Why So Serious?

Alive Youth Church Weekly,
Why So Serious?

No i'm not just quoting the second-best trilogy of all time. 

And yes, The Lord of the Rings is better than The Dark Knight. But those are the top two... if you disagree, argue with a wall. 

But what are the things we should take seriously? And what are the things that as a christian shoudnt take our attention?

There are plenty of things in life that don't need to be taken too seriously. Whether your favorite sports team wins or loses, what shoes you're wearing, or whether someone liked your post. Those things don't define your life, and I think we all need to take them a little less seriously.

But there is one thing that should never be treated casually: your faith.

And yet I've found in my own life, and in the lives of many close to me, there are moments where it is convenient to take your faith less seriously. 

We've all been there... When it's easier to let your standards drop to fit in, or whenever it benefits you. 

It's easy to take faith seriously at church or summer camp. Because let's face it, it's the popular thing to do in that moment. Easy to raise your hands when everyone else is, easy to read your bible and pray when others are watching and proud of you for it.

But not so easy when your popularity takes a hit, when the guy or girl you like doesn't make Christ a priority, when your family disagrees, or when it doesn't make sense for your schedule. 

It can become easy to pick and choose when to take faith seriously. 

But the habit of choosing your priorities and intentionally deciding areas to compromise is slowly decaying your relationship with Jesus. 

Because following Christ means giving Him your whole life.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

- Mark 12:30

Jesus doesn't want some of your life; he asks for it all. Everything we have is already His. We owe it all to him already.

What we believe about Jesus shapes everything else about who we are, where we're going, and how we live today. It is the most important thing to take seriously.

Our faith isn't just one part of our lives; it is the foundation of our lives. Everything else comes from it.

Most people don't wake up one morning and decide to stop taking their faith seriously. It usually happens much more quietly. One thing after then next. A small weak area of your life begins to grow.

The bible warns us about this.

"Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?"

- 1 Corinthians 5:6

I know most of us are not bread bakers. But the idea is right there. 

A little bit of compromise begins to grow into other areas of your life, compromising the whole thing.

We begin making little compromises because they're easy. We tell ourselves, "It's only this once." We convince ourselves that God understands, or that everyone else is doing it. Before long, those little compromises become habits, and our relationship with God slowly becomes less of a priority.

So if the question is: Why so serious about your faith?" 

The answer is: Because there is nothing more important to be serious about.

Over the next few weeks at Alive Youth Church, we are going to be teaching on the areas of our lives where it is easy to compromise our faith and why we need to take it seriously. 

Things like: 

Our relationships

Our popularity and reputation 

Our money and possessions

Our time and schedules

Our hidden sin

These are just a few examples of areas that are commonly put above Jesus. Areas where we begin to prioritize our own gain instead of His. Moments where it's easy to say, "I give you the rest, God, that should be enough" 

Of course, there is always grace for our shortcomings.

But grace isn't permission to stay the same.
Grace is God's invitation to be transformed.

So we need to let him transform these areas of our life!

So why take faith seriously?

Because eternity is serious.

Because Jesus seriously gave His life for us.

Because sin is serious.

Because grace is serious.

Because people around us need hope.

Because the decisions we make today shape the people we'll become tomorrow.

We need to recognize that if Jesus truly is Lord, then He deserves more than a small corner of our lives.

He deserves all of it.

Sometimes people think taking faith seriously means becoming boring.

But in reality,

The people who take Jesus seriously often experience the deepest joy, the strongest peace, and the clearest purpose.

"If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love... These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

- John 15:10-11

They're free from constantly chasing approval.

They're free from pretending.

They're free to live the life God created them for.

Faith isn't about missing out.

It's about discovering what truly matters.

So here's the question to consider as we begin to talk about these things in the following weeks:

Where have you started treating your faith as optional?

Where have convenience, comfort, popularity, relationships, fear, or distraction become louder than God's voice?

Every day we decide whether Jesus is simply part of our lives or whether He truly leads them.

So...

Why so serious?

Because nothing matters more than knowing Jesus.

Because no relationship, no amount of popularity, no career, no achievement, no possession, and no temporary pleasure compares to Him.

If our faith is true, and if Jesus really is who He says He is, then following Him is the most important decision we will ever make.

That's worth taking seriously.

Come to Alive Youth Church on Sunday nights at 6:30PM to dive into this topic more. 

Bring a bible, a journal, a friend, and a heart ready for what God wants to do in your life.

Thanks for reading Alive Youth Church Weekly! I'll see you soon!

-Isaac Fehlen

Youth Pastor