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[music]

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Alrighty Mars Hill,
we're in Luke 18:15-17,

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Jesus and children.

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You could find it in your Bible
or on your app

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and as you're doing that,

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I've got a few quick
book plugs for the book table.

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Today obviously we're talking
about Jesus and children,

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which raises a lot of questions
for people

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about parenting and children.

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So now here's
a few recommendations,

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"Shepherding a Child's Heart,"
by Tedd Tripp

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is a really great book,

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looks at how to raise children
not just with external,

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moral obedience
but inward, heart change.

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And we appreciate
his work a lot.

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We've got this book
on sale for you.

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He also lectured here
at Mars Hill on parenting

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and all of those lectures
in audio and video format

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are available for free

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at the marshillchurch.org
media library.

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So you can grab that if you're
a parent or grandparent

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or aspire to be as well.

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Nothing's more important
than just time in the Bible.

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That's true for
little people and big people.

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And the kids' Bible
we recommend a lot is

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the "Jesus Storybook Bible"
and it's a great, simple Bible.

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It takes some of the more
popular primary stories

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of the Scripture and connects
them all to Jesus

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and does so in a real
creative, poetic,

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and really a great way.

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And so we recommend this.

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My kids all enjoyed it.

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I read it to them when they
were little and as they got old

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enough to read, they started
reading it for themselves.

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This one is a deluxe edition and
it's also got the audio version,

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so your kids can listen to it
and they can read and some kids

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like to do both
and sort of follow along,

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which helps with
their reading skills.

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So we'd recommend
the "Jesus Storybook Bible."

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And my buddy Calvin,
my 9-year-old son,

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when he was little, "Operation
No More Tears" in Isaiah,

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that was his very
favorite in that.

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I read it a lot.

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And Alexie liked the "Never
Stopping, Never Giving Up,

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Always and Forever Love,"
that's their theme through

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the whole book is
God's love for us.

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Additionally, "Long Story
Short" is a great book.

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It's 10-minute devotionals
for parents or grandparents

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with children.

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And it's set up every day, read
a verse, ask some questions,

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have some discussions,
learn some big truths.

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It follows
the big ideas of the Bible.

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And this is the kind of book
you can have

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on the dining room table
along with a Bible

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and just have discussions over
mealtime with your family.

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So if you're someone who would
like to do that with your kids

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and/or grandkids, that would be
a super helpful resource

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for you as well.

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And it's put together by
a friend of ours from

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the Sovereign Grace network,
which is a really great

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Bible-believing network of
churches that we appreciate.

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And so that's a resource
from one of their leaders.

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That being said, I'm gonna pray
and we'll see what

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Jesus has for us today.

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Father God,
thank you first of all

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that we get to come to you
as Father.

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Just that in itself is
astonishing and amazing.

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That of all the ways and names
by which you could have revealed

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yourself to us, you
chose Father or Daddy.

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And so Father, as we open
the Scriptures today,

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we thank you that we get to see
a moment where Jesus interacted

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with children, where
the Son of God interacted

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with sons and daughters.

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And so we invite
you, Holy Spirit,

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to illuminate our understanding
of the Scriptures which you

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have written so that we
could learn about Jesus,

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in whose name we pray, amen.

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Let me start with a story.

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It was something I experienced
as a brand-new Christian.

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God saved me around
age 19 in college.

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And I was working as
a bellhop and shuttle driver,

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paying my way through school
during the summers

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at a Marriott,
Marriott Hotel.

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And being a brand-new
Christian called into ministry,

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one of the people that I
respected, appreciated,

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admired the most and do quite
frankly to this day

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was Billy Graham.

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I think he's
a wonderful man of God,

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he's been faithful to Jesus
and he was faithful to his wife

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and he's a wonderful man of God.

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And I've gotten to know
his grandson a little bit,

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a pastor named Tullian who's
a really good Bible teacher

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and a dear friend.

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And all the stories about
Billy as a man off the stage,

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behind the scenes only confirm
the kind of man

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that he was and is.

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And that's a fantastic,
admirable man of God,

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somebody I really appreciate,
respect, admire a lot.

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And so it was a big shock for
me when I was working

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at the Marriott, I was walking
by the restaurant one morning

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and I looked over
and I thought,

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"Man, that looks
like Billy Graham."

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But he wasn't sitting there with
like bodyguards and people with

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assault rifles, he was just
sitting there reading the paper

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with thick glasses wearing
a Minnesota Twins baseball cap.

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And I thought, "Well, he
is a man of great faith,

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that could be him."

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Anyone who roots for
the Twins has a lot of faith.

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And so I thought, "Well, I'm
working but I got to go check."

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So I walked in, I said, "Sir,
I hate to interrupt you,"

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which I didn't.

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That's why I was
interrupting him.

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But, "Sir, I hate
to interrupt you,"

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I don't remember exactly what
I said, "Are you Billy Graham?"

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He said, "Yes,"
in that awesome voice.

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I freaked out.

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I was just totally--
"You're Billy Graham."

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This is amazing, sitting
here in the Marriott.

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I don't remember what I said,
but I think I told him something

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to the effect of, "Hey, I'm
a pastor to be, want to be.

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"I'm a new Christian, God's
called me to ministry,

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I want to teach the Bible,
plant a church,"

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and he--and I just remember,
he was really nice to me.

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Put his paper down and just
visited with me

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for a few minutes.

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"Well that's great.

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"What has God called you to?

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How can I be praying for you?"

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Awesome.

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You've got the bat phone,
I mean, I'm sure, you know,

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you've got the red line.

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Awesome, please do pray.

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Awesome.

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And just really encouraged
and I walked away thinking,

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"Billy Graham just took a moment
and was present and loved me and

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served me and encouraged me,"
and that meant the world to me.

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And then I realized, "Uh-oh,
I just outed Billy Graham,"

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'cause the next thing I
know, everybody in this

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busy restaurant is,
"Is that Billy Graham?

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I think it is, I think
it is Billy Graham."

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I'm like, "Oh, I just ruined
this guy's private breakfast."

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Next thing you know, everybody's
coming over to see Billy Graham

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and he ends up sitting there
like Santa Claus and kids

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are climbing up on his lap
and people are taking over

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their babies to have him pray
for them and meet them.

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And he's answering their
questions and they're all

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getting their photo taken of
their kids with Billy Graham

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like he's Santa Claus
at the mall.

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And the next thing I know,
people are going up to their

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room and they're stealing the
Gideon's Bible and they're

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bringing it down asking Billy
to autograph the stolen Bible

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—which is awesome.

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And I had to make the drives
to the airport

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and so I kept checking back.

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"Oh, there's a big line,
it's a big party."

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The next thing I know, all
the employees are hanging out

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with Billy Graham.

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And I don't know how long it
was before he left 'cause I

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was working, but it was at least
an hour Billy sat there.

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Kids climbing up on his
lap, him praying for them,

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loving and serving people.

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And after he left, the buzz at
my work for the next week was,

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"How awesome is Billy Graham?"

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The non-Christians I work with,
some of whom were quite frankly

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opposed to the gospel,
they loved Billy.

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They go, "He was so humble, he
was so real, he was so nice.

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"It was so kind of him.

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He was accessible."

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And I thought, "Praise
God for Billy Graham."

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Of all the Christians
to drop into my workplace,

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we got this amazing man of God.

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And the way he conducted himself
just put a sweetness into

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the workplace where people were
absolutely blown away by the way

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he treated them, particularly
the way he treated children.

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And it reminds me
of the story of Jesus today.

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See, Billy in that
moment, he was showing us

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a little bit of Jesus.

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We're gonna read a story, one
of the most beloved stories

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in the whole Bible.

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It's in three of the four Gospel
accounts of Jesus and it tells

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us about a day when Jesus
had a moment like that.

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Big, famous, powerful man with
enormous crowds has children who

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want to come and hang out with
him and take a lot of his time

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and disrupt his day
and interrupt his teaching.

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And there's his response and
the response of his followers,

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some religious leaders.

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We'll read it for
ourselves in Luke 18:15-17,

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"Now they were bringing
even infants to him—"

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You see it, Jesus is like
Santa Claus at the mall,

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a long line of kids
coming to see him.

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"—that he might touch them.

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"And when the disciples
saw it, they rebuked them.

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"But Jesus called
them to him, saying,

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"'Let the children come to
me, and do not hinder them,

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"'for to such belongs
the kingdom of God.

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"'Truly, I say to you, whoever
does not receive the kingdom

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of God like a child
shall not enter it.'"

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There's Jesus.

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Now, this event happens in
the middle of the Roman Empire,

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which is one of
the most far-reaching,

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long-lasting empires
in the history of the world.

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And the Roman Empire was not
particularly fond to children.

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There was abortion,
a primitive form,

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there was also abandonment.

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This was particularly true if
a disabled or handicapped child

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was born, they would literally
oftentimes be put out

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with the trash.

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And the same was true for
daughters, daughters were not,

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as is sadly the case in
some nations in our own day,

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as valued as sons.

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And so if a daughter was born,
some families literally

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would just put the daughter
out alive, a baby,

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on the trash heap to be picked
up on collection day

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and thrown away.

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Now, I'm a dad, I've got
three boys, two girls,

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I couldn't fathom life
without my daughters.

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I couldn't fathom life without
my--I had lunch with my

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two daughters today.

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I got lots of kisses and
snuggles and visits and laughs

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with my girls every day.

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To think of just
discarding them,

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that kind of abandonment
was common in that day.

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And then the result would be not
only abortion and abandonment,

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but also abuse.

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Because these babies would
be picked up and turned into

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slaves, gladiators,
and prostitutes.

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And their lives would be
wrecked and destroyed.

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And so Jesus here is working
and speaking in the midst

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of a context that is
not fond or friendly

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toward children oftentimes.

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And we might look at
that and say,

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"Well, that's a very primitive
time and those are very

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primitive people," but we're
not that dissimilar.

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This year, 1.5 million American
children will be aborted.

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Their lives will
be taken in utero.

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Additionally, there
is abandonment,

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particularly by fathers,

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where the fathers abandon
their responsibilities

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toward their children.

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Forty percent of kids tonight
will go to bed

242
00:11:14,292 --> 00:11:16,167
without their father.

243
00:11:16,250 --> 00:11:19,667
They're thrown into poverty,
they're left in a very dangerous

244
00:11:19,750 --> 00:11:24,375
situation, economically
and socially and physically.

245
00:11:24,458 --> 00:11:26,792
In certain ethnic communities,
that percentage is

246
00:11:26,833 --> 00:11:30,125
much higher, over 50%.

247
00:11:30,167 --> 00:11:32,625
So there is abandonment
as well today.

248
00:11:32,667 --> 00:11:34,833
And it does lead to abuse,

249
00:11:34,875 --> 00:11:36,875
child abuse
of various sorts and kinds.

250
00:11:36,958 --> 00:11:39,125
Some people, and perhaps
tragically some of you,

251
00:11:39,167 --> 00:11:42,125
harsh with children,
mean with children,

252
00:11:42,167 --> 00:11:44,708
you don't just correct
them but you punish them,

253
00:11:44,792 --> 00:11:47,833
which is sinful.

254
00:11:47,875 --> 00:11:53,500
As well, every 10 seconds, a
report is made for child abuse.

255
00:11:53,583 --> 00:11:57,667
Now imagine all the cases
that are not reported.

256
00:11:57,750 --> 00:12:02,208
So Jesus' Word and Jesus'
example is fitting for his day

257
00:12:02,292 --> 00:12:07,417
but it fits our day,
sadly, equally necessary.

258
00:12:07,500 --> 00:12:10,417
And so who is this man, Jesus,
who's talking about children

259
00:12:10,500 --> 00:12:12,667
and interacting with children?

260
00:12:12,750 --> 00:12:15,000
Well, he's done one of the most
extraordinary things

261
00:12:15,083 --> 00:12:17,375
in the history
of the world and that is,

262
00:12:17,458 --> 00:12:21,167
bestowed particular dignity
on children and childhood.

263
00:12:21,250 --> 00:12:27,625
'Cause Jesus Christ is God and
we always say, become a man,

264
00:12:27,667 --> 00:12:30,417
which isn't wrong,
but it's not altogether right.

265
00:12:30,500 --> 00:12:33,833
Before Jesus Christ
was God become a man,

266
00:12:33,875 --> 00:12:36,583
he was God become a baby.

267
00:12:36,667 --> 00:12:39,583
We tend not to think of
Jesus in that light, do you?

268
00:12:39,667 --> 00:12:41,833
I mean, Christmas you're
like, "Oh, yeah, he's cute.

269
00:12:41,875 --> 00:12:43,208
He went to the cross."

270
00:12:43,292 --> 00:12:45,208
We sort of miss
everything in the middle.

271
00:12:45,292 --> 00:12:47,000
And the church
creeds do as well.

272
00:12:47,083 --> 00:12:48,792
He was born of the Virgin Mary

273
00:12:48,833 --> 00:12:50,292
and crucified
under Pontius Pilate.

274
00:12:50,333 --> 00:12:51,833
Hey, what happened
to elementary school?

275
00:12:51,875 --> 00:12:54,333
What happened to junior high?
What happened to high school?

276
00:12:54,375 --> 00:12:56,333
The creeds all skip
that time as well,

277
00:12:56,375 --> 00:13:01,417
because we struggle with
Jesus being a child.

278
00:13:01,500 --> 00:13:05,000
But Jesus is God become a baby.

279
00:13:05,042 --> 00:13:07,208
We read previously in
the narrative of Luke's Gospel

280
00:13:07,292 --> 00:13:09,833
and Luke 2:52 that Jesus
grew in wisdom, stature,

281
00:13:09,875 --> 00:13:12,167
and favor with men and God.

282
00:13:12,250 --> 00:13:15,583
He grew up, he was a baby
and then he was a little boy

283
00:13:15,667 --> 00:13:18,583
and he had to learn how
to walk and talk and read

284
00:13:18,667 --> 00:13:20,000
and write and feed himself.

285
00:13:20,042 --> 00:13:22,333
And he went through the
equivalent of elementary school

286
00:13:22,375 --> 00:13:24,208
and junior high
and he grew up

287
00:13:24,292 --> 00:13:26,000
and went through
his teens and 20s.

288
00:13:26,083 --> 00:13:29,000
And at this point in the
story, he's in his early 30s.

289
00:13:29,083 --> 00:13:34,167
And so Jesus bestows particular
dignity on childhood because God

290
00:13:34,250 --> 00:13:35,917
went through childhood.

291
00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,000
Now God doesn't grow, God
doesn't change, but Jesus,

292
00:13:39,083 --> 00:13:42,208
in becoming a man,
he humbled himself,

293
00:13:42,292 --> 00:13:45,500
he set aside the continual use
of some of his divine attributes

294
00:13:45,583 --> 00:13:47,417
to identify with us.

295
00:13:47,500 --> 00:13:51,417
So he remained God, but he chose
to humbly live among us

296
00:13:51,500 --> 00:13:53,000
like one of us.

297
00:13:53,042 --> 00:13:56,500
And now what this means about
Jesus, and I see this as a dad,

298
00:13:56,542 --> 00:14:01,000
is that kids can relate to
Jesus because he's been a kid.

299
00:14:01,042 --> 00:14:03,500
He had brothers and sisters.

300
00:14:03,542 --> 00:14:05,833
He had to obey his
mother and his father.

301
00:14:05,875 --> 00:14:08,167
He had to do his homework.

302
00:14:08,250 --> 00:14:11,667
And so even children can relate
to Jesus because at one point,

303
00:14:11,750 --> 00:14:13,708
he was their age.

304
00:14:13,792 --> 00:14:15,583
Isn't that fascinating?

305
00:14:15,667 --> 00:14:18,417
This hadn't even really dawned
on me till I started talking

306
00:14:18,500 --> 00:14:19,833
to the kids.

307
00:14:19,875 --> 00:14:22,583
They'd ask things like, "Hey,
Dad, was Jesus a good brother?"

308
00:14:22,667 --> 00:14:24,000
Yeah.

309
00:14:24,083 --> 00:14:25,667
"Did he do his chores?"

310
00:14:25,750 --> 00:14:27,500
Yeah.

311
00:14:27,583 --> 00:14:31,583
Kids start relating to Jesus at
their age because at some point,

312
00:14:31,667 --> 00:14:33,417
he was their age.

313
00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:35,083
And what's the story of Jesus?

314
00:14:35,167 --> 00:14:40,625
Well, he was born
of a single mother, a virgin,

315
00:14:40,667 --> 00:14:42,625
but a single mother nonetheless
we read earlier

316
00:14:42,667 --> 00:14:44,625
in Luke's Gospel.

317
00:14:44,667 --> 00:14:47,500
And so this is one of
the reasons we encourage men

318
00:14:47,583 --> 00:14:50,833
at Mars Hill who are
single and want to marry,

319
00:14:50,875 --> 00:14:53,000
don't overlook
the single mothers.

320
00:14:53,042 --> 00:14:56,417
Jesus' mother was
a single mother.

321
00:14:56,500 --> 00:14:59,417
And Jesus' father, who adopted
him, who was not his biological,

322
00:14:59,500 --> 00:15:02,625
but his adopted father, was
a blue-collar carpenter worker

323
00:15:02,667 --> 00:15:05,000
named Joseph.

324
00:15:05,042 --> 00:15:07,292
So Jesus was adopted.

325
00:15:07,333 --> 00:15:11,375
So as Christians, we're in this
great legacy where Christians

326
00:15:11,458 --> 00:15:13,000
are involved in foster care

327
00:15:13,042 --> 00:15:14,500
and Christians are involved
in adoption.

328
00:15:14,542 --> 00:15:15,875
Why?

329
00:15:15,958 --> 00:15:17,625
Well, our God was adopted.

330
00:15:17,667 --> 00:15:20,417
A guy named Russell Moore in
a book, "Adopted for Life,"

331
00:15:20,500 --> 00:15:22,417
he hit some of
these big ideas.

332
00:15:22,500 --> 00:15:23,833
So here's Jesus, right?

333
00:15:23,875 --> 00:15:26,333
He'd been a child.
Now he's a grown man.

334
00:15:26,375 --> 00:15:28,375
He's eternally God entered
into human history.

335
00:15:28,458 --> 00:15:31,333
His mom was a single mom,
his daddy adopted him,

336
00:15:31,375 --> 00:15:38,792
and here he is male, not female,
single, not married,

337
00:15:38,833 --> 00:15:42,333
childless, not a father.

338
00:15:42,375 --> 00:15:44,375
And who enjoys him?

339
00:15:44,458 --> 00:15:46,500
Who loves him?
Who's drawn to him?

340
00:15:46,583 --> 00:15:48,292
Children.

341
00:15:48,333 --> 00:15:49,833
Isn't that amazing?

342
00:15:49,875 --> 00:15:52,583
See 'cause in our day, who's
the least likely person

343
00:15:52,667 --> 00:15:54,083
to be with children?

344
00:15:54,167 --> 00:15:56,417
Single men.

345
00:15:56,500 --> 00:15:59,125
Some guys would say,
"Uh, I don't like kids.

346
00:15:59,167 --> 00:16:01,625
That's women's work, I'm a man."

347
00:16:01,667 --> 00:16:03,792
You can't get any
more manly than Jesus,

348
00:16:03,833 --> 00:16:06,417
he's as masculine as can be.

349
00:16:06,500 --> 00:16:09,833
He likes kids, and kids like
him.

350
00:16:09,875 --> 00:16:11,375
They're, in fact, drawn to him.

351
00:16:11,458 --> 00:16:14,000
You're gonna see this at
various points in the Gospel.

352
00:16:14,083 --> 00:16:15,417
They just come to him.

353
00:16:15,500 --> 00:16:17,625
At another point, they come to
sing and dance

354
00:16:17,667 --> 00:16:19,000
and hang out with him.

355
00:16:19,083 --> 00:16:23,000
Jesus attracts children in a
way that religious people don't.

356
00:16:23,083 --> 00:16:25,000
Right, we don't see this
in the Gospels,

357
00:16:25,083 --> 00:16:27,583
"Oh, and the children all ran
to the religious people."

358
00:16:27,667 --> 00:16:29,417
Never happens.

359
00:16:29,500 --> 00:16:31,333
The children all run to Jesus.

360
00:16:31,375 --> 00:16:35,625
They like him, he likes them.

361
00:16:35,667 --> 00:16:38,667
So men, this shows us
it's a masculine,

362
00:16:38,750 --> 00:16:42,000
godly thing to love children,
even if you're not a dad,

363
00:16:42,083 --> 00:16:44,083
and for children to
enjoy being with you

364
00:16:44,167 --> 00:16:45,667
and you enjoy being with them.

365
00:16:45,750 --> 00:16:49,000
This is why we encourage men to
aspire to be fathers and coaches

366
00:16:49,083 --> 00:16:53,333
and teachers and big brothers
and nursery workers and to love

367
00:16:53,375 --> 00:16:55,125
and to serve children
as Jesus did.

368
00:16:55,167 --> 00:16:58,500
So the children are coming to
Jesus and some of the accounts

369
00:16:58,542 --> 00:17:01,000
say that the kids were
old enough to walk.

370
00:17:01,083 --> 00:17:03,000
So you think, you know,
kids with--you know,

371
00:17:03,083 --> 00:17:05,208
little girls with pigtails
and think of, you know,

372
00:17:05,292 --> 00:17:07,083
little boys with Fudgesicles
and boogers, right?

373
00:17:07,167 --> 00:17:08,583
They're all coming to Jesus.

374
00:17:08,667 --> 00:17:11,333
We're gonna go hang out with
Jesus, he looks like fun.

375
00:17:11,375 --> 00:17:14,333
And there's also parents in this
account who are sort of carrying

376
00:17:14,375 --> 00:17:15,833
their kids 'cause
they're too small.

377
00:17:15,875 --> 00:17:17,792
And the disciples are
freaking out,

378
00:17:17,833 --> 00:17:19,833
"Oh no, what about
our service order?

379
00:17:19,875 --> 00:17:21,333
"This is our big event.

380
00:17:21,375 --> 00:17:22,875
"We have an order of things

381
00:17:22,958 --> 00:17:24,792
"and the kids are disrupting
everything.

382
00:17:24,833 --> 00:17:27,417
"And oh my goodness, they're
gonna--they're wiping boogers on

383
00:17:27,500 --> 00:17:30,667
"Jesus and somebody spilled
their Fudgesicle on Jesus

384
00:17:30,750 --> 00:17:34,417
"and the one guy's--the kid's
yanking on his beard."

385
00:17:34,500 --> 00:17:39,500
Oh, this is very not okay
'cause this is

386
00:17:39,583 --> 00:17:42,667
a solemn religious moment

387
00:17:42,750 --> 00:17:46,167
where Jesus is preaching
a very important sermon.

388
00:17:46,250 --> 00:17:48,625
And Jesus says,
"Nope, I like kids.

389
00:17:48,667 --> 00:17:50,833
"Bring the kids to me.

390
00:17:50,875 --> 00:17:53,083
"In fact, let's stop
everything we're doing,

391
00:17:53,167 --> 00:17:55,333
let's make them a priority."

392
00:17:55,375 --> 00:17:59,000
Isn't that wonderful?

393
00:17:59,083 --> 00:18:02,833
So I read the commentaries on
this and they brought out

394
00:18:02,875 --> 00:18:04,500
the obvious, right?

395
00:18:04,542 --> 00:18:06,333
That Jesus blessed
them and welcomed them

396
00:18:06,375 --> 00:18:09,833
and he touched them and they
all quoted Psalm 127

397
00:18:09,875 --> 00:18:12,583
where it says that children are
a blessing from the Lord.

398
00:18:12,667 --> 00:18:14,167
And this is the big idea:

399
00:18:14,250 --> 00:18:16,417
children are a blessing
from the Lord.

400
00:18:16,500 --> 00:18:18,000
We believe that.

401
00:18:18,083 --> 00:18:20,292
We really believe
that at Mars Hill.

402
00:18:20,333 --> 00:18:23,500
And Jesus here demonstrates that
he agrees with the Scripture

403
00:18:23,583 --> 00:18:24,917
that children are a blessing.

404
00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,583
But beyond that, most of the
Bible commentaries were boring

405
00:18:28,667 --> 00:18:30,333
because Bible commentaries
are written by

406
00:18:30,375 --> 00:18:33,500
old, white nerds, okay?

407
00:18:33,542 --> 00:18:36,708
I'm white and nerd
and I'm getting old,

408
00:18:36,792 --> 00:18:38,917
and so I'm not
saying it's all bad,

409
00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,708
but there are times in Bible
commentaries where they miss it,

410
00:18:41,792 --> 00:18:43,708
like when there's kids
or somebody's having fun

411
00:18:43,792 --> 00:18:45,125
or Jesus tells a joke.

412
00:18:45,167 --> 00:18:47,333
That tends to be where
the old, white nerds

413
00:18:47,375 --> 00:18:48,708
don't land the dismount.

414
00:18:48,792 --> 00:18:50,500
They tend to miss
what's going on.

415
00:18:50,583 --> 00:18:53,500
So I wanted to know, in this
story where all the kids

416
00:18:53,583 --> 00:18:56,167
are coming to Jesus and Jesus
is glad to see them

417
00:18:56,250 --> 00:18:58,917
and they're glad to see
him, and you got to know

418
00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:00,792
it's kind of a fiasco and mess.

419
00:19:00,833 --> 00:19:02,167
It's not super clean, right?

420
00:19:02,250 --> 00:19:05,167
You ever seen a bunch
of kids just rush to someone?

421
00:19:05,250 --> 00:19:06,583
It's not real orderly, right?

422
00:19:06,667 --> 00:19:09,333
You don't have a bunch of
kids in a single-file line.

423
00:19:09,375 --> 00:19:11,833
"Oh, and what would you
inquire of the Lord today?"

424
00:19:11,875 --> 00:19:13,333
It's not gonna be like that.

425
00:19:13,375 --> 00:19:14,708
Fudgesicles, boogers,
and ponytails,

426
00:19:14,792 --> 00:19:16,333
that's what we're dealing with.

427
00:19:16,375 --> 00:19:19,333
So I went to the experts,
I asked my kids.

428
00:19:19,375 --> 00:19:21,625
Alright, let's talk about this
story.

429
00:19:21,667 --> 00:19:23,875
The old, white nerds
missed the big idea.

430
00:19:23,958 --> 00:19:27,583
So I asked Gideon, my
5-year-old son, Gideon Joseph,

431
00:19:27,667 --> 00:19:29,417
my 7-year-old daughter,
Alexie Grace,

432
00:19:29,500 --> 00:19:32,000
my 9-year-old son,
Calvin Martin,

433
00:19:32,083 --> 00:19:34,708
my 11-year-old son,
Zachariah Blaise,

434
00:19:34,792 --> 00:19:37,333
some questions about
Jesus and the children.

435
00:19:37,375 --> 00:19:39,625
I didn't ask Ashley
'cause she's 13,

436
00:19:39,667 --> 00:19:42,333
so she would have been older
than probably these kids were

437
00:19:42,375 --> 00:19:44,708
according to the Greek words
that are used for children.

438
00:19:44,792 --> 00:19:47,708
And in that day she was actually
old enough to be married,

439
00:19:47,792 --> 00:19:49,875
which freaks me out.

440
00:19:49,958 --> 00:19:53,917
So I'm not gonna talk about
that 'cause it freaks me out.

441
00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,083
But my four younger children,
I asked these questions.

442
00:19:57,167 --> 00:19:58,500
Alright.

443
00:19:58,542 --> 00:20:01,000
Why do you think the kids
were coming to Jesus?

444
00:20:01,042 --> 00:20:02,375
I asked them the question.

445
00:20:02,458 --> 00:20:04,708
So Gideon, the great
theologian that he is, said,

446
00:20:04,792 --> 00:20:07,708
"I think they liked him and they
wanted to play with him

447
00:20:07,792 --> 00:20:09,125
because Jesus was fun."

448
00:20:09,167 --> 00:20:11,500
Let's unpack that.
Do you think Jesus was fun?

449
00:20:11,583 --> 00:20:14,917
There are things that we
call the attributes of God.

450
00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,000
He's omniscient, he's
omnipotent, he's omnipresent.

451
00:20:18,083 --> 00:20:19,417
He's also fun.

452
00:20:19,500 --> 00:20:21,917
I think Gideon nailed it.
I was thinking about it.

453
00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,000
I don't remember ever reading
a systematic theology—

454
00:20:24,083 --> 00:20:26,333
and I've got a handful,
more than a handful,

455
00:20:26,375 --> 00:20:29,833
I've got a roomful of systematic
Theologies—and in the attributes

456
00:20:29,875 --> 00:20:33,917
of God, I've never
remembered seeing "fun."

457
00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,292
But Gideon nailed it.

458
00:20:36,333 --> 00:20:38,625
Jesus is fun.

459
00:20:38,667 --> 00:20:40,833
He doesn't sin, but he's fun.

460
00:20:40,875 --> 00:20:42,833
That's why kids run to him.

461
00:20:42,875 --> 00:20:45,833
The only other time you see kids
run to something is like

462
00:20:45,875 --> 00:20:48,125
an ice cream cart, right?

463
00:20:48,167 --> 00:20:50,333
Or like a Popsicle truck,
they're running.

464
00:20:50,375 --> 00:20:52,417
Why?
Good times.

465
00:20:52,500 --> 00:20:56,000
Kids run where there's fun.

466
00:20:56,083 --> 00:20:57,500
Jesus was fun.

467
00:20:57,583 --> 00:21:00,333
This is why Jesus keeps getting
invited to parties and why

468
00:21:00,375 --> 00:21:02,583
the religious people were very
furrow-browed and critical.

469
00:21:02,667 --> 00:21:04,500
"Oh, he cannot be the Son of
God.

470
00:21:04,583 --> 00:21:08,583
People enjoy him." Right?

471
00:21:08,667 --> 00:21:11,583
Jesus got invited to parties,
Jesus gathered a crowd,

472
00:21:11,667 --> 00:21:16,125
Jesus welcomed children
because Jesus was and is fun.

473
00:21:16,167 --> 00:21:18,000
Some of you don't know that.

474
00:21:18,083 --> 00:21:20,125
Some of you are not fun.

475
00:21:20,167 --> 00:21:24,333
Repent and be fun.
Repent and be fun.

476
00:21:24,375 --> 00:21:26,000
It's actually really
important for kids.

477
00:21:26,042 --> 00:21:29,000
I've had parents be like, "I
can't get my children to obey."

478
00:21:29,042 --> 00:21:30,375
"Are you any fun?"

479
00:21:30,458 --> 00:21:31,792
"No."

480
00:21:31,833 --> 00:21:33,167
"Ha-ha, be fun."

481
00:21:33,250 --> 00:21:35,333
Children like fun.

482
00:21:35,375 --> 00:21:37,333
It's good to be fun.
God is fun.

483
00:21:37,375 --> 00:21:40,500
One of his attributes that
Gideon illustrates for us

484
00:21:40,542 --> 00:21:41,875
is Jesus was fun.

485
00:21:41,958 --> 00:21:44,667
Alexie said, "I think they
love God, thought he was fun."

486
00:21:44,750 --> 00:21:47,375
You'll notice a theme
at the Driscoll household.

487
00:21:47,458 --> 00:21:49,375
Our God is a fun God.

488
00:21:49,458 --> 00:21:51,583
"And wanted to fun,"
oh there is it again,

489
00:21:51,667 --> 00:21:54,000
"with him and learn
more about him."

490
00:21:54,083 --> 00:21:57,208
Alexie said, "I think Jesus was
fun and so kids wanted to go

491
00:21:57,292 --> 00:22:00,333
"have fun with him and then he'd
teach 'em while he was

492
00:22:00,375 --> 00:22:01,917
having fun with 'em."

493
00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,500
Calvin said, "I think they
wanted to meet him

494
00:22:04,542 --> 00:22:07,333
or be close to him or to learn
more about him."

495
00:22:07,375 --> 00:22:10,333
And Zach said, "I think they
loved him and he was nice

496
00:22:10,375 --> 00:22:13,417
to them, so they wanted to
spend time with him."

497
00:22:13,500 --> 00:22:15,792
I think those are good insights.

498
00:22:15,833 --> 00:22:19,000
I then asked them, "Why do you
think the adults did not want

499
00:22:19,042 --> 00:22:21,292
the kids to come to Jesus?"

500
00:22:21,333 --> 00:22:23,708
Gideon said, "They thought the
kids would be bothering Jesus

501
00:22:23,792 --> 00:22:27,833
because they thought Jesus
was too busy for kids."

502
00:22:27,875 --> 00:22:29,833
See, sometimes we think
that way, don't we?

503
00:22:29,875 --> 00:22:31,625
We have very important
things to do.

504
00:22:31,667 --> 00:22:34,375
"You kids need to be quiet.
you kids need to recognize

505
00:22:34,458 --> 00:22:36,417
"I'm very busy.
I'm on the phone.

506
00:22:36,500 --> 00:22:39,500
"I'm surfing the Internet.
I'm watching television.

507
00:22:39,583 --> 00:22:41,917
"I'm balancing my checkbook.

508
00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,500
"You kids are disrupting
this, get out of my way.

509
00:22:44,542 --> 00:22:47,583
"I have very important,
serious adult things to do.

510
00:22:47,667 --> 00:22:50,500
Don't bother me, I'm busy."

511
00:22:50,583 --> 00:22:54,667
Jesus says, "What could be more
important than inviting kids

512
00:22:54,750 --> 00:23:01,125
to be loved and discipled and
have some fun with them?"

513
00:23:01,167 --> 00:23:04,000
Very convicting.

514
00:23:04,083 --> 00:23:05,708
I feel prompted
to tell you this.

515
00:23:05,792 --> 00:23:09,125
You know, there's a good
parenting lesson here.

516
00:23:09,167 --> 00:23:12,500
One of the lies that has been
promulgated is that you don't

517
00:23:12,542 --> 00:23:16,167
need quantity time with your
children, you need what?

518
00:23:16,250 --> 00:23:17,875
Quality time.

519
00:23:17,958 --> 00:23:19,333
Here's the truth:

520
00:23:19,375 --> 00:23:22,000
You don't know when the
quality time is going to come,

521
00:23:22,042 --> 00:23:24,500
when their heart's gonna open
up, when a situation arises,

522
00:23:24,583 --> 00:23:26,167
when they need you.

523
00:23:26,250 --> 00:23:27,833
You just don't know.

524
00:23:27,875 --> 00:23:30,500
So you can't say, "Well,
on Tuesday from 3 to 4,

525
00:23:30,583 --> 00:23:33,708
we're going to have deep,
heartfelt conversation."

526
00:23:33,792 --> 00:23:37,125
Alright, you don't know, so
you need to be there a lot,

527
00:23:37,167 --> 00:23:40,000
need to be available
and attentive.

528
00:23:40,083 --> 00:23:42,708
And then when their little
heart opens up, love and serve,

529
00:23:42,792 --> 00:23:44,667
encourage, instruct,
correct whatever is needed

530
00:23:44,750 --> 00:23:46,083
at the moment.

531
00:23:46,167 --> 00:23:49,083
I saw this last night at my
house, the latest example.

532
00:23:49,167 --> 00:23:51,667
I brushed my teeth, came out.

533
00:23:51,750 --> 00:23:53,083
It was bedtime.

534
00:23:53,167 --> 00:23:57,208
There's Alexie, 7-years-old,
super affectionate, love her.

535
00:23:57,292 --> 00:23:59,667
I did bike riding with
the kids yesterday.

536
00:23:59,750 --> 00:24:02,917
She sat on my lap for like
3 hours, we watched a movie,

537
00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:04,917
snuggled, held hands,
went for a walk.

538
00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:07,417
You know, with all the kids,
but Alexie was particularly

539
00:24:07,500 --> 00:24:08,833
affectionate yesterday.

540
00:24:08,875 --> 00:24:11,833
So she was waiting for me
because she only goes to bed

541
00:24:11,875 --> 00:24:13,708
via piggyback ride.

542
00:24:13,792 --> 00:24:16,833
It's the only way she will go
to bed, via piggyback ride.

543
00:24:16,875 --> 00:24:19,500
So it's not in the Bible,
but it's a good idea,

544
00:24:19,583 --> 00:24:21,875
so I give her a piggyback
ride every night.

545
00:24:21,958 --> 00:24:24,500
So she's waiting for me
and I said, "Okay honey,

546
00:24:24,583 --> 00:24:26,083
you ready for your
piggyback ride?"

547
00:24:26,167 --> 00:24:28,292
And I could just tell
in her little face,

548
00:24:28,333 --> 00:24:30,000
because she's usually
very joyous and joyful,

549
00:24:30,083 --> 00:24:32,375
I could just tell something
was perhaps bothering her.

550
00:24:32,458 --> 00:24:36,000
So I got down on one knee and I
looked her in the eye while

551
00:24:36,083 --> 00:24:38,792
she was sitting in a chair,
and I said, "Sweetie pie,

552
00:24:38,833 --> 00:24:41,292
"is there something wrong
that Daddy can help you with?

553
00:24:41,333 --> 00:24:43,500
Is there something that
Daddy needs to know about?"

554
00:24:43,542 --> 00:24:44,875
"No, I'm fine."

555
00:24:44,958 --> 00:24:46,875
I said, "Honey, it
doesn't look like it."

556
00:24:46,958 --> 00:24:48,292
[Mimics crying.] Exploded.

557
00:24:48,333 --> 00:24:51,500
Just started bawling because
she had recently gotten

558
00:24:51,542 --> 00:24:53,000
a Beanie Baby.

559
00:24:53,083 --> 00:24:55,125
The Beanie Baby was
apparently very old.

560
00:24:55,167 --> 00:24:57,417
She realized that maybe
the Beanie Baby was worth

561
00:24:57,500 --> 00:24:59,208
a lot of money
because we're walking--

562
00:24:59,292 --> 00:25:01,125
we watch shows
like "Pickers," right?

563
00:25:01,167 --> 00:25:04,125
So all my kids are like,
"Oh, we could find old junk

564
00:25:04,167 --> 00:25:05,500
and get rich."

565
00:25:05,583 --> 00:25:07,708
So now this is kind
of their thing.

566
00:25:07,792 --> 00:25:09,208
And somebody tells her,

567
00:25:09,292 --> 00:25:11,917
"Oh, that Beanie Baby could
be worth a lot of money."

568
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:14,708
And she is thinking, "I have
hit the Beanie Baby jackpot."

569
00:25:14,792 --> 00:25:17,708
But, oh no, because she wanted
to play with the Beanie Baby,

570
00:25:17,792 --> 00:25:20,500
she already took the tag off,
which could diminish the value

571
00:25:20,542 --> 00:25:22,625
of said Beanie Baby.

572
00:25:22,667 --> 00:25:27,125
So she has a 7-year-old
economic crisis on her hands

573
00:25:27,167 --> 00:25:29,000
and she's really
worried about it.

574
00:25:29,042 --> 00:25:32,167
And her little heart in the
moment, it's kind of a big deal.

575
00:25:32,250 --> 00:25:35,000
I got down on one knee, I
said, "Honey, it's okay.

576
00:25:35,083 --> 00:25:36,833
"It's okay.
Daddy makes money.

577
00:25:36,875 --> 00:25:38,708
"We're not dependent
upon the Beanie Babies

578
00:25:38,792 --> 00:25:42,833
"for sustenance and life.

579
00:25:42,875 --> 00:25:44,333
"If you enjoy the Beanie Baby,

580
00:25:44,375 --> 00:25:46,167
"that's what
the Beanie Baby was for.

581
00:25:46,250 --> 00:25:48,667
"Only adults would buy and
sell and trade Beanie Babies.

582
00:25:48,750 --> 00:25:51,000
They're made for children
to have fun with."

583
00:25:51,083 --> 00:25:53,625
I literally wiped the tears
from her eyes, kissed her,

584
00:25:53,667 --> 00:25:55,333
snuggled with her,
prayed for her,

585
00:25:55,375 --> 00:25:58,000
gave her a piggyback
ride to bed.

586
00:25:58,083 --> 00:26:02,000
You don't know when the quality
time is going to surface,

587
00:26:02,042 --> 00:26:05,500
so you have to be attentive
and aware as much of the time

588
00:26:05,583 --> 00:26:07,500
as is possible.

589
00:26:07,583 --> 00:26:09,333
Now, say, "Where
do you get that?"

590
00:26:09,375 --> 00:26:11,000
Look at Jesus.

591
00:26:11,042 --> 00:26:13,833
This was not, "And now we're
going to do the children's

592
00:26:13,875 --> 00:26:15,792
discipleship lesson."

593
00:26:15,833 --> 00:26:17,917
Jesus is teaching.

594
00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:20,125
There's a big crowd,
there's a lot going on.

595
00:26:20,167 --> 00:26:24,000
There's nothing in
the schedule for the kids.

596
00:26:24,042 --> 00:26:26,500
But the kids decide,
"Let's go see Jesus."

597
00:26:26,542 --> 00:26:29,500
So Jesus is attentive,
he's present,

598
00:26:29,583 --> 00:26:32,000
and he makes them a priority.

599
00:26:32,083 --> 00:26:34,000
He disrupts his plans.

600
00:26:34,042 --> 00:26:37,500
He allows them to, in
the providence of God,

601
00:26:37,542 --> 00:26:41,208
interrupt his day,
and he makes them a priority.

602
00:26:41,292 --> 00:26:44,500
There's a great
parenting lesson there.

603
00:26:44,583 --> 00:26:46,208
The children are a priority.

604
00:26:46,292 --> 00:26:48,625
They are a blessing.
They are a gift.

605
00:26:48,667 --> 00:26:50,625
And that quality
time comes sometimes

606
00:26:50,667 --> 00:26:52,125
when you don't expect it.

607
00:26:52,167 --> 00:26:54,625
And this was one of those
quality time moments between

608
00:26:54,667 --> 00:26:57,875
the Lord Jesus and children.

609
00:26:57,958 --> 00:27:03,000
Alexie said, in regards to why
do you think the adults did not

610
00:27:03,083 --> 00:27:06,875
want the kids to come to Jesus,
"They thought Jesus was too busy

611
00:27:06,958 --> 00:27:09,917
preaching and that kids
cause a lot of trouble."

612
00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:12,708
Religious people cause way more
trouble than children

613
00:27:12,792 --> 00:27:15,000
throughout the Bible.

614
00:27:15,083 --> 00:27:18,208
There is yet to be a church
that is split down the middle

615
00:27:18,292 --> 00:27:20,125
or a denomination
that had declared war

616
00:27:20,167 --> 00:27:23,167
because the children
have caused it.

617
00:27:23,250 --> 00:27:24,792
Religious people are
always the problem.

618
00:27:24,833 --> 00:27:27,125
It wasn't the children
who betrayed Jesus

619
00:27:27,167 --> 00:27:30,000
and crucified him.

620
00:27:30,083 --> 00:27:32,500
Calvin said, "They thought it
would distract him while

621
00:27:32,583 --> 00:27:34,000
he was preaching."

622
00:27:34,083 --> 00:27:36,000
And Zach said, "They did not
think children

623
00:27:36,083 --> 00:27:37,417
were as important as adults."

624
00:27:37,500 --> 00:27:40,125
That is significant.

625
00:27:40,167 --> 00:27:42,833
Do you really think that
children are as important as

626
00:27:42,875 --> 00:27:47,500
adults, equally image bearers
of God, and deserving of time,

627
00:27:47,583 --> 00:27:50,000
energy, attention,
and investment?

628
00:27:50,083 --> 00:27:53,000
Then my last question was, "Why
do you think Jesus was putting

629
00:27:53,083 --> 00:27:54,417
his hand on the kids?"

630
00:27:54,500 --> 00:27:57,333
Because the Bible says that
he placed a hand on them.

631
00:27:57,375 --> 00:28:01,333
Gideon said, "Jesus loves kids
and it would be awesome to have

632
00:28:01,375 --> 00:28:04,333
Jesus pray for you
if you were a kid."

633
00:28:04,375 --> 00:28:06,000
Jesus--Gideon was cracking up.

634
00:28:06,042 --> 00:28:08,417
He thought about it,
kind of rolled an eye,

635
00:28:08,500 --> 00:28:11,167
and he looked up in
the air when he said this.

636
00:28:11,250 --> 00:28:12,917
And he's like,
"He prayed for them!

637
00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:14,333
That would be awesome!"

638
00:28:14,375 --> 00:28:16,833
He was really
enthusiastic about that.

639
00:28:16,875 --> 00:28:19,333
It was pretty funny.
We all cracked up.

640
00:28:19,375 --> 00:28:21,000
Yes, it would be awesome.

641
00:28:21,042 --> 00:28:23,708
Alexie said, "He was probably
blessing them and maybe

642
00:28:23,792 --> 00:28:26,208
he was praying for them,"
both of which are true,

643
00:28:26,292 --> 00:28:28,708
and I think that's exactly
what was happening.

644
00:28:28,792 --> 00:28:32,708
Calvin, who's my most physically
affectionate son, said,

645
00:28:32,792 --> 00:28:35,417
"Because he loved them and he
wanted the kids to stay

646
00:28:35,500 --> 00:28:37,000
and spend time with him."

647
00:28:37,083 --> 00:28:39,500
See, Calvin, we call him
Pastor Calvin because he's very

648
00:28:39,583 --> 00:28:44,292
emotionally intuitive and he's
very physically affectionate.

649
00:28:44,333 --> 00:28:48,417
And so, for him, Jesus touching
the children was an invitation

650
00:28:48,500 --> 00:28:51,000
to spend time with him.

651
00:28:51,042 --> 00:28:53,625
That's how Calvin saw him.

652
00:28:53,667 --> 00:28:56,000
And Zach says, "By
embracing and loving them,

653
00:28:56,083 --> 00:28:58,292
"Jesus showed them that
he wanted them to stay

654
00:28:58,333 --> 00:29:01,417
and spend time with him."

655
00:29:01,500 --> 00:29:03,917
There's the story of Jesus.

656
00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:06,417
Little children are
attracted to him.

657
00:29:06,500 --> 00:29:08,000
He loves and enjoys them.

658
00:29:08,083 --> 00:29:09,792
He does so as a single man.

659
00:29:09,833 --> 00:29:11,167
So let me say this.

660
00:29:11,250 --> 00:29:13,583
Single men, you should
have a heart for children.

661
00:29:13,667 --> 00:29:17,083
If you do not, you need to pray
and ask God to help you

662
00:29:17,167 --> 00:29:18,500
have a heart for children.

663
00:29:18,542 --> 00:29:21,208
And for those of you men
who aspire to be fathers,

664
00:29:21,292 --> 00:29:22,625
welcome to Mars Hill.

665
00:29:22,667 --> 00:29:24,625
We love you.
We're glad to have you.

666
00:29:24,667 --> 00:29:27,917
And one of our big values is
to raise men who, like Jesus,

667
00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,375
love women honorably,
and appreciate

668
00:29:30,458 --> 00:29:32,500
and serve children nobly.

669
00:29:32,542 --> 00:29:36,208
And we see that as a masculine
thing for the finest of men.

670
00:29:36,292 --> 00:29:38,625
And I will give you
a secret, single men.

671
00:29:38,667 --> 00:29:40,167
Many of you are single.

672
00:29:40,250 --> 00:29:42,167
I say this once or twice a year.

673
00:29:42,250 --> 00:29:45,167
Work in the nursery, work in the
nursery, work in the nursery.

674
00:29:45,250 --> 00:29:46,583
Please do yourself a favor.

675
00:29:46,667 --> 00:29:49,917
Volunteer for the nursery
immediately for two reasons.

676
00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:52,208
Number one, you can practice on
other people's children

677
00:29:52,292 --> 00:29:53,708
before you have your own.

678
00:29:53,792 --> 00:29:55,708
That's hugely helpful.

679
00:29:55,792 --> 00:29:57,125
Okay?

680
00:29:57,167 --> 00:29:59,625
Number two, do you know--see,
most of you single men

681
00:29:59,667 --> 00:30:01,125
have never worked
in the nursery.

682
00:30:01,167 --> 00:30:02,500
You don't know this.

683
00:30:02,583 --> 00:30:05,000
You're not a father like
me, who's been in there.

684
00:30:05,083 --> 00:30:08,625
Usually in the nursery are
volunteering, lovely, sweet,

685
00:30:08,667 --> 00:30:14,375
young, single women who really
aspire to motherhood, okay?

686
00:30:15,792 --> 00:30:17,500
Okay.

687
00:30:17,542 --> 00:30:20,708
You single guys, you got to
think about this, alright.

688
00:30:20,792 --> 00:30:23,667
If you're a single guy who wants
to get married and become

689
00:30:23,750 --> 00:30:26,292
a father, you're working
in the nursery with

690
00:30:26,333 --> 00:30:28,125
a lovely young woman.

691
00:30:28,167 --> 00:30:33,917
And the two of you are playing
with children together.

692
00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,000
Alright, if you
can't catch a fish,

693
00:30:37,083 --> 00:30:40,000
you have no bait on
your hook, right?

694
00:30:40,083 --> 00:30:41,583
I mean, this is easy.

695
00:30:41,667 --> 00:30:44,083
You're playing with the child
with a lovely young woman.

696
00:30:44,167 --> 00:30:45,875
"Oh, you like children?
I like children.

697
00:30:45,958 --> 00:30:47,583
"You like Jesus?
I like Jesus.

698
00:30:47,667 --> 00:30:49,083
"You would like to be pregnant?

699
00:30:49,167 --> 00:30:51,167
Hm-hmm!"

700
00:30:51,250 --> 00:30:54,000
[congregation laughing]

701
00:30:54,042 --> 00:30:57,083
"Since we're here, we might as
well mosey over to Premarital,"

702
00:30:57,167 --> 00:31:01,125
right?

703
00:31:01,167 --> 00:31:05,792
This is how it works.

704
00:31:05,833 --> 00:31:07,208
You're welcome.

705
00:31:07,292 --> 00:31:08,792
Alright.

706
00:31:11,375 --> 00:31:14,500
So here's Jesus
with the children.

707
00:31:14,542 --> 00:31:19,625
Now let me shift if I may.

708
00:31:19,667 --> 00:31:21,833
Oh, I see you didn't
see it coming.

709
00:31:21,875 --> 00:31:24,500
The key is to sneak up on 'em.

710
00:31:24,542 --> 00:31:26,833
Let me shift to children
at Mars Hill, right.

711
00:31:26,875 --> 00:31:31,833
Jesus says, "Let's help
children meet me," okay?

712
00:31:31,875 --> 00:31:34,500
So as Mars Hill Church,
this is a ministry of ours,

713
00:31:34,583 --> 00:31:37,125
helping children meet Jesus.

714
00:31:37,167 --> 00:31:39,500
That's a big value to us.

715
00:31:39,542 --> 00:31:42,500
Let me tell you a little bit
about kids at Mars Hill

716
00:31:42,542 --> 00:31:44,500
and something the Holy Spirit
started convicting me

717
00:31:44,542 --> 00:31:45,875
of some months ago.

718
00:31:45,958 --> 00:31:48,208
On an average Sunday
right now at Mars Hill,

719
00:31:48,292 --> 00:31:51,833
we have 1,600 children
under the age of 10

720
00:31:51,875 --> 00:31:53,708
across all of our services
and campuses.

721
00:31:53,792 --> 00:31:56,667
Technically a megachurch
is 2,000 people or more.

722
00:31:56,750 --> 00:32:00,292
At the rate we're going, we
will soon have a megachurch

723
00:32:00,333 --> 00:32:04,375
of elementary school kids.

724
00:32:04,458 --> 00:32:08,375
Now, this is unusual because we
tend to be in cities

725
00:32:08,458 --> 00:32:10,500
where there are not a lot
of children.

726
00:32:10,542 --> 00:32:12,500
People are single,
they don't get married,

727
00:32:12,583 --> 00:32:15,167
they don't want to have
children, and as a result,

728
00:32:15,250 --> 00:32:16,917
there are not a lot of children.

729
00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,000
But we, Mars Hill, we read the
Bible, it said, "Be fruitful,

730
00:32:20,083 --> 00:32:22,375
increase in number, fill
the earth, and subdue it,"

731
00:32:22,458 --> 00:32:24,417
and we call dibs
on that verse, right?

732
00:32:24,500 --> 00:32:26,208
We're like, "Done."

733
00:32:26,292 --> 00:32:27,625
Right? That's what we're doing.

734
00:32:27,667 --> 00:32:29,625
So here's what we
have at Mars Hill.

735
00:32:29,667 --> 00:32:31,833
Every year, hundreds of
weddings, hundreds of weddings.

736
00:32:31,875 --> 00:32:35,000
So it starts for us not
just officiating weddings,

737
00:32:35,083 --> 00:32:37,833
but setting people up
for a life together.

738
00:32:37,875 --> 00:32:42,125
'Cause getting married is
easy and 50 years is hard.

739
00:32:42,167 --> 00:32:45,125
And so for us, we have
Premarital and we want to help

740
00:32:45,167 --> 00:32:48,333
you marry the right person at
the right way for the right time

741
00:32:48,375 --> 00:32:51,333
with the right motives
for the right reasons.

742
00:32:51,375 --> 00:32:56,167
We want you to be part of this
community so that you and your

743
00:32:56,250 --> 00:32:58,875
marriage and your children
are in a context

744
00:32:58,958 --> 00:33:01,125
of extended support.

745
00:33:01,167 --> 00:33:04,333
'Cause see, here's what the
Bible says, "God is a Father."

746
00:33:04,375 --> 00:33:05,833
That's hugely important.

747
00:33:05,875 --> 00:33:07,917
Of all the words God
could have chosen,

748
00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:09,917
that is an amazing choice.

749
00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:15,083
God is Father, Jesus is the Son
of God and he is our big brother

750
00:33:15,167 --> 00:33:18,500
and he has come to live without
sin, to die for our sin,

751
00:33:18,542 --> 00:33:20,292
to save us.

752
00:33:20,333 --> 00:33:22,625
Our big brother's our Savior.

753
00:33:22,667 --> 00:33:25,625
He rises from death
so that we might be,

754
00:33:25,667 --> 00:33:29,125
and here's the language
of the Bible, adopted,

755
00:33:29,167 --> 00:33:32,000
adopted into the family of God.

756
00:33:32,083 --> 00:33:34,000
That's what it means
to be a Christian.

757
00:33:34,083 --> 00:33:37,167
God is our Father and Jesus
is our saving big brother.

758
00:33:37,250 --> 00:33:40,167
And the Bible then goes on
to say that the church is

759
00:33:40,250 --> 00:33:42,500
the household of God, or
the family of God.

760
00:33:42,583 --> 00:33:43,917
So you know what?

761
00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:47,083
We have a budget and we do
business and we own real estate

762
00:33:47,167 --> 00:33:48,500
just like families do.

763
00:33:48,542 --> 00:33:51,333
But at the end of the day,
we're not a business,

764
00:33:51,375 --> 00:33:54,000
we're a big, extended family.

765
00:33:54,083 --> 00:33:55,500
That's who we are.

766
00:33:55,583 --> 00:33:58,500
And the Bible then uses this
language that women

767
00:33:58,583 --> 00:34:01,375
who are Christians are
like, what, sisters.

768
00:34:01,458 --> 00:34:03,708
And men who are Christians
are like brothers.

769
00:34:03,792 --> 00:34:05,333
That's the language
of the Bible.

770
00:34:05,375 --> 00:34:08,333
Now I was talking to a scholar,
he's one of the leading

771
00:34:08,375 --> 00:34:11,583
New Testament cultural context
scholars on the earth,

772
00:34:11,667 --> 00:34:13,917
taught for many
years at Cambridge.

773
00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:17,125
I was doing a preaching tour in
Australia and I sat down with

774
00:34:17,167 --> 00:34:19,833
him and he said something to
me that I'd never heard

775
00:34:19,875 --> 00:34:21,208
that I found fascinating.

776
00:34:21,292 --> 00:34:23,000
He said,
in the early Roman Empire,

777
00:34:23,083 --> 00:34:25,500
in the days of the writing
in the New Testament,

778
00:34:25,583 --> 00:34:28,208
it was actually illegal to call
someone brother or sister who

779
00:34:28,292 --> 00:34:31,333
was not a biological relative,
because tied to that

780
00:34:31,375 --> 00:34:35,917
were inheritance rights
and land ownership.

781
00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:43,208
But we called one another
brothers and sisters because

782
00:34:43,292 --> 00:34:47,000
when God is your Father,
everything changes.

783
00:34:47,083 --> 00:34:49,833
And it doesn't mean you don't
have a biological family,

784
00:34:49,875 --> 00:34:52,292
but you also have
a spiritual family.

785
00:34:52,333 --> 00:34:54,292
And the church becomes
a family for you.

786
00:34:54,333 --> 00:34:57,292
So she's like a sister and he's
like a brother and Jesus

787
00:34:57,333 --> 00:35:01,208
is the big brother Savior
and God is the Father.

788
00:35:01,292 --> 00:35:06,917
So we want you, if you're
single, married, parent,

789
00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:09,417
whatever season of
life, grandparent,

790
00:35:09,500 --> 00:35:13,417
to be in biblical community.

791
00:35:13,500 --> 00:35:15,708
We want to be that
extended family.

792
00:35:15,792 --> 00:35:18,500
And a lot of this happens
for us in Community Groups.

793
00:35:18,583 --> 00:35:21,708
So we would encourage
you to be in community,

794
00:35:21,792 --> 00:35:23,500
particularly Community Groups

795
00:35:23,583 --> 00:35:25,833
with people
of different life stages.

796
00:35:25,875 --> 00:35:29,125
Now some of you are gonna have
a lot of questions about, "Well,

797
00:35:29,167 --> 00:35:31,833
what does this look like for
me and marriage and kids?"

798
00:35:31,875 --> 00:35:33,625
So you don't want
to assume anything.

799
00:35:33,667 --> 00:35:36,125
Let me take a few minutes
and just explain children

800
00:35:36,167 --> 00:35:37,625
in the context of Mars Hill.

801
00:35:37,667 --> 00:35:40,500
Number one, as I told you,
children are a blessing.

802
00:35:40,583 --> 00:35:42,000
We love kids.

803
00:35:42,083 --> 00:35:45,500
We see them
as a blessing from God.

804
00:35:45,583 --> 00:35:49,708
And we see this for wives
and mothers

805
00:35:49,792 --> 00:35:52,417
and for husbands and fathers.

806
00:35:52,500 --> 00:35:55,000
We also believe based on
the teaching of the Bible

807
00:35:55,083 --> 00:35:59,500
that the person primarily
responsible for the care

808
00:35:59,583 --> 00:36:02,208
and upbringing of the child
is the father.

809
00:36:02,292 --> 00:36:04,417
Some of you say, "What
about the mother?"

810
00:36:04,500 --> 00:36:06,625
She is incredibly important,
usually it's mom

811
00:36:06,667 --> 00:36:09,125
who's raising the kids, feeding
the kids, teaching the kids,

812
00:36:09,167 --> 00:36:10,833
and bringing 'em to church.

813
00:36:10,875 --> 00:36:14,333
But the Bible says that
the father has to be involved.

814
00:36:14,375 --> 00:36:16,875
This is the teaching
of the Old and New Testament,

815
00:36:16,958 --> 00:36:18,708
there are many
places I could go.

816
00:36:18,792 --> 00:36:21,208
For those of you men who
are interested in this,

817
00:36:21,292 --> 00:36:23,500
I've got a free book online
called, "Pastor Dad."

818
00:36:23,583 --> 00:36:25,708
You can read it for
yourself, it's short.

819
00:36:25,792 --> 00:36:28,000
But I'll just give
you one example,

820
00:36:28,083 --> 00:36:31,083
Ephesians 6:4 says that children
should honor and obey their

821
00:36:31,167 --> 00:36:33,708
mother and father so their life
would be long

822
00:36:33,792 --> 00:36:36,833
and that it would be successful,

823
00:36:36,875 --> 00:36:40,500
and that fathers are responsible
before God to raise

824
00:36:40,542 --> 00:36:45,500
their children in the Lord
without frustrating them.

825
00:36:45,583 --> 00:36:48,625
So we believe that mothers
and fathers are responsible

826
00:36:48,667 --> 00:36:50,833
for the wellbeing
of the child or children,

827
00:36:50,875 --> 00:36:54,000
but fathers are
primarily responsible.

828
00:36:54,083 --> 00:36:59,208
So we hold the fathers here
to a high, high regard.

829
00:36:59,292 --> 00:37:02,583
And some have misunderstood this
or maligned this and said,

830
00:37:02,667 --> 00:37:04,375
"Oh, so you don't honor women?"

831
00:37:04,458 --> 00:37:06,000
Yeah, we do.

832
00:37:06,083 --> 00:37:08,000
We don't want guys sleeping
with their girlfriends,

833
00:37:08,083 --> 00:37:11,333
we want them marrying wives.

834
00:37:11,375 --> 00:37:13,500
We don't want guys walking
out on their children,

835
00:37:13,583 --> 00:37:16,792
we want them to
lovingly raise them.

836
00:37:16,833 --> 00:37:22,625
And we are tired of men abusing
women and abandoning children.

837
00:37:22,667 --> 00:37:25,083
So we press men
to be like Jesus,

838
00:37:25,167 --> 00:37:29,708
to treat women honorably
and to love children nobly.

839
00:37:29,792 --> 00:37:31,917
And we believe that's
a loving thing to do

840
00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:34,167
for women and children.

841
00:37:34,250 --> 00:37:38,500
And so for us, yes, yes,
children are a blessing and yes,

842
00:37:38,583 --> 00:37:42,000
fathers are very important.

843
00:37:42,083 --> 00:37:44,875
This is why we would also
encourage some of you men

844
00:37:44,958 --> 00:37:47,917
who are single to not just be
looking for a good time,

845
00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:50,583
but a good legacy.

846
00:37:50,667 --> 00:37:53,000
Not just to be looking
for the next weekend,

847
00:37:53,083 --> 00:37:56,333
but 5 generations
into the future.

848
00:37:56,375 --> 00:37:59,000
Furthermore, it means that some
of you men should not overlook

849
00:37:59,083 --> 00:38:03,000
single mothers as Jesus' own
mother was a single mother.

850
00:38:03,083 --> 00:38:06,167
And those children need
a good daddy as well.

851
00:38:06,250 --> 00:38:08,625
And the way children are
integrated into Mars Hill is,

852
00:38:08,667 --> 00:38:11,292
yes, parents are primary,
and then we see other things

853
00:38:11,333 --> 00:38:12,667
as secondary.

854
00:38:12,750 --> 00:38:16,500
Schools are secondary,
church is secondary.

855
00:38:16,583 --> 00:38:20,208
There is this tragic myth
that got promulgated that

856
00:38:20,292 --> 00:38:23,833
institutions can do a better job
raising children than parents.

857
00:38:23,875 --> 00:38:25,833
We don't believe that.

858
00:38:25,875 --> 00:38:28,417
It doesn't matter if you do
private school, public school,

859
00:38:28,500 --> 00:38:31,417
home school, or Christian
school, for example,

860
00:38:31,500 --> 00:38:34,333
with your children, you should
make the decision every child,

861
00:38:34,375 --> 00:38:37,125
every year, based
upon circumstance.

862
00:38:37,167 --> 00:38:40,833
But no matter what, the parents
have to be actively involved

863
00:38:40,875 --> 00:38:43,500
because you cannot replace
the involvement and investment

864
00:38:43,583 --> 00:38:45,000
of the parents.

865
00:38:45,083 --> 00:38:46,708
You just can't.

866
00:38:46,792 --> 00:38:50,500
The parents are primary and they
primarily responsible

867
00:38:50,542 --> 00:38:51,917
in the sight of God.

868
00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:54,625
But in addition to that, yes,
school and church

869
00:38:54,667 --> 00:38:58,125
and other things, can be helpful
and supplemental.

870
00:38:58,167 --> 00:39:00,208
So here's how it
works at Mars Hill.

871
00:39:00,292 --> 00:39:02,000
We do have children's
ministry on Sunday.

872
00:39:02,083 --> 00:39:05,125
Kids are welcome to go, those
who are elementary school age.

873
00:39:05,167 --> 00:39:08,208
But they don't have to go.

874
00:39:08,292 --> 00:39:10,208
It's okay to have
your kids in service.

875
00:39:10,292 --> 00:39:13,708
At about 7 or 8 years of age,
my kids all decided just to

876
00:39:13,792 --> 00:39:15,917
transition into the service,
they didn't want to go

877
00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:17,333
to kids' ministry any more.

878
00:39:17,375 --> 00:39:19,333
We don't have
a hard and fast line.

879
00:39:19,375 --> 00:39:22,708
If you're a parent and you say,
"I want my kids just to be

880
00:39:22,792 --> 00:39:25,000
in the service," great,
we're glad to have them.

881
00:39:25,083 --> 00:39:27,500
And you may wonder, "Well,
what if they make noise?"

882
00:39:27,583 --> 00:39:30,000
Well then praise be to God,
it means they're alive.

883
00:39:30,083 --> 00:39:31,417
That's how we see it.

884
00:39:31,500 --> 00:39:33,917
"What if my baby cries?"
Well, praise be to God.

885
00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:35,333
It means they're alive.

886
00:39:35,375 --> 00:39:36,875
"What if they're
a little disruptive?"

887
00:39:36,958 --> 00:39:38,292
That's what children do.

888
00:39:38,333 --> 00:39:40,792
We would rather have a
little commotion and a little

889
00:39:40,833 --> 00:39:45,333
disruption than a church
that has no children.

890
00:39:45,375 --> 00:39:48,333
For us, for me,
I'll just tell you me.

891
00:39:48,375 --> 00:39:51,000
I don't know if everybody
agrees with me, here's my view.

892
00:39:51,042 --> 00:39:54,125
A baby's crying, praise
God, it means we got a baby.

893
00:39:54,167 --> 00:39:57,625
When kids are talking, praise
God, it means we got kids.

894
00:39:57,667 --> 00:40:00,625
We don't want your kids to be
disruptive, but you know what?

895
00:40:00,667 --> 00:40:02,000
Kids are gonna make noise.

896
00:40:02,083 --> 00:40:04,500
So if your kids are in
the service, they cry,

897
00:40:04,583 --> 00:40:06,333
they make a little
noise, that's fine.

898
00:40:06,375 --> 00:40:07,833
We usually, depending
upon campus,

899
00:40:07,875 --> 00:40:09,625
we have a room
for nursing mothers,

900
00:40:09,667 --> 00:40:12,125
they're welcome to go to if
they feel more comfortable.

901
00:40:12,167 --> 00:40:13,917
But at the end of the day,

902
00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:16,083
this is not some
Old Testament temple.

903
00:40:16,167 --> 00:40:19,083
We meet in Old Testament temples
with the holy of holies

904
00:40:19,167 --> 00:40:21,833
and the priest and you got to go
through ritual purification

905
00:40:21,875 --> 00:40:23,583
and somebody's
got to light the incense

906
00:40:23,667 --> 00:40:25,000
and it's all very serious.

907
00:40:25,042 --> 00:40:26,375
We're a family.

908
00:40:26,458 --> 00:40:28,208
Church is like
a big living room.

909
00:40:28,292 --> 00:40:29,625
God is our Father.

910
00:40:29,667 --> 00:40:31,625
And you know what
happens at the house?

911
00:40:31,667 --> 00:40:34,125
The kids show up, they break
things, they spill things,

912
00:40:34,167 --> 00:40:35,500
they make noise.

913
00:40:35,583 --> 00:40:36,917
Praise be to God.

914
00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:39,000
That's how it is in my house.

915
00:40:39,083 --> 00:40:40,792
That's how it is at this church.

916
00:40:40,833 --> 00:40:43,292
So yeah, your kids are welcome,
they're welcome in service.

917
00:40:43,333 --> 00:40:45,625
My only encouragement would be,
don't let the boys

918
00:40:45,667 --> 00:40:47,833
run around a bunch,
the chairs have metal legs

919
00:40:47,875 --> 00:40:49,583
and boys always lead
with their head.

920
00:40:49,667 --> 00:40:51,125
Right, it's just a safety issue.

921
00:40:51,167 --> 00:40:52,792
Other than that,
I don't care.

922
00:40:52,833 --> 00:40:55,292
I've had people come up
and say, "That baby's crying."

923
00:40:55,333 --> 00:40:57,000
Well, you're complaining,
you're far more difficult

924
00:40:57,083 --> 00:40:58,583
to listen to than that baby.

925
00:40:58,667 --> 00:41:01,833
That's kind of my position.

926
00:41:01,875 --> 00:41:04,417
Additionally, people ask,
"Well, what about Communion?

927
00:41:04,500 --> 00:41:06,083
When can kids take Communion?"

928
00:41:06,167 --> 00:41:11,083
When the parents believe they've
met Jesus as God and savior.

929
00:41:11,167 --> 00:41:13,583
So we let the parents decide
that and Communion's where

930
00:41:13,667 --> 00:41:16,125
we remember the broken body
and shed blood of Jesus.

931
00:41:16,167 --> 00:41:17,500
And you know what?

932
00:41:17,583 --> 00:41:19,667
Parents, we're gonna
leave that up to you.

933
00:41:19,750 --> 00:41:22,625
We're not legalistic, we don't
say, "Oh, at age 10," whatever.

934
00:41:22,667 --> 00:41:25,333
If your kid knows and loves
Jesus and they want to

935
00:41:25,375 --> 00:41:28,333
take Communion,
we don't restrict that.

936
00:41:28,375 --> 00:41:31,500
We say all Christians who repent
of sin are welcome to take of

937
00:41:31,583 --> 00:41:34,083
Communion, even the little guys.

938
00:41:34,167 --> 00:41:36,167
That's why we even
have juice and wine.

939
00:41:36,250 --> 00:41:38,833
They get bread and juice.

940
00:41:38,875 --> 00:41:40,417
It's okay.

941
00:41:40,500 --> 00:41:42,792
My kids started taking
Communion pretty young.

942
00:41:42,833 --> 00:41:44,417
People ask,
"What about baptism?"

943
00:41:44,500 --> 00:41:46,917
Now we don't baptize infants
'cause we don't believe there's

944
00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:48,625
any biblical precedent for it.

945
00:41:48,667 --> 00:41:50,708
Jesus-loving and Bible-believing
Christians would disagree

946
00:41:50,792 --> 00:41:52,833
with us, but that's
our conviction.

947
00:41:52,875 --> 00:41:54,208
It's in "Vintage Church,"

948
00:41:54,292 --> 00:41:56,417
if you want to check it out
for yourself.

949
00:41:56,500 --> 00:41:59,792
But we will baptize children
who are old enough to have

950
00:41:59,833 --> 00:42:02,000
a profession of faith.

951
00:42:02,083 --> 00:42:04,167
And we set this up
with the parents.

952
00:42:04,250 --> 00:42:05,917
The parents, you're
first pastors,

953
00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:07,417
you're raising your kids.

954
00:42:07,500 --> 00:42:10,292
And if they love Jesus and
they want to get baptized,

955
00:42:10,333 --> 00:42:13,292
I don't want you to push your
kids to make a profession,

956
00:42:13,333 --> 00:42:15,500
I don't want you to
push them to Communion.

957
00:42:15,542 --> 00:42:17,833
I don't want you to
push them to baptism,

958
00:42:17,875 --> 00:42:20,833
but if and when they're ready
and their heart opens up to

959
00:42:20,875 --> 00:42:22,333
Jesus, we're glad
to baptize them.

960
00:42:22,375 --> 00:42:24,333
It was really great
seeing at Easter when,

961
00:42:24,375 --> 00:42:26,625
in the grace of God,
we baptized 724 people,

962
00:42:26,667 --> 00:42:28,000
some of them were children.

963
00:42:28,083 --> 00:42:30,208
And mothers and fathers were
assisting with a baptism.

964
00:42:30,292 --> 00:42:31,625
That's what we believe.

965
00:42:31,667 --> 00:42:35,167
My youngest baptism in
our family was Zach,

966
00:42:35,250 --> 00:42:37,333
I think he was about 5.

967
00:42:37,375 --> 00:42:40,000
He was just going
into kindergarten,

968
00:42:40,042 --> 00:42:42,333
I came downstairs one day
and he had his

969
00:42:42,375 --> 00:42:44,000
"Jesus Storybook Bible" open.

970
00:42:44,083 --> 00:42:47,208
I don't think he could read
yet, but he knew all the stories

971
00:42:47,292 --> 00:42:49,208
'cause we read 'em
a billion times.

972
00:42:49,292 --> 00:42:52,208
And he's eating his cereal and
he got really serious, he said,

973
00:42:52,292 --> 00:42:54,083
"John the Baptizer
baptized Jesus

974
00:42:54,167 --> 00:42:55,583
"and other people
got baptized.

975
00:42:55,667 --> 00:42:57,583
I'm a Christian,
I need to be baptized."

976
00:42:57,667 --> 00:43:00,167
I said, "Well, why do you
need to get baptized?"

977
00:43:00,250 --> 00:43:03,167
He says, "Well, I know I'm
a sinner and Jesus is God

978
00:43:03,250 --> 00:43:06,375
"and he lived and he died and
he buried and he rose and

979
00:43:06,458 --> 00:43:08,375
that's what baptism represents,
that's what I believe."

980
00:43:08,458 --> 00:43:11,583
Wow, for 5 you landed the
dismount, that was pretty good.

981
00:43:11,667 --> 00:43:14,583
So I sat down and I had an
honest conversation with him,

982
00:43:14,667 --> 00:43:16,583
"Do you feel like you
should get baptized?

983
00:43:16,667 --> 00:43:18,333
"Do you feel like
we're pushing you?

984
00:43:18,375 --> 00:43:20,667
Are you doing it 'cause
your daddy's a pastor?"

985
00:43:20,750 --> 00:43:23,500
"No, Dad, I love Jesus
and I want to get baptized.

986
00:43:23,583 --> 00:43:25,000
"I feel like I'm supposed to.

987
00:43:25,083 --> 00:43:26,792
"It's right here
in my kids' Bible.

988
00:43:26,833 --> 00:43:29,500
See Jesus getting baptized,
he says to do it like that."

989
00:43:29,583 --> 00:43:31,792
Okay, 'cause if you
were 40, I'd say yes.

990
00:43:31,833 --> 00:43:34,333
Just 'cause you're 4,
doesn't mean I should say no.

991
00:43:34,375 --> 00:43:36,083
I said, "Okay,
here's what we do.

992
00:43:36,167 --> 00:43:38,292
"We got to schedule
an appointment at the church.

993
00:43:38,333 --> 00:43:40,292
"You got to go meet
with a leader,

994
00:43:40,333 --> 00:43:42,500
"they're gonna ask you a bunch
of theological questions.

995
00:43:42,583 --> 00:43:44,333
If you pass, then
they'll dunk you."

996
00:43:44,375 --> 00:43:45,708
So that's what we did.

997
00:43:45,792 --> 00:43:48,500
I brought him in, he carried his
little "Jesus Storybook Bible,"

998
00:43:48,583 --> 00:43:51,000
when into the meeting,
I sat out in the hallway.

999
00:43:51,083 --> 00:43:53,000
I'm like, "You're on
your own, big guy.

1000
00:43:53,083 --> 00:43:54,417
Good luck."

1001
00:43:54,500 --> 00:43:55,917
He nailed all
the theological questions.

1002
00:43:56,000 --> 00:43:57,792
He nailed them all.
He's even Trinitarian.

1003
00:43:57,833 --> 00:43:59,958
I mean, at 5, right?
He nailed them all.

1004
00:44:00,083 --> 00:44:03,417
And he gave his own testimony
and at that time it was a pastor

1005
00:44:03,500 --> 00:44:05,000
interviewing who said,
"He's a Christian.

1006
00:44:05,042 --> 00:44:08,292
"If he was 40, we'd baptize him.
He's 4, I think we should."

1007
00:44:08,333 --> 00:44:10,792
So I brought him up
and handed him a mic,

1008
00:44:10,833 --> 00:44:13,375
he gave his testimony,
we baptized him.

1009
00:44:13,458 --> 00:44:15,833
You know, that's what
we believe, friends.

1010
00:44:15,875 --> 00:44:19,333
Jesus says, "Hey, don't get in
the way of kids coming to me."

1011
00:44:19,375 --> 00:44:22,708
Right? We don't want to shove
kids and have them fake faith,

1012
00:44:22,792 --> 00:44:24,708
but we want to love
kids, encourage kids,

1013
00:44:24,792 --> 00:44:27,333
and see them come to Jesus.

1014
00:44:27,375 --> 00:44:28,708
This includes Community Groups.

1015
00:44:28,792 --> 00:44:30,833
Our Community Groups
have children.

1016
00:44:30,875 --> 00:44:34,792
We do do classes and we do
do age-specific ministry,

1017
00:44:34,833 --> 00:44:37,917
but we like to keep families
intact because today oftentimes

1018
00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:40,125
they don't get a lot
of time together.

1019
00:44:40,167 --> 00:44:42,125
So there'll be Community
Groups where there's families.

1020
00:44:42,167 --> 00:44:44,125
If you're single,
you can go to one.

1021
00:44:44,167 --> 00:44:46,625
You could see married people
and their children

1022
00:44:46,667 --> 00:44:49,708
in their natural habitat,
kind of like the zoo.

1023
00:44:49,792 --> 00:44:53,500
You can observe them up close
and learn and take notes.

1024
00:44:53,542 --> 00:44:56,083
You can also help them by
watching those kids

1025
00:44:56,167 --> 00:44:57,917
and giving them a date night.

1026
00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:01,167
And this allows parents to meet
and families to meet and kids to

1027
00:45:01,250 --> 00:45:05,000
meet and all of a sudden, this
extended family of Mars Hill

1028
00:45:05,042 --> 00:45:08,917
runs not so much on programming
but more on friendship, love,

1029
00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:11,333
relationship, and community.

1030
00:45:11,375 --> 00:45:13,917
That's how we do things.

1031
00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:17,500
And it got me thinking
and praying some months ago,

1032
00:45:17,542 --> 00:45:23,417
how could we do a better job
welcoming children to Jesus?

1033
00:45:23,500 --> 00:45:25,625
'Cause he says that's
part of our ministry.

1034
00:45:25,667 --> 00:45:27,917
So some months ago,
the Holy Spirit started stirring

1035
00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:31,125
in my heart and soul and mind,
what could we do to do

1036
00:45:31,167 --> 00:45:33,625
a better job in children's
ministry at Mars Hill?

1037
00:45:33,667 --> 00:45:36,000
So let me cast
a little vision for you

1038
00:45:36,042 --> 00:45:37,375
that I'm really excited about.

1039
00:45:37,458 --> 00:45:39,875
And it's something I've been
thinking about and working on

1040
00:45:39,958 --> 00:45:42,625
and delegating out and we've
started mobilizing toward.

1041
00:45:42,667 --> 00:45:44,500
We're calling it Mars Hill Kids.

1042
00:45:44,542 --> 00:45:47,625
It won't happen immediately,
it's gonna take some time.

1043
00:45:47,667 --> 00:45:51,125
But what I want to do is I want
to start preparing our children

1044
00:45:51,167 --> 00:45:53,917
for ministry at age 2.

1045
00:45:54,000 --> 00:45:55,792
Okay, and here's how I see it.

1046
00:45:55,833 --> 00:45:58,833
I want what happens in kids'
ministry to be a mirror,

1047
00:45:58,875 --> 00:46:02,000
an age-appropriate mirror,
of what we do on Sunday,

1048
00:46:02,083 --> 00:46:04,000
and what we do
together as a church.

1049
00:46:04,083 --> 00:46:06,500
And I reverse engineered
it and the way we're going,

1050
00:46:06,583 --> 00:46:09,000
we're gonna have thousands of
kids which means on Sundays

1051
00:46:09,083 --> 00:46:13,125
scattered across what shortly
will be 4 states, God-willing,

1052
00:46:13,167 --> 00:46:16,375
we would need 400 Sunday school
teachers to give age-appropriate

1053
00:46:16,458 --> 00:46:19,500
lectures to a few
thousand children.

1054
00:46:19,542 --> 00:46:22,833
That's impossible to do with
quality assurance

1055
00:46:22,875 --> 00:46:24,333
across the board.

1056
00:46:24,375 --> 00:46:26,667
But we are a video church
so I thought,

1057
00:46:26,750 --> 00:46:28,833
"Well, what if we built
a Nickelodeon-type studio?

1058
00:46:28,875 --> 00:46:31,792
"What if we put together short,
punchy, age-appropriate,

1059
00:46:31,833 --> 00:46:35,833
"Bible-based lessons about Jesus
for kids with characters

1060
00:46:35,875 --> 00:46:37,667
"and fun and interaction?

1061
00:46:37,750 --> 00:46:40,167
"What if we recorded that
and distributed it to all

1062
00:46:40,250 --> 00:46:43,083
"the campuses and made it
available elsewhere as well

1063
00:46:43,167 --> 00:46:45,917
for those who wanted to use it?"

1064
00:46:46,000 --> 00:46:49,208
And so this is what we've been
working on with Mars Hill Kids.

1065
00:46:49,292 --> 00:46:52,000
So it starts with the physical
space and various campuses are

1066
00:46:52,083 --> 00:46:56,500
gonna get rebranded, painted,
pick up, drop off, set up,

1067
00:46:56,542 --> 00:46:58,625
better for families.

1068
00:46:58,667 --> 00:47:01,792
Security cameras to ensure that
everybody and everything's okay.

1069
00:47:01,833 --> 00:47:04,417
We already have tight security
and security guards making sure

1070
00:47:04,500 --> 00:47:06,500
all the kids are fine.

1071
00:47:06,583 --> 00:47:10,292
In this as well, I want in every
physical location that we own

1072
00:47:10,333 --> 00:47:14,333
an indoor play structure so that
the kids can have some fun

1073
00:47:14,375 --> 00:47:16,667
and especially the boys
and the kinesthetic learners

1074
00:47:16,750 --> 00:47:18,667
can get a little activity.

1075
00:47:18,750 --> 00:47:21,667
It also then will be the kind
of place during the day

1076
00:47:21,750 --> 00:47:23,667
when the stay-at-home moms
want to get together

1077
00:47:23,750 --> 00:47:25,667
and have play dates
and Bible studies

1078
00:47:25,750 --> 00:47:28,167
and a place to collect
and gather and their kids

1079
00:47:28,250 --> 00:47:30,625
to make friends and to bring
their non-Christian friends

1080
00:47:30,667 --> 00:47:33,333
and their kids,
it can be that free, cool,

1081
00:47:33,375 --> 00:47:37,500
nice indoor spot for people
and kids and parents to gather.

1082
00:47:37,542 --> 00:47:40,625
And the way I want it to work is
I want the kids

1083
00:47:40,667 --> 00:47:42,000
to have worship time.

1084
00:47:42,083 --> 00:47:45,000
We do that now, but I think
we could do it better.

1085
00:47:45,083 --> 00:47:48,708
And I want there to be an adult
leader and I want there to be

1086
00:47:48,792 --> 00:47:51,000
a child apprentice who is
helping to lead worship

1087
00:47:51,083 --> 00:47:52,500
because someday
they're gonna grow up

1088
00:47:52,583 --> 00:47:54,333
and they're gonna be
our worship leader.

1089
00:47:54,375 --> 00:47:57,000
I also want the video teaching
to be world-class and excellent.

1090
00:47:57,083 --> 00:47:59,208
And so we've hired
a teacher to do that,

1091
00:47:59,292 --> 00:48:01,333
I'll explain her
to you in a moment.

1092
00:48:01,375 --> 00:48:03,833
And then I want age-appropriate
craft or activity

1093
00:48:03,875 --> 00:48:06,417
and I want
kids' Community Groups.

1094
00:48:06,500 --> 00:48:09,417
I want the little kids breaking
into Community Groups to pray

1095
00:48:09,500 --> 00:48:12,625
for one another and have
a short, simple discussion.

1096
00:48:12,667 --> 00:48:15,167
And if they can learn to pray
for one another

1097
00:48:15,250 --> 00:48:17,167
and answer basic questions
and have a dialogue

1098
00:48:17,250 --> 00:48:18,708
and explain what
they're learning,

1099
00:48:18,792 --> 00:48:21,333
it'll be an age-appropriate
Community Group.

1100
00:48:21,375 --> 00:48:23,208
And then there'll be
an adult overseer,

1101
00:48:23,292 --> 00:48:25,667
there'll be a child apprentice,
the most natural leader

1102
00:48:25,750 --> 00:48:28,333
in the group, which means
around age 2 or 3,

1103
00:48:28,375 --> 00:48:31,667
they're getting developed
as Community Group leaders.

1104
00:48:31,750 --> 00:48:34,167
If there's a kid in
the class who's a good,

1105
00:48:34,250 --> 00:48:36,000
natural leader with
a big personality,

1106
00:48:36,083 --> 00:48:38,500
they will apprentice to
lead the Sunday event,

1107
00:48:38,583 --> 00:48:41,667
they'll be practicing to
become a campus pastor.

1108
00:48:41,750 --> 00:48:44,333
I want 2-year-olds getting
ready to be campus pastors,

1109
00:48:44,375 --> 00:48:47,333
Community Group leaders,
and worship leaders.

1110
00:48:47,375 --> 00:48:50,667
And so for us, the curriculum
that this will based on is based

1111
00:48:50,750 --> 00:48:53,208
off the "Doctrine" book which
we use for church membership.

1112
00:48:53,292 --> 00:48:55,000
Dr. Gerry Breshears
and I wrote it.

1113
00:48:55,083 --> 00:48:57,500
It takes the big
13 themes of the Bible,

1114
00:48:57,583 --> 00:48:59,125
from Genesis to Revelation

1115
00:48:59,167 --> 00:49:02,833
following the narrative
storyline of Scripture.

1116
00:49:02,875 --> 00:49:05,500
It's a pretty big, robust book.

1117
00:49:05,583 --> 00:49:08,500
I think it's got like a thousand
footnotes and literally gave me

1118
00:49:08,583 --> 00:49:11,500
an intestinal ulcer writing, but
it's done, praise be to God.

1119
00:49:11,583 --> 00:49:13,375
And we use it for
our membership.

1120
00:49:13,458 --> 00:49:16,583
And so I thought, "What would it
be like to hire somebody who's

1121
00:49:16,667 --> 00:49:18,583
"a curriculum developer
to take the 'Doctrine' book

1122
00:49:18,667 --> 00:49:21,708
"and to make age-appropriate
curriculum for video teaching,

1123
00:49:21,792 --> 00:49:23,917
"for a book,
for home-based Bible studies

1124
00:49:24,000 --> 00:49:26,625
"for parents with children so
that there's an integration

1125
00:49:26,667 --> 00:49:29,125
"between church and home
based upon the 'Doctrine' book

1126
00:49:29,167 --> 00:49:31,583
"that's age appropriate
so that when the kids

1127
00:49:31,667 --> 00:49:34,333
"grow up, they don't do like
most kids and just leave

1128
00:49:34,375 --> 00:49:36,167
"after high school,
but they realize,

1129
00:49:36,250 --> 00:49:37,917
"'Well, I'm ready for
the Doctrine class.

1130
00:49:38,000 --> 00:49:40,625
"'I can become a member, I've
been doing this curriculum

1131
00:49:40,667 --> 00:49:42,000
"'since I was 2.

1132
00:49:42,083 --> 00:49:44,000
"'Of course I'm gonna
join a Community Group,

1133
00:49:44,083 --> 00:49:46,500
"'I'd been in one since
I'd been in a diaper.

1134
00:49:46,583 --> 00:49:49,875
"'And I know how to sing songs
and I'm okay with video 'cause

1135
00:49:49,958 --> 00:49:52,375
"'that's what I'd been doing
for a really long time.

1136
00:49:52,458 --> 00:49:54,833
I'm an old school, 18-year-old
veteran, that's what I am.'"

1137
00:49:54,875 --> 00:49:56,333
And so started
thinking about it,

1138
00:49:56,375 --> 00:49:59,292
the curriculum needs to be
2-year cycles because

1139
00:49:59,333 --> 00:50:02,125
the learning styles of children
and their needs rotate

1140
00:50:02,167 --> 00:50:03,583
about every 2 years.

1141
00:50:03,667 --> 00:50:05,500
So think, 2- and 3-year-olds,
4- and 5-year-olds,

1142
00:50:05,583 --> 00:50:07,875
6- and 7-year-olds,
whatever the case may be.

1143
00:50:07,958 --> 00:50:09,833
So I started thinking
and praying and envisioning

1144
00:50:09,875 --> 00:50:13,375
all of this for Mars Hill Kids
and rebranding the space

1145
00:50:13,458 --> 00:50:16,167
and reinventing what we do
for children together.

1146
00:50:16,250 --> 00:50:19,917
We sent out a national search
for a world-class teacher

1147
00:50:20,000 --> 00:50:23,167
to write the curriculum,
to publish the book.

1148
00:50:23,250 --> 00:50:26,292
And also out of this too,
ultimately I'd like to see

1149
00:50:26,333 --> 00:50:29,125
a kids' Bible with Mars Hill
illustrators, kind of cool,

1150
00:50:29,167 --> 00:50:31,417
dark, a lot of the bloody
Old Testament stories

1151
00:50:31,500 --> 00:50:33,292
so the boys will like it too.

1152
00:50:33,333 --> 00:50:37,500
We're gonna do it
Mars Hill style.

1153
00:50:37,583 --> 00:50:41,708
And so in the grace of God, come
to find we had this teacher

1154
00:50:41,792 --> 00:50:44,833
and curriculum writer
right in our midst.

1155
00:50:44,875 --> 00:50:47,333
A gal at the West Seattle
campus, her name's Chrissie,

1156
00:50:47,375 --> 00:50:49,583
you could pray for her,
she was recently married.

1157
00:50:49,667 --> 00:50:51,583
She's now working on
the curriculum around which

1158
00:50:51,667 --> 00:50:55,667
the Mars Hill Kids experience
will be built.

1159
00:50:55,750 --> 00:50:58,000
She's got her BA
from Stanford,

1160
00:50:58,083 --> 00:51:00,333
she's got her master's
from Pace University.

1161
00:51:00,375 --> 00:51:03,917
She's won the Sue Lehmann
Excellence in Teaching Award,

1162
00:51:04,000 --> 00:51:06,417
it's a national prize for
outstanding leadership towards

1163
00:51:06,500 --> 00:51:10,083
student achievement from
over 4,000 teachers.

1164
00:51:10,167 --> 00:51:13,208
She also won the NBC
Education Champion Award,

1165
00:51:13,292 --> 00:51:15,625
it's a national teaching honor
awarded to

1166
00:51:15,667 --> 00:51:20,625
the 50 most effective educators
in America.

1167
00:51:20,667 --> 00:51:22,833
She loves Jesus, she's
a member of our church,

1168
00:51:22,875 --> 00:51:26,500
the Seattle Times and KING 5
have done feature stories on her

1169
00:51:26,583 --> 00:51:28,708
because she is
a world-class teacher,

1170
00:51:28,792 --> 00:51:31,375
has helped set up charter
schools and curriculum

1171
00:51:31,458 --> 00:51:34,375
for poor kids
in rough neighborhoods.

1172
00:51:34,458 --> 00:51:36,625
And she feels called
to do this for us.

1173
00:51:36,667 --> 00:51:38,000
So we've officially hired her.

1174
00:51:38,083 --> 00:51:39,917
All of this is underway.

1175
00:51:40,000 --> 00:51:42,417
It's gonna take a while
to roll it all out.

1176
00:51:42,500 --> 00:51:45,833
But think, age-appropriate
Doctrine curriculum with a book

1177
00:51:45,875 --> 00:51:49,375
for parents to help do devotions
with their kids at home,

1178
00:51:49,458 --> 00:51:51,625
age appropriate so that they'll
learn the doctrines

1179
00:51:51,667 --> 00:51:54,833
at an age-appropriate level,
graduating toward memory verses

1180
00:51:54,875 --> 00:51:57,667
and reading in the Bible
and homework assignments.

1181
00:51:57,750 --> 00:52:00,417
Think really cool,
Nickelodeon-style videos shot,

1182
00:52:00,500 --> 00:52:01,833
age appropriate.

1183
00:52:01,875 --> 00:52:03,833
Fun worship experience,
play structure,

1184
00:52:03,875 --> 00:52:06,167
an activity for
the kinesthetic learners,

1185
00:52:06,250 --> 00:52:09,875
and also a Community Group time
where kids are learning to share

1186
00:52:09,958 --> 00:52:12,208
their faith and pray
for one another.

1187
00:52:12,292 --> 00:52:14,708
Okay, that's kind of my
big vision I feel like

1188
00:52:14,792 --> 00:52:16,500
the Holy Spirit's given me
for kids.

1189
00:52:16,583 --> 00:52:19,375
So I just encourage you right
now, be praying for that.

1190
00:52:19,458 --> 00:52:20,875
I hope you're encouraged by it.

1191
00:52:20,958 --> 00:52:22,875
I don't think we've
done a bad job,

1192
00:52:22,958 --> 00:52:26,292
but I think we could do far,
far better and change is afoot.

1193
00:52:26,333 --> 00:52:29,000
And some of you have classic
skills and abilities to help:

1194
00:52:29,083 --> 00:52:30,625
kids@marshillchurch.org.

1195
00:52:30,667 --> 00:52:34,833
Okay, kids@marshillchurch.org
if you would like to nominate

1196
00:52:34,875 --> 00:52:37,083
yourself to help out.

1197
00:52:37,167 --> 00:52:38,500
So two big ideas.

1198
00:52:38,542 --> 00:52:40,333
Number one, we need
to teach children,

1199
00:52:40,375 --> 00:52:42,083
not that we need
to teach children,

1200
00:52:42,167 --> 00:52:43,583
we get to teach children.

1201
00:52:43,667 --> 00:52:46,583
And what a blessing and an
honor and a joy that is.

1202
00:52:46,667 --> 00:52:50,208
Number two, Jesus says we also
should learn from children.

1203
00:52:50,292 --> 00:52:53,333
Not that they're
sinless and perfect,

1204
00:52:53,375 --> 00:52:56,917
but Jesus says we
can learn from them.

1205
00:52:57,000 --> 00:52:59,583
He says, "For to such
belongs the kingdom of God.

1206
00:52:59,667 --> 00:53:01,083
"Truly, I say to you,

1207
00:53:01,167 --> 00:53:03,083
"whoever does not receive
the kingdom of God

1208
00:53:03,167 --> 00:53:05,000
like a child shall
not enter it."

1209
00:53:05,083 --> 00:53:08,333
So in closing, let me tell you
some things we can learn from

1210
00:53:08,375 --> 00:53:13,083
children about entering the
kingdom of God like a child.

1211
00:53:13,167 --> 00:53:16,333
Children are born of a father in
the same way that Christians

1212
00:53:16,375 --> 00:53:19,417
are born again
of God the Father.

1213
00:53:19,500 --> 00:53:22,625
The Bible uses that language,
that we're born of a father

1214
00:53:22,667 --> 00:53:25,375
but we're born again
of God the Father,

1215
00:53:25,458 --> 00:53:27,875
spiritually reborn.

1216
00:53:27,958 --> 00:53:30,333
And children take their
father at his word.

1217
00:53:30,375 --> 00:53:32,917
How many of you daddies are
shocked to have learned this?

1218
00:53:33,000 --> 00:53:35,292
You say something, you
think it's funny or cute,

1219
00:53:35,333 --> 00:53:38,000
your kids totally
believe you. Right?

1220
00:53:38,083 --> 00:53:41,000
I mean, I was--I remember having
a conversation with a little boy

1221
00:53:41,083 --> 00:53:43,083
one time, he's like,
"We have a dragon."

1222
00:53:43,167 --> 00:53:45,417
I was like, "Really?
Have you ever seen it?"

1223
00:53:45,500 --> 00:53:48,875
"No, but my dad said
we have a dragon."

1224
00:53:48,958 --> 00:53:51,708
The dad's like, "I was kidding,
they don't understand that."

1225
00:53:51,792 --> 00:53:53,125
Right?

1226
00:53:53,167 --> 00:53:55,500
They're literalists.
They take you at your word.

1227
00:53:55,542 --> 00:53:57,583
They're wondering where their
unicorn or their dragon

1228
00:53:57,667 --> 00:53:59,000
or their leprechaun is.

1229
00:53:59,083 --> 00:54:03,625
And so kids tend to come with
just an implicit faith

1230
00:54:03,667 --> 00:54:05,125
in the words of their father.

1231
00:54:05,167 --> 00:54:07,083
"If Dad says it, it's true."

1232
00:54:07,167 --> 00:54:08,833
And in that same
way, right, dads,

1233
00:54:08,875 --> 00:54:11,333
we need to always tell
the truth to our kids.

1234
00:54:11,375 --> 00:54:13,125
Doesn't mean we can't
use our imagination,

1235
00:54:13,167 --> 00:54:14,625
but we need to be truthful.

1236
00:54:14,667 --> 00:54:17,625
God's a Father and these are
his words and, like children who

1237
00:54:17,667 --> 00:54:21,000
trust the words of their father,
we need to take Dad at his Word.

1238
00:54:21,083 --> 00:54:23,208
So when we read, "What?
They walked on water?"

1239
00:54:23,292 --> 00:54:25,000
"They did.
Dad said they did."

1240
00:54:25,042 --> 00:54:26,375
"He rose from death?"

1241
00:54:26,458 --> 00:54:29,083
"Yes he did.
Dad tells the truth."

1242
00:54:29,167 --> 00:54:32,167
Additionally, children utterly
depend upon their father for

1243
00:54:32,250 --> 00:54:33,917
provision and protection.

1244
00:54:34,000 --> 00:54:37,500
My children do not
make any money.

1245
00:54:37,583 --> 00:54:41,208
My 7-year-old daughter
cannot defend herself.

1246
00:54:41,292 --> 00:54:45,792
Children require a father's
provision and protection.

1247
00:54:45,833 --> 00:54:49,333
Our Father, God is our
Father, he provides,

1248
00:54:49,375 --> 00:54:51,833
everything we have is
a gift from him, James says,

1249
00:54:51,875 --> 00:54:54,083
and he protects us,
looks over us.

1250
00:54:54,167 --> 00:54:56,083
He takes good care of us.

1251
00:54:56,167 --> 00:54:59,083
So we're supposed to start to
see the kingdom of God like

1252
00:54:59,167 --> 00:55:05,000
a family governed by a Father
who is a King and a warrior

1253
00:55:05,083 --> 00:55:08,000
filled with love and grace.

1254
00:55:08,083 --> 00:55:11,208
Also, children confidently
approach their father

1255
00:55:11,292 --> 00:55:12,625
for anything.

1256
00:55:12,667 --> 00:55:14,000
Isn't that true?

1257
00:55:14,083 --> 00:55:16,792
My kids will walk up
to me, "I need a bike.

1258
00:55:16,833 --> 00:55:19,333
"I want a glass of water.
We need to wrestle.

1259
00:55:19,375 --> 00:55:21,083
I need you to pray for me."

1260
00:55:21,167 --> 00:55:24,125
They just walk right up and
tell me whatever, whenever.

1261
00:55:24,167 --> 00:55:26,833
As Christians,
we call that prayer.

1262
00:55:26,875 --> 00:55:29,833
Prayer is where the children
of God just go to their Dad

1263
00:55:29,875 --> 00:55:32,875
and talk to him about whatever
they need to talk him about.

1264
00:55:32,958 --> 00:55:35,583
Also, children receive
instruction and correction

1265
00:55:35,667 --> 00:55:37,125
from their dad.

1266
00:55:37,167 --> 00:55:39,500
Dad teaches you things
and corrects you.

1267
00:55:39,542 --> 00:55:44,208
God's our Father, he instructs
us and he corrects us.

1268
00:55:44,292 --> 00:55:48,333
Additionally, children live
in the father's kingdom,

1269
00:55:48,375 --> 00:55:52,208
whether that's a condo,
a dorm, a home, an apartment.

1270
00:55:52,292 --> 00:55:55,208
God is a Father, he's
preparing a place for us,

1271
00:55:55,292 --> 00:55:59,208
the kingdom of God is our home
and we will live in the place

1272
00:55:59,292 --> 00:56:01,500
that the Father provides.

1273
00:56:01,542 --> 00:56:04,500
Additionally, children
carry their father's name.

1274
00:56:04,583 --> 00:56:08,125
So the kids, in my house, I love
'em, enjoy 'em, appreciate 'em,

1275
00:56:08,167 --> 00:56:10,000
they're the Driscoll kids.

1276
00:56:10,083 --> 00:56:13,500
We carry the family
name Christian.

1277
00:56:13,542 --> 00:56:15,208
It's a family name.

1278
00:56:15,292 --> 00:56:18,167
We're part of a big family
with a great Father.

1279
00:56:18,250 --> 00:56:21,625
Children are objects
of the father's love.

1280
00:56:21,667 --> 00:56:24,208
They're objects of
the father's love and we,

1281
00:56:24,292 --> 00:56:28,000
as the children of God, are
objects of the Father's love.

1282
00:56:28,083 --> 00:56:32,667
You have a Father who
loves you, who loves you.

1283
00:56:32,750 --> 00:56:35,000
That changes everything.

1284
00:56:35,083 --> 00:56:37,625
If you turn from sin,
trust in his Son,

1285
00:56:37,667 --> 00:56:42,000
you enjoy the benefits of
being adopted into his family.

1286
00:56:42,042 --> 00:56:45,875
And lastly, children are
a glorious inconvenience.

1287
00:56:45,958 --> 00:56:47,625
Are children an inconvenience?

1288
00:56:47,667 --> 00:56:49,125
Absolutely.

1289
00:56:49,167 --> 00:56:51,417
It's why many people don't
want to have children.

1290
00:56:51,500 --> 00:56:53,167
"Oh, they're such
an inconvenience."

1291
00:56:53,250 --> 00:56:55,500
Having a child is a big deal,

1292
00:56:55,583 --> 00:56:58,708
infertility can be
a real pressing issue.

1293
00:56:58,792 --> 00:57:01,292
You finally get pregnant,
maybe you have a miscarriage,

1294
00:57:01,333 --> 00:57:03,500
maybe you don't, you don't
have the miscarriage,

1295
00:57:03,583 --> 00:57:07,875
then you have all the water
retention and the weight gain

1296
00:57:07,958 --> 00:57:11,708
and the heartburn
and the kicking of the bladder.

1297
00:57:11,792 --> 00:57:14,792
I mean, I've seen it
firsthand, it's exciting.

1298
00:57:14,833 --> 00:57:17,208
It's an inconvenience.
And then the baby's born.

1299
00:57:17,292 --> 00:57:18,875
Having a baby is
an inconvenience.

1300
00:57:18,958 --> 00:57:21,625
I've watched it, I know why
we give women drugs.

1301
00:57:21,667 --> 00:57:23,708
It's necessary.

1302
00:57:23,792 --> 00:57:26,208
And then the child is
born and the children,

1303
00:57:26,292 --> 00:57:29,500
they sleep during the day,
they're up all night,

1304
00:57:29,583 --> 00:57:32,500
they cost tons of money,
they scream and fluids

1305
00:57:32,583 --> 00:57:36,875
come from every hole
like a sprinkler, right?

1306
00:57:36,958 --> 00:57:38,375
They're an inconvenience.

1307
00:57:38,458 --> 00:57:40,708
And then we get to
junior high, oh.

1308
00:57:40,792 --> 00:57:43,500
And then it's an--and then
they want to go to college,

1309
00:57:43,542 --> 00:57:45,917
then they want to get married
and it costs money

1310
00:57:46,000 --> 00:57:48,792
and they take time and they're
an inconvenience.

1311
00:57:48,833 --> 00:57:50,167
And you know what?

1312
00:57:50,250 --> 00:57:52,000
They're a glorious
inconvenience.

1313
00:57:52,583 --> 00:57:54,833
They're a glorious
inconvenience.

1314
00:57:54,875 --> 00:57:57,667
And you and I—
here's the big idea—

1315
00:57:57,750 --> 00:58:01,000
we tend to not see
ourselves as children.

1316
00:58:01,042 --> 00:58:03,000
We tend to see ourselves
like the disciples,

1317
00:58:03,042 --> 00:58:04,375
"Well, we're very
responsible adults

1318
00:58:04,458 --> 00:58:06,000
with very important things
to do."

1319
00:58:06,083 --> 00:58:08,000
And God says, "You
know what I see?

1320
00:58:08,083 --> 00:58:11,208
Ponytails, boogers, and
Fudgesicles, that's what I see."

1321
00:58:11,292 --> 00:58:15,208
You're not totally able
to take care of yourself.

1322
00:58:15,292 --> 00:58:17,875
You need your dad.
You were an inconvenience.

1323
00:58:17,958 --> 00:58:21,292
I don't know about you, Father,
I apologize for being

1324
00:58:21,333 --> 00:58:24,125
such an enormous inconvenience.

1325
00:58:24,167 --> 00:58:25,500
But you know what?

1326
00:58:25,583 --> 00:58:29,000
The fact that the Father loves
me and he endures with me and he

1327
00:58:29,083 --> 00:58:32,583
protects me and he provides for
me and he instructs me

1328
00:58:32,667 --> 00:58:36,625
and he corrects me, it reveals
that he's glorious.

1329
00:58:36,667 --> 00:58:39,333
He's amazing.

1330
00:58:39,375 --> 00:58:43,667
And we, by the grace of God,
get to be the children of God.

1331
00:58:43,750 --> 00:58:48,792
We get to be that inconvenience
through which he is revealed

1332
00:58:48,833 --> 00:58:50,583
to be glorious.

1333
00:58:50,667 --> 00:58:52,417
That's what
Christianity's all about.

1334
00:58:52,500 --> 00:58:54,917
So if you're here
and you're not a Christian,

1335
00:58:55,000 --> 00:58:58,708
I would invite you through
Jesus Christ to enjoy God

1336
00:58:58,792 --> 00:59:03,083
as your Father
and we as your family.

1337
00:59:03,167 --> 00:59:07,125
Isn't this good news?

1338
00:59:07,167 --> 00:59:12,375
And I want you just for a moment
to consider with me, that if we

1339
00:59:12,458 --> 00:59:16,917
had the heart of Jesus for
children and we raise children

1340
00:59:17,000 --> 00:59:21,333
who we love and instructed in
the Lord and they grew up to

1341
00:59:21,375 --> 00:59:24,875
love and serve Jesus,
let's say at Mars Hill,

1342
00:59:24,958 --> 00:59:30,417
we have a few thousand children
and they all have children,

1343
00:59:30,500 --> 00:59:35,500
who all have children,
who all have children,

1344
00:59:35,583 --> 00:59:38,167
who love and serve Jesus.

1345
00:59:38,250 --> 00:59:42,833
We're leaving a legacy of gospel
faith that goes on

1346
00:59:42,875 --> 00:59:45,500
maybe until Jesus comes back.

1347
00:59:45,583 --> 00:59:48,917
There's a story at the end of
Genesis where a little family of

1348
00:59:49,000 --> 00:59:52,417
60-some people goes into Egypt,
they're the children of God.

1349
00:59:52,500 --> 00:59:55,833
They have children who have
children who have children.

1350
00:59:55,875 --> 00:59:57,792
Four hundred and
forty years later,

1351
00:59:57,833 --> 01:00:02,417
they emerge as the nation of
Israel, a few million people.

1352
01:00:02,500 --> 01:00:05,917
They went from a few
dozen to a few million.

1353
01:00:06,000 --> 01:00:11,083
We may be in the midst of that.

1354
01:00:11,167 --> 01:00:14,833
And it starts with
the heart of Jesus.

1355
01:00:14,875 --> 01:00:19,625
We need to approach our Father
and his kingdom like kids

1356
01:00:19,667 --> 01:00:24,833
and we need to raise our kids to
love their heavenly Father.

1357
01:00:24,875 --> 01:00:27,708
Father, thank you for this
wonderful opportunity that you

1358
01:00:27,792 --> 01:00:29,708
bestowed us a people.

1359
01:00:29,792 --> 01:00:32,833
God, this is a big vision,
a big hope, a big dream,

1360
01:00:32,875 --> 01:00:35,333
a big possibility.

1361
01:00:35,375 --> 01:00:39,000
God, I pray for those who are
struggling with infertility

1362
01:00:39,042 --> 01:00:41,333
that even if they don't
have children,

1363
01:00:41,375 --> 01:00:43,708
they would have Jesus' heart
for children and as parents,

1364
01:00:43,792 --> 01:00:48,792
one day, or teachers or nursery
workers or big brothers

1365
01:00:48,833 --> 01:00:52,708
and sisters, that they would
love and serve children.

1366
01:00:52,792 --> 01:00:58,125
God, I thank you as well for
all the kids you've given us,

1367
01:00:58,167 --> 01:01:00,625
all the kids you've given us.

1368
01:01:00,667 --> 01:01:06,625
One thousand six hundred,
every Sunday, little blessings,

1369
01:01:06,667 --> 01:01:10,208
and more in the belly
and more to come.

1370
01:01:10,292 --> 01:01:13,125
Father, thank you that
as we examine children,

1371
01:01:13,167 --> 01:01:16,792
we learn how you are a good
Father and we're kids

1372
01:01:16,833 --> 01:01:18,500
that are an inconvenience.

1373
01:01:18,583 --> 01:01:20,292
And you're glorious.

1374
01:01:20,333 --> 01:01:22,500
And I pray, God, that
the parents in general,

1375
01:01:22,583 --> 01:01:26,333
that the fathers in particular,
that we would take it as

1376
01:01:26,375 --> 01:01:30,667
a noble, masculine honor to
love and serve children

1377
01:01:30,750 --> 01:01:35,792
and to welcome them to Jesus,
in whose name we pray, amen.