In Ikea, I heard a man say to his son, "have you heard the good news about Santa?"
Everyone is pedalling good news. Merchants of invented false gospels are hawking their wares to the young people of your church. They are subtle about it though. They don't go for traditional techniques. They don't talk about eternal life, salvation, sin or God. In fact, they avoid big topics at all costs and focus on tiny details. They talk about what will make you feel happy for short periods of time. They talk about fleeting popularity increases. And the cleverest bit of the whole scheme, is that the salesmen have no idea what they are selling.
In Galatians 1: 6-7, Paul says, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all."
Young people in our land are buying expensive phones, experiences, coffee, thrills, holidays and alcohol in order to attain a hope of happiness that is not routed in any of these things. My sense is that lots of us see that this is true. We get frustrated by how easily our friends sell the riches of faith in Jesus Christ for a quick fix. And it needs to be talked about.
There are students from your church that are being sold a false good news of DIY happiness. It is time to stand up and say it is a lie; it is nonsense. Now is the time for the church to start talking about our suffering in the light of a Saviour who suffered for us (Isaiah 53:11). Now is the time to teach about losing our lives in order to save them (Matt 10:14). Now is the time to speak about a narrow way that not many take (Matt 7:14). It won't be bought by everyone and it won't make us popular. But we don't get paid in commission, we are rewarded with treasures in Heaven by a faithful God who is truth, is full of compassion and loves us very much.
The true gospel is hard to swallow, costs everything, and worth dying for. So let's talk about it.
