09:16 Song Service – Rachel Miller, Rachel Mohler, Rachel Shueddig
18:54 Welcome and Call to Worship – Elder Larry Cain
22:28 Children’s Moment – Monica Rush
29:31 Scripture Reading – Elder Andrew Neill
32:20 Special Music – “A Blessing Hymn” – Written and Performed by Robin Neill
37:17 Blessing of Bailey Claire Brennan – Elder Randy Hamann & Elder Dave Keller
42:24 Special Music – “O God, We Gather Here Today” – Rachel Miller, Rachel Mohler, Rachel Shueddig
45:13 Sermon – “What Children Teach Us” – Elder Andrew Neill

Summary

Elder Andrew Neill’s sermon, “What Children Teach Us,” draws profound spiritual lessons from the scriptures, particularly 3rd Nephi Chapter 8 and Gospel accounts, illustrating the vital role children play in understanding humility, faith, and the kingdom of God. Andrew reflects on Jesus’s ministry at the ancient Americas, emphasizing Jesus’s deep love and joy when praying for children and blessing them. He highlights the disciples’ struggle with pride and their disputes over greatness, contrasting it with the qualities exemplified by children—humility, trust, and dependence on God.

Using Greek translations and scripture analysis, Andrew clarifies that Jesus’s call to be “like children” is not about innocence or weakness but about recognizing God’s role as the source of all good, fostering a dependent, trusting relationship with Him. He contrasts this with the story of the rich young ruler, illustrating how trusting in worldly achievements can become a “rival kingdom.”

Andrew also shares a personal story of his son’s prolonged illness, revealing how unanswered prayers deepened his understanding of trust and God’s love beyond immediate healing. He calls the congregation to be a supportive, present community that nurtures faith and trust in God, especially for children, emphasizing the eternal significance of such commitment.

Highlights

1. Jesus’s ministry in the ancient Americas culminated with a heartfelt prayer and blessings for children, symbolizing their spiritual importance.
2. The disciples struggled with pride and disputes over greatness, which Jesus addressed by calling them to emulate children’s humility.
3. The Greek understanding of humility involves recognizing God’s sovereignty and that all good comes from Him.
4. The story of the rich young ruler highlights the danger of trusting in worldly possessions rather than God.
5. Trust and dependence on God go beyond mere belief, requiring active submission and reliance.
6. Andrew’s personal experience with his son’s illness illustrates the power of trust amid unanswered prayers.
7. The congregation is urged to create a loving, supportive community that fosters faith and trust in God, especially for children.

Key Insights

1. Jesus’s Prayer for Children as a Model of Divine Love: Jesus’s prayer in 3rd Nephi Chapter 8 is a poignant example of divine intercession, showing that children hold a special place in God’s heart and that their spiritual well-being is foundational to the kingdom of God. This highlights the importance of nurturing faith from a young age.
2. Humility Redefined through Greek Translation: The Greek term for humility, Prautes, implies an understanding of one’s position before God rather than weakness or low self-esteem. This reshapes modern perceptions of humility into a confident acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty and grace.
3. The Rival Kingdom of Self-Reliance: The disciples’ argument over greatness and the rich young ruler’s trust in wealth and reputation reveal the human tendency to build kingdoms based on self and worldly success. Jesus warns against this, calling believers to surrender to God’s kingdom through childlike trust.
4. Belief vs. Trust vs. Dependence: The Greek word Pisteuō encompasses belief, trust, and dependence, each progressively deeper. Mere belief is insufficient, as even devils believe. True faith involves trust—actively following God—and dependence—constant reliance on Him—a call to transformative discipleship.
5. Unanswered Prayers as a Lesson in Trust: Andrew’s story about his son’s illness teaches that God’s answers may not always be immediate healing but can manifest as strengthened trust and deeper understanding of divine love, challenging simplistic views of prayer as transactional.
6. Children as Spiritual Teachers: Children, with their innate trust and recognition of dependence, teach adults vital lessons about faith and humility. Jesus’s use of children to correct the disciples underscores the power of childlike qualities in spiritual growth.
7. Community’s Role in Supporting Faith: The sermon ends with a stirring call for congregants to be present, kind, and supportive, creating environments where children and families feel safe, encouraged, and spiritually nurtured—essential for the growth of the kingdom of God.

Outline

1. Introduction: Scripture Reading and Context (Third Nephi 8)
   1. Jesus’s farewell ministry in the ancient Americas
   2. Jesus’s prayer and blessing for the children
   3. The joy and divine intercession demonstrated by Jesus
2. The Disciples’ Problem: Pride and Disputes (Mark 9:30-37)
   1. The disciples argue over who is the greatest
   2. Jesus teaches humility by using a child as an example
   3. Clarification of humility’s meaning via Greek translation
3. Children’s Qualities Contrasted with Adults’ (Matthew 19:14 and Others)
   1. Common misconceptions about children’s humility and innocence
   2. Reinterpretation of humility as recognition of God’s sovereignty
   3. Children’s trust and dependence as spiritual virtues
4. Belief, Trust, and Dependence in Scripture
   1. Examination of pistuoin John 3:16 and James 2:19
   2. Differentiation of mere belief from active trust and dependence
   3. Implications for discipleship and spiritual growth
5. The Rich Young Ruler: A Lesson on Trust and Rival Kingdoms (Mark 10:17-27)
   1. The ruler’s worldly success and self-reliance
   2. Jesus’s challenge to sell all and follow Him
   3. The disciples’ astonishment and Jesus’s teaching on riches
6. Personal Reflection: Trust through Unanswered Prayer
   1. The prolonged illness of Andrew’s son and the family’s care
   2. The impact of a prayer for healing and subsequent rest
   3. The deepening of trust in God’s timing and love
7. Application: Building a Community that Nurtures Trust
   1. Encouragement to be present and supportive to families
   2. The importance of kindness, prayer, and genuine faith examples
   3. Creating a church environment where children and parents feel valued
8. Conclusion: Eternal Consequences of Embracing Childlike Faith
   1. Jesus’s call to emulate childlike qualities
   2. The transformative power of humility, trust, and dependence
   3. A charge to live out these principles in community and faith