“Complaining is like vomiting: you may feel better afterwards, but now everyone around you feels sick.” – Jon Gordon. Youth Ministry Sermon on September 13th 2015 at Full Force Youth Ministry.

Monday, September 14, 2015

“Complaining is like vomiting: you may feel better afterwards, but now everyone around you feels sick.” – Jon Gordon. Youth Ministry Sermon on September 13th 2015 at Full Force Youth Ministry.

“Complaining to your parents or complaining about your parents is like vomiting: you may feel better afterwards, but now everyone around you feels sick.” – Jon Gordon.

In Exodus 17, the people complained and blamed Moses for a whole ton of things, but this time, it was for taking them out of Egypt. (17:3). This was worse than a negative comment about the leadership of Moses, and their attitudes of complaining made God very angry (17:7). God was mad because of their attitude of ingratitude. I want to talk with you today about having an attitude of gratitude. One of the deadliest attitudes you can develop as students is an attitude of ingratitude that’s been manifested in complaining.

This morning, I want us to consider 4 questions about having an attitude of ingratitude:

When was the last time that one of your friends got carsick during a trip, and you had to pull over?
When was the last time you honestly wrote a note to your parents letting them know how much you appreciated them?
When was the last time you told a close friend how much you appreciated them?
When was the last time you told a teacher or principal, “Thank you”?

Let’s begin today’s lesson by making a list of things that most middle school and high school students complain about the most:

Bedtime
Parents’ dating rules
Parents’ cellphone
A kind of cereal for breakfast…

Dangers of Complaining:

Complaining and whining will kill your joy!

a) Nobody wants to be around someone who is always complaining.

b) Complaining about not having the latest iPhone.

c) Complaining about rules about dating.

God hates complainers. This habit is part of being an American. This habit is actually well accepted in a lot of families.

a) If you get a Ph.D. in this habit, you will not be appreciated by a lot of people in the your school.

b) It is a common to see this habit among adolescent-aged girls

c) Most guys have this habit when they work.

God does not want us to complain as believers, because:

1. Complaining reveals a heart that is not grateful to God (17:3).

A grateful heart seeks to give good thanks for all things, and in all things.
A grateful hearts focuses on the gifts that God has given to us.
The children of Israel had forgotten that Egypt was a terrible place.A grateful heart trusts that God is in charge and does not spill out words of anger towards God.
- They forgot that God had led them through the red sea and had defeated pharaoh.

2. Complaining releases a toxic attitude of greediness and bitterness towards those around us (17:2,4),

It might have started with one person, but all the people contracted the disease of complaining.

3. Complaining reflects a lack of contentment with the gifts that God has given us (17:5-6).

The people had forgotten that God was capable of taking care of all their needs.
- All they could sense was their need for water.

4. Complaining rejects God’s character as a generous giver of gifts that we don’t deserve. (17:7)

Closing Thoughts

Complaining is contagious; don’t start it!
“Complaining to your parents, or complaining about your parents, is like vomiting. You may feel better afterwards, but now everyone around you feels sick.” – Jon Gordon.
Complaining is a sin; repent and turn to Jesus Christ.
God wants you to cease from complaining!!!!
Complaining about a silent God while your Bible is closed, or when you are sleeping in church, is like complaining about not getting texted when your phone is turned off." – Bishop Dale Bronner