little bit about our purpose and why we exist.
Does anyone know what are purpose is? To DO the Great Commission by LIVE-ing the Great Commandment. GC2. Great Commission is Make Disciples. Great Commandment is to LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE.
This week we are continuing our discussion on how to grow our youth group and talking about how GOD is our Only Hope.
And a couple weeks ago we looked at Peter at one of his worst moments. We saw him right after Jesus’ resurrection. And at this point, Peter had just denied Jesus 3 times… Jesus died on the cross… and Jesus had come back to life. The denial had never been talked about. There was this real awkwardness between Jesus and Peter.
So, Jesus and Peter got their relationship back together and then Jesus told Peter that he was going to die a terrible death. Then, he said 2 words… Follow Me! And Peter’s first response is to look at another disciple and say what about him? How is he going to die? And Jesus said don’t worry about him… You Follow Me!
So, Peter chooses to follow Jesus. And today’s lesson happens about 40 days later. Now, Jesus has ascended into heaven and has left the disciples “in charge” of things. He gives them a command and it is to go and wait until the Holy Spirit comes.
That’s where we pick it up in Acts 2. When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Ok… now put yourself in the disciples shoes. Your Leader and Master and Savior has just left and says go wait. So, they are just hiding in someone’s house. What would you be thinking at this time? Probably nervous, scared, confused, miss Jesus
And all of a sudden this huge wind blows through the house. And you see this flaming tongue in the middle of you and it separates and comes to land on your head. This is weird stuff if you ask me.
All of a sudden you know another language. You didn’t go to school. You didn’t use Rosetta Stone. You just supernaturally know how to speak another language.
So, the disciples go out into the street and start talking to people and everyone around can understand them. Now, this is during a big national holiday (Pentecost) so thousands and thousands of people from all over the world are in Jerusalem. It would kind of be like the Olympics.
And everyone there is amazed and listening and completely confused. These guys are all from the same small region and most of them are fishermen or shepherds. They haven’t owned homes for 3 years. They probably don’t look like these huge, intelligent world travelers.
So, some people say they are drunk. Now I don’t know about you, but I have never met a drunken person who can speak another real language when they are drunk. So, let’s skip down to verse 14… Then Peter (who?) stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews…”
And he gives this awesome sermon and proclaims that Jesus is the Son of God and is the Messiah. He talks about how Jesus fulfilled prophecies. He talked about how Jesus died on the cross. He talked about Jesus’ resurrection. He gives one of the best sermons in the Bible and all of the other disciples translate it into their new language.
Ok… we are going to take a quick break from the story and we will get to the ending later. But I want to have a quick discussion about what happened from Peter at Jesus’ crucifixion and this day? What changed?
In fact, what changed with all the disciples? When Jesus was arrested, the Bible says that they all ran away like chickens with their heads cut off? One of the disciples actually got caught but somehow slipped out of his clothes and ran away naked… what changed between Jesus’ arrest where the disciples would rather run away naked then be with Jesus to them hiding in a room to proclaiming the gospel in the streets? What is the difference?
The difference is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gave them the courage and the power to share the gospel.
There was no motivational speaker in that room pumping them all up. There was no coach or cheerleaders or band getting them ready for game time. They were all probably crying and hiding out hoping that Jesus would come back in the next couple minutes.
The difference is the Holy Spirit. Other than that, there is nothing that is the difference. I can almost guarantee that Peter is sitting there thinking about how Jesus said he was going to die a painful death and being scared out of his mind.
What was it that made Paul, who was literally killing Christians and beating Christians and throwing Christians into jail, turn into the man who wrote half of the New Testament? What caused the Christian’s worst nightmare and made him the greatest missionary in the history of the world (besides Jesus)?
The difference is the Holy Spirit. Paul met Jesus and Jesus changed his life.
I was reading about a guy this week who went from completely not believing that there was a God or anything spiritual to being completely sure that God existed with one life experience. How does that work?
Only the Holy Spirit can do this.
Are you starting to get the picture? It’s the Holy Spirit that changes lives. It is God who changes lives.
So what does this have to do with growing our youth group? Great question… let’s finish the story and then we will talk about it. Acts 2:41… Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
So, Peter, who had denied Jesus and wanted to only follow Jesus if other people would and hid in a house hoping not to be found, is filled with the Holy Spirit and preaches the gospel and 3000 people accept Christ and are baptized that day.
What does this have to do with growing our youth group? God is our only hope. The Holy Spirit is our only hope. Jesus is our only hope.
Our youth group isn’t going to grow because we are redoing the youth room. Our youth group isn’t going to grow because we are having an all-nighter. Our youth group isn’t going to grow because we are a fun group of teenagers.
The only way that our youth group is going to grow is if we completely rely on God to grow our youth group. So, how do we rely on God?
The Bible makes it clear over and over and over again. That to rely on God you have to pray. The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer of begging God to provide for my needs and protection. It is saying I need you. You are my only hope.
The Bible also talks about fasting. It talks about fasting and praying. Fasting is just giving up something for a period of time. And it is giving up something that is hard to give up. Usually when someone talks about fasting, they are talking about food. But you can also fast TV or the computer or your cell phone or soda or chocolate or even talking. That’s why monks are silent. And every time you have the urge to eat or do whatever you are fasting, you pray and you pray and you pray.
I am not going to force anyone to do anything. But what I am going to do is I am going to fast this week. I know that God is our only hope. And I know that if you are serious about growing our youth group and seeing God change the lives of teens, you also can fast something and pray.
Don’t tell your parents that Pastor Brent said you aren’t allowed to eat this week. This is completely between you and God. I don’t even want to know about it if you are doing it.
But this week, I want you to focus all week on praying that the Holy Spirit will move in our youth group. Beg God that the Holy Spirit will change lives. Pray that are not just a bunch of teens but the Holy Spirit will change us like He did for the disciples.
