General Audiences

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

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is the trade association of the American film industry. It advocates for the film industry by working to protect copyrights and film theft and deals with other issues of the industry. Its most recognized activity is role in rating films by content with a system that helps parents and general movie goers make informed decisions about the suitability of the film for viewing. The ratings range from “G” or “General Audiences” which signifies the film is suitable for all ages to “NC-17” which means no one under 17 is admitted. As Christians, it is important to remember that the gospel is intended for all audiences.

In the 19th Chapter of Matthew, the disciples are dealing with a large crowd situation. The situation must have been chaotic. Throngs of crowds trying to see or hear Jesus; some seeking salvation, some seeking healing and others like the Pharisees seeking to evaluate Jesus and prove him to be a fraud. The situation was serious and most likely tense. The Pharisees were questioning Jesus about the very adult topic of Divorce when a group reached Jesus with children they wanted to be blessed. The disciples tried to turn them away. Jesus stopped them and asked for the children to be brought to him. We too are guilty of segregating out the group we believe suitable for worship. By our unofficial dress codes, rules, traditions, decorum, content, topics, outreach, schedules and prejudices; we both unintentionally and sometimes even overtly decide who should and can participate. Jesus looked at the children and proclaimed that the kingdom of heaven belonged to such as these. We need to get comfortable casting a wider net when we worship and encounter people. We should be careful not to exclude young, old or just different. I’ll bet we will be surprised at just how broad the kingdom of heaven actually is.

My prayer for you today is that you broaden your view of worship.

Deacon Larry Woodard