Gospel-centered Teens (by Jason Cornwell)

Being a teenager is tough. I remember, even though it's almost been 10 years ago. You've got to deal w/ school, clothes, facial blemishes, girls, high school sports, girls, learning to drive, girls, uncontrollable appetites for junk food, & then to top it all off, you have to worry about dating girls. Oh, and there's one other thing: Parents (rents for short).

Does the Gospel relate to how a teenager deals with his parents? You better believe it! You've heard the typical complaints from teens about their parents. They're too old, too strict, too slow, too hard & they just don't get it. Well, since the Gospel speaks so much to our identity, I think it would be good to see a couple of areas where the Gospel affects teens and their relationship with their parents.

a) The Gospel allows me to forgive. Let's face it. We've all been wronged by our parents at some point. They've gotten angry or been unjust or just been, well, human. But the Gospel speaks to that. The Gospel says that I've been forgiven infinite sin against an infinite God. Why? Because the wrath for me has been spent on Jesus & His blood is cleansing me from sin. My record is now clean because of Christ. The cross is where "Your boundless love conquered my boundless sin." So since I've been forgiven infinitely, I can forgive a finite sin against me. And I can do it again & again because, NEWS FLASH...parents are flesh & blood & they'll keep sinning. So forgive because you've been forgiven much.

b) The Gospel allows me to submit. We all know that we've each had the meanest parents in the world. And soon we'll grow to be the meanest parents in the world. We all remember rebelling against our parents. But the reason I rebel is because I think, "I'm my own person; my identity is wrapped up in what I want to do." This could be clothes, music, attitude, standards, etc. But the Gospel says that my identity is secure in Christ. Because of Christ, I'm accepted and loved forever. I don't have to buy into the world's philosophy that says I must rebel against my parents to be my own person. I can submit just like God intends because my identity is not wrapped up in being my own person apart from my godly submission to my parents.

So the Gospel is that great! It transforms relationships w/ parents!