"Young People's Fear: The Enemy Of Their Faith"

09 October 2005

John 14:27b (KJV)

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

CP Walker Multicultural Gospel Service

Taegue, South Korea

BIG IDEA: FAITH and TRUST in CHRIST can deliver our teenagers from their chronic fears.

REFERENCES: AFRAID: di-lee-ah’-o – means FEARFUL, and to BE TIMID; -

TROUBLE - To strike one’s spirit with fear and dread; to render anxious or distressed; to perplex the mind on one by suggesting scruples or doubts: John 14:25-31 -; The LORD is fair in all his ways and faithful in everything he does - Psalms 145:17 (GW); For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. - Gal 3:26 (KJV); My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. - 1 John 3:18 (KJV); For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind -2 Tim 1:7 (KJV); Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith -Hab 2:4 (KJV); Be alert. Be firm in the Christian Faith. Be courageous and strong. – I. Cor. 6:13 (GW); Now faith is the substance of things hope for and the evidence of things not seen - Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: John 14:25-31;

II. READ THE PERICOPE: John 14:25-31

III. READ THE TEXT: (… Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be

afraid) – John 14:27b.

IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to trust CHRIST to deliver them from their CHRONIC FEARS by facing them head-on through their FAITH in CHRIST.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “Young People’s FEAR: The Enemy of their FAITH”

INTRODUCTION:

Please join me in giving our Young People another round of applause for conducting such awesome ministry today.

And let us not forget on Monday, 31 October 2005, they will be hosting an Alternative to Halloween for our congregation, here at CP Walker’s Multicultural Gospel Service.

This event is called FALL FESTIVAL 2005. LET US COME OUT AND SUPPORT THEM IN A MULTICULTURAL WAY.

This Festival will include NO TRICKS, but lots of fun, games, and activities for children of all ages.

There will be LOTS OF FREE pizza and the works; good gospel music; BAGS OF CANDY; STEP DANCE; Biblical Costume Dressing for prizes, and Gospel RAP by our own youth. All, of which, will be nothing more than a precussor to the theme of our Fall Festival this year: The Meaning Behind Halloween.

Again, please join me in giving our young people another round of applause!

Now, a Gallop Poll conducted this year (2005) reveals “the most common fears of teenagers” in the United States. The top 10 list goes like this:

1. Terrorist attacks

2. Spiders

3. Death

4. Failure

5. War

6. Heights

7. Crime/Violence

8. Being alone

9. The future

10. Nuclear war

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 19 million people in the United States alone suffer from mental illnesses that involve irrational and illegitimate fear responses. These disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. Fear is in the Church; and it’s the Enemy of FAITH.

*****************TAKE 5 BEATS*************************

MOVE 1: I once read a story, by The Reverend Jeff Strite, of a certain man who often walked through a cemetery on his way home.

One night, though, unaware that a new grave had been dug in his path, he tumbled into the new grave. For some time, afterwards, he struggled to get out of the 7 Foot deep grave, until finally he gave up … and settled down … for the night.

An hour later, a farmer who was out hunting … for Coons and Possums … came walking through the cemetery … and he too fell into the grave.

The farmer started a desparate attempt to get out; unaware that there was anyone else in the grave.

The first man listened to him for a few minutes, … then … he reached over in the pitch darkness … and laid a hand on the man’s shoulder saying, “You can’t get out of here,” … BUT HE DID.

WE LAUGH, BUT THE EVENTS, and costumes THAT SURROUNDS HALLOWEEN should remind us all of the importance of not LIVING IN FEAR: BUT IN FAITH. Because FEAR is the Enemy of Faith.

****************TAKE 5 BEATS**************************

MOVE 2: NOW, AS BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR UNDERSTANDING OUR SCRIPTURE, THIS AFTERNOON, we have to follow the conversation of Jesus, FROM CHAPTERS 12 AND 13.

a. FOR OUR TEXT IS THE CLIMAX OF A VERY DRAMATIC SERIES OF EVENTS;

b. BECAUSE IT WAS SPOKEN BY JESUS AFTER HE HAD FINISHED HIS LAST SUPPER; AND A RATHER SUDDEN SHIFT IN THE ATMOSPHERE HAD OCCURRED.

c. A FEW DAYS EARLIER … you may recall A CROWD HAD SCATTERED PALM BRANCHES IN THE STREET AND SHOUTED, “HOSANNA: