Youth Sermon: Ready Your Heart

Object Lesson: The Sponge and the Water

Today, we're going to talk about our hearts. We're going to learn how to make sure our hearts are ready for anything life throws at us and how to share the hope we have in Jesus with others.

Let's start with a cool object lesson. I have here a glass of water and a sponge. Now, imagine the water is all the stuff we experience in life - the good, the bad, and the ugly. The sponge represents our hearts. When we soak up the water, what comes out when we squeeze the sponge? That's right, the same water we soaked up. This shows us that what we allow into our hearts will eventually come out in our words and actions.

What we allow into our hearts will eventually come out in our words and actions.

Main Verse: 1 Peter 3:15

Our main verse today is 1 Peter 3:15, which says, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." This verse tells us that we need to make sure Jesus is the most important thing in our hearts and be ready to share our hope in Him with others.

Preparing Our Hearts

So, how do we do that? First, we need to make sure our hearts are in the right place. We've got to ask ourselves, "Who's the boss of my life? Is it money, popularity, or something else?" We need to make sure Jesus is the one in charge.

Next, we need to set up some filters in our lives to keep the bad stuff out and let the good stuff in. Some filters we can use are reading the Bible, talking to trusted friends, praying, and taking time to think things through. These filters help us make sure our hearts stay clean and focused on Jesus.

Remember the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? They let their guard down and listened to the serpent's lies, which led to some pretty bad consequences. We need to learn from their mistake and be careful about what we let into our hearts.

Sharing Our Hope

Now, let's talk about sharing our hope in Jesus with others. When our hearts are full of love and hope, it's easier to share that with the people around us. This week, try talking to someone about why you believe in Jesus and how He's changed your life. Trust that God will help you find the right words to say.

So, here's our game plan for this week: 1. Take some time to think about who's in charge of your life. If it's not Jesus, make a change. 2. Set up filters in your life to keep your heart clean and focused on Jesus. 3. Share your hope in Jesus with someone this week.

Closing Prayer

Let's pray together: "God, help us to make sure our hearts are in the right place and focused on You. Give us the strength to set up filters in our lives and the courage to share our hope in Jesus with others. Amen."

Small Group Breakout Questions

1. What are some things that you need to guard your heart against?

2. What filters can you use to protect your heart from negative influences?

3. How can you hold Jesus as Lord in your heart and life?

4. How can you share the hope you have in Christ with others?

5. What steps can you take this week to ready your heart for God's work?

Get the Full Youth Group Plan

• Icebreaker: Heart Filter Challenge
• Group Activity: Heart Check-Up
• Youth Challenge: Heart Filter Challenge