Youth Sermon: The Inauguration

Jesus was humble

Jesus went to John the Baptist to be baptized. John was like, "Wait, you should be baptizing me!" But Jesus insisted. He was showing us how to be humble and obedient.

Humility is super important, especially for leaders. Jesus was humble even before His baptism. He gave up everything, even His life, to serve us. His humility and obedience are examples for us in leading and loving others.

Think about how humility and obedience have shaped your life. Reflect on times when pride tripped you up. Could you give up everything and become a servant to gain the Kingdom?

Jesus was showing us how to be humble and obedient.

God's love is unstoppable

Why do you think Jesus was so humble?

1 John 3:16 tells us that Jesus laid down His life because He loves us. He learned love from His heavenly Father, who loved and was pleased with Him.

In Matthew 3, when Jesus was raised from the water, God's voice affirmed His love for Jesus. God declared Jesus as His beloved Son. This same God has great love for us. We are loved by the God of the universe, and His love sustains us in our struggles.

No matter what we face, God is for us, and in Christ, nothing can separate us from His love.

This love helped Jesus overcome temptation, and it distinguishes the Kingdom of Heaven from other kingdoms. Imagine if power, money, and resources replaced love.

Nothing makes you question reality like the word "if:"

(Matthew 4:1-3)

The testing in the wilderness begins with Satan questioning Jesus' identity as the Son of God. Satan tempts Jesus to doubt God's love, but Jesus knows the truth. He positions His responses firmly on the truth of Scripture.

The test of desire

(Matthew 4:2-4)

Satan's first test targets Jesus' hunger after fasting for 40 days. Jesus combats this test by affirming that His greatest desire is for God, not food. Earthly desires pale in comparison to our need for God.

The test of trust

(Matthew 4:5-7)

Satan's second test challenges Jesus' trust in God's protection. Jesus quotes Scripture to affirm that testing God is not the way to trust Him. When we question God's love, we may be tempted to test His care by making foolish decisions. We must have confidence in God's love and trust Him.

The test of power

(Matthew 4:8-10)

Satan's final test offers Jesus power in exchange for worship. Jesus quotes Scripture, affirming that only God is worthy of worship. When we question God's love, we may seek power on our own. But Kingdom empowerment is different from worldly power.

The Kingdom of Heaven is filled with love, joy, and peace. The Father's love for Jesus, Jesus' humility, and our eternal hope in Him are realities of Kingdom life.

However, there are adversaries to this Kingdom. The old kingdom won't give up easily to the disruption of Christ.

Many of us struggle even after committing our lives to Christ. We wonder why we still sin or fall short. We must remember that the old ways don't die easily. The Apostle Paul described this battle within himself.

To stay grounded in God's love and truth, we must stay focused, humble, and vigilant against doubt. Daily time in the Bible and prayer is essential. Remember, "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Because of Christ, the Father loves us and is pleased with us. Nothing can separate us from this truth.

Small Group Breakout Questions

1. How can we follow Jesus' example of humility and obedience in our daily lives?

2. How does knowing that nothing can separate us from God's love help us face temptation?

3. What are some practical ways we can use God's Word to combat temptation?

4. How can we trust God more in our daily lives?

5. How does the love of God distinguish the Kingdom of Heaven from other kingdoms?

Get the Full Youth Group Plan

• Icebreaker: Inauguration Day
• Group Activity: Scripture Scavenger Hunt
• Youth Challenge: Replacing Lies with Truth