Passion 2021: Tim Tebow challenges teens to 'say yes' to 'being a laborer for Jesus'
Former NFL star Tim Tebow challenged thousands of teens gathered virtually at the Passion 2021 Conference to “take a stand and be a fighter” for Jesus in an increasingly turbulent culture.
“We've heard the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few,” the 33-year-old Christian activist said Thursday. “We have hundreds of thousands of people watching from around the world. We could change that. Could you imagine if we said yes to being a laborer for Jesus? To being a worker for Jesus? The laborers don't have to be a few anymore.”
Tebow referenced John 16:33, where, Jesus says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
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“There's a lot of people looking for peace right now,” the former football player said. “All over the world, they're trying to find in a lot of ways [to find peace]. Actually, they've been doing it for a long time, and really they think that it's money, fame, and power ... so many people have searched for it, but none of them actually get it.”
Jesus says that through Him, it’s possible to have peace in this world despite tribulation, Tebow contended, adding: “You will have trouble. There's a lot of trouble right now. ... You can't get around it.”
But “take heart” is a command and not a suggestion, Tebow said.
“We get to live with courage, taking heart because He won,” he said. “The results of that are permanent, continuous, never changing. There is never a day that we will wake up and that will not be the case.”
“There will never be a day that He is not victorious. Therefore, that means there's never a day we're not victorious,” Tebow added.
The former athlete posited that “our best days are in front of us” because “Heaven is in front of us” and because “our God wins.”
“He is our conquer. Therefore, we always get to have hope in the midst of adversity, in the midst of trouble, in the midst of tribulation, because what He did is permanent, it is continuous, it is never changing. That's why we get to have hope. That's why we get to have courage.”
“Will you take a stand?" He asked. “Will you be a laborer? Will you be a fighter for Jesus?”
Tebow, who is active in the fight against human trafficking, emphasized that there are over 40.3 million people around the world who are being trafficked against their will. He revealed that singer Tauren Wells recently called him, asking how he can lend his talents to fight human trafficking.
“[I said], ‘I think it would be amazing if you could write a song because we need people to rally in this fight,” Tebow recalled before introducing Wells’ latest single, “All God's Children.” The anthem speaks of the reality of human trafficking while empowering everyone to embrace their value in God.
“We need to rally. All the people that believe in good versus evil need to step up and stand on the line and say, ‘No longer on our watch,’” Tebow declared.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the annual Passion Conference, led by Pastor Louie Giglio, was held virtually this year. The annual event is geared toward young adults between the ages of 18 to 25 and aims to “glorify God by uniting students in worship, prayer and justice for spiritual awakening in this generation.”
Believing that “worship and justice are two sides of the same coin," Passion 2021 also raised over $100,000 to help with the rescue and care for survivors of cybersex trafficking across Southeast Asia.
