Sam Richards explores what we have to learn from Jesus about young people

The Gospels have very few mentions of young people. Because ‘youth’ was not yet invented as a social category. Because adolescence was seen as a normal part of life, not an alien lifeform. Because young people were just part of everyday life – integrated in an all-age intergenerational society. Because they did not need to be specifically mentioned as they were assumed to be there – like all the women and children ‘not counted’ in the recording of the miraculous feeding stories.

Young people only fleetingly come into focus in the New Testament on a few occasions. They feature among the miracles – the first examples of Jesus raising people from the dead are a young man (the widow’s son in Luke 7) and a young woman (Jairus’s 12-year-old daughter). In both instances Jesus gives the young people back to their families and communities. Broken generational relationships can be miraculously restored. Jesus shows us that young lives, like all lives, are best lived in the midst of loving relationships.

The second of these raising events is notable for the mocking Jesus receives from the well-meaning mourners who are unable to imagine what God can do. It can be all too easy to join the scoffers rather than engage with bringing new life to young people or believing that our churches might have something to offer young people when they are currently devoid of them. Jesus is very practical, urging ‘give her something to eat’ – recognising and encouraging others to meet the immediate needs of young people. Surely a simple lesson to learn…

Sam Richards is Head of Children’s and Youth Work for the URC. If your church is asking, ‘Where are the young people?’, check out the free conversation starter materials on the URC Education and Learning Hub to help you explore this together:

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This is an extract from an article published in the February 2024 edition of Reform

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