Emerging adults are to be examples of faith. Read 1 Timothy 4:9-12. The early Christian movement was in the hands of young people. All of the original disciples were under the age of 30. Jesus sent them into all the world to make disciples. The Apostle Paul was over 30 years old when he began his missionary journeys. He often recruited young people to accompany him and then put them in charge of churches. Paul found Timothy in Lystra in modern-day Turkey. Timothy joined Paul and Silas into Macedonia and Greece. Paul left Timothy in charge of the church in Thessalonica. Ten years or so later, Paul writes a letter to Timothy when Timothy is in Ephesus. It is clear that Paul expects Timothy to teach and preach in Ephesus. There are two major age milestones in first century Jewish culture. The first is the age of 12 or 13 when a child becomes an adult. We see this when Jesus is 12 years old and found speaking to the elders in the Jerusalem Temple. The second age milestone is 30 when a disciple can become a rabbi. Paul writes to Timothy, “don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young.” It is very likely that Timothy had not yet reached the age of 30 when he was in Ephesus, which means he would have been a teenager when he was in Thessalonica. For all of us over the age of 30, we must remember that God trusted young people with great responsibility. For all of us under the age of 30, we must remember that God trusted people your age with great responsibility. Your primary responsibilities are to believe in Jesus and then follow Jesus. You are to do this so well that your faith becomes an example for all people. Don’t underestimate what God can do through you. 



Lord Jesus, thank you for trusting us with your work. Strengthen our faith and allow us to use the gifts you have given us to work together to make disciples and to transform the world.