preaching for the Boy Scouts

[Kevin]

I have been asked to preach this Sunday @ the big end of year Boy Scout camp out. This will be a huge crowd from all over the province.

I have aprox 10 min in a 30 min service at the close of the camp. Please pray for me & the boys (and leaders).

Also any good suggestions for a topic that will get a gospel message across in this brief time & be in keeping with the setting.

 

[Soonerborn]

Sounds great! My family and I are reading through the book of Luke. We just read in Luke 4 about the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. Given the "survivalist" aspect of Boy Scouts, this passage might fit in nicely, stating clearly how Christ lived the life we can't, and died the death we deserve. Just an idea...

 

[Scott1]

Great opportunity.

A great organization to mentor toward godly young men, as well.

 

[cih1355]

I was a Boy Scout when I was growing up. The Boy Scouts learn about moral values as expressed in the Scout Law, Oath, Motto, and Slogan. Many of those boys are concerned about being good, moral persons.

You could discuss the following:

Living up to the moral values of Scouting will not give you a right standing before God. We have no righteousness of our own if even we do our best to live up to the Scout Law. God sees us as sinners deserving condemnation. Then, you could talk about how God sent His Son to save His people from their sin.

 

[larryjf]

When i was given a similar opportunity i chose a text that i could preach a short sermon on that focused on something the boy scouts teach...like responsibility.

 

[Glenn Ferrell]

Given an opportunity to preach, don't preach on morality, but the gospel of salvation. I agree with post #4 above.

I do wonder what the Boy Scout leaders who gave you this opportunity expect. Will they object to your preaching of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone? Do they just want a warm feel good moral lesson for what will obviously be a very mixed group?

 

[Kevin]

thanks guys, lots of good advice so far.

 

[Jack K]

I chapter 1 of Deuteronomy, Moses uses a recap of Israel's experience at Kadesh-Barnea to show us two wrong approaches toward God.

Wrong approach #1: DISOBEDIENCE/FAITHLESSNESS. The people failed to believe in God's blessings and would not fight for the land he was giving them. They preferred their own wisdom ("we cannot defeat them") to God's wisdom. They rejected God and chose instead the way that seemed right to them. It's a wrong approach to God that many of us still take today.

Wrong approach #2: RELIGIOUS SELF-SUFFICIENCY. When confronted about their disobedience, the people tried to prove themselves worthy by going out to fight for the land after all even though God had, by that time, said he would not go with them. The result was disastrous. Today, we're often tempted to take this worng approach also, hoping God will be pleased with us if we can prove to him how moral and/or religious we are.

So what's the answer? We approach God by faith, trusting neither our own wisdom (being disobedient) nor our own do-goodiness (being moral and religious). Specifically, we trust Christ, who lived the moral life we ought to live and died for our disobedience. Faith in Christ is completely different from either a life of disobedience or a life of religious self-sufficiency.

I don't know if you can make that fit in 10 minutes, but it's one of my favorite lessons for semi-religious teens. It challenges them to think of Christianity terms they may have never considered.

 

[MarieP]

Given an opportunity to preach, don't preach on morality, but the gospel of salvation. I agree with post #4 above.

I do wonder what the Boy Scout leaders who gave you this opportunity expect. Will they object to your preaching of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone? Do they just want a warm feel good moral lesson for what will obviously be a very mixed group?

How about John 3:14ff?

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

It has snakes AND the wilderness AND the Gospel!

 

[Montanablue]

No ideas (I really like Jack's suggestion though), but I will definitely be praying. Sounds like a great opportunity.