Sermon Transcript: Let the Children Come

First Lesson: Mark 9:36-37

“³⁶Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷ "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes my Father who sent me." 

Words of Promise: Proverbs 22:6

⁶Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Second Lesson: Mark 10:13-16

¹³ One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.  ¹⁴ When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. ¹⁵ I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

Monsters, INC.

In Disney Pixar’s Movie Monsters, INC. there is a comical scenario in which monsters rely on the screams of children for the energy to run their city.  What makes things interesting is that the Monsters are deathly afraid of children, believing that if they are even touched by a child, their life will be in danger.  With that in mind, let’s watch a short scene from the film.

The Clip…

This clip and its back story may be outlandish, but the central theme might not be as far from our reality as we think.  The theme, in a nut shell, is that children have their purpose and place but by in large should be feared and avoided.  I think we tend to share this view sometimes.  Have you ever heard the saying “children are to be seen and not heard” or something to the effect “I need a break from children when I am worshiping God.”  And you should see some of the looks I get when I suggest to individuals that they volunteer in our middle school programs! 

The Lesson…

One thing is for certain, this is a theme that the apostles had.  The children just weren’t a high priority for Jesus’ disciples.  To them, following Christ was a grown up affair.  Surely, Jesus was too busy doing miracles and teaching to pay any attention to these young ones. 

The Disciples probably didn’t doubt the motives of the parents who attempted to bring their children to Jesus.  More than likely they resented this imposition on Jesus’ time and power.  After all, teaching and miracles should preoccupy Jesus’ time and attention, not the touching of children to satisfy a mother’s whims.  The Disciples’ message is clear, children just aren’t that important. 

The Abdonment of Youth…

In his book Hurt 2.0:Inside the World of Today’s Teenager Dr. Chap Clark makes a troubling claim.  Clark concludes that in the United States we have systematically abandoned our youth.  Overkill, definitely; unfair, sure; partially true, if we are brutally honest, absolutely! 

Clark anonymously quotes a high school student who had this to say:

“We spend no time with adults from junior high on- fifteen minutes every other day is the best we ever get.” 

Dr. Clark goes on to share some startling statistics...teenagers on average spend less than 5% of their time with their parents and only 2% of their time with other adults.

Children Need Adults!

But here’s the thing, children need adults!  The young individual quoted knows that they need adults.  Throughout human history children have learned to become adults by observing, learning from and imitating adults. 

All you have to do is take a look around you to recognize that today’s young people are struggling to make the transition from adolescence to adulthood.  Chap Clark concludes that it is because our society has abandoned them.

We also need to admit that sometimes the church has been a part of this so called abandonment.  We have seen the negative results it has had as teenagers in the church become adults, haven’t we?  One of the consequences of this abandonment has been that many young people have graduated from their relationship with God when they have graduated from the youth group.  Research has shown that this scenario is true nearly half the time!  I don’t know about all of you but those our odds that I can’t live with!

Jesus and the Children

Those are results that Jesus isn’t satisfied with either.  It is very clear from today’s lesson that Jesus has a very different perspective on children than that of his disciples.  Jesus is nothing short of displeased by the disciples’ attempts to keep the children from him.  Jesus smashes their pre-conceived notions about the unimportance of children even going so far as to say that they have the key to entering the kingdom of Heaven. 

Jesus demands that his followers get out of the way and allow the children to come to Him.  He gladly takes the time to pick the children up into his arms and bless them.  So, what does Jesus’ example mean for us today?

The Church that Lets the Children Come

I have a general belief that Christ’s church should seek to mimic the life of Christ.  So, how can the church and the individuals that make it up “let the children come?” By going against the societal norms of adolescent abandonment, and being the one place where adults intentionally spend time with and build authentic relationships with young people.  That means that the adults of this congregation need to be serious about fostering relationships with the young people of this church.

Everyone’s Responsibility

Remember the number 5.  Research has shown that this is the number of Christian adults a child needs in their life, in addition to parents and church staff, in order to have the best chance of becoming a lifelong follower of Christ.    Make no mistake, for every young person that is a part of RUMC to have 5 Christian adults in their lives, everyone here today has to take seriously the responsibility to be one of those adults for one of those children.  

What it Looks Like – as a Church

But what in the world does that look like?  Well for Rockford United Methodist Church as a congregation it is creating intentional opportunities for what is known as inter-generational relationships to form. Now when I say inter-generational I mean the intentional development of relationships between adults and young people. 

You need to know that your church is already moving in that direction.  It is why adult membership and conformation are now one in the same.  Adults and youth will now attend the same membership class.  Likewise, it is why this fall adults and senior high students will be participating in Disciple Class together.   And it is also why instead of having the youth group clean the church this fall, we are having an all church building clean on Wednesday evening September 11. We are making these changes first and foremost to create connections and adult support for the young people of RUMC.

What it Looks Like – as Individuals

For all of us as individuals it means making it our personal calling to build an authentic and ongoing relationship with at least one young person from this church.

Now, a word to the retirees that are a part of this church; you may feel that your time to “work with kids” is done.  Paul’s challenge a couple of Sunday’s ago aside,  allow me to throw out another statistic… 2/3’s of the young people in our country do not have grandparents who live in the same vicinity as them.  That too is a new cultural phenomenon, and it’s not good!  Some of the most impactful and blessed relationships that I have seen and heard about were between Retirees and youth. 

Building Relationships

So, how do we build those relationships? For some of us building those relationships might mean volunteering with one of the many children’s and youth programs offered to young people at RUMC.  You didn’t really think I would pass up an opportunity to ask you all to volunteer, did you?  Now, that might be as simple even as volunteering once a month in Nursery or JAMS.  These are two great ministries in need of more volunteers and a great venue for building relationships with children. 

For others it could mean a less formal way of connecting with our youth.  Perhaps that means building an authentic and ongoing relationship with a young person through proximity, maybe a family with children in our church lives in your neighborhood and you offer to babysit the children for free once a month.  Maybe the family doesn’t live near you but they sit in or near the same pew as you every Sunday and you commit to pray for the children and strike up a conversation with them every Sunday.

It could mean that you find a way to connect with a young person through shared interest.  Maybe you take a member of the RHS golf team golfing, maybe you teach a young girl how to knit.  Maybe you and another individual (in case the safety committee is listening) pick up a teenager and take them to choir or praise team practice every week.  

Whatever is looks like for you, it is something that you will have to be committed to and the rewards will be eternal, not just for the child, but also for you…Remember what Jesus said about the Kingdom of Heaven…children hold the key…

Conclusion – a Choice to Make

Rockford United Methodist Church has a choice to make.  Each of us has a choice to make.  Will this place be just another place that categorically abandons its youth, or will it be a place and a people that say