Preacher: Toby Sumpter
Text: Hebrews 12:18–29
There is a stark difference between childlike faith and childish folly. “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him” (Prov. 22:15). “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 18:3). Likewise, there is a massive difference between the high-octane praise of nursing infants (Ps. 8:2) and infantile vain repetitions (Mt. 6:7). And the difference is between hope and despair. Childlike faith and praise is rooted in the greatness and goodness of God, but folly and infantilism despair of growing up into any greatness and goodness and settle for momentary gimmicks and games and emotional highs.
As we consider Christian maturity, we really have to begin at the center all human endeavor, which is worship. It might be easy to react to certain forms of childish worship by lurching into what looks to us like “grown up” worship, but we really must remember that the worship wars go back to Cain and Abel. It’s not enough to just find something older. We want our worship to actually please God, and by His grace, we want it to be a potent force in our lives and world.