Youth Sunday Sermon

May 22, 2005 (First Sunday after Pentecost; Trinity Sunday)

by Ruth Fenger

- Genesis 1:1-2:3
- Psalm 150 or Canticle 2 or 13
- 2 Corinthians 13:(5-10)11-14
- Matthew 28:16-20

(From The Lectionary Page)

When Jesus met his disciples on a mountain in Galilee, they prayed and worshiped him. Even though Jesus was right there in front of them some still doubted. It’s human nature to doubt. At some point in everyone’s lives we have our uncertainties. Some when were are in our adolescents others when we are adults. For some it may not be very long other it may be years, but we all go though it. Some of you may know this but my mother and I teach Sunday school. I believe that it is very important for children to come to Sunday school and learn about Jesus when they are young so when they go though a period of doubt they can remember what they have been taught. When I was writing this I tried to imagine if the disciples kept doubting Jesus. There would be no Christianity. How lost and immoral society would be. I can’t imagine. Jesus brought people back to God back to faith. The disciples had their doubts but they must have gotten over their reservations because they went out into the world and told of Jesus and his teachings. The disciples had a very important job to do. They were put in charge of spreading Christianity all over the world buy teaching and baptizing people. Isn’t amazing that those few men made Christianity into what it is today. In my opinion that’s a miracle. If you don’t believe you’ll miss all the miracles. But what about those millions of people today, who still doubt or don’t believe? What can we do? Well we can do what the disciples did. We can tell people about Jesus and his teachings. Or it’s as simple as praying or inviting a friend to church.

I have a friend who is going through a period of doubt and it’s really hard for me. She used to be a really good Christian, an all-American girl. But somewhere along the way she lost faith. She ditched her morals and started not to care about anything but her social life. I pray for her, invite her to church, and try to be the voice in her head bringing her back to faith. So far it’s not really working but I’m not losing hope. I’ll still keep praying, inviting her to church, and I’ll keep trying to be that little voice in her head.

If you know someone like this I encourage you to help them. For it’s our job to as Christians and our duty to Jesus to show them the way. If you’re struggling with doubt well you’re here. That’s a good sign. I pray for you and so does the rest of the church. And through this tough time Jesus reminds us that he is with us till the very end of age. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. Amen.