Chapel Kids Sunday

Use these materials to go deeper into this message on your own, or with your small group. 
Small Group Guide

9:00 Service | 10:30 Service | Sermon Audio

Good morning Chapel family, and welcome to our guests. The mission of The Chapel starts out like this: Building a family of Christ-followers… That word “family” is so important to us. This is not a business; it’s not a club. All through the New Testament, the church is called a family—that cares about each other; supports each other; when they butt heads they forgive each other. That’s how healthy families work.

When you go back to the first century and study the reasons why the early church was able to survive and thrive in a hostile Roman Empire, one of the things that stand out is how attractive this new movement was because of the way they treated each other. They were a family. And one of the main things people noticed is how well they treated their children. Back at that time, infanticide was common; abandonment was common; child abuse was common. But this new Christian church protected kids and valued kids and treated them with dignity, and the world took notice. So if we want to build a family of Christ-followers that looks like the pattern we see in the New Testament, we will be a church that places a high priority on kids. And I promise you: we do.

God has been blessing The Chapel recently. People are coming to faith in Christ; people are being baptized; people are inviting their friends. As a result, we’re growing; our 9:00 service is filling up, and we’re out of space at our 10:30 service. So you’ve probably heard that we’re getting ready to add a third Sunday morning service, starting on Easter Sunday—and we are so excited about how this will help us introduce more people to Jesus. As we do that—as more people fill these seats—guess what else is going to happen? There’s going to be more little people flooding into our Chapel Kids rooms. And I want to be really clear: we will never allow numerical growth to sacrifice the quality of what we offer for kids. They’re just too important.

So if you were here last week, you heard me say something that you’re going to get tired of hearing. You ready? When you think about Sunday morning, we want everyone to attend one, serve one. Attend one of our services—at 8:40, 10:00, or 11:20, and then serve one. Decide to not just be a receiver; choose to be a giver. And the main place we need people to serve is—any guesses? Chapel Kids. Because the kids are worth it.

Throughout this morning, I’m going to introduce you to some people who have decided to attend one and serve one because of their love for kids. The first person I want you to meet is Chiara Totoli. Would you welcome Chiara?

Dave: Chiara, tell us what you do when you’re not here on Sundays.

Chiara: Talk about what you do for a living.

Dave: So what age kids do you lead on Sunday mornings?

Chiara: Talk about leading 3-5-year-olds at 9am service every week.

Dave: So you’ve been doing this for a while. Why do you keep doing this?

Chiara: Talk about the joy of teaching the Bible, the ongoing connection and trust with kids and families by seeing them every week, the feeling of being a kid again—it’s truly fun!

Dave: For someone who’s considering jumping in, but they’re a little intimidated, what would you tell them?

Chiara: Whatever you want to say.

Dave: Thank Chiara

So today, I want to ask and answer a really simple question: Why should I invest in the lives of kids? Why should I invest in the lives of kids?

Today’s Scripture is from Matthew 18 and 19. Let’s start with Mathew 18, verse 1—this is God’s Word for us today…

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

And then Matthew chapter 19, verses 13-15…

13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. This is the Word of the Lord.

Why should I invest in the lives of kids? Two reasons. First…

Because you need them. Because you need them. First of all, you need them…

…to teach you about humility. Matthew 18:1 says the disciples of Jesus came to him with a question: Who’s the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Which seems like an innocent question, until you look at the preceding context. In Mark chapter nine, it says that right before this conversation, the disciples had been arguing among themselves about which one of them was the greatest. Isn’t that such typical human behavior? We think it’s just us, with social media and celebrity culture, but people have always competed and compared themselves with each other. It’s human nature! And it’s draining.

So I want to pause and invite you to dream for a minute. Whatever it is that you are competing for right now—whether it’s getting into the best college or losing more weight or making more sales or getting more followers or driving a nicer car—whatever you find yourself competing against others for…I want to invite you to take a deep breath and dream about what your life could be like if you were no longer driven by that. If—instead of envying others who seem to be doing better than you—if you could be genuinely happy for them, and not threatened by them at all. If you could do whatever you’re called to do in life not to prove you’re worthy of love, but out of a deep security of knowing you already are deeply loved. Can you feel how freeing that would be?

So they ask Jesus, “Who’s the greatest?” And in response, it says Jesus called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. Picture a 2-year-old boy, giggling and squirming. Jesus says whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. So the thing about the kid that Jesus specifically wants them to notice is the child’s lowly position. Because

like we said, in that culture, children had a low status. Their parents loved them! But they were not celebrated and honored and protected in that society the way kids are today. Some Bible translations say, “Therefore, whoever humbles themselves like a child.” So to “humble yourself” is to realize you’re not self-sufficient. Kids are totally dependent on their parents, and that’s a humbling thing, to know you need someone else to survive. It’s the opposite of being proud and self-reliant.

So the guys are arguing about who’s the greatest, and Jesus says, “Actually you need to be more like this kid.” Why? Because if we’re self-sufficient and proud, we will never receive what God wants to give us. And therefore: stop your self-promotion and pride; stop defending yourself when you feel disrespected. Humble yourself and accept the grace of God. That’s how you can be truly great.

Isn’t it interesting that Jesus decided that the best way for his disciples to get that lesson was to put them in the presence of a child! And in order for us to be freed from self-promotion and competition, one of the best ways we can do that is to be in the presence of kids.

I’m telling you: You need kids to teach you about humility.

Secondly, you need kids …to teach you about worship. I love that moment on Palm Sunday when Jesus is riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. The crowd breaks out in worship, because they realize, this is their king! But not everyone is excited. It says…

15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”

There is something so beautiful when kids worship God. It says God “calls forth praise” from the lips of children. As I spent time talking with Chapel Kids volunteers recently, several of them told me how much they love the worship time. Some kids are self-conscious; some of the older kids are too cool for it. But man, some of the kids just let loose. John and Debbie, who lead worship for Chapel Kids, usually invite up a few kids to help lead the others, and their energy is contagious.

Not too long ago, one of the kids lost his dad. The kid was about five years old. And John Diaz told me that when he came to Chapel kids for the next several months, he craved worship. In the absence of his earthly father, it because so important for him to praise his heavenly Father. So he could come up front every week; he requested certain songs, and he sang with complete abandon—louder than anybody else. It was exactly what he needed.

And that’s why you need kids. Because that’s the way we’re supposed to worship, and one of the best ways to learn that is by being around kids.

And then third, you need kids …to teach you about faith. I’m going to quote one of our Chapel Kids volunteers. She said…

Every time I’m sitting in a circle with the kids to read a book or sing a song, I think about the story in the Bible where the disciples try to stop the kids from getting to Jesus and he tells them not to do that because the kingdom of heaven belongs to the little children. So I’m reminded through them that I

should approach God with the same boldness and unapologetic need for attention and love.

Kids tend to have a very pure and simple faith. They haven’t yet been jaded by life, so they come to God very openly and expectantly.

Dana Tierney wrote an article for The New York Times Magazine, where she described how both she and her husband had rejected their childhood faith. They had a son named Luke, and when Luke was four years old, his dad—Dana’s husband—went to Iraq as an embedded reporter. And Dana was fearful for his safety. But she was surprised at how calm her little four-year-old son was. So one day they were watching the news, and there was an interview with a U.S. soldier who was about to return to Iraq, and he was talking about his fears. And out of the corner of her eye, Dana noticed little Luke putting his hands together—like in a praying motion. She asked him about it, and at first he denied it. But then she saw him do it again, and she asked him again, and this time he admitted he’d been praying. And Dana was stunned—partly because her son, who was raised without faith, had faith--but also because apparently his faith was making him calm and her lack of faith was making her fearful. She asked Luke when he first started believing in God, and he said, “I don’t know. I’ve always known he’s there.”

Faith just seems to come naturally for kids. And being around them can be so good for our faith.

If you think about all the things that we see and hear through a typical week, so many of those things attack our faith, right? Because it’s materialism, and anger, and division, and anxiety. And then you hang out around a little round table with a few kids, and you hear them respond to the good news of the gospel. It is like a breath of fresh air for your soul.

Two people who are experiencing that regularly are Andy Watson and Rob Thrall. Would you welcome them to the Hot Seat?

Dave: Andy and Rob, tell us what age kids you lead on Sundays.

Andy & Rob: Answer.

Dave: I was just talking about how we need kids, and we can learn from them. Can you tell us about some things that you’ve learned from kids?

Andy & Rob: Whatever you want to say.

Dave: Rob, you mentioned that there’s something hanging on your refrigerator at home, that hasn’t been there for a while. Can you tell us what that is?

Rob: Talk about your son being older, but there’s handmade art from a kid in Chapel Kids, hanging on your fridge—and how that makes you feel.

Dave: Andy, you have a demanding career; you’re the father of three young kids; your life is incredibly busy. Why do you make the time to do this every week?

Andy: Whatever you want to say.

Dave: Thank you!

So listen: the reason you should invest in the lives of kids, is first of all because you need them! You need them to teach you about humility, and about worship, and about faith. You need them.

But also—just as much—They Need You. They need you. And that’s true in three ways.

First of all, they need you …to show up for them. One of my favorite ministry verses is 1 Thessalonians 2:8…Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. Paul is reminding these people that the reason he influenced them so deeply wasn’t just because he gave them truth; it was also because he gave them himself. He spent time with them. He shared meals with them. He listened to them. He prayed with them. He showed up in their lives.

And that has never been more important in the lives of kids. So much of their lives is lived on screens. It’s well-documented that the upcoming generation is the most anxious generation we’ve ever seen, and a lot of that is because of what technology and screens and social media are doing to them. Now—a lot of the younger kids in Chapel Kids haven’t experienced that yet, but they’re beginning to. So they desperately need adults who will show up in their lives.

One Chapel Kids volunteer said, “Each time one particular girl comes into the class and sees me, her facial expression goes from nonchalance to a wide-eyed, toothy smile. We talk every chance we get, and I know just by being there, I’m making a difference.”

You talk about a simple job description? Just show up, and be a consistent presence in their lives, and you’re making a significant difference.

Secondly, kids need you …to show them they’re loved. Remember what the disciples were arguing about? Who’s the greatest. They were comparing and competing with one another. And any time you have comparing and competing, there’s a pecking order. Some people feel like they measure up, and others feel like they don’t. So early in their lives, we have the opportunity to show kids what it means to receive unconditional love.

There’s an author named David Prince, who wrote about a family who adopted a child. It was an older child, and she had lived in an orphanage overseas. So when they brought her home, one of the responsibilities they gave her was to clean her room every day. She fixated on it. She kept her room immaculate, because in her background, you only get love when you earn it. So in her adoptive home, every morning her mom or her dad would come into her room, and she would sit on the end of her bed and basically say, “Is this good enough? Can I stay?” And it took her parents a long time to show her that her place in the family didn’t depend on her performance. And as she got that, it was transformative. She wasn’t a visitor; she wasn’t on trial. She was not their daughter, and nothing could ever change that.

And I’m telling you, even if kids have great parents at home, having another adult who shows them unconditional love is powerful. They need that.

And then third, kids need you …to show them Jesus. And this is the bottom line. Kids need Jesus. Look with me at 1 Corinthians 2. Listen to what Paul writes:1b When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

He was talking about ministering to adults, but this is the perfect passage for kids ministry. As you consider serving in Chapel Kids, do you ever think, “I don’t have the eloquence or wisdom?” Paul says, “I didn’t come with that.” Feel like you don’t have wise and persuasive words? Paul says, “It wasn’t about that.” Anyone feel weakness and great fear and trembling? Paul says, “Yep—that’s how I felt.” So you’re in good company. But what does he say about his message? What’s the actual

thing he communicated to them? Jesus Christ and him crucified. It’s so simple, isn’t it? We point kids to Jesus. It doesn’t matter how old they are, and when they get old enough to be in here, I point you guys to Jesus. But that’s it—that’s the message: Jesus loves them so much that he went to the cross for their sins, and simply by trusting in Jesus they can be forgiven, and have Jesus with them as they walk through the challenges and pain and loneliness and joys of life. Our message has to be Jesus!

And when we do that, did you see how that affects their faith? Look at that last verse: so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. We don’t want kids who are resting their faith on a cool teacher or some impressive technology anything else, because that kind of faith’s not going to last. But when we point them to Christ, we’re helping them to build something solid. We all know the storms are coming, right? No one is immune to the storms of life. But when we help kids build their lives on Christ, they’ll be so much more likely to endure the storms.

One volunteer said this:

One of the most rewarding moments was when a student shared how something we talked about in class helped them navigate a tough situation at school. They connected a Bible lesson to their real-life struggle and used what they learned to respond with kindness and confidence. Seeing that lightbulb moment—where faith became practical and personal—reminded me why serving in Chapel Kids is so impactful.

You don’t have to be wise or eloquent or cool. You just have to point them to Jesus, and you’ll be giving them the greatest gift.

Back in the last century, there was an extremely influential theologian from Switzerland named Karl Barth. He came to the U.S. to do a lecture tour in the 1960s, and when he was here, somebody asked him, “Can you summarize your theological work in a really concise way, so anyone could understand it?” He thought about it for a moment. And then he said, “Yes. Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” I don’t think the lecture audience was expecting that, but it really is that simple.

I recently met two friends—high school girls—who have discovered the joy of pointing kids to Jesus. Would you welcome to the Hot Seat our last guests, Summer Myhren and Jenna Lee.

Dave: Tell us what age kids you lead.

Jenna and Summer: Talk about serving in 3rd grade class at 10:30.

Dave: What do you enjoy most about being with those kids?

Jenna and Summer: Respond.

Dave: Summer, you told me about a girl you met during your first year of teaching, who was having some trouble. Can you tell us about that?

Summer: Talk about spending time with that girl, seeing her gain confidence, and now that she’s graduated to a new class she now runs into your class and hugs you when she sees you.

Dave: Jenna, I know you’re serving every other week now…but you told me something you’ve been feeling on the weeks that you’re not there. Can you tell us about that?

Jenna: Talk about feeling like you should be there every week, because you love being w/the kids.

Dave: Thank you!

You know, our Chapel Kids volunteers are normally so hidden from the public eye. So I’m really happy you’re getting to meet some of them today. But you’ve only met six, and there are a lot more! So we put together a little video to introduce you to a few more of our team. Watch this…

CHAPEL KIDS VIDEO

So I started this message with a question: why should I invest in the lives of kids? I hope the answer has been really clear: because you need them, and they need you.

So today I’m unapologetically asking you to invest in the lives of kids by deciding that on Sundays you will attend one and serve one. Attend one service, and then at the other service, become part of our amazing Chapel Kids team. And I want to be very specific: in order to launch a third service on Easter and not sacrifice our Chapel Kids ministry, we need 30 new volunteers.

I’m going to put a QR code up on the screen; you can scan that with your phone to connect with our Chapel Kids leaders—you’re not committing to anything yet; you’re just saying, “Yes, I’m interested—tell me more.” Also, if you go to our web site, thechapel.org, the first thing you’ll see is a pop-up that says “Third Service Launch.” Just click on “Join the Team,” and go from there.

Now: when you go to that spot on our web site, you’re going to see one more option that might interest you. We are expanding our Chapel Kids Intern program. So if you are in high school or college, and you’re interested in possibly working with children as a career, this internship is a great opportunity for you. It’s a paid internship, 4-5 hours per week; it includes bi-weekly training during the week, and then serving on Sundays in Chapel Kids. So feel free to pursue that as well.

I am so looking forward to seeing how God is going to build this team. In fact, I’m kind of jealous that I can’t join it, because I’m busy on Sundays! So please: pray about this, ask any questions; God is doing something beautiful around here, and we’d love for you to be a part of it.

I want to close with one more quote from a Chapel Kids volunteer—listen to this:

What keeps me serving in Chapel Kids is knowing that every Sunday is a chance to plant seeds of faith in a child’s heart. Seeing their eyes light up when they grasp a Bible truth, ask deep questions, or connect what they’ve learned to real life reminds me why this matters so much. We have such a short window to pour truth into them before they step back into a world full of distractions and challenges. With so much competing for their attention, I want to make sure they hear and experience God’s love in a way that sticks. And honestly, their joy, curiosity, and energy make every week an adventure!