Rev:            When did you become an adult?  There are lots of ways you could answer             that question.   There’s the chronological answer that says you’re an adult                         when you turn 18.    Of course you can be older than that and still be very                         immature.   Another way you can answer the question is by looking at             responsibilities.  You become an adult when you get your first job or you get             married or you have your first child.  Even that answer has its problems.

K1:             (After a minute or so) Excuse me.

            (Rev looks around and goes back to preaching.)

Rev:            As I was saying just because you have certain responsibilities that doesn’t             make you an adult.   Some people have very important jobs but still throw             temper tantrums and behave very badly and some parents don’t do a very             good job when it comes to raising their children.

K1:             (A little more forcefully.) Excuse me.

            (Rev looks over at K1)

Rev:             Kyle what are you doing?  I’m in the middle of the sermon here.

K1:              I know but isn’t this Youth Sunday?

Rev:             Yes it is.  What’s your point?

K1:              Well if it’s Youth Sunday shouldn’t the youth be doing the sermon?

Rev:             You think you’re capable of doing a sermon.

K1:             Well Jeremiah was a teenager right?

Rev:              Yes.  He was.

K1:             Well if God can call a teenager to be a prophet I don’t see why a teenager             can’t give a sermon.

Rev:             Is that so?

K1:              Yep.  It is so.

Rev:             I’ll tell you what.  If you think you’re up to it why don’t we do the sermon             together.

K1:             Sounds good to me.

Rev:             Okay.  You’ve got a deal.  Come on up.

K1:             (Walks up and points to the lectern) You can do your part of the sermon over             there.

            (Rev walks over to the lectern.)

K1:            You know I’m surprised that you would have your doubts about us doing the             sermon this morning.  It just goes to show you how hard it is being a             teenager.

Rev:            Okay.  I’m curious.  What makes it hard today to be a teenager?

K1:            Well for one thing it’s an in between age.  You’re not a child anymore but             you’re also not quite an adult.  So, parents sometimes have a hard time letting             go and trusting you with more responsibility.  Some adults also think that             because you’re a teenager it means you’re automatically a troublemaker and             up to no good.   talks about how it isn’t easy being a teenager.  It’s also a scary             time in your life.  You know that in a few years you’ll be off to college or                        heading into the Army or getting ready for your first job.  You wonder if             you’ll be able to handle everything.  You don’t want to fall on your face and be             looked at as a failure.

Rev:            Ah yes. I remember those days.

K1:            You can actually remember back that far?

Rev:            Good one Kyle.  Just remember though the minister always gets the last word.

K1:            We’ll see.

Rev:            Well I do remember what it was like to be a teenager.  It wasn’t easy and in             some ways I bet it’s more challenging today.  I also know that it isn’t easy             when the years start adding up on you.  You can’t remember things like you             use to.  You can’t do the things you used to do. Hold on a minute.   I’m having             a hard time reading this script.  (Takes out glasses.)

K1:            Really.  I’m not having any trouble reading it.

Rev:            See!  You just proved my point.  Not only that but I used to be able to do two             youth group meeting in one day without any trouble at all.  Now you guys             have me worn out after two hours.  

K1:              Yeah.  Being old must be hard.  I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like when                         I’m old.  Fortunately it’s going to be a long time before I turn 30.

Rev:             30?  Try 55.  I’m still getting used to these hearing aides.   It’s because of them             that your brother has a new nickname.

K:             Jackson has a new nickname?

Rev:             Yep.  We were at the mentor dinner for the Confirmation Class a couple of                         months ago.  When Jackson introduced himself to everyone I thought he said             his name was Jaspar.  Jackson – Jaspar.  It’s an honest mistake. 

K:1:            Totally.  I can see how that could happen. (K1 shakes his head in disbelief.)

Rev:            Stand up and take a bow Jaspar.

K1:            You know when you look at the call of Jeremiah it makes you realize             something.

Rev:            What’s that?

K1:            It makes you realize how we tend to judge people because of their age.              Jeremiah was worried that people wouldn’t accept him as a prophet because             he was just a teenager.

Rev:            That’s true.  That’s why Jeremiah said he was too young to be a prophet. 

K1:             Right and let’s not forget what it meant to be a prophet.  It meant you were             being called to speak God’s truth to people.   Imagine how hard it must have             been for all those adults back then to be told what to do by a teenager.

Rev:             You’re absolutely right.  It just goes to show you that your age isn’t all that             important to God.

K1:            That’s right.

Rev:            It also shows you that every once and a while you do come across a really             talented teenager.   I’ve come across a couple in my 30 years of ministry.

Mae:            (Stands up.)  A couple?

Rev:            Oh great.  Here we go again.  What is it Mae?

Mae:            (Mae starts to speak…) I can’t believe that…..

Rev:            I can’t hear you.  You better come up and use a microphone.

            (Rev and Mae both walk to the pulpit.  Mae points to the lectern.  Rev walks             back to the lectern.)           

Mae:            I can’t believe you’ve only known a couple of talented teenagers over the             years.

Rev:            I know.   I know.  I’m was being facetious.

Mae:            Facetious.  It means to treat serious issues with deliberately inappropriate             humor…….bet you didn’t think I knew what it meant?

Rev:            Very good.  So I was just being facetious. I actually agree with you.  The             temptation for a lot of people is to look at Jeremiah as the exception instead             of the rule.

Mae:            That’s right.  History is full of talented teenagers. For example,  David was a             shepherd boy when he was chosen to be king of Israel.

            And then there was little boy who helped Jesus feed the 5,000.

Rev:            There’s also a great story in the Gospels that shows what can happen when             your attitudes about someone’s age get in the way.  Did you know that there             was only one place where Jesus wasn’t able to perform a miracle?

Mae:            Really?

Rev:            Yes.  Really.  Does anyone know the one place where Jesus found it             impossible to perform a miracle?  (Pauses.)  The one place where Jesus was             powerless to perform a miracle was in his hometown of Nazareth.

Mae:            I wonder why?

Rev.            I think it’s because all of his neighbors and friends couldn’t accept him as an             adult who could be the messiah.  To them he was still the little boy with the             droopy diaper.  He was the teenager who was always hanging out in his             father’s carpenter shop.

Mae:            There are also lots of famous teenagers through history. 

Rev:            For example?

Mae:            Did you know that Alexander the Great was only 16 years old when he won             his first battle?

Rev:            I knew that.

K1:            (Returns to the pulpit.) And did you know that Mary Shelley was only 19             years old when she wrote her classic horror story “Frankenstein” ?

Rev:            I didn’t know that.

Mae:            And Joan of Arc was still a teenager when she led the French army to several             important victories in the 100 Year War.

K1:            And let’s not forget Mark Zuckerburg.  He started Facebook when he was still             in college and today it’s estimated that he’s worth $17.5             billion dollars.

 Rev:            And how about all of the talented teenagers right here in this Body of Christ?             How many socks and hats and gloves did you pass out to homeless people on             the Boston Common back in February?

Mae:            Thanks to the support of everyone in the congregation it was over 650 pieces             of clothing.

K1:            Jeremiah thought he was just a teenager but God didn’t have any doubts             about him.

Rev:            You know what word has always bothered me.

Mae:            What word is that?

Rev:              Just.  Someone will say to me “I’m just a teenager” or “I’m just a housewife.”              There’s no such thing as just a teenager or a housewife.   God doesn’t want us             to put             ourselves down like that. 

K1:            That’s right. And your not just an old guy.

Rev:             Thank you for that compliment – I think.  God doesn’t care how young or old             you are.

Mae:            That’s right. God doesn’t create us with expiration dates that say, “Best if             used by such and such a date.”

Rev:            When I look at Jeremiah it makes me think of something else that I hear             people say from time to time.

Mae:            What’s that?

Rev:            Every once and a while you’ll hear someone say that youth are important             because they’re the future of the church.  When I hear that I always say             you’re right but they’re also important because they’re the present.  They             have gifts to share right now.

K1:            Exactly.   God doesn’t want us to judge people and put limits on them because             of their age.

Rev:            At  the same time it’s also important to learn from each other.  We can learn from young people like you.

K1:            And we can learn from older people like you.

Rev:             Absolutely.   Sometimes it isn’t easy being young just as sometimes being old             isn’t easy.   That’s why I like the story that Shel Silverstein tells. 

Mae:             Didn’t he write the children’s book “The Giving Tree?”

Rev:            He did.  Well he tells a story about a little boy who was sitting on a porch             swing one day with an old man.  All of a sudden the little boy looks up at the             old man and says, “Sometimes I spill my milk.”  The old man smiles. “I do that             too,” he says.  The little boy then whisperes, “Sometimes I wet my pants.”              The old man laughs.  “I do that too,” he says.   “But worst of all,” the little boy             says, “Grown ups don’t pay attention to me.”  That’s when the little boy felt             the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.  “I know what you mean,” the old man             said.

K1:            …the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’

Mae:            “Do not say “I am only a girl”

Rev:            “Do not say, “I’m just an old man.”

K1:            “For to all to whom I send you, you shall go.

Mae:            “And whatever I command you, you shall speak.

K1:            “Do not be afraid…”

Mae:            “For I am with you to deliver you declares the LORD.”

K1:            Amen.

Rev:            Okay.  Now that we’ve got that all settled may I have my pulpit back.

            (K1 and Mae look at each other.)

K1 & Mae:            Sure.   (Both return to the pew.)

May 20, 2012 – Youth Sunday

Kyle Hasting and Mae Sorenson

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes