"Being Christian Amongst a Generation of the Not So Sure"
Confirmation Sermon by Jack Robbins
June 22, 2008 - Harwich, Massachusetts

Preaching Text: “He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him.” (John 1:10)

This being my first time ever coming up with a sermon I would think that it would be nice to give information that not many people know. Seeing as that I am one of the youngest who goes to this church, not many would know how kids my age today feel about church and religion.

I was told that back then everyone went to church. It sounded like church was the big thing at that time. Today it isn't like that anymore.

I was walking home with my friend this week when I brought up the subject that I was being confirmed today. He was very happy for me and said that he might attend. When I asked him how he felt about church and religion, his response was, "We are all going to hell according to what the Bible says we can and cannot do."

When you think about all of us going down to hell, it doesn't sound right. In this church I've learned that God forgives us of our sins and loves us extremely now and forever more. I couldn't understand why he was saying this. Was it because he hadn't been to church? No, because he had. Could it be because he believed a different religion? No, because he doesn't believe in anything.

I then finally understood that I have been raised in this church and have been believing in this religion for many years. I told him that that wasn't how I felt and went on with my day. When I arrived home I was shocked at what I had heard. Since I had more confirmation classes at that time, I thought it would be nice to bring up this subject with our minister, Tom.

He said it would be good to know how other people my age feel about religion and the church. That's when I decided what the sermon was going to be on today. I went onto the computer and made a survey to find how people my age feel about religious activities.

I found when I received my survey back that most kids my age either have no religion or just don't believe. They said they had no religion because they didn't have proof. They felt like they were being told what to and not to do. Some thought that church was just pointless. I wondered why they would feel this way.

Their responses were that they would just want to survive as a human on earth. Most of the people I surveyed have not even been introduced to the church. So how could they feel? Even if their friends went to church, they still would not give it a chance since they did not believe in any god or religion.

What would happen when you were dead? Where would you go? Almost every single person said that dead is dead and nothing happens. You don't go to heaven or anything. That was the bad news of the survey.

The good news was great. The other half of the survey said they 100% believed in God. They knew that they could feel God with them when they needed him the most.

When I asked if their friends would go to church would they continue, they answered that they did not care and would go to church regardless.

I asked how they would feel if the church in their town closed, if no one went. 90% said that they would feel awful and try to get the church back.

Overall I am very grateful that my parents raised me going to church. It was the right thing to do. At first I did not enjoy going to church, but after a while I knew that I did not have a say in whether I went to church or not, and started trying to enjoy church. After a while I learned so much that even if I tried not to enjoy it, I still would.

Whenever I need God by my side, I feel his spirit close to me and helping me to feel better. For me to be a Christian is like being a child of God. It soothes me and makes me realize that all is not lost and when I die I will be with him and all the rest in heaven.

If other kids were to just give the electronics a break and go to church for one day, we would probably see them the next Sunday. It would be a new experience for them and might ease their stress and chill them out for a bit. No one would understand church if they never had gone. Maybe church could be a good thing for them to feel uplifted.

I feel that way every Sunday and it makes me feel good about myself the whole week. It is nice to know that God forgives you no matter what and loves everyone

very much. Now kids might not believe in God or church. But if you wait another 50 years you would probably see them in the church worshipping God.

The point I am really trying to make is that even though not that many children feel the way I do about church, they just might some day, and maybe become another member of the church when they are older.

Amen.