Our Kids Need Jesus
E.A. Johnston passionately warns that despite growing up in church, many young people lack a true relationship with Jesus, urging believers to earnestly pray and lead by godly example to bring them back to genuine faith.
In this heartfelt sermon, E.A. Johnston addresses the spiritual crisis facing today's youth who, despite church involvement, often lack a genuine relationship with Jesus. He challenges the church and parents to move beyond superficial programs and entertainment, emphasizing the need for true salvation through Christ. Johnston calls believers to persistent prayer and godly example as the means to reclaim lost children for God's glory.
Full Transcript
Well, I'm sad today, friends, because I just got the news of the death of a 21-year-old boy, whom I knew since he was a young teenager. He grew up in church and went to a private Christian school, and he died of a drug overdose. My heart breaks, my heart bleeds for his family, and my heart grieves for this generation of young people today who grew up in church and post pictures of themselves on their media sites hugging their homosexual lover or their live-in girlfriend as they're smoking their blunts and flipping off the world.
I'm saddened by this lost generation of church kids that slipped out of our grasp and out of our church door while still being on the membership roll, but without ever having their name written in the Lamb's Book of Life in our churches today. Our kids don't need a denominational program. Our kids don't need pizza night and movie night.
Our kids don't need loud rock music or laughter or entertainment. Our kids need Jesus. We gave them substitutes, everything they wanted, but we didn't give them what they needed.
They needed Jesus. So instead of having Jesus, they have turned to this world and its enjoyments, and they've gone to the devil as quick as they could. They left our churches that they grew up in, have gone into a Christ-hating world without knowing the Christ of the Bible.
We gave them a shot in the arm of our so-called religion and inoculated them against the claims of Christ upon them. Our kids need Jesus. They need the Jesus of the Bible who can take a heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh and transform a life for the glory of God.
Our kids don't need to repeat a prayer. Our kids don't need to walk an aisle or to make a decision. They've all already done that a long time ago, and that's the problem.
We watched them grow up in vocation Bible school, and we watched them learn Bible verses in Sunday school. We talked them into swallowing a formula that we thought was evangelism and told them they were now Christians, and they grew up being familiar faces at church, but strangers to Christ Jesus as their Savior from sin. Our kids need Jesus.
Even though they're not kids anymore, they still need Jesus. What can we do now as parents when we missed our chances to mold them for Christ when we told them, Do as I say rather than lead them. We're the do-as-I-do godly example in the home.
Is it too late now? Have they all gone to the devil? Sadly, many of them have. Oh, what can we do for our kids is to turn off our TV and go into the next room and get down on our faces and stay there until the carpet is wet with our tears and God has heard our broken-hearted petitions unto him over the sake of our kids' souls. Never give up praying for a loved one, friend, for there is no expiration of a prayer, for a prayer once made has wings, a life, and a force that reach far into the future and into eternity, all for the glory of God.
Our kids need Jesus, and we need to spend more time in intercession and prayer for them. We need to change our prayers somewhat and quit praying for our kids to stop their backsliding and come back to the Lord. Instead, we should pray for the Lord to save them.
My Bible declares in John 3.36, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. This is a serious matter, friends. The hour is late.
This generation of young folks today don't give a flip about your Jesus. Nevertheless, our kids need Jesus. Let us pray.
Sermon Outline
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I
- The tragedy of a lost generation despite church upbringing
- The failure of substitutes over true faith in Jesus
- The danger of superficial decisions without real transformation
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II
- The need for genuine relationship with Jesus, not just religious rituals
- The importance of godly example in the home
- The urgency of heartfelt intercessory prayer for children
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III
- The reality of eternal consequences without faith in Christ
- The call to persistent prayer for salvation
- The late hour and seriousness of the spiritual condition of youth
Key Quotes
“Our kids don't need a denominational program. Our kids don't need pizza night and movie night. Our kids don't need loud rock music or laughter or entertainment. Our kids need Jesus.” — E.A. Johnston
“We gave them substitutes, everything they wanted, but we didn't give them what they needed. They needed Jesus.” — E.A. Johnston
“Never give up praying for a loved one, friend, for there is no expiration of a prayer, for a prayer once made has wings, a life, and a force that reach far into the future and into eternity.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Parents and church leaders should prioritize leading by godly example rather than just verbal instruction.
- Believers must commit to persistent, heartfelt prayer for the salvation of young people.
- Focus on presenting the true Jesus who transforms hearts, rather than relying on entertainment or programs.