WEBVTT

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 Over the last several years, many news and research organizations have reported that teenagers today are struggling to flourish more than previous generations.

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 Compared to millennials, Gen X, and boomers, overall as a whole population, Gen Z is more depressed, more anxious, and more lonely.

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 On average, they spend less face-to-face time with people and more and more time on the internet and social media.

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 One professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh puts it like this.

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 Teenagers today are more connected than ever, and yet at the same time, they are more lonely than ever.

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 A couple years ago, the previous Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released a report some of you might have seen on the impact of social media on youth and adolescents.

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 And he recommended a Surgeon General's warning label, similar to what you would see on alcohol and tobacco products.

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 Because youth who use social media more often have predictably worse health outcomes than those who don't.

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 And I think all of this raises an important question for us in the midst of the culture in which we live.

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 How can we as a church, how can our church community be a community that bucks this trend?

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 How can our church community be a community where teenagers can flourish and thrive?

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 Our gospel passage here in Luke 2 is actually incredibly well-suited to answer this question.

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 Because in this story, we meet Jesus as a teenager.

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 He's almost a teenager.

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 He's 12, so he's on the precipice of being a teenager.

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 He's almost 13.

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 And this is an incredibly unique passage.

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 Not only is it a passage about Jesus as a teenager, but it is the only story in all of Scripture and in all the four Gospels

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 that we have of Jesus between his birth and between his adulthood.

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 And because of that, it's a really unique passage and it's a really important passage to pay attention to

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 as we consider the implications of the fact that Jesus was, in fact, one day a teenager.

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 The editorial summary that Luke gives us at the end of the story is that Jesus was a flourishing teenager.

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 Verse 52 says, at the end, that Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

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 If Luke was writing this to teenagers today, he would say, bro, Jesus was cooking.

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 He was slaying.

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 He was living his best life.

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 For all the older people in the room, the translation of that is that as a teenager, Jesus excelled in every aspect of his life.

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 He excelled physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.

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 And so we're going to focus today, this morning, on Jesus as a teenager.

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 And you might be here this morning.

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 You might say, well, why just focus on teenagers?

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 Why not just focus on all kids?

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 And the answer is, first and foremost, that's what our text focuses on.

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 But the second reason is the fact that the fact that Jesus was a teenager

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 introduces some unique drama into the story that we're going to see as the story goes on.

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 And the challenge it creates in this story is the fact that he had started to make some decisions on his own,

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 apart from his parents.

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 And this is something that younger kids can't do.

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 And so the fact that Jesus is a teenager is really significant.

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 So this morning, we're going to be focusing on that.

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 We're going to look at this.

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 We're going to look at how did teenage Jesus flourish,

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 and how can teenagers flourish today in our community?

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 That's what we're going to look at this morning.

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 First of all, teenage Jesus flourished by pursuing godly relationships.

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 He flourished by pursuing godly relationships.

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 In verses 41 and 42, we read that Jesus and his parents went up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover feast.

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 And verse 44 says that it wasn't just the three of them,

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 but that they traveled with a large caravan of relatives and friends.

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 And this is why, on the way back home to Nazareth, after celebrating the Passover,

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 it actually took them, Mary and Joseph, a day to realize that Jesus wasn't in their company.

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 They actually assumed that he was just hanging out with some of his cousins or some of his friends or aunts and uncles.

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 They're actually a day's journey back to Nazareth when they realize they don't know where their son is.

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 And so they start asking aunts and uncles and cousins and friends,

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 have you seen Jesus?

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 No, haven't seen him.

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 Is he with you?

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 Is he in your tent?

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 No, he's not with us.

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 We haven't seen him.

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 And they look everywhere and they can't find him.

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 And you can imagine, whether you're a parent or not,

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 you can imagine the anxiety that starts to creep in for Mary and Joseph.

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 Where is he?

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 What's happened to him?

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 I mean, is he lost?

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 Has he been attacked by robbers or wild animals?

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 Is he injured or worse, is he dead?

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 This is a moment that every parent in the room can appreciate.

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 It's the moment at the grocery store or at the mall or at school or even at church when you realize all of a sudden,

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 I don't know where my kid is.

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 It's a moment every parent can appreciate.

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 And let me just say, next time, if you're a parent, next time you feel like you're failing as a parent, just remember this story.

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 The parents of the parents of the perfect, sinless son of God lost their son on a family trip.

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 And if that could happen to them, it probably means you're not a failure.

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 It probably just means that like Mary and Joseph, you're doing your best.

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 So give yourself some grace.

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 And so Mary and Joseph, after they feel that initial panic and anxiety, they do what any parent would do.

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 They start to retrace their steps back to Jerusalem.

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 And verse 46 says that after three days, they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

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 They eventually find Jesus sitting in the temple at a Bible study.

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 Now, before we move on and continue in the drama of this story, let's just stop and pause to notice something.

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 Let's stop and pause to notice that as a teenager, so far in this story, we see that Jesus' life was full of godly relationships.

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 It was full of godly relationships, both with peers and friends and with older adult mentors.

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 He's hanging out with a whole caravan of family and friends on the way to celebrate the Passover.

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 And he's hanging out with older adults.

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 He's hanging out with rabbis and teachers who are studying the Bible and discussing it with him.

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 And this is a really important thing to reflect on as a church, whether you're a parent or not, whether you have kids or not.

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 That at first, Mary and Joseph actually don't go looking for Jesus because they just assume that he's hanging out with others.

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 Imagine a church culture where if on a Sunday or on a weeknight, if a parent doesn't know where their kid is, their first assumption is just they're probably just hanging out with their friends in the youth room.

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 They're probably just hanging out with one of their youth leaders or one of their teachers.

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 They're probably just hanging out with another adult who's being a mentor to them.

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 That would be, if that was the first assumption, that would be a church culture where teenagers are flourishing because their lives are full of relationships with others.

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 Many research studies have concluded something that we see a dynamic here going on in Luke 2, which is that one of the most essential things that adolescents and teenagers need in order to flourish is multiple overlapping relationships with adults who are not their parents, whom they can talk to about their faith.

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 And some studies have even put a number on it.

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 And that number is five.

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 It's five.

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 If a teenager has at least five relationships with adults who are not their parents, with whom that they can talk about their faith, the odds of their flourishing spiritually, physically, emotionally go way up.

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 And so I think the question we have to ask is how can we cultivate those kind of relationships in our community between adults and teenagers?

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 And I think that there's a lot of ways that you could answer that question.

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 But I want you to notice a very specific detail in verse 46.

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 Look at verse 46.

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 We see Jesus sitting among the teachers, listening and asking questions.

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 And this was part of the Jewish rabbinic style of learning.

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 Rabbis taught students by asking questions.

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 And students learned by asking questions as well.

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 And there's a lot of wisdom in this ancient rabbinic practice of asking good questions.

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 A good question is like a key.

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 A good question is like a key that unlocks wisdom and insight and truth.

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 Ask a good question.

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 You can really learn a lot.

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 A good question is also like a bucket.

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 A good question is like a bucket that draws water from the deep well that's inside each and every person.

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 Ask a good question.

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 And you can open up someone's heart.

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 You can open up someone's mind.

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 When you ask questions that unlock something in somebody else.

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 When you ask questions that send the bucket down into someone's heart.

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 That's when the real stuff happens.

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 That's when the real connection and relationships happen.

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 Questions like what makes you interested in that?

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 What was that experience like for you?

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 How did it change you?

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 How did it form you?

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 What's your story?

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 How did you become a Christian?

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 What's God doing in your life?

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 Adults in the room, teenagers need you to ask them these questions.

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 They need you to ask them these questions.

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 If you're a teenager in the room, if you're a middle schooler, if you're a high schooler, learning to ask good questions is one of the things that is going to help you flourish and grow in wisdom in life.

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 It's going to help you flourish in school.

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 It's going to help you flourish in school.

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 It's going to help you in friendships, in your career, in dating, and it will help you flourish in your faith.

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 Asking good questions is going to be one of the things that's going to help you find people who can become mentors to you.

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 People who can mentor you and disciple you in your faith.

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 How do you find a good mentor?

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 How do you find a good spiritual mentor or disciple?

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 Well, you look around at people that you respect, look around at people whose lives you want to imitate, and you say, hey, can we get coffee sometime?

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 I've got some questions about my faith.

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 I've got questions about the Bible.

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 I'd love to just ask a few questions I've been thinking about.

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 Hey, can we get lunch?

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 I want to ask you how you got to where you are in life.

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 I want to ask you how you think about your work and your career and how you think about your work and relationships.

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 It's important to realize that teenage Jesus did something here that younger kids mostly can't do, which is that he didn't wait.

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 He didn't wait for godly relationships to come to him, but he went out and pursued them.

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 Jesus made an independent decision to go out and pursue people who could mentor him and disciple him.

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 He pursued them by listening and asking questions.

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 So that's the first thing that we see.

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 Teenage Jesus flourished by pursuing godly relationships.

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 The second thing we see in the story is that teenage Jesus flourished by exercising godly freedom.

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 Exercising godly freedom.

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 We said at the beginning of the story the fact that Jesus as a teenager makes the drama of this story happen because in this story he makes an independent decision apart from his parents' permission.

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 This is not something that a five-year-old can do, but it is something that a teenager can do.

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 In Jewish culture, around the ages of 12 or 13 marked a significant transition from childhood to adulthood.

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 It's when someone started to become responsible to God, responsible before God, and responsible before the community for taking ownership of their faith.

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 And this is true even today.

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 You probably know that around 13 is when Jewish boys and girls still today celebrate their bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah.

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 It's this celebration, this ceremony that celebrates the beginning of the moral and spiritual responsibilities of adulthood.

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 And this is key.

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 Teenage Jesus here is making an independent decision.

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 And this decision makes his parents really anxious.

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 Verse 48.

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 When his parents saw him in the temple, they were astonished.

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 And his mother said to him,

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 Son, why have you treated us like this?

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 Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.

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 Now, I'm sure no parent in the room has ever felt anxious about their teenager's decisions.

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 But you can imagine what it would be like, right?

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 You can imagine what it would be like.

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 He makes this decision.

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 They end up anxious.

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 And how does Jesus respond?

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 He responds in verse 49.

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 Why were you searching for me?

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 Didn't you know I had to be in my father's house?

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 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

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 Now, if Jesus was a normal teenager affected by the fall, you can imagine the exasperation in his tone in saying this.

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 This is something that I said when I was a teenager.

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 Something that all teenagers say,

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 You guys obviously don't understand anything.

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 You're so out of touch.

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 Right?

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 But this wasn't Jesus' tone because he wasn't a normal teenager.

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 He was the perfect sinless Messiah.

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 And so we have to conclude that both Jesus' response and his tone is not an exasperated one.

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 It's a holy one.

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 It's a sanctified one.

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 Jesus is saying,

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 My relationship with my heavenly father is the number one thing in my life.

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 And I have to prioritize that above everything else.

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 Including my own family.

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 But even though Jesus' response is a sanctified holy one,

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 I think we can all admit,

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 This is still a classic moment between a teenager and a parent.

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 A teenager makes an independent choice

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 That creates friction and conflict and anxiety with his parents.

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 And I just want to say a couple things.

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 I want to say something to parents and I want to say something to teenagers.

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 Parents,

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 I think there's something really important here for you to learn from Mary and Joseph,

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 which is this.

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 That for your teenagers to flourish in every area of their life,

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 They need to have increasing amounts of freedom

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 to make their own choices as they get older.

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 And you need to have less and less control over their decisions.

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 Not all at once,

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 but gradually over time.

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 Yes, they will make mistakes.

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 But learning from their mistakes is one of the ways

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 that they will grow in wisdom,

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 in stature,

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 and in favor with God and man.

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 Now, I'm not going to get more specific than that.

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 Because I think that's as far as the text allows me to go.

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 I realize that within that,

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 there is a lot of discernment.

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 There's a lot of prayer.

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 And probably a lot of hand-wringing that goes with that.

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 But parents need to understand that if you want your kids to flourish,

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 you have to learn to give up control.

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 And you have to trust.

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 You have to learn to trust that their heavenly father

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 cares more about their flourishing than you do.

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 Teenagers.

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 Not letting you off the hook.

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 Teenagers, as you get older,

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 you will have more and more freedom to exercise.

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 It's a privilege getting older.

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 Freedom is a great privilege.

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 It's also a great responsibility.

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 One of the most important decisions

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 that you can,

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 or one of the most important questions that you can ask

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 as a teenager who's moving into adulthood

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 is what am I going to do with my freedom?

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 Am I going to exercise my freedom

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 just to check out,

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 to watch YouTube,

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 play video games,

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 scroll on Instagram?

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 Or am I going to exercise my freedom

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 to prioritize the thing in life

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 that is going to make me most flourish

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 in every other aspect of my life?

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 What teenage Jesus models for you in this story

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 is how to exercise your freedom.

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 The most important choice you will ever make

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 now and throughout your life

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 is how you prioritize your relationship

00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:22.559
 with your heavenly father

00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:25.079
 above everything else.

00:19:26.200 --> 00:19:27.340
 Above everything else.

00:19:28.059 --> 00:19:30.100
 And now is the perfect time in your life

00:19:30.100 --> 00:19:32.440
 to do that if you're in middle or high school.

00:19:32.440 --> 00:19:37.000
 I remember when I first started to read the Bible

00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:38.600
 for myself on my own.

00:19:38.660 --> 00:19:39.660
 I was about this age.

00:19:39.720 --> 00:19:40.759
 I was about 12 or 13,

00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:41.940
 eighth or ninth grade.

00:19:42.700 --> 00:19:44.840
 And I had grown up in church.

00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:46.180
 I'd been to Sunday school.

00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:48.200
 I learned a lot from my Bible teachers

00:19:48.200 --> 00:19:49.160
 who had taught me the Bible.

00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:51.580
 And all of that was really essential for my formation.

00:19:53.600 --> 00:19:55.140
 But something happened

00:19:55.140 --> 00:19:59.420
 when I got alone in my room by myself

00:19:59.420 --> 00:20:01.860
 and opened up the Bible

00:20:01.859 --> 00:20:05.019
 and read it for myself for the first time.

00:20:06.059 --> 00:20:07.899
 And I remember that these words

00:20:07.899 --> 00:20:09.659
 that I heard in church and in Sunday school,

00:20:10.259 --> 00:20:14.439
 these words came alive for the first time.

00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:18.919
 It was like the words were leaping off the page

00:20:18.919 --> 00:20:21.319
 and they were penetrating my mind and my heart.

00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:25.899
 If as a middle schooler or as a high schooler,

00:20:25.899 --> 00:20:28.699
 if you choose to exercise your freedom

00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:32.480
 by prioritizing your time with your heavenly father,

00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:35.100
 by immersing yourself in scripture,

00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:36.259
 by learning how to pray,

00:20:37.140 --> 00:20:38.740
 then like Jesus,

00:20:39.080 --> 00:20:40.500
 you will grow in wisdom

00:20:40.500 --> 00:20:42.960
 and you will grow in stature

00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:46.279
 and you will grow in favor with God and man.

00:20:46.279 --> 00:20:50.879
 And I promise you

00:20:50.879 --> 00:20:52.799
 that you will have experiences

00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:54.759
 with the Holy Spirit

00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:56.220
 that you will never forget

00:20:56.220 --> 00:20:57.099
 for the rest of your life.

00:20:58.500 --> 00:20:59.599
 There will be moments

00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:00.879
 when you look back when you're older

00:21:00.879 --> 00:21:03.359
 and you say that as a middle schooler

00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:04.539
 or as a high schooler,

00:21:04.899 --> 00:21:05.779
 God met me,

00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:08.379
 he spoke to me,

00:21:09.639 --> 00:21:10.500
 he changed me,

00:21:10.859 --> 00:21:12.099
 and he transformed me.

00:21:12.099 --> 00:21:15.559
 By the way,

00:21:15.899 --> 00:21:17.659
 one last point,

00:21:17.779 --> 00:21:18.119
 teenagers,

00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:18.659
 teenagers,

00:21:20.019 --> 00:21:20.579
 middle schoolers,

00:21:20.639 --> 00:21:21.299
 high schoolers,

00:21:22.119 --> 00:21:25.159
 this story should really teach you

00:21:25.159 --> 00:21:27.559
 to have lots of compassion

00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:29.000
 and patience for your parents.

00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:33.959
 If your parents seem overly anxious

00:21:33.959 --> 00:21:35.639
 and exasperated

00:21:35.639 --> 00:21:37.299
 and frustrated with you,

00:21:37.719 --> 00:21:40.539
 it's because they love you

00:21:40.539 --> 00:21:42.379
 and it's because they want

00:21:42.379 --> 00:21:43.619
 to see you flourish

00:21:43.619 --> 00:21:45.599
 and like Mary and Joseph,

00:21:45.859 --> 00:21:47.139
 just like Jesus' parents,

00:21:47.480 --> 00:21:48.240
 they're worried

00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:50.799
 that the worst might happen to you.

00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:53.339
 And so,

00:21:53.579 --> 00:21:54.420
 if you're a middle schooler

00:21:54.420 --> 00:21:54.899
 or a high schooler

00:21:54.899 --> 00:21:55.500
 here this morning,

00:21:56.799 --> 00:21:58.099
 give your parents some grace.

00:21:58.740 --> 00:21:59.899
 Give your parents some grace.

00:22:00.700 --> 00:22:02.279
 That leads to our third point.

00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:04.460
 Teenage Jesus flourished

00:22:04.460 --> 00:22:05.720
 and he flourished

00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:07.599
 by pursuing godly relationships.

00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:09.679
 He flourished

00:22:09.679 --> 00:22:11.319
 by exercising godly freedom.

00:22:12.339 --> 00:22:12.819
 And thirdly,

00:22:12.939 --> 00:22:13.259
 finally,

00:22:14.019 --> 00:22:14.779
 he flourished

00:22:14.779 --> 00:22:16.079
 by submitting

00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:17.159
 to godly authority.

00:22:18.119 --> 00:22:19.099
 By submitting

00:22:19.099 --> 00:22:20.459
 to godly authority.

00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:22.079
 The story concludes

00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:23.039
 verse 51.

00:22:24.419 --> 00:22:25.159
 Then he went down

00:22:25.159 --> 00:22:25.759
 to Nazareth,

00:22:26.099 --> 00:22:27.139
 he went down to Nazareth

00:22:27.139 --> 00:22:27.679
 with them,

00:22:27.779 --> 00:22:28.299
 his parents,

00:22:28.899 --> 00:22:29.659
 and was obedient

00:22:29.659 --> 00:22:30.459
 to them.

00:22:31.719 --> 00:22:32.099
 Now,

00:22:32.159 --> 00:22:32.439
 admittedly,

00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:33.079
 if you're a teenager,

00:22:33.539 --> 00:22:34.859
 this is probably not

00:22:34.859 --> 00:22:35.419
 how you hoped

00:22:35.419 --> 00:22:36.139
 the story would end.

00:22:36.140 --> 00:22:37.400
 Okay,

00:22:37.480 --> 00:22:37.940
 now go home

00:22:37.940 --> 00:22:38.820
 and obey your parents.

00:22:39.259 --> 00:22:40.060
 It's kind of a letdown.

00:22:40.900 --> 00:22:41.320
 But,

00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:43.640
 it raises

00:22:43.640 --> 00:22:44.460
 an important point.

00:22:46.120 --> 00:22:47.860
 If Jesus Christ,

00:22:48.800 --> 00:22:49.640
 the perfect,

00:22:50.300 --> 00:22:50.759
 sinless,

00:22:51.180 --> 00:22:52.020
 son of God,

00:22:53.100 --> 00:22:54.000
 couldn't flourish

00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:55.220
 without submitting

00:22:55.220 --> 00:22:56.160
 to godly authority,

00:22:57.220 --> 00:22:58.840
 I've got news for you.

00:22:59.600 --> 00:23:00.460
 Then neither can you.

00:23:01.300 --> 00:23:01.920
 Neither can you.

00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:04.380
 God has placed parents

00:23:04.380 --> 00:23:05.120
 and teachers,

00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:06.340
 coaches,

00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:08.019
 youth leaders,

00:23:08.300 --> 00:23:08.660
 pastors,

00:23:08.860 --> 00:23:09.560
 in your life

00:23:09.560 --> 00:23:12.019
 in order to help you flourish.

00:23:12.660 --> 00:23:13.640
 To help you grow

00:23:13.640 --> 00:23:14.180
 in wisdom

00:23:14.180 --> 00:23:15.420
 and in stature

00:23:15.420 --> 00:23:16.519
 and in favor

00:23:16.519 --> 00:23:17.580
 with God and man.

00:23:18.539 --> 00:23:18.700
 Now,

00:23:18.840 --> 00:23:19.580
 but let's be honest,

00:23:19.640 --> 00:23:20.140
 as a teenager,

00:23:20.259 --> 00:23:21.220
 it doesn't always feel like this,

00:23:21.259 --> 00:23:21.560
 does it?

00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:23.620
 Sometimes it's difficult

00:23:23.620 --> 00:23:24.759
 to submit to the authorities

00:23:24.759 --> 00:23:25.480
 in your life.

00:23:26.100 --> 00:23:27.240
 Sometimes it can feel like

00:23:27.240 --> 00:23:28.080
 there's all these people

00:23:28.080 --> 00:23:29.240
 that are telling you

00:23:29.240 --> 00:23:29.779
 what to do

00:23:29.779 --> 00:23:31.140
 and they're giving you

00:23:31.140 --> 00:23:31.759
 rules

00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:33.160
 and expectations

00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:34.779
 and it feels like

00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:35.480
 they're restricting

00:23:35.480 --> 00:23:36.000
 your freedom.

00:23:37.980 --> 00:23:39.200
 But here's what you need

00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:39.579
 to know.

00:23:40.900 --> 00:23:41.420
 That submitting

00:23:41.420 --> 00:23:42.339
 to godly authority

00:23:42.339 --> 00:23:43.700
 isn't just part

00:23:43.700 --> 00:23:44.559
 of how you flourish

00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:45.640
 as a teenager,

00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:47.240
 it's how you flourish

00:23:47.240 --> 00:23:49.140
 for the rest of your life.

00:23:49.940 --> 00:23:51.200
 It's also how you flourish

00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:51.980
 as an adult.

00:23:52.420 --> 00:23:52.880
 Growing up

00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:53.680
 in your parents' home

00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:54.880
 is only the beginning

00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:55.460
 of learning

00:23:55.460 --> 00:23:56.660
 how to live

00:23:56.660 --> 00:23:57.579
 under authority.

00:23:57.579 --> 00:23:59.460
 When you leave home

00:23:59.460 --> 00:23:59.819
 in 18,

00:24:00.579 --> 00:24:01.559
 you may be no longer

00:24:01.559 --> 00:24:02.759
 living under your parents' roof,

00:24:03.099 --> 00:24:04.899
 but there will be

00:24:04.899 --> 00:24:05.720
 new authorities

00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:06.460
 in your life.

00:24:07.220 --> 00:24:07.639
 There will be

00:24:07.639 --> 00:24:08.379
 college professors,

00:24:09.939 --> 00:24:10.679
 there will be

00:24:10.679 --> 00:24:11.199
 managers,

00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:12.019
 supervisors,

00:24:13.480 --> 00:24:14.679
 there's something

00:24:14.679 --> 00:24:15.220
 called the

00:24:15.220 --> 00:24:16.460
 Internal Revenue Service,

00:24:16.899 --> 00:24:18.980
 which is an authority

00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:19.879
 that all of us

00:24:19.879 --> 00:24:20.879
 love to submit to.

00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:25.139
 We all have

00:24:25.139 --> 00:24:26.899
 authorities in our life

00:24:26.899 --> 00:24:27.359
 to submit to

00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:28.259
 and that is not

00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:28.819
 a bug

00:24:28.819 --> 00:24:29.979
 in God's plan

00:24:29.979 --> 00:24:30.679
 for our lives,

00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:31.539
 it's a feature.

00:24:32.740 --> 00:24:33.299
 It's a feature.

00:24:34.259 --> 00:24:35.019
 Living under God,

00:24:35.699 --> 00:24:36.539
 living under authority

00:24:36.539 --> 00:24:37.779
 is how God designed

00:24:37.779 --> 00:24:38.479
 creation

00:24:38.479 --> 00:24:39.319
 to work

00:24:39.319 --> 00:24:40.139
 from the very beginning.

00:24:40.419 --> 00:24:41.319
 Kids need

00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:42.119
 parents,

00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:44.019
 students

00:24:44.019 --> 00:24:45.240
 need teachers,

00:24:46.359 --> 00:24:47.639
 athletes

00:24:47.639 --> 00:24:48.559
 need coaches,

00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:50.219
 writers

00:24:50.219 --> 00:24:51.599
 need editors,

00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:53.379
 and citizens

00:24:53.379 --> 00:24:55.259
 need political leaders.

00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:56.079
 and yes,

00:24:57.000 --> 00:24:57.460
 yes,

00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:58.619
 I know what you're thinking.

00:24:58.819 --> 00:25:00.440
 Sometimes those in authority

00:25:00.440 --> 00:25:02.059
 have major flaws.

00:25:04.059 --> 00:25:06.119
 Sometimes those in authority

00:25:06.119 --> 00:25:07.279
 do things that are unjust.

00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:09.640
 Sometimes those in authority

00:25:09.640 --> 00:25:10.599
 do things that are even

00:25:10.599 --> 00:25:11.619
 harmful and abusive.

00:25:12.579 --> 00:25:13.900
 And that is a tragic reality

00:25:13.900 --> 00:25:14.960
 of living in a fallen world

00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:16.299
 and there are times

00:25:16.299 --> 00:25:17.259
 and places

00:25:17.259 --> 00:25:18.960
 to hold such authorities

00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:19.720
 accountable.

00:25:21.500 --> 00:25:22.019
 But,

00:25:22.340 --> 00:25:23.440
 the path to flourishing

00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:24.120
 when you're under

00:25:24.120 --> 00:25:25.180
 bad authority

00:25:25.180 --> 00:25:26.299
 isn't to avoid

00:25:26.299 --> 00:25:27.259
 authority altogether.

00:25:28.920 --> 00:25:30.100
 It's to come under

00:25:30.100 --> 00:25:30.740
 godly authority.

00:25:31.299 --> 00:25:32.259
 It's to come under

00:25:32.259 --> 00:25:32.920
 godly authority.

00:25:34.299 --> 00:25:35.400
 How do we know that?

00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:37.819
 How do we know that?

00:25:37.880 --> 00:25:38.740
 And how do we know,

00:25:39.539 --> 00:25:40.579
 how can we submit

00:25:40.579 --> 00:25:41.740
 to authority

00:25:41.740 --> 00:25:42.799
 when it's difficult?

00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:44.839
 How can we submit

00:25:44.839 --> 00:25:45.240
 to authority

00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:46.000
 when our parents

00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:48.039
 are just so exhausting?

00:25:49.139 --> 00:25:49.839
 How can we submit

00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:50.180
 to authority

00:25:50.180 --> 00:25:51.099
 when our boss

00:25:51.099 --> 00:25:51.779
 at work

00:25:51.779 --> 00:25:52.759
 is being

00:25:52.759 --> 00:25:54.059
 incredibly difficult?

00:25:54.980 --> 00:25:55.940
 How can we find

00:25:55.940 --> 00:25:56.319
 the resources?

00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:56.899
 How can we find

00:25:56.899 --> 00:25:57.680
 the power to do it?

00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:00.180
 By seeing

00:26:00.180 --> 00:26:01.579
 that this is exactly

00:26:01.579 --> 00:26:02.819
 how Jesus Christ

00:26:02.819 --> 00:26:04.319
 himself flourished.

00:26:05.139 --> 00:26:05.759
 Think about this

00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:06.180
 for a second.

00:26:06.599 --> 00:26:07.359
 The perfect,

00:26:08.220 --> 00:26:08.680
 sinless

00:26:08.680 --> 00:26:09.839
 son of God

00:26:09.839 --> 00:26:10.799
 was obedient

00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:12.539
 to his sinful,

00:26:13.099 --> 00:26:14.180
 flawed parents.

00:26:15.460 --> 00:26:16.399
 The one

00:26:16.399 --> 00:26:17.240
 with all

00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:17.799
 authority.

00:26:18.539 --> 00:26:19.399
 The one

00:26:19.399 --> 00:26:20.259
 with all authority

00:26:20.259 --> 00:26:21.019
 in heaven

00:26:21.019 --> 00:26:21.559
 and on earth

00:26:21.559 --> 00:26:23.119
 submitted

00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:24.119
 to finite

00:26:24.119 --> 00:26:25.680
 human authority.

00:26:27.059 --> 00:26:27.819
 And as

00:26:27.819 --> 00:26:28.680
 a result,

00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:31.019
 he grew.

00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:32.639
 He grew

00:26:32.639 --> 00:26:33.139
 in wisdom,

00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:34.339
 he grew

00:26:34.339 --> 00:26:34.940
 in stature,

00:26:35.419 --> 00:26:36.180
 and he grew

00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:36.759
 in favor

00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:37.700
 with God

00:26:37.700 --> 00:26:38.700
 and man.

00:26:38.779 --> 00:26:39.420
 And we see

00:26:39.420 --> 00:26:40.559
 this not just

00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:41.279
 with teenage

00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:41.660
 Jesus.

00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:44.120
 We see this

00:26:44.120 --> 00:26:44.680
 with adult

00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:45.019
 Jesus.

00:26:46.080 --> 00:26:47.059
 If you flip

00:26:47.059 --> 00:26:47.980
 over 20

00:26:47.980 --> 00:26:48.799
 chapters later

00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:49.600
 in the Gospel

00:26:49.600 --> 00:26:50.039
 of Luke,

00:26:50.420 --> 00:26:50.980
 you see

00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:51.720
 Jesus

00:26:51.720 --> 00:26:53.460
 coming up

00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:53.860
 against

00:26:53.860 --> 00:26:54.720
 the will

00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:55.259
 and the authority

00:26:55.259 --> 00:26:55.700
 of his heavenly

00:26:55.700 --> 00:26:56.059
 father.

00:26:57.039 --> 00:26:57.420
 The night

00:26:57.420 --> 00:26:58.140
 before he was

00:26:58.140 --> 00:26:58.799
 arrested and

00:26:58.799 --> 00:26:59.100
 betrayed

00:26:59.100 --> 00:26:59.620
 before his

00:26:59.620 --> 00:26:59.960
 death,

00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:01.440
 Jesus was

00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:02.319
 praying on

00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:02.539
 the Mount

00:27:02.539 --> 00:27:03.019
 of Olives

00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:03.640
 if his

00:27:03.640 --> 00:27:04.279
 disciples were

00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:04.620
 asleep,

00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:06.120
 and he said,

00:27:06.119 --> 00:27:06.439
 Father,

00:27:06.539 --> 00:27:07.159
 if you are

00:27:07.159 --> 00:27:07.500
 willing,

00:27:08.579 --> 00:27:09.199
 if you are

00:27:09.199 --> 00:27:09.479
 willing,

00:27:09.899 --> 00:27:10.299
 take this

00:27:10.299 --> 00:27:10.799
 cup from me.

00:27:11.779 --> 00:27:12.159
 Father,

00:27:12.299 --> 00:27:13.159
 is there any

00:27:13.159 --> 00:27:13.879
 other way

00:27:13.879 --> 00:27:15.259
 that this

00:27:15.259 --> 00:27:15.959
 can happen

00:27:15.959 --> 00:27:16.759
 according to

00:27:16.759 --> 00:27:17.179
 your will

00:27:17.179 --> 00:27:17.619
 and plan?

00:27:20.039 --> 00:27:20.579
 And the

00:27:20.579 --> 00:27:20.899
 answer was

00:27:20.899 --> 00:27:21.079
 no.

00:27:22.179 --> 00:27:22.839
 There was

00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:23.199
 no other

00:27:23.199 --> 00:27:23.479
 way.

00:27:24.259 --> 00:27:25.000
 Not if you

00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:26.179
 and I

00:27:26.179 --> 00:27:26.699
 had any

00:27:26.699 --> 00:27:27.839
 hope of

00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:28.119
 truly

00:27:28.119 --> 00:27:28.619
 flourishing.

00:27:28.959 --> 00:27:29.619
 Not if you

00:27:29.619 --> 00:27:29.899
 and I

00:27:29.899 --> 00:27:30.299
 were to be

00:27:30.299 --> 00:27:30.699
 rescued

00:27:30.699 --> 00:27:31.579
 from sin

00:27:31.579 --> 00:27:32.039
 and death.

00:27:32.359 --> 00:27:33.199
 Not if you

00:27:33.199 --> 00:27:33.559
 and I

00:27:33.559 --> 00:27:34.019
 were to

00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:34.419
 know

00:27:34.420 --> 00:27:35.380
 the same

00:27:35.380 --> 00:27:36.500
 love with

00:27:36.500 --> 00:27:36.900
 the father

00:27:36.900 --> 00:27:37.440
 that Jesus

00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:37.940
 himself

00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:38.440
 experienced.

00:27:38.980 --> 00:27:39.820
 There was

00:27:39.820 --> 00:27:40.519
 no other

00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:40.820
 way,

00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:41.720
 and so he

00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:42.800
 bent his

00:27:42.800 --> 00:27:43.200
 will to

00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:43.779
 his father's

00:27:43.779 --> 00:27:44.060
 and he

00:27:44.060 --> 00:27:44.279
 said,

00:27:44.740 --> 00:27:44.860
 yet,

00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:45.259
 father,

00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:46.500
 not my

00:27:46.500 --> 00:27:46.800
 will.

00:27:47.620 --> 00:27:48.400
 Not my

00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:48.680
 will,

00:27:48.980 --> 00:27:49.539
 but yours

00:27:49.539 --> 00:27:50.039
 be done.

00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:51.320
 And by

00:27:51.320 --> 00:27:51.800
 submitting to

00:27:51.800 --> 00:27:52.060
 the will

00:27:52.060 --> 00:27:52.259
 of his

00:27:52.259 --> 00:27:52.580
 father,

00:27:53.060 --> 00:27:53.620
 facing the

00:27:53.620 --> 00:27:54.080
 cross,

00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:55.900
 Jesus brought

00:27:55.900 --> 00:27:56.420
 ultimate

00:27:56.420 --> 00:27:57.380
 flourishing and

00:27:57.380 --> 00:27:58.140
 salvation into

00:27:58.140 --> 00:27:58.640
 the world,

00:27:59.019 --> 00:27:59.519
 into your

00:27:59.519 --> 00:27:59.920
 life,

00:28:00.340 --> 00:28:00.680
 and mine.

00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:02.200
 Friends,

00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:03.380
 this is

00:28:03.380 --> 00:28:03.920
 the power

00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:04.480
 of the

00:28:04.480 --> 00:28:04.799
 gospel.

00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:06.900
 This is

00:28:06.900 --> 00:28:07.240
 the power

00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:07.480
 of the

00:28:07.480 --> 00:28:07.779
 gospel,

00:28:08.039 --> 00:28:08.440
 and it's

00:28:08.440 --> 00:28:08.940
 through the

00:28:08.940 --> 00:28:09.319
 power of

00:28:09.319 --> 00:28:09.680
 the gospel

00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:11.920
 that we

00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:12.279
 can not

00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:13.000
 only submit

00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:13.460
 to godly

00:28:13.460 --> 00:28:13.840
 authority,

00:28:13.960 --> 00:28:14.500
 but that we

00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:14.980
 can be a

00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:15.759
 church community

00:28:15.759 --> 00:28:17.819
 where teenagers

00:28:17.819 --> 00:28:19.240
 and adults

00:28:19.240 --> 00:28:20.259
 and little

00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:21.140
 children can

00:28:21.140 --> 00:28:22.220
 flourish together

00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:23.160
 as a church

00:28:23.160 --> 00:28:23.440
 family.

00:28:25.360 --> 00:28:26.319
 I started

00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:27.380
 earlier by

00:28:27.380 --> 00:28:30.100
 noticing some

00:28:30.100 --> 00:28:30.660
 discouraging

00:28:30.660 --> 00:28:31.640
 trends among

00:28:31.640 --> 00:28:32.980
 Gen Z and

00:28:32.980 --> 00:28:33.840
 teenagers today.

00:28:34.620 --> 00:28:35.360
 Let me end

00:28:35.360 --> 00:28:36.360
 with some

00:28:36.360 --> 00:28:36.740
 encouragement.

00:28:36.940 --> 00:28:37.640
 This is from

00:28:37.640 --> 00:28:39.580
 Ryan Penley,

00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:40.620
 who's the

00:28:40.620 --> 00:28:41.160
 campus

00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:42.540
 ministry

00:28:42.540 --> 00:28:43.560
 director with

00:28:43.560 --> 00:28:44.500
 CREW at

00:28:44.500 --> 00:28:44.860
 the University

00:28:44.860 --> 00:28:45.259
 of Maryland.

00:28:45.360 --> 00:28:45.780
 He was my

00:28:45.780 --> 00:28:46.420
 campus minister.

00:28:46.700 --> 00:28:47.040
 He's still

00:28:47.040 --> 00:28:47.520
 doing ministry

00:28:47.520 --> 00:28:47.840
 there,

00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:48.620
 and he sent

00:28:48.620 --> 00:28:49.200
 this in a

00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:49.660
 recent fall

00:28:49.660 --> 00:28:50.020
 update.

00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:52.620
 Meet

00:28:52.620 --> 00:28:52.940
 Will.

00:28:53.880 --> 00:28:54.900
 Will spent

00:28:54.900 --> 00:28:55.500
 the first two

00:28:55.500 --> 00:28:55.860
 years of

00:28:55.860 --> 00:28:57.259
 college pursuing

00:28:57.259 --> 00:28:57.880
 a number of

00:28:57.880 --> 00:28:58.320
 things,

00:28:58.800 --> 00:28:59.340
 but the Lord

00:28:59.340 --> 00:28:59.780
 was not one

00:28:59.780 --> 00:29:00.080
 of them.

00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:02.000
 things changed

00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:02.639
 after God was

00:29:02.639 --> 00:29:03.220
 at work and

00:29:03.220 --> 00:29:03.679
 some recent

00:29:03.679 --> 00:29:04.279
 events in his

00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:04.599
 life.

00:29:05.399 --> 00:29:06.119
 Will shared his

00:29:06.119 --> 00:29:06.679
 story with me

00:29:06.679 --> 00:29:07.240
 last Friday.

00:29:07.779 --> 00:29:08.439
 God is working.

00:29:09.199 --> 00:29:10.019
 I was chasing all

00:29:10.019 --> 00:29:10.379
 of the wrong

00:29:10.379 --> 00:29:11.199
 things, but now I

00:29:11.199 --> 00:29:11.720
 see clearly.

00:29:12.339 --> 00:29:13.079
 I thought I was a

00:29:13.079 --> 00:29:13.819
 Christian, but now I

00:29:13.819 --> 00:29:14.480
 can say definitely

00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:15.359
 that I was not.

00:29:16.159 --> 00:29:16.980
 Not until this

00:29:16.980 --> 00:29:17.899
 semester, and now

00:29:17.899 --> 00:29:18.740
 everything is

00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:19.059
 changing.

00:29:20.139 --> 00:29:20.579
 I'm in.

00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:22.159
 I'm done with the

00:29:22.159 --> 00:29:22.579
 old living.

00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:23.899
 I'm with Jesus,

00:29:24.319 --> 00:29:25.079
 and I'm locked in.

00:29:25.079 --> 00:29:27.299
 Now meet

00:29:27.299 --> 00:29:27.579
 Jacob.

00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:29.319
 Jacob is one of

00:29:29.319 --> 00:29:29.839
 Will's roommates

00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:30.500
 and a leading

00:29:30.500 --> 00:29:31.379
 scorer on the

00:29:31.379 --> 00:29:32.299
 club lacrosse team.

00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:33.839
 Jacob has watched

00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:34.579
 this transformation,

00:29:34.759 --> 00:29:35.399
 and Will has been

00:29:35.399 --> 00:29:35.839
 intrigued.

00:29:36.619 --> 00:29:37.419
 He came with Will

00:29:37.419 --> 00:29:38.220
 recently to our

00:29:38.220 --> 00:29:38.919
 large group meeting

00:29:38.919 --> 00:29:39.480
 a couple weeks

00:29:39.480 --> 00:29:40.899
 ago, and he

00:29:40.899 --> 00:29:41.259
 filled out a

00:29:41.259 --> 00:29:42.579
 newcomer card, and

00:29:42.579 --> 00:29:43.319
 Will and I met

00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:44.259
 with Jacob the

00:29:44.259 --> 00:29:45.220
 following week in

00:29:45.220 --> 00:29:46.159
 the bagel shop on

00:29:46.159 --> 00:29:46.500
 campus.

00:29:47.460 --> 00:29:48.519
 And 45 minutes

00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:50.039
 later, Will's

00:29:50.039 --> 00:29:50.839
 roommate and

00:29:50.839 --> 00:29:51.859
 longtime friend,

00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:53.419
 Jacob, placed his

00:29:53.420 --> 00:29:54.720
 faith in Christ in

00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:55.700
 the bagel shop on

00:29:55.700 --> 00:29:56.039
 campus.

00:29:57.680 --> 00:29:58.560
 Now meet Jay.

00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:00.900
 Jay is also on

00:30:00.900 --> 00:30:01.539
 the club lacrosse

00:30:01.539 --> 00:30:02.580
 team and living in

00:30:02.580 --> 00:30:03.420
 the house with both

00:30:03.420 --> 00:30:04.620
 Will and Jacob and

00:30:04.620 --> 00:30:05.720
 has noticed some

00:30:05.720 --> 00:30:06.600
 significant things

00:30:06.600 --> 00:30:07.259
 happening in the

00:30:07.259 --> 00:30:07.620
 lives of the

00:30:07.620 --> 00:30:07.800
 roommates.

00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:09.380
 And he recently

00:30:09.380 --> 00:30:09.900
 came to our

00:30:09.900 --> 00:30:10.519
 large group meeting,

00:30:11.220 --> 00:30:12.220
 and then our

00:30:12.220 --> 00:30:13.860
 intern, John, met

00:30:13.860 --> 00:30:14.380
 with him to share

00:30:14.380 --> 00:30:14.820
 the gospel.

00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:17.600
 And one week after

00:30:17.600 --> 00:30:18.539
 Jacob came to

00:30:18.539 --> 00:30:20.660
 faith, Jay placed

00:30:20.660 --> 00:30:21.320
 his faith in

00:30:21.320 --> 00:30:21.640
 Christ.

00:30:23.420 --> 00:30:24.779
 And I keep in

00:30:24.779 --> 00:30:26.800
 touch with campus

00:30:26.800 --> 00:30:28.400
 ministry friends all

00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:29.420
 over the country, and

00:30:29.420 --> 00:30:30.980
 I can tell you this

00:30:30.980 --> 00:30:32.880
 kind of thing is

00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:34.160
 happening everywhere.

00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:35.860
 It's happening

00:30:35.860 --> 00:30:36.300
 everywhere.

00:30:37.620 --> 00:30:38.539
 Despite what you

00:30:38.539 --> 00:30:39.120
 might read in the

00:30:39.120 --> 00:30:40.800
 news, God is moving

00:30:40.800 --> 00:30:42.140
 among Gen Z and

00:30:42.140 --> 00:30:43.019
 among teenagers and

00:30:43.019 --> 00:30:44.259
 college students and

00:30:44.259 --> 00:30:44.900
 middle schoolers and

00:30:44.900 --> 00:30:46.000
 high schoolers through

00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:47.300
 the power of the

00:30:47.300 --> 00:30:47.580
 gospel.

00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:49.820
 I've seen it

00:30:49.820 --> 00:30:51.740
 firsthand among the

00:30:51.740 --> 00:30:52.920
 middle schoolers and

00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:54.339
 high schoolers at our

00:30:54.339 --> 00:30:54.559
 church.

00:30:54.660 --> 00:30:55.440
 It's been amazing to

00:30:55.440 --> 00:30:56.579
 see God at work in

00:30:56.579 --> 00:30:56.960
 our youth.

00:30:58.460 --> 00:30:59.200
 Friends, if you want to

00:30:59.200 --> 00:31:00.900
 be part of what God is

00:31:00.900 --> 00:31:01.500
 doing in the world, if

00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:02.220
 you want to be excited

00:31:02.220 --> 00:31:03.039
 about what God is doing

00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:04.720
 in the world, invest

00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:05.279
 your life.

00:31:05.880 --> 00:31:06.779
 Invest your life in

00:31:06.779 --> 00:31:07.120
 teenagers.

00:31:08.039 --> 00:31:08.460
 Let's pray.

00:31:08.460 --> 00:31:13.000
 Father in heaven, would you

00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:13.980
 help us to be a church

00:31:13.980 --> 00:31:17.900
 family where teenagers can

00:31:17.900 --> 00:31:20.279
 flourish and thrive as we

00:31:20.279 --> 00:31:21.319
 together follow the

00:31:21.319 --> 00:31:23.640
 example of Jesus, as we

00:31:23.640 --> 00:31:24.940
 pursue godly relationships,

00:31:26.100 --> 00:31:27.340
 as we exercise godly

00:31:27.340 --> 00:31:29.759
 freedom, and as we submit

00:31:29.759 --> 00:31:30.539
 to godly authority.

00:31:31.819 --> 00:31:33.500
 And I pray that like this

00:31:33.500 --> 00:31:34.660
 story here in Luke 2, that

00:31:34.660 --> 00:31:35.519
 we would be a community

00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:38.160
 where teenagers would not

00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:39.279
 just have lots of great

00:31:39.279 --> 00:31:40.359
 relationships and examples

00:31:40.359 --> 00:31:43.920
 to follow, but that many

00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:45.019
 of them would be examples

00:31:45.019 --> 00:31:48.079
 to us of what it looks

00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:49.099
 like to seek our heavenly

00:31:49.099 --> 00:31:50.980
 father above all else.

00:31:51.940 --> 00:31:53.180
 We pray this in the Father

00:31:53.180 --> 00:31:54.500
 and the Son and the Holy

00:31:54.500 --> 00:31:54.799
 Spirit.

00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:55.559
 Amen.

00:31:56.700 --> 00:31:57.119
 Amen.

00:31:57.119 --> 00:31:57.119


00:31:57.119 --> 00:31:57.119


00:31:57.119 --> 00:31:57.119


00:31:57.119 --> 00:31:58.119
 Amen.

00:31:58.119 --> 00:31:58.119


00:31:58.119 --> 00:31:58.119


00:31:58.119 --> 00:31:58.119


00:31:58.119 --> 00:31:58.119