WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.040 Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church, and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today. 00:00:09.400 --> 00:00:21.400 A special welcome if you're new or visiting with us. We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats, but because we're following Jesus together as one community. 00:00:21.399 --> 00:00:35.659 And as we follow Jesus together, we become convinced there's no one so good, they don't need God's grace, and no one so bad that they can't have it, which is why we come back week after week to hear what God has to say to us in His Word. 00:00:36.060 --> 00:00:45.719 We're continuing our series in the Gospel of Mark. You'll remember that the Gospels tell the story of Jesus and His life and His death and His resurrection. 00:00:45.719 --> 00:01:00.500 And there's a theme that connects our passage last week and this week, which is Jesus reminding His disciples of how God actually meant the world to be different than what they believe or expect. 00:01:00.840 --> 00:01:07.599 Last week, we talked about the fact that marriage is different than what perhaps the disciples realized or understood. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:15.640 This week, we're going to see that children are also different than what the disciples believed or understood. 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:20.699 And as we dive in, we're going to look at two things. First of all, the importance of children. 00:01:21.539 --> 00:01:25.959 And second, the importance of being childlike, not childish. 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:31.919 One, the importance of children. Two, the importance of being childlike. 00:01:32.340 --> 00:01:36.560 And so it's with that that I invite you to turn with me to God's Word. 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:41.760 You can turn in your worship guide. You can turn in your phone. You can turn in your Bible. 00:01:41.879 --> 00:01:44.700 No matter where you go, remember that this is God's Word. 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:52.260 And Proverbs chapter 30 tells us that God's Word is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. 00:01:52.840 --> 00:01:58.020 Every word of God proves true. And so that's why we read now together, starting at verse 13. 00:01:59.020 --> 00:02:04.520 And they were bringing children to Him that He might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 00:02:04.519 --> 00:02:08.219 But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, 00:02:08.979 --> 00:02:16.719 Let the children come to Me. Do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 00:02:17.639 --> 00:02:23.659 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:29.759 And He took them in His arms and blessed them, laying His hands on them. 00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:34.340 And I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's Word. 00:02:34.340 --> 00:02:42.860 Our Father in Heaven, we praise You and thank You again that You haven't abandoned us as orphans, 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:44.960 but You speak to us. 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:50.080 And You instruct us like a loving and caring Father in Your Word. 00:02:50.180 --> 00:02:51.800 And so we ask for Your help this morning, 00:02:52.360 --> 00:02:57.000 that You would help us by Your Spirit to be attentive and to hear and to understand. 00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:03.740 And that most of all, You would show us Jesus Christ in His beauty and glory and love and majesty. 00:03:04.300 --> 00:03:08.639 And that You would grow our love and affection and reverence and awe for Him. 00:03:09.219 --> 00:03:13.939 We thank You that we don't have to worry about whether we've earned these things or deserve them. 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:18.680 But instead, we simply ask them in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 00:03:18.680 --> 00:03:18.860 Amen. 00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:29.319 In 2015, a man named Paul Offit came out with a book titled Bad Faith, 00:03:29.819 --> 00:03:33.939 When Religious Belief Undermines Modern Medicine. 00:03:34.920 --> 00:03:38.620 Now, Paul is an Ivy League professor of pediatrics, and he's also a physician. 00:03:39.140 --> 00:03:45.960 And so he had become frustrated with religious people who refused to give modern medicine to their children. 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:47.319 And so he thought, you know what I'm going to do? 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:51.359 I'm going to write a book about how terrible religion is. 00:03:51.620 --> 00:03:54.019 One of the things he writes about in his book, for example, 00:03:54.019 --> 00:03:59.620 is the fact that Jehovah's Witnesses often refuse blood transfusions when they're necessary. 00:04:00.539 --> 00:04:07.639 But something unexpected happened to Paul as he began to dig in to his research and his writing of this book. 00:04:08.079 --> 00:04:09.719 And so it became newsworthy. 00:04:09.719 --> 00:04:15.159 The Washington Post ran a profile on him and what he experienced as he dug in. 00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:17.199 It tells us, 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:21.579 Offit began to read the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament and the New Testament, 00:04:21.579 --> 00:04:26.819 and look into the history of Christians' work in the areas of child welfare and health care. 00:04:27.159 --> 00:04:31.439 He said he found himself largely embracing religious teachings. 00:04:32.719 --> 00:04:35.560 Offit told me he was surprised by his reaction to faith. 00:04:36.159 --> 00:04:39.740 Asked what particularly changed his mind about religion, he said, 00:04:39.740 --> 00:04:41.360 I read the New Testament. 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:48.220 Reading slowly and carefully in context, I came to feel that independent of Jesus' divinity, 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:51.680 independent of questions about the gospel's accuracy, 00:04:52.220 --> 00:04:55.220 you have to be impressed with Jesus. 00:04:56.819 --> 00:05:02.960 He said that Jesus' advocacy on behalf of children who were treated as property in the ancient Greco-Roman context 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:07.399 moved him, quote, to the point of tears, unquote. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:10.039 He referred to Christianity as, quote, 00:05:10.099 --> 00:05:15.919 the single greatest breakthrough against child abuse in history. 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:24.000 In her book, Confronting Christianity, Rebecca McLaughlin notes that Offit ended up changing the title of his book 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:26.359 based on his learnings. 00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:28.280 He had originally meant to title it, 00:05:28.280 --> 00:05:35.439 How Religious Belief Undermines Modern Medicine to When Religious Belief Undermines Modern Medicine, 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:42.080 acknowledging the massive impact Christianity has had on medicine and ethics. 00:05:43.379 --> 00:05:44.960 And the point is this. 00:05:45.100 --> 00:05:50.699 You may disagree with Christianity in its foundation. 00:05:51.540 --> 00:05:54.520 You cannot deny its fruit. 00:05:54.519 --> 00:05:58.419 You may disagree with Christianity in its foundation. 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:00.819 You cannot deny its fruit. 00:06:00.899 --> 00:06:07.459 What Paul Offit did was trace what he sees as our honor and respect and care for children in the modern world. 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:14.180 And he saw that it found its root, its foundation in the Judeo-Christian tradition that's affirmed here by Jesus. 00:06:14.659 --> 00:06:17.159 When we happen on Jesus in verse 13, 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:24.960 the disciples rebuke the folks who are bringing their children to receive a blessing from Jesus. 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:33.020 And they do this because they recognize that Jesus has more important things to do than interact with children. 00:06:34.379 --> 00:06:37.480 Jesus has all these things that are pressing in on him. 00:06:37.620 --> 00:06:38.980 He is a great teacher. 00:06:38.980 --> 00:06:49.960 And so, of course, Jesus has no time to be distracted by these small individuals who have nothing to offer to him. 00:06:50.939 --> 00:06:56.840 This would be similar, by the way, to someone coming to Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church 00:06:56.839 --> 00:07:03.560 and complaining about the fact that we have squirming and crying kids here with us in worship. 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:07.699 Now, I've been meaning to say this for a while as a non sequitur, 00:07:07.699 --> 00:07:10.679 but today it actually makes sense. 00:07:11.060 --> 00:07:14.839 We love having crying children in church. 00:07:16.739 --> 00:07:19.979 It is such a beautiful thing. 00:07:19.980 --> 00:07:22.319 It is a gift. 00:07:23.300 --> 00:07:27.280 And praise God that we already had some of it this morning. 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:28.400 Okay? 00:07:29.379 --> 00:07:31.920 What a great thing. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:36.000 By the way, we have folks in our church who have come to us and said, 00:07:36.400 --> 00:07:41.080 man, we're so delighted to finally be in a church that has children. 00:07:42.060 --> 00:07:44.980 We missed that at our previous church. 00:07:44.980 --> 00:07:50.360 So, are there children screaming in worship? 00:07:51.860 --> 00:07:53.480 Praise God. 00:07:54.460 --> 00:07:59.000 Verse 14, Jesus says, don't hinder the children. 00:08:00.060 --> 00:08:03.520 Are there children squirming in your pew? 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:06.500 Praise God. 00:08:07.500 --> 00:08:10.980 Jesus says, do not hinder the children. 00:08:10.980 --> 00:08:18.920 In fact, we see in verse 14 this strong word that apparently appears only here in the New Testament, 00:08:19.319 --> 00:08:21.280 that Jesus was indignant, 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:26.920 which helps us understand how seriously Jesus takes this offense 00:08:26.920 --> 00:08:29.700 and how much he loves children. 00:08:30.300 --> 00:08:34.259 Now, we might be surprised at how the disciples act in this episode, 00:08:34.259 --> 00:08:36.580 but it actually makes sense when we understand 00:08:36.580 --> 00:08:41.560 that they are captive to the thought patterns of the culture in which they live. 00:08:42.340 --> 00:08:47.500 Children in ancient Rome were not seen in the way that we see them today. 00:08:47.660 --> 00:08:52.600 There was not a category for understanding them to be cute and adorable. 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:56.340 A church historian wrote a book called, 00:08:56.440 --> 00:08:57.920 When Children Became People, 00:08:57.920 --> 00:09:01.120 The Birth of Children in Early Christianity, 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:03.539 and he asked this simple question, 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:07.340 Did Christianity make a difference in the ancient world? 00:09:08.019 --> 00:09:12.019 And the answer, very long and complicated, was yes. 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:17.340 The ancients, for them, it was common to have abortion exposure, 00:09:17.580 --> 00:09:21.220 infanticide, abuse, and violence in school. 00:09:21.980 --> 00:09:24.820 And he has this quote on page 7 of your worship guide. 00:09:24.820 --> 00:09:48.940 Another way of putting it is this. 00:09:48.940 --> 00:10:05.020 It was Christianity that changed the view of children in the world. 00:10:05.160 --> 00:10:10.420 It is not an overstatement to say that Jesus' teaching here in this passage 00:10:10.420 --> 00:10:15.960 led to and affects the world that you exist in right now in 2022. 00:10:15.960 --> 00:10:23.400 It's because of Jesus' teaching that the Western world views children the way it does. 00:10:23.540 --> 00:10:27.560 Jesus' words here changed the course of history. 00:10:28.019 --> 00:10:29.840 It is countercultural. 00:10:30.040 --> 00:10:35.120 It's revolutionary to speak of children as people that actually matter. 00:10:36.100 --> 00:10:39.960 Christian, that is your ethical, your theological, 00:10:40.360 --> 00:10:44.320 your moral heritage as someone who follows Jesus. 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:51.879 It is not as unique and as self-evident as you might initially think. 00:10:52.520 --> 00:10:56.280 Jesus' comments here might sound boilerplate now, 00:10:57.060 --> 00:11:01.100 and they were mind-blowing at the time. 00:11:05.140 --> 00:11:11.700 Not radical to us, if only because we live in a world that's been shaped by this teaching, this passage. 00:11:11.700 --> 00:11:17.740 And so if you hear someone talking about how important it is to care and value children, 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:20.020 whether they're a Christian or not, you can think or say, 00:11:20.160 --> 00:11:22.520 oh yeah, that's because of Jesus. 00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:27.040 That's why that seems normal now, today. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.720 In fact, the same thing is true of many things in our world. 00:11:31.800 --> 00:11:33.240 Now, I didn't plan this at all, 00:11:33.520 --> 00:11:35.700 but if you were in Sunday school this morning, 00:11:35.700 --> 00:11:39.080 Jim Franks quoted this man named Tom Holland, who's a historian, 00:11:39.780 --> 00:11:41.960 and wrote a book called Dominion about Christianity. 00:11:42.580 --> 00:11:44.040 Tom happens to be an atheist, 00:11:44.640 --> 00:11:47.379 but you'll see a quote from him on the back of your worship guide. 00:11:47.780 --> 00:11:52.900 He recognizes the fact that so many of the ethical, moral imperatives of our age 00:11:52.900 --> 00:11:56.500 that we believe are self-evident and take for granted 00:11:56.500 --> 00:12:00.060 are unique inheritances from Christianity. 00:12:00.059 --> 00:12:07.299 In other words, once you remove the belief that all people are made in the image of God, 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:14.039 you quickly lose any real basis or foundation for saying that children have the same rights as adults. 00:12:14.659 --> 00:12:20.959 It is Christianity and only Christianity that offers that solid, moral, and ethical foundation. 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:29.120 And so it should not surprise us that as we become unhinged, untethered from the heritage that we have 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:34.540 in the West of the Christian tradition, that we will see that go down more and more. 00:12:35.060 --> 00:12:40.800 In other words, it will become a greater contrast between the church and the world in our view 00:12:40.800 --> 00:12:44.620 and care of and concern for young children. 00:12:44.620 --> 00:12:50.639 And so this, brothers and sisters, is our heritage. 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:52.740 Let's continue. 00:12:54.360 --> 00:12:57.419 Praise God for our Sunday school teachers. 00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:03.679 When we were making the invite cards that are out in our narthex for church, 00:13:04.220 --> 00:13:07.279 it said initially, Sunday school for all ages. 00:13:07.940 --> 00:13:11.379 And I asked the question, I said, isn't that, shouldn't we actually say, 00:13:11.379 --> 00:13:16.159 Sunday school for ages four and up, nursery through ages zero through three? 00:13:16.980 --> 00:13:21.139 And Kathy, our church secretary, very gently corrected me and pointed out, 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:26.519 no, in our nursery, we teach children about Jesus and the Bible. 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:30.340 Even in our nursery, there is discipleship and instruction. 00:13:31.419 --> 00:13:37.039 And so in a real and true sense, we do have Sunday school for all ages. 00:13:37.179 --> 00:13:39.620 And we do it because of what Jesus says here. 00:13:39.620 --> 00:13:44.220 We believe that the very youngest children in this world are spiritually alive. 00:13:44.340 --> 00:13:50.240 They are capable, even in our nursery, of understanding and grasping truths about God. 00:13:52.519 --> 00:13:57.840 Jesus teaches us here that small children are disciples that belong to him, 00:13:57.940 --> 00:14:00.120 not people that belong to us. 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:06.680 We are just stewards of what God has given us. 00:14:06.679 --> 00:14:12.399 This is our heritage from the very beginning of the church. 00:14:13.459 --> 00:14:19.679 There was a lot of slander that went around earlier this summer when Roe v. Wade was overturned. 00:14:21.139 --> 00:14:26.379 People accusing the pro-life movement of only caring about birth and not about life. 00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:32.059 There was slander that the church did not care about pro-life issues until very recently. 00:14:32.059 --> 00:14:34.319 The only problem is this. 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:38.859 The church fathers wrote about it in the early centuries of the church. 00:14:39.819 --> 00:14:39.979 Okay? 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:45.539 The church has cared about these issues from its very earliest years. 00:14:45.539 --> 00:14:54.579 Now, you all know I'm a millennial, and millennials used to be comfortable and accustomed to being the youngest people around. 00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:56.459 We've now been replaced by Gen Z. 00:14:57.199 --> 00:14:58.279 Love Gen Z. 00:14:58.279 --> 00:15:05.159 One of my favorite things about Gen Z is they have amazing phrases for everything. 00:15:05.819 --> 00:15:09.980 And I think my favorite is when Gen Z says, we have the receipts. 00:15:10.620 --> 00:15:12.860 Which is their way of saying, we've got proof. 00:15:13.819 --> 00:15:15.039 Come at us. 00:15:15.980 --> 00:15:21.899 When it comes to the church's care for children from the earliest centuries and its concern, 00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:26.579 not just for birth but for life, I have the receipts. 00:15:26.580 --> 00:15:31.320 The church fathers do not stutter. 00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:36.660 Care for children is a uniquely Christian heritage. 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:39.520 Others have borrowed it from us. 00:15:40.220 --> 00:15:42.420 Let's keep living it out. 00:15:43.660 --> 00:15:50.420 Let's keep teaching our children about the faith, seeing them as essential, not peripheral. 00:15:50.419 --> 00:15:58.799 Let's continue caring for children who have nothing of earthly value to offer us. 00:15:59.939 --> 00:16:04.139 That is the teaching and the heritage of Jesus. 00:16:04.139 --> 00:16:13.679 Now, I've established, hopefully, that for most of world history, it was really hard to be a kid. 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:15.919 The reality is this. 00:16:16.360 --> 00:16:21.799 No matter how good a time you live in, it is always hard to be a kid. 00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:23.939 Now, I'll tell you a story. 00:16:24.139 --> 00:16:28.359 As I've entered my 30s, I've become more and more nostalgic. 00:16:29.099 --> 00:16:33.359 Now, as long as I can remember, I have always loved the color blue. 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:34.779 That's always been my favorite color. 00:16:35.599 --> 00:16:43.439 I recently realized what my earliest memory was of the color blue and when I began to fall in love with it. 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:47.740 And it came from this children's book called Happy Birthday, Sam. 00:16:48.820 --> 00:16:53.400 Now, as you can see, Sam's got some legit 1970s blue pants. 00:16:54.060 --> 00:16:54.180 Okay? 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:57.160 Now, it's Happy Birthday, Sam. 00:16:57.300 --> 00:16:58.840 Sam has a birthday. 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:00.340 We're not told how old he turns. 00:17:00.860 --> 00:17:05.340 But Sam has these great expectations because he knows he's a year older. 00:17:05.940 --> 00:17:10.840 And so Sam thinks on his birthday, all these things are going to radically change for him. 00:17:10.839 --> 00:17:14.399 And suddenly, things that were not true in the past will become true. 00:17:15.299 --> 00:17:21.699 So he wants to know, now that he has another birthday, is he going to be able to turn on the bedroom light? 00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:23.559 No. 00:17:26.059 --> 00:17:27.179 So he tries again. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:28.199 He goes to his wardrobe. 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:31.279 Sam wants to know, can I finally reach my clothes? 00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:33.439 No. 00:17:35.919 --> 00:17:37.099 Sam hasn't given up. 00:17:37.099 --> 00:17:41.179 He decides he wants to see if he can wash his hands by himself and get to the sink. 00:17:43.419 --> 00:17:43.819 No. 00:17:45.259 --> 00:17:50.959 Sam then receives a Christmas present, a birthday present, downstairs that his parents give him a beautiful boat. 00:17:51.299 --> 00:17:56.359 He wants to get to the sink so that he can sail that boat in water. 00:17:57.500 --> 00:17:59.359 But he can't reach it. 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:05.979 Now, as a young child, I want to tell you all that I felt that. 00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:11.319 You can't turn on the lights. 00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:12.579 You can't reach the sink. 00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:20.819 I am grateful to report to you all this morning that I have finally reached the height I need to to turn on the lights by myself. 00:18:20.819 --> 00:18:24.480 And that's really, that's really big for me. 00:18:24.539 --> 00:18:25.119 You guys laugh. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:27.539 It's really big for me because I live by myself right now. 00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:31.319 So there's no one to help me turn on the lights. 00:18:34.200 --> 00:18:40.319 But, that has not done me any favors spiritually. 00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:54.419 Being able to turn on the lights has not done me any favors in terms of my relationship to God. 00:18:56.619 --> 00:18:59.259 Now, Sam does find a solution. 00:18:59.419 --> 00:19:00.639 I'm not going to ruin it for you. 00:19:00.839 --> 00:19:02.599 You're going to have to find your own copy. 00:19:04.399 --> 00:19:06.379 Normally, I'm very generous in loaning out books. 00:19:06.380 --> 00:19:11.280 This one's not up for alone because it's just such a critical foundational piece of my library. 00:19:14.220 --> 00:19:15.900 But the point is this. 00:19:17.120 --> 00:19:23.340 Jesus is saying here, spiritually, you can't turn on the lights. 00:19:25.540 --> 00:19:28.320 Spiritually, you can't reach the sink. 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:32.300 Spiritually, you are a child. 00:19:32.520 --> 00:19:34.620 You are helpless and dependent. 00:19:34.619 --> 00:19:38.579 And unless you embrace that and realize that, 00:19:39.159 --> 00:19:44.459 you cannot receive the kingdom. 00:19:47.019 --> 00:19:50.939 Need is the price of admission. 00:19:52.059 --> 00:19:57.319 And there is an undeniable neediness that comes with being a child. 00:19:57.319 --> 00:20:08.259 It is impossible for children to curate and arrange their lives in such a way that they can pretend to be strong and independent. 00:20:09.700 --> 00:20:13.519 And if they do, it is laughable. 00:20:15.299 --> 00:20:15.599 Right? 00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:18.639 We can see right through it. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:23.880 And so, in verse 13 here, the disciples say, 00:20:24.500 --> 00:20:26.940 Get these kids out of here. 00:20:28.060 --> 00:20:29.540 And Jesus says, 00:20:30.040 --> 00:20:33.800 You could learn a thing or two from them. 00:20:35.380 --> 00:20:39.440 The disciples realize they have nothing to offer the world, 00:20:39.620 --> 00:20:43.620 and so they must have nothing to offer Jesus. 00:20:43.619 --> 00:20:47.479 And that's the point. 00:20:49.099 --> 00:20:52.539 They have nothing to offer. 00:20:54.679 --> 00:20:58.139 Brothers and sisters, when you come to God, 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:02.139 you have nothing to offer. 00:21:02.140 --> 00:21:10.840 You must realize and embrace that if you want to receive the kingdom. 00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:20.840 Spiritually, you are not as independent or powerful as you think. 00:21:22.040 --> 00:21:28.100 In fact, it is possible to be too independent for your own good. 00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:33.619 Remember last week, I told you, when we were talking about marriage and divorce, 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:38.939 that it is not a badge of honor to have never been to marriage counseling. 00:21:41.919 --> 00:21:44.899 Need is the price of admission. 00:21:46.019 --> 00:21:54.459 I've told you before that the opposite of addiction is not sobriety, but connection. 00:21:54.460 --> 00:21:58.840 You cannot heal yourself. 00:22:02.100 --> 00:22:08.100 And, of course, our most foundational need of all is our need for the gospel. 00:22:08.579 --> 00:22:11.059 We've already had a reminder of this this morning. 00:22:11.160 --> 00:22:14.980 When Jenny joined, we heard our membership questions all over again, 00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:16.700 as we do frequently. 00:22:16.900 --> 00:22:18.019 And question one is this. 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:21.000 Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, 00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:24.160 justly deserving his displeasure and without hope, 00:22:24.740 --> 00:22:26.259 save in his sovereign mercy? 00:22:28.140 --> 00:22:30.799 You're so helpless and needy. 00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:35.299 God's mercy is the only thing that can save you. 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:37.559 Question two. 00:22:38.019 --> 00:22:41.579 Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of sinners? 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:46.039 And do you receive and rest upon him alone for salvation? 00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:52.899 In other words, Jesus is not coming in to pay 70% of what needs to be paid, 00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:55.539 and you bring along the 30% that you've saved. 00:22:55.960 --> 00:23:00.460 No, there is nothing that you can bring to the table. 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:03.039 In fact, Jesus reminds us of this explicitly. 00:23:03.899 --> 00:23:07.799 Verse 15, we're told you have to receive the kingdom. 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:10.859 Notice what Jesus doesn't say. 00:23:10.940 --> 00:23:14.079 He doesn't say, unless you earn the kingdom like a little child. 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:18.039 Unless you're impressive enough like a little child. 00:23:18.159 --> 00:23:21.699 Unless you are cute enough like a little child. 00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:25.359 Unless you deliver the goods like a little child does. 00:23:26.259 --> 00:23:30.019 No, he says, unless you receive the kingdom. 00:23:31.899 --> 00:23:35.899 All you can do is receive it as a gift. 00:23:35.900 --> 00:23:40.300 And of course, that's the good news of the gospel. 00:23:40.460 --> 00:23:45.540 That God actually does give us what we do not deserve and cannot earn. 00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:50.920 And he does it because he can. 00:23:51.040 --> 00:23:53.320 Because of the wealth that he has. 00:23:53.420 --> 00:23:56.340 When Jesus died the death that we should have died, 00:23:56.800 --> 00:23:59.540 and took the punishment that we deserved, 00:23:59.539 --> 00:24:04.700 he made it possible for us to receive like children. 00:24:06.379 --> 00:24:09.980 And so that's why Jesus tells us, Mark 2, verse 17, 00:24:10.259 --> 00:24:12.839 those who are well have no need of a physician, 00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:14.500 but those who are sick. 00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:19.079 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. 00:24:19.079 --> 00:24:26.240 And so it's that need that we're going to confess together in our final hymn. 00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:27.759 In verse 3, we're going to sing this. 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:32.879 Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling. 00:24:33.659 --> 00:24:37.220 Which is a verse of childlike need. 00:24:38.699 --> 00:24:40.059 Jesus loves children. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:42.199 We love children. 00:24:43.179 --> 00:24:47.659 Jesus loves children, which means Jesus loves us. 00:24:47.660 --> 00:24:50.340 Let the little children come to me. 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:54.600 Do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 00:24:55.220 --> 00:24:56.680 Truly I say to you, 00:24:56.779 --> 00:25:01.860 whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. 00:25:02.340 --> 00:25:02.960 Let's pray. 00:25:04.460 --> 00:25:08.100 Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the good news 00:25:08.100 --> 00:25:11.900 that we don't have to bring anything to you, 00:25:11.940 --> 00:25:13.519 that we just have to receive. 00:25:14.180 --> 00:25:15.920 And we confess that it's a challenge 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:20.740 because we want to be powerful and strong and independent. 00:25:21.400 --> 00:25:24.200 We ask that you would send your spirit to us now, 00:25:24.259 --> 00:25:28.740 that you continue to remind us of our great and tremendous need for the gospel, 00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:32.259 and you'd encourage us with the grace that you give to us 00:25:32.259 --> 00:25:34.820 to meet us at that very same point of need. 00:25:35.340 --> 00:25:37.259 We thank you that even as we pray, 00:25:37.360 --> 00:25:38.940 we're relying and trusting on you 00:25:38.940 --> 00:25:42.360 because we have nothing to offer you except for Christ. 00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:45.279 And so we pray all of these things in his mighty name. 00:25:45.720 --> 00:25:45.960 Amen. 00:25:47.640 --> 00:25:49.680 I invite you to stand for our closing hymn.