Alive 2019 - Youth Rally - Jeremy Roberts
Lesson Summary
Jeremy Roberts taught on the power and responsibility of words in digital communication during this Alive 2019 youth rally. Using a compelling story about a freshman's embarrassing mass email, he established that the internet doesn't bring out the worst in people—it reveals who they really are. Roberts emphasized that Paul's instructions in Ephesians 4:29 about letting no corrupting talk come out of our mouths apply fully to digital communication, not just face-to-face speech. He explained that believers should use their words to build people up, not tear them down. Roberts identified three primary ways young people misuse words online: first, destructive criticism that hides behind anonymity and the safety of screens; second, unproductive conflict that never resolves through digital platforms; and third, engaging in disputes that ultimately don't matter. He challenged students to examine their motivations and ask themselves whether their digital communication serves to edify or damage others, grounding this call in Jesus' teaching about private reconciliation in Matthew 18:15 and Paul's exhortation in Ephesians 4:31-32 to replace bitterness with kindness and tenderhearted forgiveness.
Key Scriptures
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, as God in Christ has forgiven you.