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True Greatness
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Ever observed the unadulterated faith and boundless energy of children and wished you could have a slice of that pie? Well, it turns out, Jesus urges us to do just that! In this enriching episode, we journey together through the spiritual landscape of childlikeness in the kingdom of heaven. We’ll discuss Jesus’ command to become like children and parse its profound implications beyond mere humility. Drawing from my own personal experiences, including an intriguing experiment with my children, we’ll introspect on the pure, unconscious faith of children and their ability to question without cynicism.
As adults, we’re often burdened by past experiences, which can hinder our path to spirituality. But, imagine if we could approach faith with a child’s innocence and curiosity? We delve deep into this concept, highlighting how childlike qualities like implicit trust and living in the present moment can be our guiding lights towards the kingdom of heaven. Reflecting on our responsibilities towards those we serve, we challenge actions that might not be beneficial to our children.
In the final part of our journey, we explore the potent symbolism of Jesus as a lamb before becoming a lion. Purity, innocence, gentleness, and even weakness, encapsulated by the lamb, signal our entry into the kingdom of heaven. We wrap up this enlightening episode with a prayer of worship and adoration, extending an invitation to each one of you to embrace these childlike qualities and experience Jesus in everyday moments of our lives. Let's take this spiritual expedition together and rediscover the child within us to truly connect with the divine.
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Childlikeness in the Kingdom of Heaven
Speaker 1We are Matthew , chapter 18 . Congratulations . We have been walking through this expository , teaching you know , verse by verse . We're chopping this stuff up . So if you're new with us , we're in Matthew , chapter 18 . We're starting fresh there . If you have a Bible , you can go there . If you have anything that has internet , you can just Google Matthew 18 , one through six . That's where we're gonna be today . You can read this . This is what I've discovered this week . We adult too hard . We are really good at adulting .
Speaker 1I was meditating on this particular text this week about what we're gonna see is that Jesus is bringing this child into the center , into the midst of the disciples , and he holds up this child and he says see , this is what you need to be like this child to enter into the kingdom of heaven . So I started reflecting and meditating upon this . Like what does that actually mean ? That you need to be like a child to enter into the kingdom of heaven in Jesus' ways ? He doesn't spell it out for us . He doesn't say and this is what a child's like and this is what you need to emulate , and it's this type of humility and stuff . But he seems to be saying more than that , and he does this on multiple occasions the gospels . On several occasions we see Jesus is allowing kids to come to him in the midst and blessing them and then using them as these illustrations of what participation in the kingdom of heaven actually looks like . So I've been asking like what is it about children that gives this vision of the participation of the kingdom of heaven ? And it seems to be more than just simply their inability to protect or guard themselves . He seems to be revealing something unique , and so I started looking at my own children to try to discover what is it that Jesus is calling us to , and I'm excited to share with you my findings . Let me read some of this story first , matthew 18 , verses one through six .
Speaker 1At that time , the disciples came to Jesus and asked who , then , is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven ? This is something that seemed to be regularly concerned about , hoping that he would say oh for sure it's you , peter , or the sons of thunder . James and John have had this conversation . They even got mom in on this one time we've seen in the past . So we called little child to him and placed the child among them , and he said truly , I tell you , unless you change and become like little children , you will never enter the kingdom of heaven . I want you to notice that he's speaking to his disciples and he's saying this is key to the entrance of the kingdom of heaven , and I think that we should take this very seriously . When Jesus says you will not enter the kingdom of heaven unless you become like something , we should pay attention to what's being said , like our ears should start to perk up . But then , instead of him giving this ambiguous statement , he just gives us a kid . This is what entering the kingdom of heaven looks like . He just picks up a baby .
Speaker 1In the Greek language , which was this was originally written in Child here actually is more accurate to say infant or toddler , and I'm gonna argue then , as we talk about the divine qualities , then , of child likeness . I think the key to really seeing this is the between and understanding . It's those ages between our life that we don't really remember . You have those times of your life you don't really recall , and it usually lands in that one to five year old window . I mean like , if you can remember anything I'm not gonna call you out right now it probably says something about you , because it's probably what you got for Christmas one year , right , but outside of that you don't remember any of these things . And then this is also the craziest times that you observe things in children .
Speaker 1And he continues and he says therefore , whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven , and whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me . And if anyone causes one of these little ones those who believe in me to stumble , it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea . And here's what I'm going to say about that last statement is that Jesus takes very seriously our influence on others , and especially children . We have an incredible responsibility running underneath our feet . Whether you have children or you don't have children , we are a community , we are a family together and we have influence over one another and in one another's life , and it is a great , daunting task to protect those whom we've been called to serve . See , everything that Jesus speaks forth and commands speaks about God , and we have this natural tendency to disconnect what God commands from who God actually is .
Speaker 1But the consistency of God's character and his purposes and his plans , that which he requests of us is because he's saying it's true of him . So if he's requesting or commanding something of us , it's true of him . That , unlike our own parental world , where sometimes our demands of our kids , we tell kids not to watch certain things , but then we watch those certain things , that's not how God acts . He's different , he's a better parent . That way , if he says it's not good for you , then it's not good for me , it's not good for him . But see , it's interesting how we actually rationalize this behavior , a lot of our behaviors . The example is we tell our kids not to watch or listen to something , but we can . The question then honestly then becomes if it's not good for their little minds , then why is it good for my aging , dying mind ? We'll just park that one on the side .
Speaker 1I actually think that this lines up with like the consistent view in the vision of God and who he is . God says do not steal , because he does not steal . He says don't commit adultery because he is a God of fidelity and faithfulness . He says don't hate your enemies but love them because , unlike some who have taught in the church , god doesn't hate people , he hates sin .
Speaker 1I think another misinterpretation of an attribute of God is his holiness , it's his separateness from broken , sinful humanity . Rather than seeing his holiness as a self-humiliation in the incarnation , him coming in his actual entrance right into the midst the sinner of our brokenness , his movement actually towards sin , not as a movement away from sin . It's the idea that God is a holy other God , which he is , but he is not a holy other God that sits upon his throne protecting his glory , waiting for someone to violate it so that he might bash them down with this iron scepter . Instead , what we see is he is one who wants to let the little children come and sit on his lap . He says I want you to know what the pervading spirit of the kingdom is like . It's like little children . He says we must become like little children and he's saying there is something , then , like childlike in God himself . Jesus says come into my arms like king , like subject , like subject . Like king , he isn't ready to smash our heads in , but he is ready to embrace us and draw us into himself that we might become one with them in a very powerful and tangible way .
Speaker 1Now , for those of you who have studied Scripture , we want to qualify something , because one of the things that immediately arises when we think about that statement that Jesus is telling us to be like children , because there was something of the childlike in him and if it was in him then it would be in the father as well . Because we also read and understand that , because he says if you've seen me , then you've seen and know my father as well and who he is . And the reason that I want to qualify something for you is because Paul , who's an apostle , later writes a lot of letters to the church to tease this all out . He makes this statement in 1 Corinthians 1311 , where Paul says when I was a child , I used to speak like a child , think like a child , reason like a child , but when I became a man , I did away with childish things . Now I want to make a very clear distinction between being childish versus being childlike In the biblical sense of the word .
Speaker 1Childish is stunted growth . It's immaturity . It's this unwillingness to grow . It's an unwillingness to push in and continue to have your mind blown each and every day by Jesus . It's why in the epistles you see this , which are other letters , you find verses such as I thought you would be eating meat by now , yet you're still drinking milk . It's stunted growth . But true childlikeness is actually the exact opposite of that , for childlikeness is actually perpetual , perpetual growth , and they are total sponges who are amazed by everything that they're confronted with .
Speaker 1Isn't the child really that of a toddler , truly the most free human being there is ? I mean , when you think about it , we have our childcare center here . During the week it's full of like 105-year-olds . Some of you guys are like , oh , my gosh , right , I love it . It's one of my favorite things that happens during the week . And what I love is I love walking out of my office or around the campus and there's all these kids and they're just like hey , all the time , all the time they're just so happy . Like hey , how are you doing Larry ? And then they're like hey , fist bump , high five dance party . And then they're like where's Jeff ? Or like where's Mandy or Megan ? Like what are you guys doing today ? Like this is so fun . Look at me , I wore something Right . They're just so personable and they love other people and they just like trust the world around them and I love that
The Essence of Childlikeness
Speaker 1.
Speaker 1And there's something that I think we can learn about that kind of childlikeness that I think Jesus wants for us . Jesus says you want to be great in the kingdom of heaven . You got to essentially be like a toddler , with just that sense of unconscious faith , this humility and wonder and vitality and ability to live in the moment . Because this is the key , guys , our ears should perk up . This is the key . So what are the divine qualities like ? What does this look like ? Because we're not talking about childishness here , we're talking about childlikeness . So I think that the first quality that Jesus is trying to get his disciples and us to grab ahold of is that children live with an unconscious faith . They are never doubting . They don't doubt Like belief is easy for them . I wanna show you a quick little clip of my oldest , when she was young , about belief .
Speaker 2He worshiped . I think we should let more people know , more people worship him , because he is our king . He made everybody , he made everything . He made me bed , he made mine so that we could think good things . He washed away our sins and I think that we should worship him . God is our king and I wanna give him my own best . I've learned that story in my church and I wanna give him my best by that this year . I'm gonna give him my best each year . I'll try to make it my most goodest , I'll try to just make it good . I'm gonna worship him every day . Even if it isn't church day , I'm still gonna worship him .
Speaker 1So belief is easy . Yeah , that's child likeness , believe it . They're never skeptical , but they're always questioning . Right , they're gonna believe all of these things and trust all these things , but they're always questioning . But the questions aren't derived from this cynical spirit . Even when they say the most outrageous things , they don't mean it in a vindictive or mean way .
Speaker 1I was trying to explain to Demetrius , one of my sons , the concept of heaven and I told him I was like , when you get to heaven , you'll be able to do anything . And he was like he goes fly . And I'm like , sure , I think so . And he goes pee on your head , right , I'm like I guess . I mean , I don't know if you can do that without sitting , like , but do you mean it in a mean way ? Did he mean it ? I went ? No , he was just being silly , right , there's no cynicism in that statement . But if he said it now , he would mean that in a cynical , sarcastic way .
Speaker 1Child likeness , right , this idea that they exert faith that's not even aware of itself . I'll give you another example . I mean I don't think I'm messing with anybody out here , but we explained the idea of the tooth fairy , right , and it's like the tooth fairy , they believe all of it . But yet they ask questions and question everything . You know , like okay , I'm gonna say that this fairy thing is really happening , but you're telling me that you're okay with this flying fairy thing sneaking into my room in the middle of the night I mean , this is really a real conversation with him and then taking a piece of my body from underneath my pillow while I'm sleeping and then paying me for it . No , thank you . I believe it's all real . So like he does his stuff on the fire in the middle place he wants . He's like the door is closed , but you're just like that's a really good observation , right ?
Speaker 1Little kids believe they exert this unconscious faith . And here's let's see here's like a cruel experiment I did once . I was just trying to discover do kids really have unconscious faith ? Did this cruel experiment with my kids when they were young ? I would ask them do you ever wonder if mommy and daddy love you , right ? Some of you are like you're not the worst parent in the world . Why would you even ask that ? I remember they asked that and she goes , do you ? And I went , of course we do , sweetheart . Like of course , right , and she's like that was a really weird question . Dad , I'm gonna go play . And I'm like wait , wait , wait , wait , wait . Who do you love more ? Right , me or mom ? Do this all the time , I know it's bad , who's your favorite ? And then I'm like , okay , she expresses an unconscious faith . And now I pay for a psychiatrist because I scared her in that moment . And she still asks this day do you really love me ? And I'm like she doesn't do that .
Speaker 1Kids forget , and that's actually a whole other thing . Kids forget , we don't remember . Isn't that the best part ? That's the point , the fact that I could tell Maddie , when she was that age jump off of the play structure into daddy's arm . That was too high for me to actually catch her and she would do it .
Speaker 1There is absolute trust . Even to this day , none of my kids wake up and wonder if mom and dad will feed me today . They just expect us to do that . And we're like man , like you , just expect the world of us , don't they ? Yeah , actually , in an element of a toddler , you expect nothing less than letting you take care of everything for them . And don't you think that's essentially what Jesus is asking for us , of us , when he puts up a little child . He's holding up this helpless child and he says this is what you need to be like . And the child's not even aware that it exerts this trust without even trying and it's own self-forgetfulness . And it's so beautiful . Jesus is saying will you let me be responsible for you ? That's what faith looks like for Maddie and Malachi and Elsie and Demetrius as little ones . Their belief and their actions were one and the same . I said to Malachi jump into daddy's arm , I'll catch you . His belief was actually satisfied by his willingness to jump . He wasn't like I think you'll catch me , but I don't think it's best for me to do that . No , that's not unconscious faith .
Speaker 1Another example really quickly , think about a child who starts walking for the first time and you're like come on , you can do it , get up and start walking . They don't sit there and say like , well , that looks dangerous . We're on tile , it's slippery to the left , it doesn't look like you covered the corner of the coffee table very well , there's a couple of objects that maybe I could trip on . What do they do ? They get up and they start walking and then slam , smack down the face . And then what do you do ? You're like , oh , get up and do it again . And what do ? They do Unconscious faith , get up and do it again , and get up and do it again and they learn to walk , because there is a fearlessness , because that if they believe that , if I believe that you can do this , then you can do this , and they trust , and they trust and they trust us , and I think this is one of the things that Jesus is actually trying to show us .
Speaker 1It's powerful , isn't it ? It brings me to something else that's directly connected with that unconscious faith . I think it leads to the second quality of the divine , the quality in the child likeness , and that is , children are full of humility . For toddlers , they are never judging , they're never critical , they're never proud . They may be like self-concerned , like I'm hungry or I have to go to the bathroom , but they're never self . There's no like self analysis . There's no sitting around contemplating their existence , and sometimes I wonder if self analysis has actually been something that's been harmful for us . This over focused concern with what's going on in our life and loss . What it's done is it's given us the loss of our ability to see the world around us , and a loss of humility is a loss of seeing the world as actually amazing and a miracle .
Speaker 1Now , the opposite to humility is not pride in the sense of I think I'm better than everyone else , because neither side the other side of pride is self-hatred and neither are humble , because if I focus on self what you're doing wrong in your life , what you think is going , or what you think is going amazing , and then you're better than everyone both are actually the wrong answer . Little ones aren't like that . There is this gentleness , this humility , on a playground out there . They're all cheering for one another , like literally . They're like what you just went down the slide right , like that was amazing . And they're like high five . And they're like you're the best slider ever . You went down backwards . They're not like you're lame , right that everyone goes down the slide and I'm probably better at the slide than you . They're not like that in that age , friends . They also I don't know if you noticed this they don't see color , they don't see culture , they see another human on the same level and they are just pumped to be with them in their space .
Speaker 1And I know that it's really hard for us because I know clicks start earlier than we wish . Some of this happens because I think we're taught at the earliest age that we are actually the most important thing in the universe , and there are many things that feed into that . But that's just not how kids live , and I think Jesus is trying to get us to see that . You know , we're adults , we're concerned about who would be the greatest , and humility , friends , is not something that can be overlooked . Blessed are the meek , for they will inherit the earth . It's in our attempts to make ourselves great in the eyes of others the very thing that causes us to lose life and not actually gain it or find it .
Speaker 1The third thing that this brings us to is that we live with this unconscious faith . That's what this looks like . When we live with an unconscious faith , we live with a humility . What brings us into this thing ? That , I think , is one of the leading losses in American culture and Western culture as a whole . And then it's the loss of wonder . Children live with wonder , like the smallest thing can keep them entertained for hours , like a stick Right . But you see , we've lost wonder . We've actually found a way to do the creative thinking for others by the entertainment world . It does the imagination for us .
Speaker 1Or think of it this way how many of you have , like read this book that you're so in love with and you've pictured all of these characters and who they are and what they look like . And then the movie comes out and they've decided who the character and what they look like and you're just devastated . You're like this is blasphemy , like I don't need to have Elijah Wood as Frodo for the rest of my life , because I rather say , whatever it is , you have your own character . How many of you experienced that ? Have you lost your wonder this past summer ? For me , one of the highlights was going onto the forest in the middle of the night , into this huge meadow , and laying down and just being overwhelmed with my kid in wonder and in awe as we laid back and we took in the Milky Way and the shooting stars and the satellites that we saw passing by . Or how many of you have experienced the childhood system , the backseat of the car as you drive around and goes dad , dad , look at that . Oh , wow , look at that . Oh , wow , look at that , Dad , dad , dad , look at that . And then you find yourself rather in wonder , just going yeah , bud , neat , huh . And I connected to wonder , to this idea , then , of sanctified imagination .
Speaker 1Not only have we lost our wonder , but we've lost our ability to have a sanctified imagination , and I'll put a qualifier to the word sanctified imagination . The Bible talks about these imagings of a man and how the imagination turns itself towards wickedness . I think many people have actually been discouraged by using from using our imaginations , especially people who read scripture and Christians from verses and Proverbs you know it's a popular book on wisdom In Proverbs 12 , 11 , and it states plainly those who chase fantasies have no sense . And in Jeremiah 17 , nine , which warns that the heart is deceitful above all things . These have been used at times to discourage those of us with active imaginations to actually stop wasting our time chasing dreams or following our hearts . However , I think the well-meaning teachers forgot one critical point that those of us who have accepted God's free gift of salvation by grace through our faith in Jesus Christ , received a transformed mind and a new heart . That comes as part of the deal , and this is why Jesus says you have to return to this age of innocence , that the only way that this can be done is through new birth , through the Holy Spirit , and the Spirit then has the ability to sanctify our imagination .
Speaker 1Wonder without wonder , without sanctified imagination . I mean , how are we if we don't learn to reignite our sense of wonder . How are we gonna actually serve and worship a God that we cannot see with our physical eyes without sanctified imagination ? Following Jesus and believing with your whole heart and your soul and your mind is that it's actually present here every day , and every moment of my life becomes then an impossibility . Let me just tell you about sanctified imagination . This power of wonder is actually the ability to engage the unseen , like this way . For a child , their bedroom is an entire universe . And what happens when the room just becomes a room ? Something sad is lost , isn't it ? When we go outside and the flower doesn't surprise us anymore , we're like , wow , look , when we complain about the beautiful blue sky , or when we complain about the rain , or when we don't see God's hand in any of it , and then we forget that it's really a miracle , that life is a miracle . Friends , our kids don't miss that point .
Speaker 1Brennan Manning , in his book called the Ragamuffin Gospel , praised this prayer dear Lord , grant me the grace of wonder , surprise me , amaze me , all me , in every crevice of your universe . Delight me to see how your Christ plays in 10,000 places lovely in limbs and lovely in eyes , not his to the Father through the features of men's faces Each day and rapture me with your marvelous things , with your marvelous things without number . I do not ask to see the reason for it all . I only ask to share in the wonder of it all . Do you have that kind of prayer ? Do you see the reality of Jesus and the faces that you talk to , the people that you love and serve ? Do you live with wonder ? Because wonder actually produces gratitude . It really does , and this wonder is deeply needed because it leads to the fourth , which is children live with vitality . They live with vitality like . Kids have energy . That's incredible
The Power of Childlike Qualities
Speaker 1.
Speaker 1And adults we get so apathetic , we get lazy , we get not motivated to live differently . We often say I wanna change but then do nothing to do it . We raid around for like Jesus to do it , but that's not the way life works for children . They aren't like that . The thing with kids is that you're constantly then trying to hold them back so you can help them , because they have this endless energy and they're constantly in motion . I love this about Elsie , one of my daughters her ability to love people from like the time she wakes up to the time she goes to bed . All she wants to do is just be engaged with life with others . Like I'll help you . Can I do that ? Can I go there ? Can I just wanna be engaged with this , and it's a beautiful quality enough . I am ever weary of that quality . It's because of my own deadness , my own loss of child likeness , that I can't keep up with her vitality .
Speaker 1What's the phrase that little toddlers use all the time ? Do you know what the common phrase is for a toddler ? When they experience something that they love , what do they say ? Do it again . Right , do it again . Do it again . When they say do it again , a lot of times it's over really weird things . You know like you notice how a stranger comes up and like random strangers . So you've done this . I'm sure you've done this yourself and you're just like brah right . And you're like me , do be , do right Stuff we would never do with an adult . You don't walk up to an adult and be like me , do be do . They're making weird faces and like but what did kids do ? They're like that's amazing , do it again . Make that noise again . How did you make that noise ? It's blowing my mind . Or just like . This is a quick little video of just like counting to three while we're chasing our sister .
Speaker 2She got us , she got us , she got us , she got us .
Speaker 1There's something about kids laughing . You're just like do it again . I think that kind of vitality , that kind of energy it's we who have gotten old , it's we who have lost our way . It's not kids who need to calm down , it's us adults who need to get energized and need to get life . You know that every great movement and church history began with young adults .
Speaker 1Our worship night this last week , on Wednesday night , was powerful . Why , let me tell you , because it was full of young people and children . I'm not kidding . The babes showed up and I'm going to say this follow the babes , follow the kids . They lean in and they worship the king . And some people sit back and they're like I don't understand why they're doing that , or like that's weird . Don't think it's weird . Follow them and you will arrive at the right destination . I'm going to tell you that right now . I am so thankful that they are so hungry oftentimes to sit in the front , second service , they're all going to be packed up here . That's what they do , and I'm so thankful that they sit in the front , because what they do is they drag this entire room with them to go into the throne room and worship the king .
Speaker 1Every great movement in church . History began with young adults . Why ? Because young adults have energy . They stay up late , they hang out with a lot of people , they want to be friends with everybody , they're idealistic , they're optimistic and they invite everyone and their mothers to come to church with them . And they were grateful for that , for the vitality of youth . And there is something that slowly disintegrates with age we get more tired , things wear us out , we get less patient . Children are never weary . Repetition is the release for them , and I believe that our Father in heaven does not get weary from hearing a son or a daughter say do it again , or the moon do it again .
Speaker 1I think the final quality of the divine quality of child likeness is the ability to live in the moment . I think that children are the most masterful about this . They never spend their time worrying about yesterday . Have you noticed this ? They rarely care about the occurrences from yesterday unless it can benefit them today . Isn't that a beautiful attribute ? I love how children have no concept of time . My kids if we had had an event or something coming up , they would ask how many sleeps was it going to be until it happened ? I guess it's amazing for them because the day was like you have waking hours and bedtime . That's life . That was the measurement of time . I loved slowing down early in the morning with Demetrius on a hike . It was really a big foot tracking expedition . I guess they're up very early in the morning .
Speaker 1What we did is we lived in the moment and experienced deer and actually saw bugs and were interested in pine cones , and nothing else was happening except the moment , what was present . The ability to live in the moment allows you to never be rushed , never to be worried . When you live in the moment , you are never wasting your time , because the only time you have is right now . But you see , as we get older , we become more and more haunted by the mistakes of yesterday or the things that we should have done yesterday that we still haven't gotten done today . And then , when we get older , we become deeply fearful then of what's coming tomorrow . And the more we live between those two thieves , the more we lose our ability to actually live . And Jesus says here's the key to entering the kingdom of heaven guys , become like a child . So here we have it , friends . Are you living in the moment ? Because scripture says again and again and again that today , now is the time for salvation . Not tomorrow , not yesterday , right now that today . His mercies are new and Jesus wants to free you and liberate you from the bondage of yesterday so that you can live in the moment today , which alone , then , will prepare you for the future . Children do that . So here they are Unconscious faith , humility , wonder , vitality and the ability to live in the moment .
Speaker 1So I just want to ask real quick what's your next step ? What's it for you ? What's stirring in you right now , as you look at that list that says God , I need that , I want that . Would you help me with that ? I need an unconscious faith of belief . God , would . Your spirit is stirring me right now , with my humility , I wonder , to stop and to see everything . Is this miracle of life that's been given to me Energy ? God , I need energy . Would you give me energy and would you give me the ability to live in a moment , not in the chaos , not in the everything is an emergency and so important box , because just not , just slow down . I don't know what your next step is , but I would tell you that maybe your next step is pick one . What trait of being childlike can you participate in this week ? Start with one and then move from there and see what comes from this .
Lamb and Kingdom of Heaven
Speaker 1And as we look at our example in Jesus , we must remember that he was a lamb before he was a lion . What does the lamb represent for us ? It literally , I think , is the most harmless mammal Maybe of any of . Has any of you ever held a lamb before I ? Absolutely , I'm like positive , it couldn't do damage to anyone . I think poodles are actually more dangerous than lambs .
Speaker 1So what does a lamb represent ? Purity , innocence , gentleness , actually weakness . And the thing is is that Jesus entered fully into our weakness and made it his own and through that entrance , through the lamb , that he has come out as victor and Lord and King and lion . And if we want to enter into the kingdom of heaven , we have to enter through the imagery of a lamb , to return to the unconscious faith , to return to the humble position that wonder might open us up , that we might be vital in all that we do and that we could live in the moment , experiencing Jesus moment by moment , day by day , as we serve and live for one another . Would you stand with me ? We're gonna respond in worship and I'm gonna ask you just to pray with me as we step into this space , into the throne room . Worship like babes and child likeness . Father , we worship you , we respond to you . May you give us courage to not be childish and stunted growth and unwillingness to lean in and be vulnerable and trust , but to be childlike . Thank you for that example .
Speaker 1Thank you for that gift that we can see every day through the eyes of another human that you created in your image . We love you , we glorify you and praise you . Right now , in response , in this moment , in your son's name , we pray Amen .