And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.
Lifeway research says two thirds of young people stopped going to church between age 18 and 22. The reasons are various, but one major reason is the conclusion made by many that we are intolerant. That message did not come from us but from everywhere else, Hollywood, the campus, and the news. We have lost control of the narrative. Or is it more serious than that? Have we not lost the narrative, but delegated it to the screen, the classroom, and the anchor desk? Jesus had strong words for those that cause little ones to sin. We may be guilty of this in a more indirect way but the penalty is the same.
We have the best news for young people in this world. This world is broken but Jesus fixed it when he went to the cross. The world tells you to choose your identity but God has formed you in the womb and loves you with an everlasting love. The world tells you we cannot know the truth so your words are true but Jesus said of the Father, “Your word is truth.” The world tells you that you can love anyone you want. Jesus tells us to love one another, love our neighbor, and pray for those who persecute us.
It is time we take back the megaphone. It is time we proclaim the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. Young people will be tempted by what they hear in the media and school. It is not enough to say…
They didn’t hear it from us.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church