20200201 | Generation Z | Pastor John Lomacang (tvsdac)

generation Z if you have your Bibles this morning with you which I believe many of you do if you don't you know that our audio-visual team will make sure that the texts appear on the screen but if you do have your Bible with you I'd like to encourage you to turn with me to the book of Judges judges chapter two Wow I'll explain that to you in just a moment what you see behind you a judges chapter two and I'd like to read in you're hearing when all that generation had been gathered to their fathers another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which he had done for Israel all your heads are they asked the Lord the guy this morning gracious father in heaven we are living in the generation that does not know God and we pray this morning that your Holy Spirit will come and speak to our hearts that we can find a way to cross that fence open that door understand the heartbeat of this generation understand their great need understand their disparity and in spite of their pursuit of all the things that the world has put before them may your Holy Spirit awaken in them a desire to know you before the door of Mercy is closed come now and speak to our hearts today that we may be instruments in reaching out to this generation in Jesus name I pray oh man I met my father for the first time my natural father in 1971 some of you know my story I was born in born in an abandonment situation my mom and dad were not married and you know society back in those days would categorize the child born out of wedlock as an illegitimate child well I just want to let you know I am a son of God today legitimacy should be something that the parents are never the child children don't do anything but show up but I met my dad for the first time in 1971 shortly after the lady that raised me passed away I was fortunate to be left in a home of an Adventist babysitter I was abandoned where God knew I needed to be to become Who I am I received the foundation training a child up in the way he should go and so when I was 12 years old mama Haynes affectionately still in my heart in my mind passed away it was an odd day there was a Sunday and we had family over a home as was the case West Indians the man that raised me was from Barbados his wife was from Trinidad and every weekend they would get together and have what they call a Calypso time they'd play their guitars and ukuleles that smoke they'd drink in their cuffs in no particular order and I got tired of it so I was going next door to the neighbour's house my good friend lived next door Spanish young man we were good really good friends and on my way next door a four-door black Fleetwood Cadillac with a red leather interior was in front of the house the streets lights were coming on it was toward the evening and a man walked out of the house I mean walked out of the car actually one foot on the ground and he was getting out of the vehicle and he said to me hey your your name must be John I said yes it is he said and you have a sister named Vivian I said yeah you must be 13 yeah Scott just gave you all you need to figure out my age and your sister must be 16 yeah how do you know I guess it took a lot of courage for him to say it but he said I'm your dad I said no you're not my dad's in the house because I was of the opinion that the man that is there when I wake up in the morning is my dad can I get an amen if I wake up and he's the guy that's putting that food in my mouth and making sure there's a roof over my head and providing all my needs it takes more than just a contributor to be a dad well I ran the house over the noise and din of the kitchen and the smoke of the cigar and the cigarettes being smoked I yell Papa Papa there's a man outside who said he's my dad he said What did he say his name was I said he told me his name is Johnny he said that's your dad and that's how I met my dad in 1971 he came in dressed to the T he worked at that time for a congressman I found that also he was a jazz musician and for the course of his life that was what he did he played for all the jazz greats Johnny Parker he was one of those guys that played everything but I tried incessantly for 35 years before he passed away in 2006 I tried my best to get to know him but he would never lower his wall when I was in New York City in 1999 and past a dog Bachelor did the Millennium of prophecy I was the person that introduced that Ryan remember those videos one evening my dad came to hear me sing at a Manhattan Center on 34th Street and it was so full they were not allowing people to come in but my dad found a way the guards told me later there was a man that kept on trying to get in and they kept saying it's full he said I've got to get in my son is singing tonight and they let him in and he watched me sing and then he left one evening I got a phone call in 2006 I tried to reach my father and I could not get through and my sister tried calling him in New York City couldn't get through we sent a police officer to his apartment there in downtown Manhattan in the village found him dead in his bathroom getting ready to go to work he woke up when we went to sleep he went to sleep when we woke up I remember that very vividly because to this day and it's sad to say this to this day I haven't shed a tear I tried I tried to get through that natural feeling of I just lost my dad but I couldn't find a pocket that I could squeeze a tear out of I was given the responsibility now to pay for my dad's funeral I found out he had no insurance he told me he was going to leave me some money from his Union and that never happened and when he I was his only child my sister's dad is a different person my mama was a rollin stone I wanted the apartment the people that owned the apartment there in the in the village it was an apartment building for musicians and artists of the city and I said well my dad just passed away can I have his apartment they said you know if he had only put you on the least you could have owned that apartment in downtown Manhattan for only a hundred and twenty-five dollars a month for the rest of your life but he didn't put your name on a soul it's ours now and we're gonna rent it out to somebody else and I thought if my dad at all if he had given me nothing if he did just left that for me well as I put the funeral together he was so well known in the village that they decided locally that they were going to go ahead and as the funeral director an Italian guy said we're gonna give you dad a really good send-off Ryan and I know we like to joke with that Italian accent and they took well they took good care of him but I had to pay and at the funeral I was shocked when person after person musician after musician people I have never met stood up and gave constant testimony how they would not have made it in the city of New York had it not been for Johnny Parker and I listened and I saw these eclectic unusual amazing people standing up had the musician look great famous names and I thought who are they talking about if it were not for Johnny Parker would not have made it it was his financial help it was when I was down and out he sent me a card and I said who are they talking about I don't know this man I tried for 35 years I couldn't get past his wall but there's a purpose to the story my wife and I had the responsibility to now go through his studio apartment facing the Hudson River thank the Lord the Lord worked out in a wonderful way Dean Hildebrand helped us he was a tremendous help and Jerry baahar god worked in an amazing way I thought how am I gonna get all of that stuff from nuit from New York to Thompson ville isn't got amazing Jerry Jerry said you know it just so happens I don't normally go that but it just so happens I am going to be in New York when you're going to be in New York and Jerry had his trailer truck and I still have stuff in my garage all my dad's jazz collection all of his paraphernalia all of his see many of them are unopened anthologies of famous people his wife was a prolific writer a Jewish lady and she wrote books for Sarah Sarah Vaughn winter Marcellus Aretha Franklin a glorious Stefan felonious monk 38 biographies for famous people Nat King Cole all these famous people she was known as the writer of their biographies I did not know how famous she was until I saw her name in the magazine on United Airlines or American United Airlines well what what what the purpose of the story is I did not know who my father was until I began to sort through his belongings I didn't understand who he was until I sorted through his belongings I saw that through his books and I found out what he thought through his magazines I found out what occupied his time through his CDs and his DVDs in his VHS --is because he was from that generation then I found his checkbook and with great lament I knew then why we didn't have a close relationship I only had one grandmother he's an only child I'm an only child and my grandmother whom I met for the first time in 1971 I only saw her twice again till 2000 till she passed away when I met her she said who are you I said I'm your grandson well then who is he I said that's your son well then who are you I'm your grandson where you been I said ask him and I sorted through his checkbook only realizing that all the inheritance that she left for us he had already spent it all I never saw it and I had to pay 3,000 plus dollars for my dad's funeral you know I look back on that experience and I came to this conclusion which fits into my sermon today his magazines his books his CDs his trinkets his paraphernalia all painted a picture of a man that I did not know until the day I sorted through his life today we are going to examine the paraphernalia of a generation that forgot God we're going to go through their stuff how they live how they spend their time how they spend their money their focus their mindset their drive and also their attitude about God we are going to unwrap and package the generation that forgot God generation Z when I designed that I thought to myself as I learned more about them it influenced me to put the physical I wear the letter I should be because this generation generation Z is known as the I generation no coincidence iPad iPod I this I that sounds familiar Lucifer is the father of the I generation so I say at the very beginning of the sermon when we understand the accouterments and the paraphernalia and the stuff of this generation the generation that forgot God they are indelibly connected to a man who was once an angel a glorious angel and when he chose to forget God he too had an eye problem you see his initial declaration was I will be like the Most High but let me give a caution today don't follow a man a fallen angel a fallen being who has been defeated can somebody say Amen who'd saw that one time he will be like the Most High but the most recent entry into his diary is he knows that he has but a short time the book of Judges introduces a generation to us that for the most part only through their parents were they part of the generation that left Egypt some of them were born in the wilderness some of them grew up in the land of Canaan they were among a population that was raised not during the time of the exodus but during the time of the rest in the land of Canaan as they were blessed by this land that God had given to them God had given them instruction in the book of Judges chapter 2 you're turning there with me we begin to find as God blessed them and delivered them into this glorious land the land flowing with milk and honey and when you study the when you study the geography of that land its economy when you look at how the land of Canaan was so furnished I want to say this God gives us everything that we are in need of and the land of Canaan was among the richest and the most populous in agriculture in cattle in the production of honey Roger that was one of their main their main products that they produced in the world that surrounded that that that glorious land called Canaan the reason why the land of milk they had more milk producing cattle than any other nation the land of milk and as one of their chief exports they exported honey but the Lord began by reminding this relaxed to generation about their journey judges chapter two look with me at verse one then the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal Debose him and said I led you up from Egypt who do you think the angel of the Lord is that led them the Lord Himself I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land which I swore to your father's and I said I will never break my covenant with you come on somebody say men when God makes a covenant God never breaks that covenant in essence God was saying to them don't forget how you got there one of the greatest dangers we face isn't forgetting the blessings of God forgetting the victories of God forgetting the sustaining grace of God we could not be here today if God had not been our provider come on somebody if God had not been our shield and our defense if God had not been our warehouse that never runs out of inventory he said don't forget how you got here they were enjoying the accoutrements of of Keenan the movie theaters the malls the Fashion Designers where they were perusing the Internet of Canaan going to the websites of their choice texting and posting pictures on their face book doing all that their heart's desire but the danger was they forgot the journey that their appearance had to take the difficulty and coming out of a land of bondage a place that their hopes would have been dashed against the rocks had they lived in that kind of environment and this generation growing up in Canaan began to be exposed to the corrupting influences of the society that surrounded them and that only existed for a particular reason look at Judges chapter 2 God warned the Israelites of that affluent and successful generation he warned them of the dangers of being in a society that has no allegiance to the true God he said to them and you shall make what no covenant with the inhabitants of this land you shall tear down their altars but the sad commentary is but you have not obeyed my voice why have you done this I I think back on walk with God I praise God that when that commentary is said of us we serve a God who gives not only a second chance but a third chance and a fourth chance and a fifth chance and like he said to Peter seventy times seven to God be the glory if he will not that kind of God many of us wouldn't be here today he said you have not obeyed my voice but this was not the first reminder before I continue in the book of Judges now let's go to Deuteronomy chapter six and let's see this was not the first reminder God warned their parents in their journey look at Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse 10 we're gonna go down to verse 15 so it shall be the Lord said when the Lord your God brings you into the land of which he swore to your father's to Abraham Isaac and who else Jacob to give you look at look at how God blesses us to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build houses full of all good things look at God which you did not fill hewn out Wells which you did not dig vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant when you have eaten and are full then what's the next word beware lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage you shall fear the Lord your God and do what else church serve him and shall take oaths in his name you shall not go after other gods the gods of the people who are all around you for the Lord your God is what kind of God a jealous God among you lest the anger of the Lord your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth a jealous God and what kind of God jealous god I remember one day watching Oprah Winfrey and Oprah gave the reason why she doesn't out knowledge god she said when I read that God is a jealous God I decided I'm not gonna serve Him why is God jealous of me I was trying my best to get a message to her God is not jealous of you God is jealous for you he loves you so much he doesn't want to show you what the gods have success the gods of fame the gods of fortune the gods of popularity because as we were sadly reminded this week you could have the best be the most successful be the most accomplished get all the accolade all the trophies all the awards and in a split second your life could close how sad nine people passed off into eternity this week Kobe Bryant his daughter and seven other precious Souls one entire family was wiped out a husband lost his wife young children a young girl and her mother lost their lives on that fateful day they had no idea that this was the last journey they would take before the world began to mourn their loss when I put a post on Facebook and I did that I'm a sports enthusiast I like basketball it's it's the way I get my exercise praise the Lord I was able to get down but get back down to my comfortable weight you can say Amen whenever you want to cuz I started looking at my closets man that suit doesn't fit anymore I got to work I got to work on the so I got out there on the gym right across the parking lot and worked it out and I feel I feel faster now today I did a month ago you would not realize that I got up to 186 now for some of you that may be down to 186 but I got up to 186 but on that note III thought about it I got a phone call from my brother-in-law and he said did you hear what just happened and I said what did Kobe Bryant just died in a helicopter crash and then they found out his daughter 13 years old you see young folk what many people don't realize is 13 years old as a tender age it's an age when the when the undimmed eyes of a young lady is looking over the horizon of hopes and dreams and envisions and she's planning her career one day she wanted to be as one young man said Kobe you should have had a son to carry on your legacy of basketball and Gigi said no no no no I'm gonna carry on the family legacy of basketball she had dreams and hopes but in a split second in the vapor of the moment we are here today and gone today what a generation that's why God said while you're in this land be careful you are surrounded by a society that's pleasure fanatical God did not want them to forget everything that you are blessed with is a gift from the hand of Almighty God hold on to it ever so lightly but hold on to God ever so tightly come on what do you say because when you leave when your day when some body presses your button when when the hand of heaven says this is the day when tragedy strikes like a fish taking an accrual net the wise man said the sons of men do not know their time until it suddenly falls upon them how sad how sad and the television continues to play over and over his successes his championship rings how many trophies how many medals how many recognition and in his life made a tremendous impact in many ways for good was he perfect absolutely not but then none of us are but thank the Lord a lot of people were wondering well was he a Christian was there any hint that he knew God and I tell you I was moved my heart was moved when I heard on the news they said that morning just before he got on his aircraft he went to early morning mask now we may not agree with what Catholicism believes but praise God he was at the altar morning asking to the Lord to guide him in that day and I could see God probably saying in the in the annals of eternity this is the day now when I make it clear God didn't take him but the tragedies of life the fragile nature of the world in which we live never gives us a guarantee like somebody once said all you have is today yes today is a canceled check tomorrow is a promissory note all the money you have is right now when God called them to repentance Judges chapter 2 and verse 7 describes the results and the response of the children of Israel in the land of Canaan notice what the Bible says judges 2 and verse 7 they repented praise God they repented what do they do friends they repented and notice what happened the Bible says so the people served the Lord how many days all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua who had seen all the great works of the Lord which he had done for Israel you see Joshua was Joshua was a constant voice of the presence of God Joshua did not preach smooth sermons Joshua did not abandon the everlasting gospel for the prosperity gospel Joshua was there when they came out Joshua was there when the mantle was passed from Moses to him he understood the battles of the night he understood the cold evenings he understood much he understood the lien he understood days when they could not find water Joshua was there all word to God that we remember as a servant of Lord says we have nothing to fear for the future except as we forget the way the Lord has led us in our past somebody once said to me why are you not more messed up than you are because my past is my past and as a French racing driver said was behind me is not my concern I'm gonna press toward the mark for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus where I was is where I used to be but I praise God where I am and where I'm headed what about you keep our eyes fixed on the prize the Bible says they serve the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elder Joshua was that constant voice of God and he did not preach smooth things he showed them God's requirements and praise God they served the Lord all the days of Joshua but verse 89 tells us the following now Joshua the son of nun the servant of the Lord died when he was 110 years old passed Eternia on the mark you are chasing Joshua can we say Amen we had a celebration and a half last Sabbath we've got a prophet among us he's chasing Joshua and as his doctor said there's no reason why you shouldn't live ten more years I like what pastor Turner said can you put that in writing so when you hit 110 we'll say Joshua we got a Joshua among us but when Joshua died at 110 notice what the Bible says and they buried him within the border of his inheritance in Timna Harris in the mountains of Ephraim on the north side of Mount gosh gosh well when Joshua passed away the elders that continue to live took up where Joshua left off that's why it's so good to have elders that maintain a course of consistency so it's not just the leader it's not just the Joshua's in the in the congregation but as the elders the elders and the leaders must be in harmony if one elder holds up a standard the other elder must hold up the same standard there was a unity among Joshua and his elders so when he passed away the standards didn't fall but look at the commentary in verse 10 there was a drastic turning point in the spiritual success of Israel verse 10 when all that generation that is Joshua and all of his elders that had been gathered to their fathers when all that generation had been gathered to their fathers another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which he had done for Israel somebody said whose seed he Brooks never heard about him you don't know elder Brooks oh you got to be real young I wish some of our young folks I wish some of our young folk sat in a tent and listened to elder Brooks scare the devil anybody no time Darla preaching like that is hard to find today I wish some of our young people had the chance to sit under the preaching of elder EE Cleveland when he preached so hard that Martin Luther King jr. came to one of his tent meetings and said I heard you were in town and I heard you're stealing my sheep and he said Martin Luther King jr. said I'm not stealing your sheep if you were feeding them like I would they would never leave I wish some people were under the preaching of Ron however sin and even if I even go so far back as look at the comparison between TD jakes Joel Osteen and Billy Graham he may not have had all the dots dotted and t's crossed in theology but every time Billy Graham preached he never hesitated to call people to righteousness he didn't say your ship is coming in or your wings about to be spread or God is gonna bring you this untold success and this untold wealth he said men are bankrupt we don't have any wealth of our own and when your last breath comes it's good to know that everything between you and God is right oh how the generations have forgotten God this new theology this last generation theology this hoarding and distorting of the everlasting gospel with the prosperity gospel and the social gospel it has seems to be about the righteousness of Christ the glory of his divinity and it's all about social programs and what do you want to do for the community and now this expression of altruistic societies are springing up all around us we are no longer being gauged by the life we live we are now being classified by the things we do for our community excessive altruism how much can you give back let me tell you something you can give all you can give but you can never buy salvation your only hope of salvation is not what you give but what you receive from him who has given everything for us the Apostle Paul painted a picture of the generation that naturally forgets God he talked about the generation that rises up when the preaching of righteousness is rare look at Romans chapter 10 in verse 3 when you don't hear about God you don't know who God is 1 you don't know who God is you live in an atmosphere of ignorance notice how the Apostle Paul said it he says were they being ignorant of God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own righteousness have not submitted to the righteousness of God today you turn the television on Sunday or other days of the week it's hard to hear people talk about anything but money and success and sowing seeds not of righteousness but of filthy money it's hard to hear preachers talk about the need for giving their lives to Christ repentance is a word that has been deleted from the vernacular of modern theology and everybody's waiting for their 7 successful habits of a successful Christian when there's only one successful habit repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out and when the time of refreshing come you'll be able to stand before the Lord the condition that we see in society today are the gradual effects of generational erosion look at Hosea 8 in verse 7 the Bible says they saw the wind and they reap the whirlwind they saw the wind and they reaped the world when that's all I needed that text brethren they sold to the wind they reap the world when we live in a downwind Society this generation is the unfortunate beneficiaries a what has been sown in the upwind generation societal collapse is gradual but you cannot so one thing and expect to reap something else it may take a while but the fruit that eventually show up will remind us what kind of seeds we sow the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 6 and verse 7 notice what he says he says do not be deceived together God is not mocked for whatever a man shows that he will also reap I can never forget I could see the young man now a young Indian gentleman very wealthy very well-to-do III could see the video I played it over and over and over and over again this young man in his mid-30s lamented or that I just use lamented he said I've got three children I refuse to give them devices it's it's he said I am sickened to realize that what I participated in in the development of Facebook has become the reason why our generation is falling apart I'm sickened that I even participated in developing it and I refuse to give devices to my three children but Generation Z did not spring up overnight it was gradual mark 4 and verse 28 tells us how it happens here's how it happens for the earth yields crops by itself but look at the process first the blade then the what head and after that the full-grain in the ear we may only see the corn but it had to be planted there had to be some grain then the then the head and finally the corn we don't pay a lot of attention to cornfields when they're at their infancy but oh how we cannot miss them when they are fully grown this generation is fully grown so what I'm gonna do right now is I'm gonna take you through the generations every one of us sitting here today is a part of a kind of generation every one of us today is a part of a generation let me take you back to yesterday 1883 to 1915 America was classified as the Lost Generation The Lost Generation now I can guarantee you today that as I'm looking at this audience we only have if you're here today and you're from the Lost Generation then you are least a hundred and five years old past the Turner's close but he's not from the Lost Generation Amen pastor Turner but the Lost Generation was terms such because it was the generation of people who reached adulthood during or immediately following World War one and the commentator says because of how terrible World War one was America became intolerant materialistic and unspiritual the war had done a job on the citizens of America but they were followed by then by another generation called the interbellum say that with me - what interbellum generation coming from the word inter meaning between that's the generation from 1901 to 1913 they were classified as the generation between World War 1 and World War two the interbellum generation they were existing between the end of one war and the beginning of another but his rapacity Turner comes in that's the turn it's amazing how you were born in the generation that is still to this day classified as the greatest generation 1910 to 1924 was classified in America as the greatest generation why the term greatest generation comes from the title of a 1998 book written by American journalist Tom Brokaw remember Tom Brokaw News correspondent Brokaw wrote that the men and women of that generation they did not fight for fame or for recognition they fought because it was the right thing to do the greatest generation refers to the generation of world war ii all they did then was fight we got to survive they did the right thing those that was the generation where the women worked in factories and everything that happened economically was pointed toward finding ways to win the war they are called the greatest generation if it had not been calm adhere to say if it had not been for that generation America would have succumb to the adversaries that attacked it to try to bring it to its knees then there's 1925 to 1945 I hate to say if you were born that generation can you say men 1925 to 1945 can I get an amen you know what we didn't hear much from them because it was called the Silent Generation the Silent Generation of that was born between 1925 and 1945 so-called because they were raised during a period of war an economic depression they grew up while older people were fighting wars and making great sacrifices just to keep food on the table and in America having children during that time was discouraged almost to the point of suffocation because people couldn't even afford to buy bread that's why I was called a silent generation now we come to my generation I'll see how many of you are in the same boat with me 1945 to 1964 I wanted to just make it clear I'm not from 1945 come and help me out somebody not from 1945 but if you've been born between 1945 and 1964 can I get an amen okay praise the Lord we are mostly baby boomer generation baby boomers were the wealthier more active and more physically fit generation the baby boomer generation spent time outside riding bikes come on help me out playing hopscotch and basketball and baseball we knew our neighbors we played baseball in the sandlots up against the wall we played handball we will physically fit today people don't know who lived next door because they're married to a digital box baby boomers to this very day wealthier more active more physically fit than any preceding generation and they were the first ones to grow up genuinely expecting the world to improve with time and it is said by the commentators baby boomers have and continue to have the most significant impact on the economy of the world even to this very day you ought to say amen to the baby boomers kamay me I'm a baby boomer say Amen amen to the baby boomers say Amen baby boomers but now follow me carefully then become the Gen X or Generation X these are the kids born before nineteen nineteen sixty five to nineteen seventy nine see everyone of us is in the category now why is this so important here's why it's important and I have just one more generation after this but two more why is this important if we don't understand the generation we're communicating with we will never be able to reach them you've heard a generation gap that's one generation the Silent Generation tries to talk to Generation Z they don't even and they don't even speak the same language that's why I pray for our youth leaders they got to find creative ways to reach a generation that doesn't even care about God generation Generation X 1965 to 1979 they were they were classified as independent resourceful and self-sufficient I don't need your help they value freedom and responsibility in the workplace many in this generation display a casual disdain for authority and structure now you wonder why you tell them what to do I don't really care they dislike being micromanaged and they embrace a hands-off management philosophy don't tell me what to do but I'm getting there hold on now we get to Generation Y also known as Millennials what year 1980 to 1994 do I have any in the house did you say Amen Ryan you a m'lady well what were you born 89 man are you off the bottle yet 89 varible era that was just the other day whatever happened to 89 89 we're already married six years 89 you could be my son Generation Y Millennials here they are this was the information age explosion Millennials generally marked by their coming of age in the information age when the Apple came out when all these pcs started popping up this is the generation that's comfortable in their usage of digital technology and they live for social media you couldn't pull their devices from their hands even if they fell asleep in church don't want to spend too much time on them amen Generation Y now we come to generation Z 1995 to 2012 is classified as generation Z Z meaning Zen this generation was first classified in China Zen Zen means restful sleepy relaxed even in China in a communist society the communist leaders noticed that they started losing control of the young people because of the devices they didn't care about communism they did not care about dictatorship they didn't like their leaders everything the leaders said they are on the opposite side of the coin and it began to frighten these these dictators because they could not even through fear change the mind of their own inhabitants because of their generation impact I'll give an article very quickly about Generation Z that I focus on primarily in a Pacific Standard magazine crystal J Manning put a beautiful article together about Generation Z he said this is the generation that has access to more alternative information than any other generation Z is the least religious generator about 1/3 have no religion while the other 2/3 are more likely to create their own spirituality from elements of various religions or spiritual traditions like yoga angels Native American dreamcatchers or even secular cultural icons like Harry Potter that's their religion but that's not an out that's not something that's unusual God the Lord knew that this generation would come look at second Timothy chapter four verse three and four the Lord saw and forecast the coming of their generation the Bible says for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but according to their own desires according to their own what their own desires because they have itching ears religion what's that who's Jesus who's that they will heap up for themselves teachers yoga angels Native American green catches Harry Potter they will collect teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables they are completely comfortable to identify the fact that they don't have God and we're proud of it but I go on on the article same article too often young people are see organized religion connected to intolerance and abuse images of Islamic jihadists attacking concert goers in Paris that's their definition of religion or conservative Christians at home waving Confederate flags that's their definition of religion or opposing the rights of gay couples to marry that's their definition of religion for young people with minimal religious commitment these signs can be a turn-off they say we don't like what we see we see hip hypocrisy in Christianity we don't to be a part of it but I wish they would see those who are not hypocrites come on somebody say Amen oftentimes you know if you like red cars that's what you're going to see young people today as never before generation Z feel free to express their sexual orientation and gender identity many in generation Z rejects the traditional available choices identifying themselves as gender-fluid that means I'm a guy today I'm a girl tomorrow I'm a girl tomorrow I'm a guy the next day I'd be what I want to be that's why this is the generation where they say they are 129 different genders I'm so glad I know what gender I am I say that humbly because this generation needs prayer Generation Z is the most most ethnically diverse generation and more likely to identify themselves as bisexual or gay that's why the Lord said in mark 8 and verse 38 notice what he says to this generation for whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him the son of man also will be ashamed when he comes in the glory of glory of his father with holy angels it's this generation that we must live a life unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ but let me finish up the description of Generation Z and then I'm going to end with the hope for this generation there's hope for this generation there's hope for every generation because Jesus has never been voted out Jesus is generationally he could fit into any generation this generation does not believe in God most think that church attendance is unimportant generation Z identifies more with atheists philosophy skepticism humanism rationalism and secularism more than any other and the article ends by saying the trend toward non-religious 'no sin this generation is probably here to stay the generation that forgot god you know that means that means traditional evangelism will never reach them because they don't want to hear it that means the method the methods that work in the 60's and 70's and 80's and 90's their attention that's why our youth leaders that's why our church that's why our the Adventist Church is becoming diversified in its methods evangelism we have to become as savvy with the Internet you can call the internet evil because that's how they communicate it's not the Internet that's evil it's what we do with it it's how they and you know you think you're on Facebook too the generation Z Facebook as old they're way past that they want to Instagram and all the other stuff that you have no idea then focus when when when when older people are yelling in the phone talking to them they say pull the phone back you're trying to blow my eardrums away they go to bed with their phones they wake up with their phones this is the generation as as one commentator said when he's on the road he communicates to his four-year-old daughter through kiss he'll FaceTime he said my daughter is going to grow up in a generation that expects that when you pick up the phone you should see the person you're talking to and by the way we're focusing on the most impactful generation this one they have now named the next generation if you're seven years old and under angel you know a part of Generation alpha a new generation lord have mercy how do you eight generations II cheesy you got to be seven and under to be generation alpha you have to be seven years old and under to be a part of the newest latest generation Z is not the last now there's generation alpha that's not for this sermon but Generation Z is no surprise to God here is how the Apostle describes this generation as I begin to close today here's what the Bible describes as Generation Z and you've heard this description before but on the heels of what I just identified to you it's no surprise that God saw it coming now let me make this point we have been looking at Wars rumors of wars nation rising against nation Kingdom against Kingdom famines pestilences like the coronavirus we got earthquakes in places that earthquakes is not supposed to be Puerto Rico Miami Florida Tennessee earthquakes are popping up where it should not be and we've got viruses right now our nation is on alert this coronavirus can be the most recent it can be like a pandemic if it's not caught under control pestilence earthquakes in various places the Bible describes this generation that will exist and how much it catches just before the Lord comes this is the generation that we must confront 2nd Timothy 3 verse 1 to 5 but know this that in the last days what days my brethren last days perilous times will come for men will be lovers of themselves this generation lovers of money we got younger and younger millionaires younger and younger billionaires because that's the altruistic focus this is what I want to be boasters proud blasphemers why are they disobedient to parents because the generation does not speak the same language unthankful unholy unloving unforgiving slanderers without self-control brutal despises of those that are good traitors headstrong Hardy lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of god having a form of godliness but what denying its power and from such what are we told run to the hills' this generation dissed generation Generation Z the generation that rejects Jesus I remember Billy Graham years ago he made this statement he said either the Lord is going to destroy the world well he's gonna have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah number that either God will destroy the world or he will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah and Jesus in his own words said in Matthew 12 verse 41 the men of Nineveh will rise up in judgment with this generation and condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah and indeed a greater than Jonah is here when Jesus came I want you to get this cadence just have two more scriptures when Jesus came watch this the world was at its lowest point the antediluvian generation and Jesus wiped them out then the Lord gave him a second chance on the other side of the flood when God called Abraham the knowledge of God was almost obliterated from the face of the earth he called Abraham and gave that generation an opportunity then Abraham Isaac Jacob he raised up the twelve tribes of Israel and by the time Jesus came the very try be gave truth to her that was at their lowest point I came to my own in my own did not receive me the lowest point Jesus came at the darkest point in human history and he raised up a church the church went through persecution during the dark ages and God raised up a movement the Advent movement to bring the light back to the forefront now the light that God brought back to the forefront apostate Protestantism has now replaced it we are living in a generation where evangelicals and people claim me to follow the Bible no longer even I'm moved by immorality and the truth no longer matters and would you lie or tell the truth is not an issue in this generation and so while we're looking at earthquakes and wars and rumors of wars and disease and societal collapse there's a message to this generation mark 13 verse 29 mark 13 verse 29 here is the message to the last generation so you also when you see all these things happening earthquakes wars rampant disease corrupt religion intolerance towards honesty but support of immorality and dishonesty a godless generation these are all evidences jesus said so when you see all these things happening know that what it is near at the doors and watch this assuredly I say to you this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place I Got News for you today we're living in that generation the generation that the Lord predicted would be here is here so while you're thinking about another war look around you it may be in your home in your backyard and your family it may be the way that your children communicate or don't communicate with you it's the silent sign it's the sign that's so ominous that we sometimes miss it it's the generation Z but I've got to end on a good note because generation Z cannot change who Jesus is and cannot cancel his mercy the psalmist David says these words Psalms 91 the good news is still this Jesus is generation neutral meaning I don't care what your generation he's available to that generation what do we say I'd like to invite the praise team to come on up I'd like to invite the praise team to come on up we serve a god that still has an answer to this generation we serve the Lord who still knows how to reach the hearts of those whose hearts have been corrupted by this generational influence sums 90 verse 1 & 2 Lord David said you have been our dwelling place in how many generations all raishin zwei before the mountains were brought forth or ever you had formed the earth in the world even from everlasting to everlasting ending with me you are God this generation has not taken any power God is still God but I want to I want to put a pin in this no matter how low and how dark and how misguided young people may be or the Generation Z or X or Y or even the new one coming up there's still hope as long as there's Christ and he's gonna so order the movements of society he's gonna bring them to the place where everything that they trust in will one day no longer be available all God has to do Ryan is turn the power off for them to find Jesus Generation Z cannot change who God is I love the Lord because of what he says in this next passage Psalm 100 verse 5 for the Lord is good what does he friends for the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting and his truth endures to all how many generations oh the silent the the whatever generation you are God's mercy endures to how many generations can you say Amen he was there and gave me mercy in my generation he's going to give the young people mercy in their generation that they may find him and that's where I end on this passage the only hope for this generation is seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near what do you say so my prayer requests so my appeal today is gonna be quite different my appeal today is gonna be quite different I know that there are those of you today that have family members maybe your children maybe your grandchildren maybe your neighbors today I want to bring before the Lord in our prayer time there are just place soft before me there in our prayer time today I want to bring before the Lord today you may have family members that need to know Christ young folks that when you come over they just pick up their phones and go to the room don't even say hi grandma you may have children that you just can't bridge the gap between because they're married to something that doesn't even know who they are today if there's somebody that you can think of that you'd like to pray for today in that generation the Millennials the Generation Z that you're praying for today yet that you want God to reach them if you can think of a name or somebody in your family or somebody that you're acquainted with and you want to stand and say pastor bystanding I could think of a name of a person that I want to stand in the gap for today and I want to bring that person to the Lord in prayer yes yes how powerful is the influence of the world I am with this story my sister my sister is from the baby boomer generation how how gripping and how dangerous is the world I don't hesitate to tell my sister when she travels with us she was in Jamaica with us for Christmas when I was preaching at the camp meeting she was in New York City when I was there preaching she has not yet come back to the church but she always likes to show up when I'm preaching and I said to the large congregation in New York City she's sitting on the front where I said today I said the whole congregation I do it and I said my sister's here today she left the church and she was 16 and I'm praying for her to come back and I always go for a heart I said I'm praying sis that when the Lord comes I won't have the difficult task of saying to mama when she said what happened to your sister I don't want to tell her that you didn't make it and I would do everything I can for you to be in that Kingdom and my sister squirms and I said you know I love you she said I know you do and she goes like that she was in Jamaica I said pray for my sister she survived the World Trade Center she survived the fire department of New York City she survived the toughest streets but I wanted to be in the love me so pray for my sister sis would you stand I said well my sister comes you'll be able to recognize her because here's gonna be purple green blue black and red she would look like this back to ruff but I love my sister that's the generation so let me make a point to you don't feel like you have to avoid people that don't look like you they need you they want to see religion at its truest sense don't tell young people how bad they are show them how good Jesus is don't make them the subject of your conversation to tear them down behind the curtains sit down with them at fellowship lunch ladies posts pull aside some of these young ladies and say I want to pray with you elders leaders men of our church if you know a young man is gone in the wrong direction or you see that his life is meandering pull him aside say I want to pray for you young man I can trace my young days to the elders in our church in New York to the Sabbath school teacher to the pastor's that took their time to pray for me the pastor CAA when I would come to church and sleep on his sermon he Salo me come on now where were you last night I was partying come on man don't sleep in church but I'm awake now what you do will make a difference in the life of the generation Z's because Jesus died for them to be saved so as we sing this song we're gonna close with prayer I want this song to be a testament that we're asking God to guide our hearts to open our minds not to look at them as lost and hopeless but look at them as there's a child who needs to be saved Jesus never met a person that he didn't want to save that should be the same heart that we have for Christ so let's sing that's closing hymn and after we sing that closing hymn it is all the way my Saviour leads me we want the Lord to lead these young people all the way but you know what it may be a challenge but God wants you to become that tolerant that patient adult that patient parent that that parent that prays for the child II when they don't even know it that's willing to hold onto them through all the twists and turns of their lives so that one day they might be saved let's sing the song [Music] I would the first and last and the way my Savior whatever I decide and I see [Music] my face or I know whatever befall me Jesus stay with us right now for I know I had before me Jesus do with all things were all the way my Saviour perfect to me is promised in my father's house are waiting waiting for flight today he's my son who in the stages Jesus sent me Oh here's my song through endless dangers Jesus led me now as we pray I want to do something differently if there's a young person next to you I want you to put your hand on that young person's shoulder with their permission ask them is it okay if I is it okay if up is it okay if I put my hand on your shoulder generation Z I did not know that Ryan I know J no millennium millennial millennial sorry Lenny Hanna Hanna in generations they'd be why don't y'all put your hand on Hannah's shoulder we want to pray for Danielle generation Z Farrah generations he'd been precious in God's sight come on same antibody pray for y'all young folk they are in a battle for their souls and they are not in a sparring match with the devil because he's not playing he's not he's not spawn you want to bring him down yesterday he said I'll be like the Most High today he says I only have a short time we do not want to give our young people to the enemy we do not want to let them go pray for them cry with them you may disagree with them but don't let them go hole them they may be arguments you just put your arms around saying all you all you want I love you anyway and I'm not giving you to the flames of destruction so why not want us to bow our heads and pray father in heaven what a generation my lord as a songwriter said what a time what a time this generation has come with boxcars filled with trinkets devices of every description to grab the attention and the minds of our young people but what they don't understand rather than being conformed to the world they need to be transformed by the renewing of their minds and I know in the homes that are represented here in our families I know that we can think of names they dress differently they they look differently they they act differently they don't even pay attention to the things that we say they sometimes look beyond us the father when they look beyond us may they see you when they try to avoid us may your spirit come to them and the secluded moments of their of their rooms may you interrupt their journey may they pursue the things they love but never overtakes them and come to realize that money fame fortune and all the things that this world can possibly put on their table it's just a passing fancy so I pray for the parents here today Lord what a challenge they have I pray for the grandparents I pray for those whose children are very young lord help them to do what you have told them if they can only train their children up and the way that they should go you have promised that when they are old they will not depart from it they may go through their quagmire and their detours but when they are older they won't depart from it may we do our part that they will be in the kingdom and finally father when you come to make up your jewels may it be the joy of every parent to say these are the children you gave us and I give them back to you so send us for the Lord not with disdain for this generation or hate for this generation but love and patience and long-suffering and the heart so filled with Jesus that when they hear us speak to them we're not preaching to them we're speaking to their hearts thank you for being patient with us thank you for saving us may we be by your grace in your eternal kingdom in Jesus name I pray and all of God's children said amen

Channel: Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church

Views: 24,309

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Id: AZO20Z0_Tbg

Length: 74min 8sec (4448 seconds)

Published: Sat Feb 01 2020