Marthoma Convention Chennai Center Youth Meeting - Jan 7th 2012

The 14th Annual Chennai Center Marthoma Convention for the Youth was held on Jan 7th 2012. The main speaker for the meeting was the Rev. P. P. Thomas, Professor of Old Testament, Bishop's College, Kolkata.
Rev. P P Thomas played different roles prior to being a Professor. He was the Bishop's secretary, involved with the Dharma Jyoti Theological Collecge, School Manager Institute of Deaf & Dumb Kasargod.


The main theme:
Diagnose your-self and see if you have an unclean spirit?

Mark 5:1-20
The current way of life has deteriorated in terms of integrity and pays more focus on efficiency. There is also lesser interaction and relationship between people. Achen asked the youth to look in to one self.

In the sermon, he talked about the characteristics of the person with an unclean spirit in the above Bible portion and check if there are similarlities in our own lives!


The person with an Unclean spirit was living in a tomb. There no one talks to each other. Do we talk to our neighbours in our flats ? If not, we must examine ourself and see if we are living in tombs ! People who do not want to connect with others are like the dead.

Luke 8:27.  When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs.

The unclean spirit was not dressed properly. Are we scantily clad and is our dressing pleasing in the sight of the Lord. Are we dressed like this unclean spirit filled man ? Remember we dress for others, so modest  dressing is important in our culture.



The man with the unclean spirit could not be tamed.He was having an uncontrollable personality.
We must make sure as youth we do not behave like that to our parents. Teenage is a time when there is more rebellion. However we should understand that our parents know better and are doing things for our good.


The unclean spirit was torturing/destroying the body of the man. Are we addicted to alcohol/ tobacco that kills the body ?
At each step of the above, examine yourself and see if you similarities of an unclean spirit.

The unclean spirit was called Legion  Mark 5:9 which is like a Roman battalion. Do we have a split personality? Do we  behave differently in church and at home and in school?


When you have a confrontation with Jesus a person with an unclean spirit will be cleansed. Our life will change dramatically. Achen called upon the Yuvajana Sakhyam members to be missionaries in our own work places and in the church by bringing our own youths to church. Whatever context we live in, we have our opportunities to bring glory to God. Lets use those opportunities.

Rev. P. P. Thomas

Rev. Biji Mathew, President Chennai Center Yuvajana Sakhyam