You Can Make A Difference-Youth

You Can Make A Difference

Does anyone here have 57 cents? Oh no the preacher is already asking for money…Stay with me here. Anyone have 57 cents? 57 cents isn’t a lot these days. You will do good to get a cup of coffee or a drink with this. Maybe a newspaper in the morning. But 57 cents changed a small church for the better and it all started with little Jenny Smith.

She was a young girl who once stood just outside of the small church from which she had been turned away “because it was to crowded.” “I can’t go to Sunday school,” she whimpered, as the pastor just happened to walk by. He saw her poor appearance and shabby clothes and he guessed the reason so he took her by the hand and found her a spot in Sunday school. When Jenny got home and went to bed that night she kept thinking of the children who had no place to worship Jesus.

Two years later Jenny passed away in her poor run down apartment in a housing project. Her parents called the kind hearted pastor and ask for him to handle the final details. As she was taken away he found a worn and ragged little purse that she must have gotten out of a dumpster. Inside this purse was 57 cents and a note scribbled in childish handwriting which read, “This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday school.” I could stop right here and preach a sermon all day long but the story gets better…. For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the pastor read this he knew what he had to do. Carrying this note and the little purse he got in the pulpit, he told the story of this unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and start raising money for a larger building. But it doesn’t end there. A local newspaper caught wind of it. It published a story about this sweet girl. A realtor read the story and offered a large parcel of land. But the church could afford it. When he was told the church could not pay it he offered it for 57 cents. Checks started coming in from all over the country. Within 5 years Jenny’s gift had increased to $250,000, a huge sum of money at that time. Her unselfish love had paid massive dividends.

By the way if you ever get to visit historic Philadelphia make sure you stop Temple Baptist Church, which now seats 3300 people. Have a look; too at Temple University, where 1000’s of students are educated and trained. Check out the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses 100’s of children so no children will ever be told there is no room. In one of those rooms you will see the picture of a sweet face little girl whose 57 cents, made such a remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor.

She was willing to give up all she saved so more kids could come to Sunday school. She was willing to give 57 cents. How willing are you to make a difference in the life of someone? We are called to make a difference.

Effective witnessing saves people from hell. In Jude we are to snatch them from the fire. Problem is today to many students are taking witnessing lightly. We are not serious about searching them out. We’re not concerned about the outcome of so many.

In 1Peter 2:9 “ But ye are chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should declare the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:”

Tonight I want to share with you how you can be the youth group that God wants you to be. How can you become a shining light in your schools, among your friends, and in your home?

MARK 2: 1-5-------------------------------------------------------

In this chapter we meet 4 incredible guys who refused to let go of the rope. Four men who made sure their sick friend got to Jesus. That my friends is what being a Christian is all about. To go through anything to get someone to Jesus.

Now here in his story Jesus was preaching in a crowded sanctuary. People had filled this place. People in the windows, balconies, doors….you get the picture. You literally couldn’t get in the door. But these four men were trying to get their friend to Jesus. These men were out of the ordinary…they were remarkable. You see Jews saw a sick person as someone God was mad at. If a man was suffering he had sin in his life. Why were these men so moved to get their friend to Jesus? The Bible doesn’t even give their names but I believe they had names and want to share them with you because we need these four men in our youth groups and in our churches.