“The Future Is Now”
1 Samuel 1-3
Sermon Series: “Core”
Introduction: Have you ever heard somebody say something like this, “We need to take care of the kids of the church because they are the church of the future.” That sounds like a good statement, and of course, there is some truth in it. However, in reality, it is really a religious half-truth. I believe the truth is that the future is now. Why do I believe that the original statement is incorrect? Here are four reasons:
- It is based on an institutional model of church instead of a missional model of church.
- It is based on an outdated view of American society that no longer applies today.
- It ignores the urgency of the hour as we think of problems in our country, especially related to younger people.
- It is ultimately an unbiblical statement because Scripture presents multiple examples of God working through young people, and we have no reason to believe He has stopped doing that today.
We are going to look at a Scriptural example of a young man that God called and used mightily. We are also going to look at his parents and contrast them with Eli and his wicked sons. By doing this, we will see that the future is now and be challenged as parents to raise our children in light of this fact and students will be challenged to live for Jesus now.
The Future Is Now-Application to Students
1. Answer God’s call to salvation. It is not enough to be religious, to be around church, or even to try and serve God. We need a relationship with God. That only happens when we personally repent of sin and trust Jesus Christ. We have to listen to Him and genuinely respond to Him.
2. Listen for and follow God’s call on your life. Remember that He created you to use you for His glory.
3. Listen to God and serve Him now. Don’t believe the lies and wait until later.
The Future Is Now-Application to Parents
1. Pray passionately for our children.
2. Commit them to God for whatever He desires to be done in their lives. God created them for His will to be done-not ours. God created them for His glory-not ours. We are to raise our children to be dependant upon God-not us. Our job is to prepare them for the life that the Lord has planned for them and let go of them.
3. We are to encourage them and prepare them for God’s service.
4. We are to restrain them instead of indulging them.
5. We are to put God first instead of our kids.
Conclusion: The future really is now. We don’t know what tomorrow holds. We don’t know how much time we have until Jesus returns. The world is a mess. Eternity is at stake. Therefore, “knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed, the night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Romans 13:11-14).
