Today as a church we have a special focus on the young adults that have reached the time in their life when even their parents have to acknowledge that their babies are pretty much grown up.
Seniors, don’t be fooled. They will never totally admit that you are, and while it will make you a little uncomfortable from time to time, you will always be their baby to some degree.
So here you are, right at the end of school. You have made it through twelve years of high school; you have faced a number of challenges and choices.
You survived your birth, learned about and adapted to a foreign world. Then there was that first day of school which led to years of learning and adapting and stress and school lunches. The arrival of the teen years not too long ago. Not you are ready the hear grand speech abut how the outcome of the world is up to you.
No pressure.
For the rest of us, well we are a little farther down the road, maybe thinking that our graduation was not so long ago. Sometimes I am thankful for my bad memory that has let the years fly by.
We are honored this morning to have 4 young adults that have reached the ceremonial recognition of their adult hood. “High School Graduation”
Graduation is an exciting time. A time that parents and students have looked forward to for years.
How many times have you said, “I can’t wait until I graduate because then I will be able to…” Fill in your biggest dream….
Guess what? That time is now. You have reached that moment when you are counted as adult and you receive new freedom, however; with freedom comes great responsibility. Now it is up to you to start making those crucial decisions for yourself. You are not kids any more, but that is where I want to take us in the scripture this morning. To the image of Children.
Mark 10:13-16
The Little Children and Jesus
13People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." 16And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
Ladies and gentlemen, people will try to prevent you from getting to God all of your lives. The disciples tried to keep the children from coming to Christ. I am sure they thought that Jesus was too busy to be disturbed by children. The word “rebuked” is a strong word. They did not just quietly say, “He is busy right now, can you come at a better time”. Instead they rebuked them. It was a “How dare you even think of doing such a thing!”
If it can happen with disciples, what do you think it is like in the world?
People have a tendency to want to keep you operating at the same level you are. They get an expectation of what you are like and that is it. You either have always got to break every standard or do wonderful things or they think you will never do anything. The world, our teachers and even our family will tend to make the world feel like it is caving in on you. But it is not an attack as much as that is just the way life is.
Wherever you are headed in the next few months, you are probably believing that you are about to be free from the bondage of your home life.
We believe that once we graduate, our life begins. Just as soon as we are out of the reach of our parents, then presto, our lives begin.
We can’t wait until we graduate. We wish our young lives away perhaps not recognizing the freedom we already had.
Independence, and the choices that you life will be offering in the near future may be less freedom than you might think. Your new freedom, no matter witch path you choose will have new obligations and rules. New measurements of success. New levels of failure.
And new people telling you what to do and what is ok and right and good.!
Ok, here comes the preacher talk.
While our scripture today does not reffrence the maturing of yong adults it does reflect how Jesus feels about touching people sith an known future.
In his mission from God, he grew up, went to school and worked, and started his ministry. He never refused anyone that had an honedst desire to meet him to larn about God.
He will take a very negative view on anyone that tries to stop, someone from from toching jesus.
Our world sonstantly teaches that all spirituality is the same and that anything that feels good is ok. It teaches that the world owes you something and just getting by is ok.
I want you to know, that as Christians, none of that is true. We believe that there are standards to be worked toward. That we are here to serve God and he uses us to serve the word.
That sound like a lot of control….It sounds like imitations. It sounds like a loss of freedom.
Freedom is defined b Webster Dictionary as: ( liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another )
With your graduation form High school, what are you gaining freedom from.
Parents, Chores, maybe that part time job..
Now, what freedoms are getting… More school??? Military training, A job in the world.
Freedom in this world is always just a trade off for something we think looks better. To get a new freedom we usually give up others.
When we were little children, we had the freedom to play and laugh, the food appeared on the table and we just accepted the control of our parents. We did not even know the protection and provision we received that let us survive until today.
I want to tell you something, now that you are mature enough to notice. There has been someone else in your life, Somone that has done nice thing fr you and yur family. Sort of a secriete admirer, that will always be in your live and available when you ha needs.
Our God gives you freedom to seek a relationship. To seek freedom from a death that offers a torment of your eternal soul. He offers a relationship, to his children, in desperate hope that they will hear his voice and respond to the freedom to live a better life, with an eternal promise to the best that the universe has to offer.
The relationship with God is just like with you family. You are always one of his children. He will be angry if anyone restricts to takes you away from an desire to be near and touch by him.
Where ever your path leads in the coming months and years. Know that he offers his relationship to all who approach with the simple couresioty and powerless position of a child
All Glory be to God!
Uh Oh Tom has decided to dump on us thin morning.
Not really. You have been exposed to sinful choices all your life and if you are a normal person. You have made the wrong choice often. Then your parents found out and there was punishment, or some other price to pay. Perhaps it was a fear of every phone call.
Up until now, your parents have been a control over just how messed up you lie could be. They had to take you back, they were mom and dad, and grandmaw and gradpaw.
So far someone in your life has been around that wanted you to hear about Jesus Christ and they asked and pushed you to come by church, just for them…
Maybe that is why you came to church today.
Graduation is your entry into the world. The world calls you an adult and gives you adult choices and adult responsibilities. It even takes away choices and protections you have enjoyed since birth.
Freedom is powerful and dangerous and can let you get in trouble quickly. How many people in School found a whole new set of problems in their lives when they got access to a car?
Tickets, accidents maybe worse may have been part of the price of the new freedom.
Here is the real problem. We like sin. It looks good, every body else is doing it, it is fun and we believe that you can always stop. Right?
Your new freedom to make your own choices does not automatically connect back to family any more. It will be easier to make more bad choices because the potential of family judgment is miles away. And what harm could it do?
This morning All I can really do is tell you what your dad wants you to hear. Not you earthly dad, Your heavenly dad.
For most people, the new freedom does not include anything that might control our actions. For most of us, the new freedom means we automatically do the opposite of what we always did because of our parents and family. Sometimes that means we will avoid the smart choice because that is what I used to do.
I guess real freedom is whne you are allowed to do dumb stuff.
Look at what sinful choice do! The problems form the accidents in your life are far more controlling than any that church and Jesus put on you.
Jesus told his disciple to let the children through. He is you older brother, he wants to be a part of your freedom to choose what is best for you. His guidance does not end in accidents, or restrictions that might harm you. They are to guide you to the better choices that wisdom offers.
If you choose to listen, to his word, you will have less chance of accidents, you will always have a family to rely on when things seem rough.
I want you put something away in the back of your mind, and hopefully in your heart. In our scripture today Jesus tells us that for the ultimate relationship we have to come to him as a little child. If we approach him and we are looking for his offer of freedom from Sin and Death, your age does not matter. You are a child of God and he will make sure that no one will ever stop your approach.
We are honored to be connected to you lives, and to be part of your family in Jesus Christ.
If there is any chance that you don’t feel secure in the family today is a good day to learn about the freedoms that are offered.
