| Sermon, April 25, 2004 |
| "A place to call home." |
| "Greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven" Matthew 18: 1-5 Norcross Presbyterian Preschool Appreciation Sunday Rev. Matthew M. Fry |
As we continue to experience The Word of The Lord together, Let us Pray. Loving God, You
are the Parent of us all. Continue to care for us, so that we may appreciate being yours. Use
this time so that we grow in our understanding of you. Speak Lord, your servants are listening.
If these words are not Your Word, may they be forgotten and come to naught. But if they be
Thy Word, may they adhere to our hearts, forever transforming us from glory into glory, into
the creatures you would have us be, Thou who art our Rock and our Redeemer, Amen.
are the Parent of us all. Continue to care for us, so that we may appreciate being yours. Use
this time so that we grow in our understanding of you. Speak Lord, your servants are listening.
If these words are not Your Word, may they be forgotten and come to naught. But if they be
Thy Word, may they adhere to our hearts, forever transforming us from glory into glory, into
the creatures you would have us be, Thou who art our Rock and our Redeemer, Amen.
Not because my daughter is among their ranks, okay, maybe a little because of that. But not
wholly because of that I say this. How wonderful it is to see the children who come here every
weekday celebrated today. How wonderful it is to see and hear them sing. About two or three
months ago, one of the worst things happened. The room downstairs got finished and turned
into the new music room. Used to be, every week the kids would come upstairs and sing.
Charlotte would always apologize for the noise, but I always loved it. Somehow the energy from
the kids transferred across the hall to my office. I know it was necessary, and it is a good thing
not to have to cart a bunch of kids up and down the stairs a couple of times every week, but it
does my heart good to hear and see them. I’m glad we all get that same privilege today.
wholly because of that I say this. How wonderful it is to see the children who come here every
weekday celebrated today. How wonderful it is to see and hear them sing. About two or three
months ago, one of the worst things happened. The room downstairs got finished and turned
into the new music room. Used to be, every week the kids would come upstairs and sing.
Charlotte would always apologize for the noise, but I always loved it. Somehow the energy from
the kids transferred across the hall to my office. I know it was necessary, and it is a good thing
not to have to cart a bunch of kids up and down the stairs a couple of times every week, but it
does my heart good to hear and see them. I’m glad we all get that same privilege today.
How wonderful it is to hear them pray. Granted, it is a dinner prayer, but let it serve for blessing
the food and drink we intend to have later today. We can’t have dinner in our house without
Kayla singing that prayer. Come over and try it. “Daddy, Mommy, we’ve got to pray.” I think
it is wonderful that we provide a place for these children to learn to play together, to sing
together, to learn how to do anything together, to pray together. I think it’s great.
the food and drink we intend to have later today. We can’t have dinner in our house without
Kayla singing that prayer. Come over and try it. “Daddy, Mommy, we’ve got to pray.” I think
it is wonderful that we provide a place for these children to learn to play together, to sing
together, to learn how to do anything together, to pray together. I think it’s great.
Today’s passage is a familiar one, and yet still a powerful one. Jesus is talking to his disciples.
They seem to be consumed again with their regular pet discussion. Who is the greatest in
heaven. Ironically, they are asking this question to the one who is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven. Anyway, the other thing it is important to remember is how children were viewed at this
time. They were not precious little angels. They were not potential leaders. They were not
viewed as the future. They were nuisances. They were beings who were to be tolerated for 11,
12 years so that they then could be put to work. They were goods, property, that had potential
value, but no real value as of yet. They were bottom of the totem pole. They were as close to a
persona non grata, a person without acceptance, as you could get in these times. Thank
goodness we’ve evolved into a culture that accepts, and celebrates our children. So, with that in
mind, hear now The Word of The Lord as it comes to us in Matthew. Listen. Read Matthew
18.1-5. The grass withers, the flower falls, but the Word of The Lord endures forever...Thanks
be to God.
They seem to be consumed again with their regular pet discussion. Who is the greatest in
heaven. Ironically, they are asking this question to the one who is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven. Anyway, the other thing it is important to remember is how children were viewed at this
time. They were not precious little angels. They were not potential leaders. They were not
viewed as the future. They were nuisances. They were beings who were to be tolerated for 11,
12 years so that they then could be put to work. They were goods, property, that had potential
value, but no real value as of yet. They were bottom of the totem pole. They were as close to a
persona non grata, a person without acceptance, as you could get in these times. Thank
goodness we’ve evolved into a culture that accepts, and celebrates our children. So, with that in
mind, hear now The Word of The Lord as it comes to us in Matthew. Listen. Read Matthew
18.1-5. The grass withers, the flower falls, but the Word of The Lord endures forever...Thanks
be to God.
A child is a social no-one, and Jesus says we are to become humble like a child. One other bit of
context might help. In Jesus’ day, people liked to cling to status. People liked being important.
People liked comparing themselves to others, and would do things to try to be better than
others. Can you imagine? It sounds so bizarre. It sounds too crazy to be true. How could
anyone feel that status is important? Okay, at least it is good to know that we aren’t coming up
with new ones here today. Struggling with the desire for status is not a modern invention. This
is something that goes back over 2,000 years. Keeping up with the Jones’ is as old as keeping
up with the Shadrach’s, the Meeshack’s and the Abendego’s. Once again, we are not tempted
with any kind of original sin, but with totally un-original sin.
context might help. In Jesus’ day, people liked to cling to status. People liked being important.
People liked comparing themselves to others, and would do things to try to be better than
others. Can you imagine? It sounds so bizarre. It sounds too crazy to be true. How could
anyone feel that status is important? Okay, at least it is good to know that we aren’t coming up
with new ones here today. Struggling with the desire for status is not a modern invention. This
is something that goes back over 2,000 years. Keeping up with the Jones’ is as old as keeping
up with the Shadrach’s, the Meeshack’s and the Abendego’s. Once again, we are not tempted
with any kind of original sin, but with totally un-original sin.
Just this past Thursday, I got the latest edition of Sports Illustrated. In his back page article
entitled "Let us Pray Play", Rick Reilly wrote this.
entitled "Let us Pray Play", Rick Reilly wrote this.
“I’ll tell you exactly what’s going on here: the upping of American youth sports.
"For some reason overcaffeinated parents feel they have to keep up with the Joneses.
They used to do it with their cars. Now they do it with their kids. Upping means
putting little Justin into not one soccer league but three, not one soccer camp but four.
They used to do it with their cars. Now they do it with their kids. Upping means
putting little Justin into not one soccer league but three, not one soccer camp but four.
"Upping also means playing up, forcing a kid to play one or even two levels above his
age group, so that little Benjamin, age eight, can sit on the 10-year-olds’ bench, play
three minutes a game and whiff in his only at bat. But, hey, he is playing up!
age group, so that little Benjamin, age eight, can sit on the 10-year-olds’ bench, play
three minutes a game and whiff in his only at bat. But, hey, he is playing up!
"And upping means moving up. The local team isn't high-profile, so little Amber has
to switch to an elite team, usually in another town. That means extended drives to and
from practice plus traveling three or four or six hours to play in tony invitational
tournaments on weekends. This way parents from far-flung towns can flaunt the
status symbol of spending beautiful warm weekends in a freezing ice rink watching 14
mind-numbing hockey games.”(1)
to switch to an elite team, usually in another town. That means extended drives to and
from practice plus traveling three or four or six hours to play in tony invitational
tournaments on weekends. This way parents from far-flung towns can flaunt the
status symbol of spending beautiful warm weekends in a freezing ice rink watching 14
mind-numbing hockey games.”(1)
If we desire to be great, if we desire to achieve greatness on earth, it will be in direct contrast to the
manner by which we will achieve greatness in heaven. Greatness on earth is defined by status.
What kind of car do you drive? How many bathrooms are there in your house? How large is your
lot? What kind of toys do you own? Like a boat? What kind of boat? Where do you summer?
Not here, right? But greatness in heaven is defined by humility, the direct opposite of status.
Which is not to say that you can’t have nice things, or that you can’t have status. You can own a
house. You can have it on a nice lot. You can own a boat. A nice one. You can summer
wherever you want. But if you strive for those things for the sake of status, for the sake of being
better than others, for the sake of letting them define how great a person you are, then you really
won’t be great at all. Cause letting things or status define you will never fully satisfy. It can’t. But
if, in humility, you find your definition of who you are in God, if you let God’s agenda be your
agenda, if you welcome social no-ones, you will find that there is spring in your step, meaning to
your existence, love in your heart, and satisfaction in your soul.
manner by which we will achieve greatness in heaven. Greatness on earth is defined by status.
What kind of car do you drive? How many bathrooms are there in your house? How large is your
lot? What kind of toys do you own? Like a boat? What kind of boat? Where do you summer?
Not here, right? But greatness in heaven is defined by humility, the direct opposite of status.
Which is not to say that you can’t have nice things, or that you can’t have status. You can own a
house. You can have it on a nice lot. You can own a boat. A nice one. You can summer
wherever you want. But if you strive for those things for the sake of status, for the sake of being
better than others, for the sake of letting them define how great a person you are, then you really
won’t be great at all. Cause letting things or status define you will never fully satisfy. It can’t. But
if, in humility, you find your definition of who you are in God, if you let God’s agenda be your
agenda, if you welcome social no-ones, you will find that there is spring in your step, meaning to
your existence, love in your heart, and satisfaction in your soul.
One of the things that our church is currently doing, because they were appointed by session so to
do, is that we are coming up with an Abuse Prevention Policy. We want to state, in a clear
manner, that we will protect against the abuse of any of God’s children. This is not because we
feel like any abuse was taking place. But in the world in which we live, protection is important. I
think it also sends a message to newcomers as well. It sends the message that people, children
especially, are important to us. Historically there may have been the sentiment that children were
second class, it was not 30 years ago that some restaurants had a smoking and non smoking
section, and a children and no children nights. Children just weren’t allowed. But here, in church,
we say that all are welcome, especially children.
do, is that we are coming up with an Abuse Prevention Policy. We want to state, in a clear
manner, that we will protect against the abuse of any of God’s children. This is not because we
feel like any abuse was taking place. But in the world in which we live, protection is important. I
think it also sends a message to newcomers as well. It sends the message that people, children
especially, are important to us. Historically there may have been the sentiment that children were
second class, it was not 30 years ago that some restaurants had a smoking and non smoking
section, and a children and no children nights. Children just weren’t allowed. But here, in church,
we say that all are welcome, especially children.
I think that one of the great things about NPC is our childcare program. The fact that we open our
doors every weekday, and welcome in 46 children, who are nurtured, loved, cared for, is a
phenomenal act. Matthew 18.5, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”
And look at the pictures on the bulletin board out next to the water fountain. One of the things that
is wonderful is that our Childcare is a diverse group of children. Our daughter, while she does
know the difference between herself and Maanas (who is Indian American), Jamie (African
American), and Mark (white boy); that it doesn’t matter to her in any way is a wonderful thing.
Already our children are learning the lessons of humanity, that what is important is not the color of
someone’s skin, but the content of their lunchbox, and if they will share it with you. What matters
is not who your parents are, or what they look like, but only if you will go up and down the slide
with me, or play in the sandbox together, or let me push you on the tire swing. The earlier kids
learn these lessons of truth, the better off we all will be.
doors every weekday, and welcome in 46 children, who are nurtured, loved, cared for, is a
phenomenal act. Matthew 18.5, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”
And look at the pictures on the bulletin board out next to the water fountain. One of the things that
is wonderful is that our Childcare is a diverse group of children. Our daughter, while she does
know the difference between herself and Maanas (who is Indian American), Jamie (African
American), and Mark (white boy); that it doesn’t matter to her in any way is a wonderful thing.
Already our children are learning the lessons of humanity, that what is important is not the color of
someone’s skin, but the content of their lunchbox, and if they will share it with you. What matters
is not who your parents are, or what they look like, but only if you will go up and down the slide
with me, or play in the sandbox together, or let me push you on the tire swing. The earlier kids
learn these lessons of truth, the better off we all will be.
So what does it take to be great? The simple humility that you can find in children, who understand
that it isn’t important to have the nicest car, or the biggest yard, or the most modern house, but to
have wonderful relationships with mommy and daddy, to have fantastic friends, and great
teachers. Relationships are what is important, not status, or success, or stuff. The other thing it
takes to be great is to welcome people, including children. May we find strength to do both things.
Amen.
that it isn’t important to have the nicest car, or the biggest yard, or the most modern house, but to
have wonderful relationships with mommy and daddy, to have fantastic friends, and great
teachers. Relationships are what is important, not status, or success, or stuff. The other thing it
takes to be great is to welcome people, including children. May we find strength to do both things.
Amen.
Let us pray. Wonderful God, you accept us all. We know with you, we always have a place as
your children where we all belong. Help us to humbly seek greatness in the kingdom of heaven, by
accepting all of your children. In your name we pray, Amen.
your children where we all belong. Help us to humbly seek greatness in the kingdom of heaven, by
accepting all of your children. In your name we pray, Amen.
(1) Reilly, Rick: “The Life of Reilly”, Sports Illustrated, April 26, 2004 Volume 100, No. 17, p 172.
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| Posted April 27, 2004 |
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