Message 04-30-06

 

Series:            Lectionary

Scripture:            Psalm 4

 

Title:                                        Authentically Adult

 

Intro:

            What’s the goal of your life? Do you have a goal? I’ve never been very big on making goals. I recognize that I find more meaning in spontaneous moments than I do in plotted and planned moments. At the same time I also recognize that I love stories which must have some aspect of planning or plot in order to be a story. So, that makes me reconsider my perspective on goals. I respect people who are clear on what their goals are in life.

Remember Mr. Rogers? I read an interview with Fred Rogers in which he said that his goal was to be an authentic adult to children. I have always looked at that as a remarkable statement.

The reason I thought it was remarkable was because I never really thought of Rogers as “adult”. I wouldn’t have used that word to describe him. I would have used words like gentle, simple, soft, child-like… but I wouldn’t have used the word “adult” right off.

So, when I read that in the interview it made me stop and think. I thought about how I would describe him and why I wouldn’t use “adult” as one of my adjectives. It made me realize in a deeper way that Fred Rogers was completely in charge of his show, that he made the choices, that he understood the music and the words and the images and the movement. It made me think about him as an adult. I thought about my understanding of the word adult. It was then I realized that I thought of “adult” as hard, cold, strong, imposing.

It made me consider how I lived as an adult and it made me look back at Jesus’ words when he said “unless you become like a little child you won’t enter the kingdom.” What was he calling us to?

 

Scripture

                        Psalm 4

Study

            Jack’s visit…

                        He’s becoming “why’s”

                        Not wise, but “why’s”

            Learning from children by listening to them, hearing what is true.

 

            Coming to realize that there are things they need to be given a little at a time.

            The brutalization of children

 

            The movie and story of the “Invisible Children”… Northern Uganda

            The movement

            The sleep over in a parking lot

 

                        Making my own statement to my own children on what it means to                     follow Jesus

 

            Not a protest but a statement of solidarity and support

Asking our President and Senators to make a difference in the lives of children

 

            The needs they have

                        The need of education

                        Our support of the preschool and the primary school

 

            Being able to see and hear what is actually going on

 

            The pastor in Philadelphia – Old Pine Street Church

 

            The clown ministry

                        The street ministry

 

            Being thrown out of his own church

 

            Be willing to be uncomfortable. Be willing to make the people you love uncomfortable by following Jesus. Be willing to make other people around you uncomfortable because of following Jesus.

 

We must mature in Christ, hearing God, hearing others, becoming like a child, becoming like Jesus, being authentically adult.