In today’s lesson from Hebrews it says something like “Babies and children drink milk, but grownups eat solid food.”  I think that the author of Hebrews meant that babies and young children can’t be grown ups and grown ups should not be like babies.

If a baby was trying to be a grown up, it might go something like this:

Uncle Floyd has rushed into the Pastor’s office and there is . . . Haman Potato at the desk!  Uncle Floyd might say “I reckon you need me to hurry and set up the chairs in Fellowship Hall for the Worship Service this morning!”  And Pastor Haman, being a child might say “Nah, let’s play kick ball in there this morning.  That will be more fun!  And then we can all have cookies and juice.  The chairs will just be in the way.”

The Gospel lesson says that Jesus talked with the disciples about Who Is Great and Who Is A Good Leader.  Jesus explained that good leaders and good helpers are willing to do the work of a servant. 

And so, when Uncle Floyd says “I reckon we can’t play Kick Ball on Sunday morning!  We had better get busy. It is already 10:30!  I reckon I’ll need your help!”

Pastor Haman might say “Hey, I’m the Pastor here.  I don’t set up chairs.  That’s your job.”  And Pastor Haman would stay in his office and play games on the computer and skip church all together!  That would not be a good pastor or a good leader.  But then, Haman is just a child and would not know any better.

Now, the other example about these words would be when the grown up must behave like a grown up.

It is Sunday morning at 9:30 and the Story Teller was in the kitchen sneaking a cookie from the freezer and he stood there so long in front of the cold air that he got frost bite and was knocked unconscious and can’t talk.

What can Pastor Ed do?  Maybe he could ask Mrs. Mawakasunga to be the Story Teller.

He might say “Mrs. Mawakasunga, I know this is the last minute and I know you would have nothing prepared, and you may say ‘no’, but because the Story Teller . . . ammm . . . is frozen, would YOU be willing to tell the children a story in church this morning?”

And Mrs. Mawakasunga, being a grown up, may be afraid, but she would say “Yes, if you help me a bit.”  She could say ‘no’ and that would be okay, but she can’t act like a baby and say “No thanks, I’d rather play computer games and skip the worship this morning.”

You know, several weeks ago, in real life, Pastor Easton did indeed need a Story Teller at the very last minute.  And Pastor Easton asked Marianne Brock to tell the story!  Pastor Easton knows that Mrs. Brock has the gift and talent to tell stories.  Mrs. Brock said she would tell a story.  She knows that some times you are called to serve God in unexpected ways at times when you do not feel well prepared

Today is Consecration Sunday and the grown ups at Trinity are being asked to consider all the gifts and talents that God has given them.  Maybe your Mommy or Daddy will be placing a paper or an envelope in the green box in the center aisle.  The paper tells about how they will give their gifts and their talents to the church this year.  Maybe they will be a good leader or helper like Mrs. Mawakasunga and Mrs. Brock, but not like Haman.  For Heaven’s sake, Haman doesn’t know that we can’t play kick ball and eat juice and cookies in here during worship!  After all, he is just a child.

THE END

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