Should We Invest In Humanity?

SHOULD WE INVEST IN HUMANITY?

Mark 10:13-16

INTRO.- Since we just finished VBS this last week I want to begin by sharing a few more children’s

stories.

ILL.- A lady said, “As we drove home from church one afternoon, we were talking about a friend who was baptized that day. We spoke of how proud we were of him and my three-year-old daughter asked, ‘What does it mean to be baptized?’”

“My five-year-old son Joshua spoke up and said, ‘OH, BAPTISM, THAT’S WHEN THE PREACHER WASHES ALL YOUR SENSES AWAY.’” Old senses, anyway.

ILL.- A preacher said, “Two weeks before I was to baptize my oldest son, my wife and I were explaining

baptism to him. As we talked, we noticed our four-year-old had slipped out of the room. When I found

him, he was very upset.

“’What’s wrong?’ I asked. With tears in his eyes, he said, ‘I WANT TO BE ALPHABAPTIZED WITH MY BROTHER.’”

ILL.- A lady said, “Our children’s church program recently finished a series on Jesus’ miracles. The

teacher asked if the children had a favorite miracle. My five-year-old Brendan shot up his hand and said, “I LIKED IT WHEN JESUS HEALED THE TEN LEPRECHAUNS!” Close, but not close enough.

ILL.- One preacher father said, “On the ride home from church I always ask my wife Mary what she thinks of my sermon. One Sunday my six-year-old son Seth surprised me by saying I had preached a good sermon. I asked, ‘What makes a good sermon?’

“He said, ‘IT MAKES ME SLEEPY LIKE WHEN MOMMY READS ME A STORY!’”

ILL.- A lady said, “Our six-year-old grandson, Braden, who rarely missed Sunday School was visiting us.

Complaining that he had a stomach ache, his Biblical training showed when he said, ‘BUT I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S MY LARGE OR SMALL TESTAMENT.’”

ILL.- A lady said, “As I walked into my friend’s house, her daughter Greta, 7, greeted me. She showed

me her WWJD bracelet, saying, ‘I always have to ask WHAT WOULD JESUS DO before I do anything.’

“Knowing there was sibling rivalry between Greta and her 10-year-old brother Jon, I said, ‘Well, Greta,

that means you can’t fight with Jon because Jesus wouldn’t fight with him.’

“She pointed her finger at me and said, ‘JESUS WOULDN’T EVEN PLAY WITH JON!’”

ILL.- A man said, “My wife Kelly overheard our four-year-old daughter Jordan talking in a corner. ‘Who

are you talking to?’ she asked. ‘Myself,’ she said, ‘Mommy, can God hear us when we whisper to

ourselves?’

“’Of course,’ my wife said. ‘Oh boy,’ Jordan sighed, ‘I’M IN TROUBLE!’”

ILL.- A lady said, “Barbara, my six-year-old granddaughter, had been praying for a baby brother for

months. So, she was overcome with joy when she saw her new twin brothers.

“That night her prayer was a happy thank-you, ‘Dear God, thank you for sending me a baby brother. But I thought you would like to know he came in two pieces.’”

Brethren, I have a question for you. Should we invest in humanity? In other words, should we invest our time, talent and energy in human lives? Why, of course! Absolutely! Positively! Yes! Without

question!

There is nothing better to do in this life than to give our lives for something that will last forever! Many times we spend our time, talent and energy on things that have no lasting value. Things that won’t

matter at all when we die. BUT TO INVEST IN PEOPLE IS TO MAKE ETERNAL INVESTMENTS.

PROP.- I want to share two thoughts about investing in humanity.

1- God invested in humanity

2- We should invest in humanity too

I. GOD INVESTED IN HUMANITY

Creation, re-creation and children are signs of God’s investment in humanity.

ILL.- A little girl listened to her grandmother read the story of creation to her. After the story, the little girl seemed lost in thought. “Well, dear,” her grandmother said, “What did you think of the creation

story?”

“Oh, I loved it. It’s so exciting. You never know what God is going to do next.”

Brethren, the story of creation is exciting. If we had been there we could not have contained ourselves.

We would have been ecstatic. And all of God’s creation itself is very exciting.

ILL.- There are many mornings that I drive to the church house in the dark and some just as the sun is

coming up. And I never cease to be amazed at the beauty of the sun rising and I can’t help but say,

“Thank you, Lord. How beautiful is your creation.”

I’ve never traveled very much. I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon but people tell me it’s absolutely

awesome and beautiful. And there many places right here in our own country that are unmatched in beauty.

Brethren, God could have created a dark, dingy, dirty world for us to live in, but He didn’t. HE GAVE US