WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.560 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:22.559 Imagine, imagine with me for a second. 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:24.239 This is where we're headed. 00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:29.120 Imagine you are just sitting down to eat dinner in your house. 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:34.880 You have the table set, the meal is ready, and there's a knock on your door. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:39.840 You open the door, and there's Jesus. 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:49.200 You have a chance to have a face-to-face conversation with the Savior and King of the world. 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:51.759 Where do you even start? 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:57.840 You have a bunch of questions running through your mind, trying to decide which one to ask him first. 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:05.840 Take a moment and think about what questions you would ask Jesus if you had a chance to have dinner with him. 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:09.040 I know I have a huge list. 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:24.319 Everything from big theological questions to why did certain terrible things happen, to what decisions should I make for my future, to what does he really think about me, and so many things in between. 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:30.560 The disciples got to be around Jesus every day for three years. 00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:42.400 We see them ask lots of questions, but one stands out as one that we, in our culture of wanting to be great, might be apt to ask also. 00:01:42.959 --> 00:02:01.840 We have our sights set on greatness, especially here in the Silicon Valley, with our startups and our dreams of going public, with big tech launching new innovation every single day, with valuing more and more education and higher levels of expertise. 00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:08.159 One of the top 10 dream jobs right now is to be an influencer or a YouTuber. 00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:12.000 And many of us are already pretending that we're doing that. 00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:19.120 We want our hobbies to turn into side hustles, which can then turn into our full-time job. 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:25.919 And we strive to optimize life to find the very best way to live. 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:33.599 Now, apparently the disciples felt this way too, but they wanted greatness in the kingdom of God. 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:37.199 So we're talking about eternal greatness here. 00:02:37.520 --> 00:02:48.719 So let's turn to the scripture to see what question the disciples had for Jesus and see how he answers in an unlikely way that will guide our time this morning. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:51.599 Matthew 18, starting in verse 1. 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:52.960 Turn with me. 00:02:53.360 --> 00:03:00.960 At that time, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, So who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:02.000 There it is. 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:03.120 There's the question. 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:06.560 Jesus, Jesus, who's the greatest in your kingdom? 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:07.840 Me, right? 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:13.120 He called a small child and had him stand among them. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:23.439 Truly I tell you, he said, unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:31.280 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child, this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:37.120 And whoever welcomes one child like this in my name welcomes me. 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:40.240 So they ask him, Who's the greatest? 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:45.599 And Jesus points to this little child and he says, You want to be great? 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:46.800 Be like him. 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:50.240 This is the most unlikely of answers. 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:53.120 Children were greatly looked down on at the time. 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:56.560 Many biblical scholars actually use the word scorned. 00:03:56.960 --> 00:04:07.199 So for Jesus to take this little child and to point to him would have been so counter-cultural and surprising for the disciples to hear. 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:13.199 We have a higher value of kids in our culture, but also do we? 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:16.480 We don't want to be bothered by kids. 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:22.240 Many think that kids don't belong in certain spaces like restaurants or airplanes. 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:27.759 Many act like adult conversation is more important than the needs of a child. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:32.800 And no way do we want to be called childish or immature. 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:34.240 What an insult. 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:37.600 But Jesus sees things differently. 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:45.279 He says, unless you become like little children, you will never even enter the kingdom of heaven. 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:50.160 Becoming like little children, that is the baseline to even get in. 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:57.360 Then he goes on to answer the question that they asked: Who is the greatest in your kingdom? 00:04:57.759 --> 00:05:04.160 Whoever humbles himself like this child, they are the greatest. 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:05.759 Humility. 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:11.199 When we think of humility, we think of people who don't live with extravagance, right? 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:15.360 Our homes here, under a certain square footage, are called humble. 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:17.920 We think of people who refuse compliments. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:21.920 Wow, they're so humble and won't even take credit for what they've done. 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:28.720 And then we have this weird thing in our culture where people use the word humbled when we really mean honored. 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:33.279 I feel so humbled to win this great achievement award. 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:38.160 All of these examples are different from what Jesus is getting at. 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:42.000 He says, turn and become like little children. 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:45.120 Humble yourself like this child. 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:47.759 Kids have a light-hearted nature to them. 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:50.720 They aren't weighed down by the things that adults are. 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:54.079 They aren't searching for greatness like adults are. 00:05:54.319 --> 00:05:59.360 They aren't trying to be more than they are, but they also aren't trying to be less. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:05.439 They aren't trying to manufacture humility because it's something that they think that they should be. 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:10.639 Pastor, author, and justice advocate Danielle Strickland says this about humility. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:17.920 She defines it this way: humility is simply agreeing with who God says you are. 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:20.480 Nothing more, nothing less. 00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:25.600 Humility is simply agreeing with who God says you are. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:29.680 What Jesus knew is that kids, they live this out. 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:35.759 I wrote this quote down that Ella, my nine-year-old, said while we were talking about body image one day. 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:38.560 She said, you need to just be you. 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:42.079 Ella and Danielle agree. 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:49.120 Humility is agreeing with who God says you are and just being you. 00:06:50.079 --> 00:07:05.199 So for the rest of our time together, we're going to see what it can look like to take our cue from the kids, to let go of this pursuit of greatness and to become like little children to experience the kingdom of heaven. 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:17.920 I've spent the last 10 years working in kids' ministry, and before I was in ministry long ago, I worked as a nanny and at a child care center and as a kids' birthday party leader and as kids' summer camps and babysitting. 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:29.519 I've worked with hundreds of children, and over all these years and experiences, I have learned a few things about how kids have been created and how they operate. 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:44.240 This morning we're going to look at three key characteristics of kids and see how tapping into those which are still deep within us, how that will lead us to connection with God. 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:48.319 And these things will lead us to the kingdom of heaven. 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:53.920 When I think of kids, the first thing that comes to mind is that they are playful. 00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:58.240 Kids love to play and they can make a game out of anything. 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:07.519 They learn through play, they accomplish things like chores best through play, and play is actually how they connect with others. 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:20.959 Now, before you check out and think that this message isn't for you because playfulness is below your pay grade, I'm not suggesting that we forsake all of our responsibilities and trade them in for fun all the time. 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:37.360 We still have to work and grocery shop and clean our homes and pay bills, but what I am suggesting is that we learn from kids, we become like little children and infuse playfulness into our spiritual life. 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:45.519 Our spiritual lives have gotten so serious, probably because we emphasize spiritual disciplines and quiet time. 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:50.240 Now, these aren't bad things, these are actually great things in your life with the Lord. 00:08:50.399 --> 00:08:53.519 But do either of those phrases sound fun to you? 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:56.639 Not to kids, that's for sure. 00:08:56.960 --> 00:09:07.200 When we talk to kids about spending time with God, we emphasize the importance of that, the spending time with God, but it doesn't look so serious. 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:13.679 What could it mean for us to infuse playfulness into our spiritual life? 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:17.120 Play is the avenue to connection. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:24.399 One of the number one questions that my kids ask me every single day is, will you play with me? 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:29.039 What this question actually means is will you spend time with me? 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:33.120 Play is the primary connection point that kids have with others. 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:36.720 It's how they get their quality time bucket filled. 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:42.720 To infuse our spiritual life with playfulness is to spend time with God. 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:44.879 But here's the catch. 00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:48.879 Play is intentionally unproductive. 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:51.279 That's like I said a bad word here. 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:54.639 It's intentionally unproductive. 00:09:54.960 --> 00:10:02.000 So when I say to playfully spend time with God, I'm not talking about a Bible reading plan that has a goal attached to it. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:07.279 I'm not talking about a list of prayer requests of all the people of all the suffering in the whole world. 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:09.200 These are both great things. 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:11.440 They're important for us to do. 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:14.080 But what we're talking about here is different. 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:27.759 Brian Edgar, who's a professor of theological studies, wrote, a playful spiritual life is one that emphasizes joy, delight, freedom, grace, and love. 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:37.759 Just like the ways that we connect with God through our spiritual disciplines look different for each of us, our playful connection with God will also look different. 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:50.799 For some, it will be walking or hiking through nature to experience God through his creation, not with mileage in mind, but with joy and freedom of moving your body and breathing in that fresh air. 00:10:51.039 --> 00:11:01.600 For some, it could be playing music on either an actual instrument or from a playlist that you can dance along to to worship God with joy and freedom. 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:05.440 For some, it could be studying scripture with curiosity. 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:16.879 Sometimes I'll search a word in the Bible app and read all the different verses that come up containing that word and then find common themes of showing what God is like. 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:25.919 It's a fun game for me as I study scripture that doesn't have a particular hoped outcome other than connection with God. 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:29.039 Author and podcaster Annie F. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:35.840 Downs, at the end of every podcast episode, she asks her guest, What sounds fun to you? 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:37.600 This is where you can start. 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:39.360 What sounds fun to you? 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:41.600 And then do that thing. 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:51.039 And then as you do that thing, see how you connect with your creator through delight and freedom and grace and love. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:59.039 Here's what we need to remember: the kingdom of God won't fall apart if you take time to play. 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:00.799 It doesn't hinge on you. 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:05.919 To be able to play, we have to let go of this self-importance that we have. 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:09.679 And this is what leads us to humility. 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:17.600 Play is meant to be enjoyment with no accomplishment, which allows us to rest from this hamster wheel of our lives. 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:27.840 We can take a big exhale from holding everything together and working and working and working and simply enjoy God and our lives. 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:40.000 If our default posture is more work, more productivity, more improvement, what would it look like for you to interrupt your momentum with playfulness? 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:42.159 What sounds fun to you? 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:48.320 Let that connect you to God and ask him, Will you play with me? 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:54.559 Making space for this playfulness will unlock the next thing that we can learn from the faith of kids. 00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:58.480 And that is that kids are filled with wonder. 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:10.720 Wonder is defined as a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable. 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:15.360 Wonder is a feeling that many of us have buried deep down. 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:26.639 When we show a sense of wonder, it reveals that we don't know everything, which can be a hard pill for us to swallow and an even harder thing to show to others. 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:38.320 We may still feel wonder internally, but we don't want other people to know for fear of embarrassment or judgment or general unkindness directed toward us. 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:40.240 So we tuck it away. 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:44.559 Kids, though, they are filled with wonder. 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:50.240 They want to tell you every single thing that is beautiful and unexpected and surprising. 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:54.080 In my house, this always starts with mama, mama, mama, guess what? 00:13:55.039 --> 00:14:04.240 This year on Easter, early in the morning while it was still dark, I was getting ready for church, and my five-year-old son, Luke, he came in to be with me. 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:09.200 We started talking about Easter and why, yes, Easter is a church day. 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:14.720 We talked about Good Friday and how Jesus died in order to rescue us. 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:15.840 And he said, What? 00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:17.039 He died. 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:20.399 And I said, Yeah, bud. 00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:22.399 But do you know what happened on Easter? 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:24.639 Why today is a great day? 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:26.320 He said, What? 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:31.679 I said, on Easter, three days later, Jesus came back to life. 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:34.480 He was dead, and then he was alive. 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:36.960 And his eyes got really big. 00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:39.039 And he said, What? 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:43.679 This was his way of saying, that's amazing, because it is. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:47.759 Kids are amazed by Jesus. 00:14:48.159 --> 00:15:00.480 As we teach kids about God on Sunday mornings in kids' ministry, what's happening right now, this mission is what drives how we do that by tapping into this innate sense of wonder that kids have. 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:09.840 We say awakening kids exists to awaken the kids of this generation to the wonder of Jesus and the truth of God's word. 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:15.679 Kids are amazed by Jesus, and this is what draws them to Him. 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:26.960 The God of the universe came to earth as a man in order to be with us and to rescue us so that we could live with Him forever. 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:28.720 Really think about that. 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:33.120 Let that wonder bubble up in you once again. 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:41.279 It's a humble posture for us to come before God in this wonder of what He has done. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:48.320 When was the last time that you read a passage of Scripture and you were amazed by God? 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:52.960 We're gonna practice it together because I'm gonna guess that it's been a while. 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:56.639 I'm gonna read a story about Jesus from the Gospels. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:59.759 It's not the one we're preaching, it's a whole separate story. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:06.240 Allow yourself to tap into this wonder that is somewhere innately in you. 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:08.240 This is how we were created. 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:09.279 It's there. 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:13.759 Let go for just a moment of what does this story mean? 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:16.000 Or what should I learn from this? 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:19.919 Or the most dangerous one, I already know this story. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:25.759 And just notice what is surprising and beautiful and unexpected. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:28.480 This story is found in John 21. 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:30.879 It takes place after the resurrection. 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:35.519 Jesus has already appeared to his disciples, and they already know that he's alive. 00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:41.200 Afterward, Jesus appeared again to his disciples by the Sea of Galilee. 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:50.080 It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 00:16:50.320 --> 00:16:54.879 I'm going out to fish, Simon Peter told them, and they said, We'll go with you. 00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:57.679 So they went out and got into the boat. 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:00.399 But that night they caught nothing. 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:07.279 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize it was Jesus. 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:10.720 He called out to them, Friends, haven't you any fish? 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:12.640 No, they answered. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:17.920 He said, Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you'll find some. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:26.000 When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:32.000 Then the disciple, whom Jesus loved, said to Peter, It's the Lord. 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:41.599 As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, It is the Lord, he wrapped his outer garment around him, for he had taken it off and jumped into the water. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:48.960 Take in this absurd, surprising, beautiful, unexpected story. 00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:57.039 These men who were fishermen by trade, they've been fishing all night and they haven't caught anything. 00:17:57.680 --> 00:18:06.559 Then Jesus stands on the shore and he has the audacity to tell them to move their net from one side of the boat to the other side. 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:10.000 Same water, same fishing spot. 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:17.119 And when they try to pull in that net, it is so full of fish that they can't even pull it in. 00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:25.599 And John's response is, oh, it's Jesus! And Peter, in his wonder, jumps into the water to get to him. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:32.960 When we approach God with wonder, we come alive because we see the miraculous. 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:39.599 We experience how big and amazing God is, and we can believe that for our own lives. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:49.839 We start to see the things that God is doing, and we recognize it as God doing something beautiful and unexpected and surprising and amazing. 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:52.559 And we can say, oh, it's Jesus. 00:18:52.799 --> 00:18:53.680 It's the Lord. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:55.200 The Lord did this. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:19:02.079 As we are filled with wonder, our spiritual life becomes filled with delight. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:09.039 This is the last thing I'm gonna highlight about kids is that they experience life with delight. 00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:14.079 Delight is a feeling of great pleasure or joy. 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:16.480 Kids delight in so many things. 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:25.599 If you've ever spent time around children or even just walk by them, you can hear the squeals of laughter over the tiny things that cause great delight. 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:32.480 In our preschool classroom here, we have a treasure box that's filled with these tiny treasures for kids to pick one as they leave. 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:37.519 Usually they're like these tiny squishy animals or a fan favorite. 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:39.039 Oh, it got real sticky. 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:40.319 A sticky hand. 00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:42.160 Anyone know what this is? 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:50.880 As each kid comes out of the classroom, they run to their grown-up and they say, Look what I got. 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:58.000 It doesn't matter that they chose a sticky hand every single Sunday for the last 10 weeks. 00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:03.279 What matters is that it's bringing them delight right now. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:16.799 To delight in life, we have to set down our too-cool adult mode and allow ourselves to experience joy from the things that make us light up. 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:24.000 This is a posture of humility, of being who God has created you to be. 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:26.799 Now, these things will look different for everyone. 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:32.240 Things that bring me great delight are so different from what bring my husband great delight. 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:39.519 He finds delight in the way that milk swirls through his coffee, and I know some of that's true about you too, based on Instagram. 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:48.240 In the sound, he finds delight in the sound of meat searing in a hot pan and the very first cast while he's fishing. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:21:00.160 While I find delight in blooming flowers in my garden and in sitting in the sun with feeling the warmth on my skin and in farm animals. 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:01.680 I love them. 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:06.240 When we delight in life, it brings connection. 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:13.759 When I sent this photo to my best friends, even the one who hates chickens, they felt delighted with me. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:16.480 This is the same with God. 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:25.599 When I walk through my garden each morning and notice the flowers that have changed since the night before, I delight in them. 00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:27.359 Nick, take it down. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:05.440 And delight and playfulness can be seen as lowly or childish traits. 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:14.960 But Jesus says that whoever takes the humble position of a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:19.759 It takes humility to delight in the simple things. 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:26.960 It takes humility to show wonder in this world and be amazed by the things around us. 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:32.720 And it takes humility to set down our productivity to play. 00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:37.200 Each of these will draw you into connection with God. 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:40.720 Scripture has a great emphasis on joy. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:44.240 Joy comes from the Spirit working in us. 00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:49.200 Psalm 16, 11 says, You make known to me the path of life. 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:52.880 In your presence there is fullness of joy. 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:56.160 At your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:05.599 Romans 14, 17, for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:12.880 Let us rejoice and be glad in it. 00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:22.480 Now, I don't say all this to diminish or to discount suffering and pain and trauma. 00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:27.200 Those things are real and they matter to God. 00:23:27.599 --> 00:23:30.160 You matter to God. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:36.720 Many of us in this room, me included, are going through really difficult things in our lives. 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:44.960 God sees you, God is with you, God is for you, and God won't abandon you in your grief. 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:48.640 And there's hope. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:59.200 Church, the morning will come. 00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:02.799 If you are in that place, the morning will come. 00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:06.799 And this message still applies. 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:13.839 Kids are act are able to actually hold grief and joy at the same time. 00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:23.920 And being playful through things like play therapy and art therapy, it actually helps them work through whatever pain they're experiencing. 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:30.880 But what I want you to hear this morning is that God is with you and that the morning will come. 00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:31.759 It will. 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:42.000 However, we're experiencing life right now, author Steve Cust posed this question: How do we enjoy the God we believe in? 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:52.400 By learning from the kids in our midst of how to have a playful approach to our spiritual life and how to experience wonder and delight. 00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:56.880 We will enjoy our life and our relationship with God. 00:24:57.839 --> 00:25:03.920 If you want to actually experience this with kids, you can put this into practice every Sunday. 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:06.000 Come on, you knew it was coming. 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:12.079 You can learn about faith from children by serving in our kids' ministry. 00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:22.799 You have an opportunity right here in this community to join in on that playfulness and wonder and delight that kids bring to every Sunday morning. 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:27.279 Just by being around them, you will grow in this also. 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:33.119 Or if you want an even more immersive experience, come serve at Camp Wonder. 00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:34.319 Come be with us. 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:36.480 The name is purposeful. 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:43.839 Wonder guides our time, and everything that we do is infused with play and delight. 00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:49.680 This is my personal invitation to you to explore joining one of these teams this summer. 00:25:49.920 --> 00:26:00.000 To join, you're gonna pull out that connection card, you're gonna scan that QR code, kids ministry is under serve, Camp Wonder is under events. 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:00.720 You will find it. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:05.680 I hope my inbox is full this week, and I hope I talk to every single one of you. 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:10.480 As we close, I want to come back to the question I posed at the beginning. 00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:16.240 If Jesus showed up at your house, what questions would you have for him? 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:18.799 Last week I asked Ella this. 00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:26.079 She didn't take long to think, and the first thing she said was, Can you stay for dinner? 00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:33.519 Her first question to Jesus was, Will you be with me? 00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:35.920 Will you spend time with me? 00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:38.720 Who's the greatest in the kingdom? 00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:44.240 It's the one who wants to spend time with Jesus. 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:48.000 Playfulness and wonder and delight, they're not the end goal. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:53.599 These aren't new things to add on your to-do list or a benchmark to meet or a goal to accomplish. 00:26:53.839 --> 00:27:19.039 Playfulness and wonder and delight are avenues for connection with God to set down our agenda, to set down what we think we already know, to set down our expectations of God, to set down the version of ourselves that we want to portray to the world, and to just be with Him. 00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:22.160 Who's the greatest in the kingdom? 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:27.920 It's the one who wants to spend time with Jesus. 00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:29.440 Let's pray. 00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:34.240 Jesus, thank you that you invite us to spend time with you. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:42.160 Thank you that you delight in us, that you are the one that provides this wonder and this delight and this playfulness. 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:43.839 God, I pray over our church. 00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:51.680 I pray for every person in here that we would get a new version of connection with you, a deeper version of connection with you. 00:27:51.920 --> 00:27:54.559 God, thank you that you invite us into that. 00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:56.720 Lord, would you be glorified in this place? 00:27:56.880 --> 00:28:02.400 Would you be glorified by our worship and by the way that we leave this place and celebrate? 00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:03.759 God, thanks. 00:28:04.079 --> 00:28:04.720 Amen. 00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:08.960 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:28:09.119 --> 00:28:13.519 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:15.759 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:21.759 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.comslash card.