GYC 2014: At The Cross

Cross-Check: Finding Your Personal Story At the Cross

Sebastien Braxton

Generation. Youth. Christ. (GYC)

6. Cross-Movement: I Want It To Matter That I Lived

This message was presented at the GYC 2014 conference at the Cross in Phoenix, Arizona.

For other resources like this, visit us online at www.gycweb.org.

For those of you who are remaining here for the seminar, we're going to start.

And so We are going to go ahead and begin with a word of prayer.

Those of you that are exiting, if you can exit as quietly as possible, that would be wonderful.

And the rest of us, we'll bow our heads together in prayer.

Mighty God, everlasting Father, we are so grateful for the gift of life, the gift of your word, the gift of the Holy Spirit to understand that word and to apply that word to our lives and to transform us by that word.

We pray in the name of Jesus, the name that is above every name, that in the name of Jesus, for there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved, that in the name of Jesus you would banish every unclean spirit from this place, And that in his name you may speak to us this afternoon, that you may change us, that you may inspire us.

And we trust that you will help this to be our experience.

The title of our final session is Cross Movement.

There is a website that is very common and very popular.

And the whole purpose of this website is to allow people to anonymously write, why does your life suck?

It's completely anonymous and people type and I just like to read a couple entries to you if that's okay.

I've been asked, but every single time it was just a cruel joke.

I am fat and ugly and worthless garbage, ask anybody.

I am put down and laughed at by everyone.

I left my job to care for my mom full-time since her stroke, leaving living off my retirement funds and selling my belongings.

My siblings don't care that it's killing me.

I am deeply depressed, but if I try to talk about it, my family calls me selfish.

I was hospitalized when my gallbladder ruptured and nobody cared.

My sisters were angry because they had to help mom while I had surgery.

All my life I was ignored, picked on, lied to, pushed aside and laughed at.

My so-called friends stole from me and talked about me behind my back.

My boss dumped tons of work on me from other departments and took credit for my work.

Any time I stood up for myself, it just made things worse.

I prayed so hard and so long for God to help me, but I think he's laughing at my pain too.

I'm used up, burnt out, exhausted, and miserable.

I just want to lay down and close my eyes and cease to exist.

I don't even care if there's an afterlife or not.

You see, a person created this website and this is the most recent entry into this website because people wanted to matter that they lived.

People wanted to matter that they have existed.

They want to know that when they traverse the sands of time, it won't be washed away by the oceans that follow them.

You see, there is a book put out by Lynn Lancaster and David Stillman, it was called The M Factor.

And they were discussing the issue of the millennial generation and how to make sense of them in the business world.

And they said, you can divide the world into 4 different generations that are currently living on the earth, which now it's 5, but this book is a little bit old.

It says people who were born before 1946, they were called the traditionalists.

And their whole idea of finding purpose in life was to make a better future for those that they love.

And their children were called the Baby Boomers, 1946 to 1964.

And the way that they found meaning in life was to achieve success in meaningful roles of society so that they could institute change.

Their children were generation X, 1965 to 1981.

There's a lot of debate on those dates, but that's roughly what it comes down to.

This generation said we need to find meaning and purpose in life beyond our work.

So this is the generation that was obsessed with hobbies, extreme sports, family vacations, and major travel.

And their children looking at their parents, taking family vacations, but this is the most connected generation.

Because as they go onto social media, as they watch the news, as they find videos being shared by their friends, they discover that mom and dad it's hard to sit here on a beach in Thailand at a five-star resort when I know that just on the other side boys and girls are being sold for sex.

They're a generation that is looking for purpose, but they're the only generation that has no agreed upon answer of how to find meaning in life.

You see, they said that meaningful work is a must-have for a millennial.

They want to partner with their teachers.

And their predominant concern is a search for purpose.

They say that the millennials, they want to make a difference in the world because people want it to matter that they lived.

The millennials said that they want to feel that they are contributing to some greater purpose or some greater aim, because people wanted to matter that they lived.

The millennials said that they want to be heard.

Millennials said that they want to be innovators.

They don't want to continue more of the same, because people wanted to matter that they lived.

They want to be able to express who they are in their work, because people wanted to matter that they lived.

But the interesting thing about this generation, according to Lynn Lancaster, is that this generation is suffering from over-optimism.

That 58% of them eat junk food several times a week.

And they said that the top 3 medications for this generation are birth control, allergies, and antidepressants.

They said if you are born after 1982, you're probably taking 1 of these 3 medications.

And they said this is a commentary upon the times and the life in which we are living.

That people wanted to matter that they lived.

And the question is, what does the cross have for us to answer the question of the meaning in life?

And so I take you to the book of Hebrews, chapter 12.

If you're not there, you can just say have mercy.

Hebrews, chapter 12, we're gonna begin in verse 2.

5. Cross-Fire: God, Why Didn’t You Come Through For Me?

Our Father, we know that the struggle is real, that it seems sometimes that we share a body with another me.

But Father, we are thankful that even though it is sin that dwells in us, that we have the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

And Father, that you are willing to cleanse us because of what Jesus has done.

We take this opportunity to express our gratitude and to present our bodies a living sacrifice, to yield our members to be instruments of righteousness.

And we ask, Father, that as we open your word and reflect even more upon the cross of Jesus, that you would speak to us again in ways that we need to hear your voice.

We thank you for these gifts and we offer this prayer from our hearts in Christ's name.

I imagine that some people are here because their lives have been touched by disappointment.

Something about those words, God why didn't you come through for me, it resonates with us.

I believe we live in a world of people who are disappointed.

They did surveys about these different generations and how they find meaning in life.

They said that there are about 3 or 4 generations, now maybe 5 generations upon the earth, and I'm a little bit tired of hearing these different sessions and focus groups about how we need to witness to this particular generation, the millennials.

And I feel like the problem that they grapple with is the problem that many people grapple with across many generations But they try to box people and say that there are people who are born around before 1946 that these people are called traditionalists and That these individuals they found purpose in life simply by providing for their children to have a better life.

And this will come up in my seminar tomorrow again.

But then their children are called the baby boomers.

And the baby boomers is the most educated generation.

Because of all the hard work that their parents had done to make sure that they were educated, they became the most educated generation.

And their goal was to get into positions of influence so that they could institute substantial change in society.

And their children, Generation X, they saw how hard their parents were working.

They couldn't stay at the park too long because dad's pager would go off.

They couldn't have family dinner because he was always being called back to the hospital.

They weren't able to really get together around holiday time because their parents had to work during the holidays.

So Generation X grew up and said, you know, I don't want that kind of life for my family.

And so Generation X said, we're going to spend time on family vacations, our hobbies, go snowboarding, enjoy nature, take walks, save up money, go to a nice destination and just experience life with your children, with your wife, with your husband.

But then their children are what we call the millennials.

And their children saw that their parents are like, oh, it's all about family, but these kids were watching the news.

Social media, CNN, YouTube, they're aware of many more things than their parents were aware of.

So this generation grew up and they knew about the crisis in the Middle East.

They knew about boys in Uganda being forced to take up arms and kill people or they would be killed.

They knew about children who were used as suicide bombers.

And these people, this generation grew up and said, I don't want to just live my life for my family.

There are needs that need to be met in the world.

And so therefore, I want to get involved in a cause.

But they realized that there were so many different needs, that there were so many different causes, they didn't know what to invest in.

And when they came to the church, the church had nothing for them.

But they look at themselves and say, is that all we can do?

Make sure you read through Desire of Ages and you get a patch.

When children are starving in Sudan, when refugees are in Syria, That's where the generation wanted to be, but there was nothing for them.

And they said the only problem with this generation is that they have no agreed upon answer to the problem, how do you find meaning in life?

This is a generation addicted to antidepressants, the most depressed generation.

Because I believe we live in a time where people are disappointed People are not satisfied with life.

They feel like they expected a lot out of their family, but they didn't get that They feel like God didn't come through for me with my parents.

This person's dad supported them when they played basketball.

You find that people have always felt that they were disappointed by God.

I talked to single Adventist girls all the time.

Disappointed that there is no quality young men.

And after constantly remind them, You know, they say, you know, how come God hasn't sent my husband?

And I look at them and I say, listen, you're not married because you can't get married.

You're single because you can't just marry anybody.

I Wasn't trying to get married just to get married Just to fulfill all righteousness.

This is not like baptism Yep, you know baptized spend a few years get married No, you're single because you don't want to be disappointed.

I'm not going to institutionalize failure in my life.

And so in the same sense, people have always felt just like these Adventist young women that they've been disappointed.

I'm carrying myself like a woman of nobility and character.

Only to find out at the end of it is you get approached by some knucklehead.

I mean, you're only laughing because you know I'm telling the truth.

And I've had to counsel many of these knuckleheads.

There's just too many men that just don't man up.

I didn't come here for relationship advice.

I came here to talk about disappointment.

We live in a generation of people that are disappointed.

They've been let down even by their own government.

They've been let down by their local church.

Young people come to GYC many times because this is the only place they're going to hear the Word of God preached.

Because their pastor is afraid to tell the congregation the truth.

Afraid to take a stand for principle because the board might be divided.

Listen, if division is the result of standing on the side of truth, then let there be division.

That's why people come to GYC many times, because their local church pastor is a disappointment.

Some people come to GYC because they also recognize that their local church community is a disappointment.

You go to Sabbath school only to listen to somebody get off on their soapbox.

Oh, you know, this is why we should be doing this in the church.

So quick to tell a girl her skirt is too short.

Live in a generation of people that are disappointed.

I don't want to hear about your standards if you're not going to help me to reach them.

4. Cross-Roads: I Just Don’t Know What to Do!

Father in heaven, we are happy to be back again in prayer, happy to be in your presence, and happy to hear your voice speaking to our hearts.

Lord, it's a wonderful thing to hear the word of God preached.

And we pray, Lord, that you'll bless every other seminar that's happening at this time, that you'll bless the speakers with conviction, with energy.

And we ask that for us in this room that you give us a unique message as well.

We thank you for these gifts, and we offer this prayer in Jesus's name.

You know, when you think about decisions in life, there's a story about a man that we all know his name.

We know his name because he had come to a crossroad before.

And in that crossroad, he had to make a decision.

And decision that he made has caused them to forever live in infamy.

But he was only a general over a small region.

But he knew there came a day where Caesar came to a river called the Rubicon.

And while he was on that river bank with his army, he had to decide in his mind, am I going to cross this river and begin a civil war?

Or am I going to stay here and continue to serve just as a lowly general for a small area?

And when he was talking to his officers and his general, they said, you know Caesar, if you cross this river, there is no turning back.

He knelt down by the river and as he looked down his general said, Caesar, what do you want to do?

And the men were back there, weapons and all.

And Caesar said, well, the die must be cast.

He says, if I stay here, I know what the result will be.

But if I cross this river, there's a chance that I will win.

His name is synonymous with tyranny With unbridled power uncontrolled by principle and It all started because Caesar had come to a crossroad.

He had to make a decision in his life, whether he was going to cross the Rubicon.

And now, the very fact that he crossed that river is now synonymous when we're talking about people crossing the line.

And so Caesar had come to a crossroad in his life.

Then you come to Mahatma Gandhi, who was a lawyer in South Africa, kicked off of a train because he was sitting in the wrong car because he was a colored man.

The guy said, listen, I'm a lawyer, I work for a very big law firm here, I have a right to sit in this car, There's first class seats available.

And the man said, if you don't get off this train, I'm going to throw you off.

After he threw him off the train, Gandhi went to the police department.

They said, well, sir, you should have had your paperwork on you that says that you know you were a citizen from India, of the member of the British Empire.

And he says, first of all, they shouldn't treat people like that.

I told him that I was a member of the British Empire.

So then they said, well, sir, we have this new rule in South Africa where you have to keep your papers on you at all times.

They said, well, these papers are government property and you're not able to destroy it, so make sure you have it on your person at all times.

So he basically contacted all the people in his community and he said, we're going to get together and we're going to take these government papers and we're gonna burn them.

And anyone who wants to join me in this rebellion against this oppression will be there to burn them.

So this thing spread abroad and the police department was there.

Sticks and clubs and everything saying if you burn these things, you are now destroying government property, you can be arrested and you can be beaten essentially.

By any means necessary, we can prevent you from burning this.

So when they got there, there was a group of people, but only 12 people were actually seriously ready to burn their pieces of paper.

When they saw the police, they kind of took a step back and they said, well, Gandhi, you came here, so you burn yours first.

So as Gandhi looked at these men with these clubs and pistols, He had to make a decision.

And as he came to that point of decision, he began walking towards the fire.

And as he got closer to the fire, the police officer approached him.

And as he got closer, they got closer, and right before he was getting to the fire to put his paper in the flame, the man took his club and hit Gandhi's arm.

Gandhi fell down in pain, and then he took the paper in his left hand.

Gandhi started getting up, then he took the club, broke Gandhi's left leg.

He said, stay down, Don't make me do this.

Gandhi began to drag his broken leg on his left arm as he continued towards the flame.

And right as he put the paper in the flame, that's when he hit him and knocked him unconscious.

But when he went to the embassy, they said, Gandhi, your actions have reverberated throughout the British Empire.

And they said they struck a deal, because they're afraid that if you stay here, you'll become a symbol of a rebellion.

So we're going to send you back to India.

We won't jail you, but you go back to India.

But everyone in India had heard about what Gandhi had done.

So as he arrived back in India, the assumption was Gandhi was coming back to liberate India from the British Empire.

There was this radical Indian guy in South Africa.

You can't travel to many small towns in India and not see statues of Gandhi.

Back to Menu

All Teachings

6. Cross-Movement: I Want It To Matter That I Lived

42m

5. Cross-Fire: God, Why Didn’t You Come Through For Me?

54m

4. Cross-Roads: I Just Don’t Know What to Do!

1h 2m

3. Cross-Hairs: Why Am I Struggling with This Sin?

55m

2. Cross-Words: Lord, Speak to Me… Please!

51m

1. Cross-Check: Did I Do That?

1h

6. Q&A Session

44m

5. Blessed Sex

28m

4. I Want Out!

56m

3. When Facts & Feelings Collide

45m

2. Sex and the Media

44m

1. Sexuality Today – The Creator’s Perspective

54m

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