## Discovering Heaven's Joy: Embracing Childlike Faith Together! by Andi Becker  Good morning, boys and girls! I am so happy to see each one of you here today. We are about to embark on an exciting journey to explore what it means to have childlike faith and why Jesus said we must become like children to enter Heaven. And we'll also discover why it's important to include children in the main church service. Are you ready? Let's dive in! ### Come on let our church community be alive! Let's play a game called "Childlike Trait Match-Up!" I'm going to mention some traits often found in children. When you hear one, raise your hand and shout out a Bible verse that shows how that trait relates to our faith. Are you up for the challenge? Great! * Trait 1: Curiosity * Trait 2: Joyfulness * Trait 3: Trust * Trait 4: Creativity * Trait 5: Imagination ### Let’s settle down again and take a deep breath and remain for a moment in silence. #### I. The Kingdom of Heaven Belongs to Children * A. In the Bible, Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14, NIV). Jesus wanted children to be with Him and experience the joy of God's Kingdom firsthand. * B. Having childlike faith means trusting God wholeheartedly, being curious about His Word, and finding joy in discovering more about Him. We can learn a lot from children's natural inclination to believe and wonder. #### II. Including Children in the Main Church Service * A. Jesus showed us the importance of including children. He welcomed them, blessed them, and even used them as examples of faith. In Mark 10:13-16, Jesus took children into His arms and said, "Let the children come to me" (Mark 10:14a, NIV). * B. We believe that every child should feel welcomed and included in the main church service. When we gather as one big family, we learn from each other and grow together in faith. Your presence enriches our worship and community. ### The magic Kids Space in our new form of worship with the children Let's have a special "Kids Take Over" moment! Who would like to come up and share a Bible verse they've memorized or a short prayer they'd like to say? Raise your hand if you'd like to be part of the "Kids Take Over"! ### III. The Fun and Engaging Worship * A. Singing praises and praying together as a whole church can be an incredible experience. Children bring their own unique expressions of worship that can inspire everyone. Psalm 100:1 says, "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth" (NIV). * B. Sermons can be fun and engaging for children, too! We can include activities, object lessons, or funny stories to help us understand God's Word in a memorable way. Jesus often used parables and visual illustrations to teach important lessons. Yeah, today we are an active church community! Do you like it? OK, I know that the time of smartphones during our regular preaching gets drastically reduced but … I think that is great! ### Let's have a quick object lesson! I need a volunteer. Come up here, and I'll give you a small gift. Can you tell me what the greatest gift God has given us is? That's right! It's the gift of His love and forgiveness. Ephesians 2:8 reminds us, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (NIV). Boys and girls, we've discovered that having childlike faith means trusting God, being curious, and experiencing the joy of His Kingdom. Jesus loves having children around Him, and He wants all of us to be part of His family. We believe that children are an important part of the church and should be included in the main service. Together, let's worship, learn, and grow in our faith, supporting one another on this amazing journey. Remember, you are loved by God, and He has a special place for you in His Kingdom. Let's embrace our childlike faith and experience the joy of Heaven together! ### Let’s all stand up and pray by joining all our hands. Dear God, thank You for loving us and inviting us to be part of Your Kingdom. Help us to have childlike faith, to trust You, and to experience the joy of Your presence. We pray for our church to be a place where children are included and loved. In Jesus' name, we pray, amen! English Original Thai Translation 1. #โบสถ์สำหรับครอบครัว (Church for Families) 2. #โบสถ์เพื่อเด็ก (Church for Children) 3. #ครอบครัวและเด็ก (Family and Children) 4. #ภูเก็ต (Phuket) 5. #โบสถ์สอนเยาวชน (Church Teaching Youth) 6. #พระเยซู (Jesus) 7. #คริสตจักรสำหรับครอบครัว (Family Church) 8. #พิธีสำคัญในโบสถ์ (Church Ceremonies) 9. #พระคัมภีร์ (Bible) 10. #วัฒนธรรมไทย (Thai Culture)