Youth Sermon: Prioritize Your Yeses

Prioritize Your Yeses

First, let's look at Mark 1:29-38. After Jesus healed Peter's mom, everyone wanted a piece of him. But Jesus said, 'Nope, I've got other places to be.' He had a bigger mission - preaching in other villages. He knew what he was supposed to do and he stuck to it.

So, here's the deal - we've got to prioritize our yeses. Not everything is equally important. We've got to figure out what matters most and let that guide what we say yes to.

He knew what he was supposed to do and he stuck to it.

Time as a Jar

Now, let's do a little object lesson. I want you to imagine your time as a jar. You've got big rocks, pebbles, and sand. The big rocks are the important things in your life - your relationship with God, your family, your schoolwork. The pebbles are the less important things - your hobbies, hanging out with friends. The sand is the small stuff - scrolling through social media, watching TV. If you fill your jar with sand first, there won't be room for the big rocks. But if you put the big rocks in first, the pebbles and sand can fill in around them. That's how we need to prioritize our time.

Jesus couldn't be in two places at once. He accepted that and focused on one thing at a time. We need to do the same. We can't do everything, and that's okay.

Handling Distractions

Jesus also knew how to handle distractions. In Matthew 12:46-50, his family wanted to talk to him while he was teaching. But he didn't let that distract him. He stayed focused on his work. When he was with his family, he gave them his full attention. He knew how to prioritize and be present in the moment.

So, here's your challenge for this week. Think about your big rocks, your pebbles, and your sand. What are the most important things in your life? What are the less important things? What's just filling up your time? Prioritize your big rocks and let the rest fill in around them.

Small Group Breakout Questions

1. What are some things you find hard to say no to, even if they're not a priority?

2. How can you apply Jesus's example of prioritizing his time to your own life?

3. What distractions often derail you from focusing on your priorities?

4. How can you better manage these distractions?

5. How did Jesus handle distractions and how can we learn from his example?

Get the Full Youth Group Plan

• Icebreaker: What's Your Priority?
• Group Activity: Time Allocation Challenge
• Youth Challenge: Prioritize Your Yes