Speaker 1: 1st Baptist, baptist El Dorado.
Speaker 1: Will you join me now in listening to our sermon from this week, matthew 19.
Speaker 1: We'll be looking today at verses 13 through 15.
Speaker 1: I'll give you just a second to go to Matthew, chapter 19.
Speaker 1: And I will read these verses over us, beginning in verse 13.
Speaker 1: Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray.
Speaker 1: The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.
Speaker 1: And he laid his hands on them and went away.
Speaker 1: Let's pray together.
Speaker 1: Lord Jesus, thank you for your word.
Speaker 1: By your spirit, would you teach us your word, give us your word, transform us by your word.
Speaker 1: We are dependent on your spirit for that.
Speaker 1: We ask this in Christ's name.
Speaker 1: We are dependent on your spirit for that.
Speaker 1: We ask this in Christ's name.
Speaker 1: Amen.
Speaker 1: Throughout the gospel, so often Jesus is trying to get places.
Speaker 1: He's in one place and sometimes needs to get to another, another ministry opportunity, whether it's a different location in Galilee, on the other side of the lake, or whether it's from Galilee down to Judea and Jerusalem, he's trying to get places.
Speaker 1: Sometimes I'm trying to get places as well, just last week, leaving after church Sunday, driving between this location and trying to get to Texarkana and over to Dallas, we were driving and driving and we got to Magnolia and, because of a lot of the rain the night before on the highway there, part of it was underwater.
Speaker 1: But that's okay because we can handle it, because we've got GPS we're good with maps we can find the back roads that no one else knows anything about.
Speaker 1: We don't need your fancy road, we can weave and go around.
Speaker 1: And so we go about 20 minutes out of the way.
Speaker 1: We find this back road that no one else is on, because no one else knows about it, only us and we go down and realize that at this one point that if on the highway there was a creek crossing the road, here it's a raging river and so we have to go back the 20 or 25 minutes out of the way.
Speaker 1: We have to get back, basically, to Magnolia, go all the way up to Hope and then over, adding a little bit of time to our trip when all I'm trying to do is get to where I'm going.
Speaker 1: For Jesus, water was never what got in his way.
Speaker 1: He handled water just fine.
Speaker 1: He could calm the water.
Speaker 1: He could walk on the water.
Speaker 1: What often happened with Jesus as he was trying to get different places are people, people that wanted his time, people that wanted his touch, people that wanted his energy.
Speaker 1: And yet for Jesus, that was never an interruption, that was never an issue.
Speaker 1: For Jesus, that was the ministry.
Speaker 1: As we come to Matthew 19, 13 through 15, the disciples are just trying to get Jesus down to Jerusalem.
Speaker 1: In chapter 17, jesus made the point that I'm about to go be offered up.
Speaker 1: I will die.
Speaker 1: I'm about to go be offered up.
Speaker 1: I will die.
Speaker 1: Three days later I will rise from the dead.
Speaker 1: All of that has to take place in Jerusalem, and so, from that point on, jesus is trying to get to Jerusalem, but a lot of things get in the way.
Speaker 1: He goes over to Capernaum and some men want to ask him about how we pay taxes.
Speaker 1: There's disciples that want to ask him about who's the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Speaker 1: There's parables that Jesus wants to tell.
Speaker 1: We get to chapter 19, and in verse 1, we see that now, when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.
Speaker 1: So he's heading south.
Speaker 1: We're getting closer to Jerusalem.
Speaker 1: But then all of a sudden the Pharisees come, come and they want to ask Jesus about different details about divorce.
Speaker 1: And what are your teachings on divorce?
Speaker 1: Jesus can't seem to get down to Jerusalem, but he finishes this talk with these individuals and surely we're about to get there.
Speaker 1: Surely the disciples can run a little interference for Jesus and we can help Jesus where he needs to get to Jerusalem, the disciples can help him get there.
Speaker 1: And then verse 13 comes.
Speaker 1: Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray.
Speaker 1: And look at the response here.
Speaker 1: The disciples rebuked the people.
Speaker 1: The disciples, jesus's followers, rebuke these parents or grandparents that are just wanting their children to just have any minor encounter with Jesus.
Speaker 1: We know the teacher, the rabbi, the Savior, is walking through town and if I can just get my child there, everything's going to be all right.
Speaker 1: I'll tell you, if Jesus was walking through El Dorado today, james and Olivia would be first in line.
Speaker 1: I'd say just get them, jesus.
Speaker 1: If you could just touch them, that'd be great.
Speaker 1: I think they're already close to perfect, but Jesus could help them cross the line.
Speaker 1: Jesus, just to have an encounter with him changes everything.
Speaker 1: And so these parents just say, hey, I want to bring my children to Jesus.
Speaker 1: And the disciples rebuke them.
Speaker 1: You read between the lines of scripture and we probably know why.
Speaker 1: Jesus, these are children.
Speaker 1: When the Pharisees come, they're the elite.
Speaker 1: We can give them the time of day when other men and women certainly when the Roman soldier needs his servant to be healed I mean, he's a man of great authority.
Speaker 1: Jesus, these are children.
Speaker 1: Give them time.
Speaker 1: They'll grow up one of these days and they can come sit at the big kids table.
Speaker 1: They can come into the room with the adults and then you can give them the time.
Speaker 1: Also, this Jesus, we're just trying to get to Jerusalem.
Speaker 1: If we stop for every child that just needs to be prayed over Jesus, we're never going to get there.
Speaker 1: And I'm sure the disciples may have looked at these and said, hey, here's what you can do.
Speaker 1: You can't see the teacher now, but if you'll grab a ticket, if you'll shoot us an email, we can find a date in the future on the calendar.
Speaker 1: We can set up an appointment.
Speaker 1: There's ways to go about this.
Speaker 1: There's a process that we use to get to Jesus.
Speaker 1: You don't just walk over.
Speaker 1: That's what the disciples, I'm sure, are thinking and they rebuke those who would bring their children to Jesus.
Speaker 1: Why?
Speaker 1: Most of all because of this Because this was an interruption into their previously scheduled programming.
Speaker 1: Jesus, we just need to get to Jerusalem and these children right now are an interruption.
Speaker 1: I want to ask you a question how do you deal with the interruptions of life, specifically thinking of those spiritual interruptions, those divine interventions, those ministry moments that God puts in your path?
Speaker 1: How do you deal with those quote-unquote interruptions of life?
Speaker 1: Because here's what I imagine we're tempted to say that, holy Spirit, we ask for your movement.
Speaker 1: Lord Jesus, by your spirit, would you put divine interventions in my path?
Speaker 1: Would you give me ministry moments?
Speaker 1: Would you put those people in my path that I can help and serve?
Speaker 1: And, holy Spirit, could you do it between the hours of 8 and 4 30 on Monday through Friday?
Speaker 1: If you could do it that way at that time, holy Spirit, I want to see a movement of God, but I also know I've got this calendar.
Speaker 1: If you could consult my calendar before you put that divine intervention in my path, you'll see that Monday's not good but Tuesday will be fine.
Speaker 1: How do you deal with those ministry interruptions in your own life?
Speaker 1: Have you noticed in your own life that those ministry moments that God puts those people in your path, it never seems to happen on days when you've got hours to spare, but sometimes those ministry moments come when you've got a hundred things going, when you've got to be here at this time, when you've got.
Speaker 1: Moments come when you've got a hundred things going, when you've got to be here at this time, when you've got everything scheduled out, and in that moment God puts someone or something in your path and it's in that moment that the parents start bringing their children to Jesus and saying Jesus, if you could just touch them and pray for them.
Speaker 1: How do you deal with the interruptions of life?
Speaker 1: Well, how do the disciples deal with it?
Speaker 1: Clearly, they rebuke those who bring the children.
Speaker 1: Jesus doesn't have time for you.
Speaker 1: I'm so sorry.
Speaker 1: But then how does Jesus deal with it?
Speaker 1: In a very different way Verse 14.
Speaker 1: But Jesus said let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.
Speaker 1: Isn't that just a beautiful verse?
Speaker 1: But Jesus said let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belong the kingdom of heaven.
Speaker 1: Matthew in his gospel takes it a lot easier on the disciples than Mark does in his gospel.
Speaker 1: In Mark's version of this story it says, before that quote, it says and Jesus was indignant, jesus was upset, angry at his disciples that they would have the audacity to rebuke those who were just bringing children to Jesus.
Speaker 1: Matthew lets them off the hook a little bit easier, but they are not off the hook.
Speaker 1: Jesus says let the little children come.
Speaker 1: Have you ever noticed in reading the gospels that Jesus is never in a hurry?
Speaker 1: That's not to say that Jesus doesn't have plenty going on.
Speaker 1: When you read the Gospels you see quickly, jesus has plenty going on.
Speaker 1: There's always something.
Speaker 1: There's even things that happen while other things are happening.
Speaker 1: While Jesus is on his way with Jairus to heal Jairus' daughter back at Jairus' house, it's while they're on the way that this woman with an issue of blood comes to him and is seeking healing.
Speaker 1: In that moment Jairus is probably sitting there like Jesus.
Speaker 1: We've really got to get to my house, but Jesus stops even there for this interruption to heal this woman.
Speaker 1: And yet all throughout this, and he gets to Jairus' daughter.
Speaker 1: Jesus is never in a hurry.
Speaker 1: There's so much going, but no one ever has to get a ticket to get to Jesus.
Speaker 1: No one ever has to set up an appointment.
Speaker 1: He's never in a hurry.
Speaker 1: When Jesus is having a conversation, he's never looking over your shoulder thinking about the next conversation he needs to have.
Speaker 1: His mind is never going elsewhere, thinking about the next thing he has on his agenda.
Speaker 1: Jesus is never in a hurry.
Speaker 1: And in this moment, when Jesus too needs to get to Jerusalem, he doesn't need to get there as badly as he needs to minister to these little children who are coming to him.
Speaker 1: And so Jesus says let the children come to me.
Speaker 1: But it is fascinating that he does this for children Because, again, children in this society, I mean, they're not adults.
Speaker 1: They've got time to grow, like we said a minute.
Speaker 1: I mean in the future they can come sit at the adult table, but they're not there yet.
Speaker 1: And yet Jesus has time for the children.
Speaker 1: When he's selecting disciples early in Matthew, he has time for the tax collectors and the fishermen.
Speaker 1: When he's preaching the Sermon on the Mount, he has time for the meek and the lowly in heart and those hungering and thirsting for righteousness.
Speaker 1: In Matthew 8, he has time for the leper who's on the outskirts of society.
Speaker 1: He has time for the servant of a Roman soldier in Matthew 9, like we talked about the unclean woman in Matthew 15, the daughter of a Canaanite woman.
Speaker 1: He has time for everyone whose society would say he doesn't have time for.
Speaker 1: In fact, sometimes he has so much time for the outcast in society he probably has to tell some pharisees not now, because he's busy ministering to those who realize their need for him.
Speaker 1: And so he says let the children come to me and do not hinder them.
Speaker 1: And so the fact that we need to see in this moment, as we think about how we handle the interruptions of life for for Jesus, these are not interruptions to ministry, but the interruptions are his ministry that in each one of our lives, the interruptions to our lives so often are the ministry that God is calling us to.
Speaker 1: I want to fill you in on a secret today.
Speaker 1: I know a prayer, and I can only speak for my own life.
Speaker 1: I know a prayer that, at least in my own life, has a 100% success rate.
Speaker 1: I kid you not, and I know you want to know what this is because you want to pray it too.
Speaker 1: Be careful now.
Speaker 1: A 100% success rate and I'm not exaggerating, that's not hyperbole.
Speaker 1: Whenever I have prayed this prayer.
Speaker 1: The Lord has always answered it exactly as I prayed it.
Speaker 1: And that prayer is this and every once in a while I pray it.
Speaker 1: Sometimes I know I need to pray it because sometimes I've got my day all planned out and I know I need to pray it and I pray this Lord, give me the right interruptions today.
Speaker 1: 100% success rate that I promise you.
Speaker 1: Every time I pray that prayer, without fail, an interruption will come my way.
Speaker 1: That if I'm not in the right spirit, I'll tell myself this is an interruption to my previously scheduled plans, this is an interruption to my calendar.
Speaker 1: But if I'm in the spirit and in partnership with the Holy Spirit, I'll know this that God has brought ministry to me, that I had something going in this day.
Speaker 1: But here comes a quote-unquote interruption that God knows this is the ministry for today, that there are some things on my schedule that are going to be left undone at the end of the day, and that's okay because the Lord has this for me.
Speaker 1: Lord, give me the right interruptions today.
Speaker 1: I think about VBS this week.
Speaker 1: I am so beyond excited.
Speaker 1: I've almost made it through all of my firsts here at First Baptist El Dorado.
Speaker 1: I've got one left and it's VBS.
Speaker 1: I couldn't be more excited.
Speaker 1: It's been planned so well by an amazing leadership team.
Speaker 1: It's planned out, it's ready.
Speaker 1: It's been planned so well by an amazing leadership team.
Speaker 1: It's planned out, it's ready, it's scheduled.
Speaker 1: But I'm also going to say this At some point this week something's going to go wrong, so we're going to get off schedule in some way.
Speaker 1: Something's going to get off.
Speaker 1: There's a kid that's going to little Billy's going to spill something and that's going to take some time or this or that.
Speaker 1: Something's going to get off.
Speaker 1: And it may just be this week that the interruptions are the ministry.
Speaker 1: That little Billy spilled his drink on the carpet and little Billy just needed someone to know that they have time for little Billy.
Speaker 1: He just needed to see that there's someone here that cares for me and that I can spill something.
Speaker 1: And it's not the end of the world In fact, it's not even close and the interruption is the ministry.
Speaker 1: I believe that'll happen this week.
Speaker 1: And why does Jesus say let the little children come?
Speaker 1: He ends verse 14 like this for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven, let the little children come.
Speaker 1: Why?
Speaker 1: Because to these belong the kingdom of heaven.
Speaker 1: Now, what does that mean?
Speaker 1: Well, what does it not mean?
Speaker 1: He doesn't mean by that some universal idea that every eight-year-old is automatically in the kingdom of heaven, every 10-year-old, 12-year-old, no, no, as we see so often in our baptistry, as even children come to know him, those children come to saving faith.
Speaker 1: What it does mean is this saving faith?
Speaker 1: What it does mean is this Just like Jesus talked about one chapter earlier in Matthew 18, the disciples are asking who's the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Speaker 1: Every disciple hoping that Jesus would say well, actually you guys are.
Speaker 1: But Jesus says this truly I say to you, if you don't become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Speaker 1: What Jesus is saying is those who know and take hold of the kingdom of heaven are those who come to the Lord like children.
Speaker 1: That doesn't mean we have a childish faith.
Speaker 1: It means we have a childlike faith.
Speaker 1: And what does it mean to be childlike?
Speaker 1: I believe it means this it means ultimate dependence.
Speaker 1: That even in our own world, every one of us, if you're a parent or a grandparent, we are all imperfect parents and grandparents.
Speaker 1: All we see around us, we see beautiful pictures of it.
Speaker 1: Don't get me wrong, but we're all imperfect at some level.
Speaker 1: But as you think of even imperfect parents trying their best on this earth, what you see is a picture of a child, lord willing, that can have full trust and dependence on their parent, that every need I have will be met.
Speaker 1: A child that doesn't worry when breakfast, lunch and dinner are rolling around because mom and dad, I know they've got me covered.
Speaker 1: A child that doesn't worry even when the storms come or things get dark in the evening I know mom or dad has me covered.
Speaker 1: They are dependent on their parent, just like that.
Speaker 1: Us as believers, we have a childlike faith that is, look at this, dependent on our heavenly father, that I don't know what's coming.
Speaker 1: I don't have every detail figured out, but I do know I have a Father in heaven who has all things in control, all things are in his hand.
Speaker 1: And if you want a picture of what the opposite looks like, I don't think Matthew mistakenly puts the rich young ruler right after this story, verse 16 through 30, what do you see?
Speaker 1: You see a man who does not have that childlike faith, a dependence on God.
Speaker 1: Instead, what he has is a dependence on his own wealth.
Speaker 1: He wants to know how I come to know the Lord how I enter in the kingdom of heaven.
Speaker 1: Jesus, basically, in his own words, says you've got to break down some idols in your life.
Speaker 1: Go, sell everything and give to the poor.
Speaker 1: And this man walks away.
Speaker 1: Sad why?
Speaker 1: Because he has great wealth.
Speaker 1: This man is not living life, his faith, like a child.
Speaker 1: He is depending on his own income, his own wealth.
Speaker 1: Yet right before this, jesus says for to such to, these children, belong the kingdom of God.
Speaker 1: I love Psalm 131.
Speaker 1: As you think about a childlike dependence on the Lord, I'm going to ask you to do something.
Speaker 1: I'm not trying to be goofy or funky, but would you just close your eyes for a second.
Speaker 1: It's only three verses.
Speaker 1: Close your eyes and let me read you Psalm 131.
Speaker 1: O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high.
Speaker 1: I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me, but I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother.
Speaker 1: Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Speaker 1: Oh Israel, hope in the Lord, from this time forth and forevermore.
Speaker 1: You can look up Psalm 131.
Speaker 1: Did you see that picture in verse 2, of how the psalmist David describes his spiritual condition.
Speaker 1: I've calmed and quieted my soul.
Speaker 1: Look at this Just like a child in his mother's lap, just a child in his parents' lap, with full dependence, no worry, no care, no bills are due for that child, no dinner has to be prepped, the big presentation at work isn't coming up.
Speaker 1: He, I've stilled and quiet in my soul, just like a child in his mother's lap.
Speaker 1: And we too, with our Heavenly Father, can learn a lot from these children that come to Jesus about what it means to live in dependence on our Heavenly Father.
Speaker 1: We see verse 15.
Speaker 1: Simply this.
Speaker 1: And he, jesus, laid his hands on them and went away.
Speaker 1: Jesus continues his trip towards Jerusalem, but not before laying his hands on these children, not before he has time for the least of these, because for Jesus, the interruptions of life, those are the ministry.
Speaker 1: I'm so excited for the week ahead where, as a church, we are opening our doors and we are quite literally saying let the little children come to me For a few hours on Monday through Friday, excuse me, let the little children come.
Speaker 1: And here's what I know, here's what I know for sure when we walk back into this room, into this church, one week from today.
Speaker 1: Here's what I know for certain.
Speaker 1: I know something's going to be broken that is not broken right now.
Speaker 1: I know there is going to be a stain in this church somewhere that is not stained at this exact moment.
Speaker 1: I know there's probably going to be some furniture moved around and when we come Sunday it might still be moved and it's where it's supposed to be right now, but maybe something got moved and it's still like that.
Speaker 1: I know those things are going to happen, but also know this that I do believe this that when we walk in next Sunday morning, there will be a child who is destined to spend eternity in heaven that right now is heading towards eternity in hell, but Christ Jesus has awoken him from death to life over these next five days.
Speaker 1: I believe that.
Speaker 1: I believe it.
Speaker 1: Why will that happen?
Speaker 1: Because I believe we are a church and has been for years and years and years and will be over these next five days and next five decades.
Speaker 1: That says this let the little children come.
Speaker 1: I'm so excited for what's ahead, but the reality of this story in Matthew 19 is not just, it doesn't just exist for VBS week.
Speaker 1: It exists for every area of our lives, in your own life, right now, this afternoon this week, at work, this week, maybe as you head out on vacation, maybe as you head back to your job, maybe as you head to this or that, whatever it may be, can you reorient the way you look at your time, your energy?
Speaker 1: Can you reorient and rethink the way you look at those interruptions Not as interruptions to life, interruptions to ministry, but instead, like Jesus has modeled, as the ministry itself, because there may be someone along the way in the midst of that interruption that needs to know that there is a Savior that has died for them, there is forgiveness that they can know, there is life that they can have, and I pray that will be the case for each child that doesn't know him that walks through these doors.
Speaker 1: I pray that will be the case for those you come into contact with.
Speaker 1: You may be in the room and you don't know him yet, and I pray it'd be the case even this morning that maybe this sermon was an interruption into your day-to-day life, but you want to know the Jesus we're talking about even now.
Speaker 1: Maybe today's your day and I'll be down front in a few moments and I'd love to introduce you to Jesus, but right now I want to spend some time as we close.
Speaker 1: I want to spend some time in prayer, praying for the next five days here at this church, and so, if you'll just bow your heads right where you're at, we're going to spend just a few minutes in prayer as we think about, over these next five days, opening wide the doors and saying let the little children come.
Speaker 1: Would you begin just there, in your own heart?
Speaker 1: Would you pray for every child that walks through the door of this church this week?
Speaker 1: Would you pray that they would just have the time of their lives, that they would walk in with joy and walk in with excitement for all that's ahead for them?
Speaker 1: Pray for each child now.
Speaker 1: Would you pray for those that walk through the doors of this church, those children that currently don't know Jesus?
Speaker 1: Would you pray that this week they would see Jesus clearly, they would clearly learn of his death, his resurrection, the forgiveness of their sins, and that they would that do know Jesus, that have a relationship with him?
Speaker 1: But would this be a week that that relationship grows, that they learn more about him, they fall deeper in love with him, grow in their relationship with him and even maybe that they're the ones that tell a friend about him this week.
Speaker 1: Would you pray for those leaders, pray for their energy, their strength.
Speaker 1: Five days in a row it's a lot, but pray that the Lord would just fill them with an extra dose of energy and an extra dose of His spirit, that they would serve well, that they would share their faith well, that they would teach well, that they would have a blast.
Speaker 1: Would you just pray for just a week overall, just for, certainly, safety as we bring 145 kids and 100 leaders and just so much going on at the church.
Speaker 1: Pray for our safety, pray that it would go smoothly, pray that all in all, this would just be such a special week here at First Baptist Church.
Speaker 1: But Jesus said let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.
Speaker 1: Lord Jesus, thank you for what you've taught us even now, about ministry, about service, about caring for those around.
Speaker 1: I pray for the week ahead.
Speaker 1: I do pray that you would move mightily, that there would be children that don't know you, that by the end of this week they know you.
Speaker 1: There'd be children that do know you, that by the end of this week they would know you at an even deeper level, that there would be leaders that lead and serve well, with excitement and energy and just a desire to invest the gospel into young people.
Speaker 1: I just pray it would be a safe week, a special week, a week that we would remember for a long, long time.
Speaker 1: And, lord, in our own power we can't do it.
Speaker 1: In our own power we can't save a soul.
Speaker 1: In our own power all we can do is try our best and probably get worn out by the end of it.
Speaker 1: But, god, in your power, there's no telling how eternity could be impacted by what happens on this campus this week.
Speaker 1: So would you use us mightily and Lord, not just here this week.
Speaker 1: So would you use us mightily and Lord, not just here this week, but Lord, give us a heart for service and for ministry in every walk of life.
Speaker 1: Let us know those interruptions of life.
Speaker 1: They are the ministry You're moving and you're working.
Speaker 1: Let us not hold so tight to our own control that we don't walk in step with the Spirit.
Speaker 1: And Lord, if there's anyone in this room now that needs to meet you for the first time, lord, would you give them a boldness to just come?
Speaker 1: Let me talk to them about it.
Speaker 1: There's someone that needs to join this church.
Speaker 1: What a great day it would be to do that.
Speaker 1: There's someone that needs to join this church.
Speaker 1: What a great day it would be to do that.
Speaker 1: There's someone that needs prayer.
Speaker 1: Would you meet them right where they're at, or they need to come down front and have me or another pray over them.
Speaker 1: I'd love nothing more.
Speaker 1: Whatever response needs to take place, would that take place now?
Speaker 1: I ask this in Christ's name, amen, would you stand as we worship?
Speaker 1: If you need to respond, I'll be down front.