Fuel Your Faith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Looking for Pearls or Just Fishing Around?

 

Matthew 13:45-46

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
 
Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

 

Here in this chapter Jesus has pulled his disciples away from the crowd to teach them.

He likens the Kingdom of Heaven to a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls.

When he found a pearl of great price, he went, sold all and bought it.

 

I have heard that we are the merchant man and Jesus is the pearl of Great price.

I have heard Jesus is the merchant and we are the pearls.

 

This afternoon, I want to look at this scripture a little different.

This session is on Developing Core Teenagers.

 

I.       We Are Merchant Men

 

This is not a walk in the park. This is work. Youth Work. They call it that for a reason.

We do everything we can and get little to no gratitude shown for it.

Teenagers don’t say thank you, don’t show appreciation, and often don’t seem to care.

If you are in it for those things, you will not last very long.

We are not supposed to be in the ministry to get love, but rather to give love.

 

We are the merchant men. We have a job to do.

 

II.      We Are to Seek Goodly Pearls

 

Why are you in the youth ministry? Why?

Pastor made you?        Nothing Better?          Stepping Stone?

 

You will never find pearls if you are eyeing the fish.

You will never find pearls if you are focused on the sharks.

You will never find pearls if all you think about is scuba diving.

 

My life is given to seeking pearls. That is what I do.

That is what I am supposed to do. That is what I do.

 

III.    Teenagers Are Our Pearls

 

Every teenager is a pearl. Every teenager has a rare spiritual beauty about them.

Some are blunt and straightforward. Some are meek and shy.

Some pearls display beauty easily. Others must be sought after, dug for and worked for.

 

GET THIS:     Every teenager in your youth department is a pearl.

(YES…even that one)  

 

IV.    There Are Pearls of Great Price

 

As soon as I said that, your mind just went to a teenager in your youth department.

One that you feel is top notch.

 

Do you know why this pearl is called a pearl of great price?

Because the merchant man was willing to pay a great price to get it. (REPEAT)

 

Something is only worth what someone will give for it.  (ILL   Baseball Cards, Cars)

 

****A Teenager that is a Pearl of Great Price is One We are Willing to Give All For ****

 

Shouldn’t that be every one of them?

 

You need every teenager in your youth department.

Every teenager in your youth department needs you.

 

I.          We are Merchant Men

II.        We Are to Seek Goodly Pearls

III.       Teenagers Are Our Pearls

IV.       There Are Some Pearls of Great Price

 

How To Develop Core Teenagers

 

1.      Love Them and Prove It

 

That pearl is only worth what someone is willing to give for it. What you give will be determined by how much you care.

 

            A.    Be Real

 

Teenagers are the best at sniffing out fakes. They know more than any when you are lying.

Be yourself. They don’t need Jack Hyles as their Youth Pastor, they need you.

Don’t lie to them. Don’t act like you are something your not.

They don’t care how much you know, till they know how much you care.

 

            B.    Be Reasonable

 

Don’t forget you were a teenager too. You talked, you didn’t listen, you did things wrong.

Teens are pearls not perfections. They are going to mess up. They will struggle.

You are not the judge, you are an advocate.  A helper, a leader, an understanding ear.

Don’t quickly cast away a pearl because of a small defect.

 

            C. Be Responsive

 

If you are not connected to your teenagers on a level other than the Bible, you will lose them.

They like other things. They like sports, jokes, activities, games, trips, talking, laughing, and most important, they like TIME.

Some of the best connection time I have spent is driving home from a preaching meeting.

Just talking. Just getting to know each other.

 

 

2.      Have a Firm Position, but a Flexible Disposition

 

The merchant man probably had many other things he could have sought for.

He sought vigilantly for the pearl, but once he found it, he carefully and lovingly handled it.

 

          A.      Keep Your Convictions

 

Youth Pastors and Youth Workers have a reputation for being weak on their standards.

Teenagers love and respect a Youth Pastor that takes a stand and doesn’t change.

Don’t change on music.          Don’t change on dress.           Don’t change on entertainment.

 

 

          B.      Keep Your Compassion

 

If you are doing your job as soul winner, you will always have some teenagers in your youth department that are not on the same spiritual level. There will be some that wear pants.

There will be some that listen to rock music.

Don’t write them off, love them where they are and lead them to where they should be.

 

          C.      Keep Your Balance

 

The world and worldly preachers will tell you to change. Lower your standards and change your music and you will get more teens. You may get a bigger quantity but you lose a great deal of quality.  Teens lose respect for compromisers.

Stay balanced. Stand for Right, Love those Teens, Don’t Change.

 

3.      Remember It’s Bigger Than You

 

I don’t make pearls, you don’t make pearls. God makes pearls. We just get to buy them for our wives.

I cant make teens do right, you cant, only God can.

 

          A.   Focus on Their Faith

                   

Be Bible based. Don’t give them your opinion, preacherology, or the popular vote.

Give them the truth. Challenge them to have their own beliefs.

One day they will stand or fall, on their own.

 

            B.    Focus on Their Future

 

Keep the Will of God ever before them. God has a plan for EVERY teenager.

Pray with them and encourage them to seek for, pray for, and work for God’s will.

 

 

Right now there are pearls of great price in your town. All they need is a merchant man that will give his all.