Ecclesia Princeton
Ecclesia Princeton
Alisa Kuppe- Romans 12vv1-2: Childlike Christlikeness
Ecclesia Director of Family Apprenticeship, Alisa Kuppe, offers us a vision of young people leading Christ's body and an invitation to stay young in the love of Christ.
Romans 12, 1 through 2, a living sacrifice. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. World, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and improve what God's will is his good and pleasing and perfect will.
Speaker 2:Hi guys, I'm Alisa, good morning. I'm the director of family discipleship here at Ecclesia and that was Jalen just now, my incredible, sweet son. You can go to the next slide so that they remember his face and you would never know it. But Jalen was not able to read until fourth grade. He is defined by so many things his talent in art, his love for caring children and his thoughtfulness for friends and more recently, his participation in mountain biking. And we know that his future is bright and we always knew. But for so long he bounced between all the elementary schools in our school district. They just couldn't figure out how to make those words, you know, just make sense in his head and reading was something that just didn't compute until finally he landed in, actually, the elementary school that was a block away from us and of course I give credit to Jalen's super hard work. But his teachers and the school district came around him and he began to read in fourth grade and now he reads novels of all levels and I would not be surprised if he ended up writing a novel himself someday. But the point is, I've learned so much from Jalen and he teaches me every day about Christ-likeness and each day I realize how little patience, how little focus I can have and how very limited in my humanness I am, and I would not be surprised if you know, or sorry, and I just realized that I really need God to fill in these gaps. So Christlikeness is what we're going to learn about today, and I'm encouraging our church today of all ages to look to our youth, to see how we can be more like Jesus.
Speaker 2:When I was asked to give this message, I have to admit there was a lot of hesitation for me to say yes. A lot of our staff are not present today, obviously, and I wanted to help, but in a world where most people use youth ministry as a stepping stone, I have stayed For about 20 years. I've worked with children of all ages, from infant to teenager. I've driven girls to centers to deal with their eating disorders. I've had students live in our house because their home was not safe. We've taken 40 students to the Philippines to serve in orphanages, to the Philippines to serve in orphanages, and what we've witnessed in every single one of these scenarios is God is very present in these kids' lives and he transforms their hearts, and what I see is they haven't hardened their hearts in the ways of the world, they haven't forgotten about the goodness of God, and they also have this beautiful confidence that I'm going to talk about in a little bit, that I've heard called consecrated confidence, and that has not been torn down yet by the lies of others.
Speaker 2:Regardless of these firsthand stories, though, and the witnessing of God transforming kids' lives, a lot of people consider our career with youth as less than, and I know because, when we came back after working for four years in youth ministry, we got no jobs, so we ended up having to start our own business. I felt that hesitation, like I said, though. So here I am, though, deciding to say yes, and I felt like I needed to qualify my message and being able to give it, but I'm not going to. I'm just going to stand here saying that I am a teacher of these children and I'm a mother, and I want to just boldly remind you what it could be like to be Christ-like if we follow and take a look at our younger generation. So it's so funny that we've been discussing Romans 12 last week, because one of the things that I felt very much called to talk about was how we see younger generations be a part of what are called revivals.
Speaker 2:I did not grow up in the church so I did not really know much about what revivals were, but you know, a time when individuals experience a spiritual renewal with a newfound focus on Christ is a definition that I came upon by Dr Joseph Castleberry. He's the president of the Northwest University and he describes also, you know, passages in like Acts 2, basically like a movement of the Spirit, thousands coming to Jesus, sometimes radical forgiveness, but there's actual revivals that have happened here in the US and around the world. Right now there's some younger generations leading some revivals in Iran. There's some wild things happening out there. So I wanted to focus in on some of the qualities that I feel like I find during these revivals. I feel like it's a time of humility. You see that the people in these revivals are hungering for more, and it is a movement often that involves the youth. So on February 8th this is an actual photo from what happened.
Speaker 2:2023, so just a couple years ago happened 2023, so just a couple years ago there was an outpouring, and this happened at Asbury University in Wilmore, kentucky. The passage was Romans 12. That had just been discussed and, after he sat down, texted his wife. That was a terrible sermon. People just stayed and the youth just continued to worship and pray and for 16 days this continued and this is the most recent so-called revival that kind of occurred and in his book, lower Zach Meerkrebs explains that during this time. You know he gave the message, but it wasn't him. It was so student-led and I find that fascinating.
Speaker 2:Why does God continue to use the younger generations to lead the way for his kingdom? What about? Youth creates movement that impacts thousands. I think you know, while we sit in here and talk about all the big, important things, like we're doing really important work back there with our children, and we have to remember that with our children, and we have to remember that and there are some qualities about children that I would like to discuss that I think, is maybe a key. So, first thing, children and their hunger to serve and help.
Speaker 2:In Philippians 2.3, it says Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interest, but each of you to the interest of others. Have you ever asked a child to be your helper? It's like a little trick. Be like will you be my little helper. In our corner over there we often have a lamination station. This station is very coveted. There are full-on fights about being my lamination helper and I think that this is pointing to just something. You know we might chuckle, but when was the last time that you fought to help, like how eager are you to serve and help somebody? Like, are you fighting your partner to wash those dishes? Maybe in another way, but I just I find it very unique that in our younger generation, a lot of times they have this eagerness to help and it's a beautiful way that we could be more like Christ.
Speaker 2:The other one is a memory like our children. Have you ever watched a movie with a child and then, three years later, they ask you to remember the most obscure scene in minute 48 of I don't know said movie? My husband still has a memory like that and I'm like I have no idea what you're talking about, but this memory to remember is so important. What happens when our memories start to fail us? I think that as we get older, we can forget about the goodness of God and, simply put, I think that if we had a memory like children, we would be able to really retell these things to others in a special way, and I think that that's very valuable. It's also kind of two ways what a gift, as you get older, to be able to tell these younger generations about these ways that God has put together the fabric of your life. In Deuteronomy 32.7, it says Remember the days of old, consider the generations long past, ask your father and he will tell you your elders and they will explain to you. May our church be one that remembers and carries the goodness of God with us always.
Speaker 2:We have a prayer team that's been praying for so many things for us and in our family. Personally, we have had some prayers really answered in the last year and I don't want to forget that. If I forget in five years how hard it was in this last year and how these prayers were answered, then what a loss. So I pray that we have a memory like children. Another characteristic forgiveness. Like children. Now, I'm not saying they always forgive easily, they don't always. However, oftentimes, if they go to bed and wake up, usually they're pretty cheerful and half-forgiven in just a beautiful way.
Speaker 2:I grew up in a home where we rarely said sorry when I confronted my father about finding some divorce documents on his computer that he was trying to hide. That was the first time I heard him say sorry, but the way that he said it was I'm sorry. I have to do this before it's too late, so I don't know if I can even count that as an apology, and forgiveness now is so hard for me. But seeing my children and the younger generation forgive in beautiful ways, I think that is radical forgiveness and it is an example of Christ. Obviously God has forgiven us, but what we see in these revival situations is there's this wild forgiveness that sweeps through them and they talk about at the Asbury event how there were kids that were in conflict together and they forgave and were singing together and worshiping. How amazing would it be if we were radically forgiving the people in our lives. Even for me, how amazing would it be to be able to talk with my father and forgive him in deeper ways, which I have to do every day, but still, I want that to be a marker for ecclesia.
Speaker 2:Finally, oh, also confidence. I talked about this consecrated confidence. I think that sometimes in this world it feels like humility and confidence have to be at odds with each other, and I don't think that's the case. I think pride maybe right, but I think that this is different when you see some children and their confidence oh man, I don't want to take that down. Confidence oh man, I don't want to take that down. The other day I saw my daughter kind of just tie up her hair, real simply, and look at herself and be like I look good. I was like, yeah, you look great.
Speaker 2:And you know, there's this video that went viral maybe like a little less than 10 years ago, went viral maybe like a little less than 10 years ago, and it was a video where they asked 50 people Half of them were adults and half of them were children. So the first group is all adults and the one question they asked them was if you could change one thing about your body, what would it be? Maybe some of you guys have seen this video and all the adults answer in pretty much like negative ways. One of them says my forehead, it's so big, I would love to have a smaller forehead. Another mom says I've got stretch marks, I had three babies. And then the kids come and the kids are like hmm, I will love a mermaid tail, and you're like, yes. And then another person goes this sweet girl's like can I put teleportation in my body? And it's. I know this is just like so sweet and how is this related.
Speaker 2:But it's this confidence that kids have and they haven't been told by the world that their bodies are not perfect enough, that they're not enough, basically, with how they've been created and that they are not beautiful. And I think that just because you have humility doesn't mean that you can't be confident. And I found this term consecrated confidence where Zach Meerkrebs, again from his book, was talking about Jesus. When you know, in Luke 2, as a 12-year-old, you know we have few accounts of him as a young child and he was lost by his parents for a few days in the temple right, and then his parents find him and he's, like you know, confident in where he was. He's basically like I'm in my father's house, this is where I belong, this is who I am, and what a beautiful thing for us to have this confidence that is bold because we know we are a child of God, we know we are created beautifully and we have a purpose. And may we be bold with that knowledge and, of course, humble. Of course we need to still be humble and keep going lower in the name of Jesus, knowing that he and God. That is what brings that boldness and brings us strength.
Speaker 2:But finally, I think that one thing that we could also do is be healing to others, like children. Have you ever held a little baby to your heart, a fresh newborn? Just the sweetness of that, the tenderness that that brings. Did you know that in Europe sometimes they have little children go on field trips to nursing homes so that they can play together? Did you also know that there are some research studies showing that older adults who provide occasional child care actually live longer?
Speaker 2:I think that when Jesus said in Matthew 18, what I'm about to tell you is true you need to change and become like little children. If you don't, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. I think that's very, very true. We need to be like Christ by being like children. In these ways, how can we heal others? How can we bring a holy peace into somebody's life? How can we love unconditionally, radically forgive and be bold? How can we do those things? Ultimately, church. I hope that we will hunger for more church.
Speaker 2:I hope that we will hunger for more May we realize that as we get older, we're more distracted and I feel like we're just disinterested in growing. I'm at that lovely age where I get all the promos for the anti-aging serums. I know we're not interested in growing in certain ways, but I've also seen some beautiful examples, like I don't know if you've heard of Pamela Anderson who's gone no makeup. What a what a just radical shift right and how embracing getting older. I think that is okay, but also like let's grow by looking at our younger generations.
Speaker 2:Gk Chesterton says this quote and I know Ian's quoted it before. But because children have abounding vitality, because they're in spirit, fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say do it again, and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It's possible that God says every morning, do it again to the sun and every evening do it again to the moon.
Speaker 2:It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike. It may be that God makes every daisy separately but has never gotten tired of making them. It may be that he has the eternal appetite of infancy. I love that, for we have sinned and grown old and our father is younger than we. To imagine God being younger than us, oh, that's just wild. To have the appetite of infancy or the boldness to knock on our father's door for milk in the middle of the night, these are the things that I imagine for us being bold as a youth, as a child, as a youth as a child.
Speaker 2:And as CS Lewis said, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition. When infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant to be by the offering of a holiday at the sea, we are far too easily pleased. I think. We just think that this is enough, that where we've landed, we've arrived, and also maybe we have a lot going on in our lives, and I get it that sometimes we have a lot of heavy things going on in our lives. I really am in that place and know that sometimes we can't focus on other things and that's okay. A no, that sometimes we can't focus on other things and that's okay. I just am asking that perhaps take a look at even the multi-generational things here in this church and have a fun conversation with one of our children while they eat a donut. They might surprise you, and I think it's a beautiful thing. I hope that this message is just a simple reminder that we all need each other.
Speaker 2:As a larger church, family Intergenerational relationships are actually a key to developing a steadfast faith. In their book Faith for Exiles, there's some staggering statistics that reveal that one in ten young adults are now resilient disciples. The rest just are really wandering. Just that 10% are attending church, committing personally to Christ and show signs as being resilient. One of the characteristics that the authors found was that they weren't withdrawing from culture necessarily that they were engaging with the heart of Christ, but because they had mentors, they had relationships with other people of different ages and they were part of a community. I think that is so critical, not just for our children.
Speaker 2:I just had a conversation with Ian lamenting how I would love to be with older generations in the church and I feel like that is missing and we need to crave that. And we need to crave that and we need to offer that to our younger generations too. I'm excited to hear more stories on how God will bring fresh life to each of you by connecting with the younger generations in the church and the world, and also how they are impacted by your outpouring into them. We have to remember, though, that Jesus was the ultimate sign of humility. God, moving into the neighborhood as a baby, he was the one that really lowered himself. He suffered in ways that were not deserving of a king. He was the ultimate example of becoming less for the greater good. He served, and may we be that example.
Speaker 2:I'm going to ask the worship team to come on up here as we wrap up. I have a benediction for us. I know that we're not quite done, but I feel like this is the beginning of the legacy that our church can have within this community, that it may be something that they talk about. What did Ecclesia do? They were a church family.
Speaker 2:I know family can be triggering. Sometimes. There's hard stuff. Like I said, I experienced that too, but I'm so excited for what this church can be like when we work with all the ages and value all of them and remind them that they are loved, because you are loved too, and you are able to do amazing things when you are just focusing your attention on Jesus. So my benediction is this May God surprise you this week with laughter. May he surprise you with silence. May he also provide a precious voice of a child. May revival begin not out there, but also in us, here in our hearts. May your life be a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing, and may you go with grace. May you go with god, amen.