Passing the Torch

Lesson for the Teen Devo, 6/10/16

Our former congregation, the Montgomery County Church of Christ, has a great tradition they’ve carried on for many years called the “Passing the Torch” night with the teen ministry. It’s a special teen devotional that celebrates graduating high school seniors and welcomes students entering high school along with their parents. A few years ago (2016), the event featured some great fellowship time and lawn games (including some spirited tug-of-war battles), a lesson and a ceremony where an actual torch was passed from the group of graduating seniors to the new high schoolers with an inspiring charge given by our teen minister. I was honored to be asked to teach the lesson for the evening. It was a great privilege to share my thoughts and convictions with the teens, their parents and the teen workers who serve them. Below are the notes from my lesson.

Graduating Seniors: Look back then look forward

Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family .” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:61-62 NIV

As Jesus called people to follow him, some had unfinished business they wanted to take care of. Jesus told them that if they looked back they would be unfit for service in the kingdom – unable to devote themselves fully to following him.
As you graduate, it’s a time to look back on great memories and on the many things you’ve learned on your path to through high school and the teen years. Take time to remember the spiritual victories along with these memories – keep them as memories to encourage you as you look forward to college, work or whatever comes next.
While it’s important to look back so that you can learn from the past, don’t let the past hold you back as you move in to the campus or singles ministry.

… what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming… So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
2 Peter 3:11-12, 14 NIV

This is an exciting time of looking forward for you: new adventures in college or the work world, new opportunities to make friends and help them to learn what you’ve learned about the gospel. But it’s a time of new challenges and temptations as well. Peter encourages us to love godly lives, making every effort to be found pure and at peace with God
As you look forward, in whatever you do next, make every effort to grow spiritually. Learn from the adventures you’ll have. Make the next years ones where you find your purpose for God and continue your journey of glorifying Him.

New High Schoolers: Rise up and sit down

Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it. Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?
Psalm 94:15-16 NIV

So now it’s time for you new high schoolers to rise up and be the next generation of teens for the church. We need you! From the college to singles to marrieds ministry, we’re looking to you for your energy, zeal and love for God. Rise up and become the next generation to take the world for Christ!

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
Mark 9:33-35 NIV

As they traveled along with Jesus, the disciples were arguing and thinking about who would rise up and be the greatest. Jesus has them sit down and learn from him, and they listen to his words as he teaches them what is best for them.
As you rise up as the new generation in the teen ministry, remember to sit down. Sit down and listen to others who’ve gone before you, be humble and learn from your teen workers and other leaders.
You also need to sit down and listen to your parents. Parents are charged with looking out for what’s best for you and helping you to make great decisions. You’ll probably disagree with your parents as you go through the high school years, likely about decisions you feel they are making for you instead of letting you make them for yourself. When you disagree, ask them to tell you how their decision is best for you, and be open to their perspective from years of experience. You may not think so right now, but they’re helping you to learn how to make godly decisions that will help you when someday you become the graduating seniors.

Parents: Hold on but let go

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 NIV

Parents, as your Middle Schooler becomes a High School teen, and as your High School Senior moves on to another phase of life, it’s time to hold on to what is good: the great memories, the times you were proud of their accomplishments, the faith they’ve shown and things they’ve done for God. Also hold on to the relationship you’ve built with this child who is becoming an adult. Hold on to the good openness, trust and love you’ve built. If it’s not as good as you’d like, hold on to what you have and build it from there.
As you hold on to these things, don’t hold your child back because of your memories and your feelings that will not want to let them go. They need to find spiritual input from new peers and great role models that they’ll find in the campus or singles ministry where they are headed. It’s time not to hold on, but to pass them on to others to teach and train them to be the godly adults you raised them to be.

They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.
Mark 11:4-6

When the people heard that it was Jesus who had asked for the colt, they let the disciples go. For you as parents, it’s the same Jesus calling for your child now, to go and serve Him in a different way, maybe on campus or with the singles, or for the new high schoolers at Camp or retreats or devos. Are you willing to let them go to serve Him?
While you’re going through a time of letting go, remember that your role is still critical in their lives – you will always be mom or dad and an example of spirituality to your kids. Even today my kids call (actually more and more they text) to stay in touch about their challenges, victories and how God is teaching them. Your children will always look to you to see how God will be faithful in their lives for many years to come, as He has been in your life.
Because of this example, you do need to hold on, not to your child but to your convictions. As your children grow more independent through the high school years and you let them go after graduation, it will change your life. You’ll become “empty nesters”, and yes it will be lonely in some ways, but it will also provide you with more opportunities and more time. How will you use this time – for God or for something else? Hold on to your convictions, because it could be a time of drifting away unless you hold on and stay faithful and strong.

Concluding Thoughts

High School seniors: look back for a minute at your high school years – what are your spiritual milestones? Like rocks built for an altar in the promised land, keep these in sight to encourage you as you look forward. Decide now that whatever you do as you go forward, you’ll grow spiritually… look back then look forward.
New High School teens: Rise up! Be the next generation of teens and lead the charge! Decide today that you’ll be more bold, more focused on the Word, more evangelistically zealous than those who came before you. But also sit down and learn from your peers and Teen leaders, and especially sit down and learn from your parents through obedience, because they want what’s best for you… rise up and sit down.
Parents: you’ll want to hold on tight, but will need to learn to let go. Hold on to your convictions and what you will still teach your kids, now and even as they mature as adults. But trust God as you let them go – let them go on to do God’s will and lead the charge to win the world in their generation… hold on but let go.