Graves presents NYC crowd with opportunity of a lifetime

Graves presents NYC crowd with opportunity of a lifetime

by
NCN Staff
| 14 Jul 2011
Delwedd
NYC 2011 David Graves altar call

Throughout the week of Nazarene Youth Conference 2011, students, sponsors, and even the venue staff at Louisville's KFC Yum! Center journeyed through A World Unbroken. Participants saw, and heard from leaders, the love of God. 

On Sunday, July 10, about 6,300 people gathered for church at the Yum! Center for the conference's final event. 

Nazarene Youth International Director Gary Hartke was recognized before the NYC crowd and received a standing ovation for the work he and his staff put in to planning and producing NYC 2011. 

After one last storytelling segment by Jason Sivewright and praise and worship from Starfield, Church of the Nazarene General Superintendent David Graves took the stage as the day's speaker. The theme for the session was "Restored."

 "As a Church, we are proud of you," Graves said. "You have represented the Church of the Nazarene, and more importantly you have represented Jesus Christ." 

Graves told the students they are to be united with God in Jesus' death. 

"God wants you to die to Him," he said. "He wants you to die to yourself.

"If you are really going to experience spiritual victory and live a holy life, you have to be willing to die.

"Are you willing to be crucified with Christ?

 "You've been sinning a long time," he continued. "You have been practicing this for a number of years.

"I never taught my kids the word 'mine,'" Graves said. "I never taught them to throw a temper tantrum. I didn't have to - they were born with my sinful nature.

"We have made it a habit in our lives to live for ourselves instead of our God."

Graves stressed to students the need to talk to God about every part of their lives, as the Christian faith is not meant to be lived out on an island or as a lone ranger. 

He said we would not continue on in our lives unless we leave with a commitment to be in the Word, pray, and be accountable to others. We must truly say to God, "Lord, do what you want to do with me." 

Graves challenged the students to make that kind of commitment, be truly open to God's will, and be restored into the image of Jesus Christ.

"Are you willing to say, 'World, you no longer have the power to conform me into the person you want me to be'?

"God is calling you to live a holy life. And the God who calls you is the God who is providing some wonderful things for you. He has provided the Holy Spirit for you. 

"As you leave this place today, you don't go by yourself - He sent the Holy Spirit with you."

Then Graves presented a life-changing opportunity.

"God can come and cleanse and purify your heart today.

"Today, God is here. He wants to restore you in His very image. He wants to come. He wants to cleanse your heart.

"He wants to come and begin His work of restoration in your life."

Graves said that in moments like these, "destinies will be determined" and "lives will be changed forever."

"The power of Jesus is greater than any temptation," he continued. "The power of God can keep you and enable you and fill you and use you in ways that you would never ever dream.

"I'm yours. Take me. Restore me into the person you created me to be. 

"God will do that work in you."

Time was given to the students to respond to the message of God by praying at the front of the stage or in their seats. 

Hartke then took the stage, saying, "This week, we have been rediscovering the story of God through Scripture." 

He reviewed the themes for the week - Create, Broken, Promise, Presence, Satisfied, Mission, Restored - and said, "we also want to remember the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior." 

The students took part in communion as a group as the service and conference concluded. 

The collective group known as NYC 2011 participants then separated into their respective districts and boarded cars, vans, buses, or airplanes for their trips home across North America, but took the message of the conference and Sunday's service with them. 

At last report, all had arrived home safely, but forever changed by their experience at NYC 2011 - A World Unbroken.

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