THE WAY OF THE CROSS

SCRIPTURES:

• I John 2:13b - I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one.
  
  
• I John 2:14b - I write unto you, young men, because you are (1) strong, and the word (2) abides in you, and ye have (3) overcome the wicked one.
  
  
• I John 2:15-17 - Love not the world, neither the things of the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of Father; but is of the world. And the world passeth away and the lusts thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
  
  
• *Romans 8:14,19 - For as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God...For ye have not received the spirit of bond -age again to fear; but have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,'Abba, Father'.
  
  
• Galatians 4:6 - And because you are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father'.
  
  
• II Corinthians 6:17,18 - 'Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separated, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you and ye shall be My sons and daughters,' saith the Lord Almighty.
  
  
• Hebrews 2:10b,11 - In bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain (Jesus) of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one; for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.
  
  
• Hebrews 12:6-8 - For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not. But if ye be without chastisement, where of are all partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
  
  
• Hebrews 12:9-17 - Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence, shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous, nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peace-able fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore we lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight the paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esua, who for one morsel of meat, sold his birthright. For ye know how afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
  
  
• Hebrews 5:8,9 - Though He (Jesus) were a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.
  
  
• Jeremiah 17:9,10 - The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it? I, the Lord, searcheth the heart. I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.
  
  
• Proverb 3:11,12 - My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord: neither be weary of His correction: for whom the Lord loveth He correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
  
  
• Ephesians 4:22-24 - That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts: and be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which is created in righteousness and true holiness.
  
  
• I Samuel 15:22,23 - And Samuel said, 'Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.'
  
  
• Romans 8:29 - For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first born of many brethren.
  
  
• II Corinthians 3:18 - But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
  

LESSONS THE SPIRITUAL TEENAGER SHOULD LEARN:

1. Be strong; the Word of God abides within; overcome the wicked one.
   
   
2. Love not the world nor the lusts of the world - do the will of God.
   
   
3. Spirit of adoption - Abba, Father.
   
   
   1. Be separated.
      
      
   2. Perfected through suffering.
      
      
   3. Under hand of chastening.
      
      
4. Holy Spirit teaching Jesus and His cross - leaving the world.
   
   
   1. Follow peace with all men.
      
      
   2. Without holiness cannot see Jesus.
      
      
   3. Diligently deal with roots of bitterness - which defile and rob blessings.
      

TRAITS OF THE YOUNG MEN:
sonhood - teenage years in the Lord - learns Jesus personally - soul being dealt with - under the hand of God's discipline.

1. Disciplined.
   
   
   1. Willingness to be led by the Spirit.
      
      
      1. Being taught to follow blindly.
         
         
      2. Don't know where they are going.
         
         
   2. Holy Spirit working character of Christ into life.
      
      
2. Educated in the Word - 'Pharisee'.
   
   
   1. Has problem with authority.
      
      
      1. Manifests as rebellion toward the fathers and mothers in the church.
         
         
      2. Watchmen and gatekeepers used to chasten, mold and train.
         
         
   2. Knows letter of the Law but not the Spirit of the Law (love).
      
      
3. Training in the Spirit - under chastening hand of God.
   
   
   1. Despise not chastening- keep going and be healed - fruit of chastening is righteousness.
      
      
   2. Changes occur in character.
      
      
   3. Learns holiness, righteousness, endurance through chastening.
      
      
   4. Learns responsibility - provision for own needs - not enough for another.
      
      
   5. Learns God is the blessed controller of all things - not satan.
      
      
   6. Learns to exercise rights, privileges, authority.