Children of the Bible
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: Psalm 131
1. O Lord, my heart is not proud.
My eyes do not look-down on other people.
I am not involved in things too big or too hard for me.
2. I keep my soul quiet.
My soul is satisfied,
as a young child is quiet and satisfied in his mother’s arms.
3. Israel, trust the Lord now and forever.
EPISTLE LESSON: 1 John 2:12-17
12. Dear children, I John write to you,
because Christ forgives your sins.
13. Parents, I write to you,
because you know God who lived from the beginning.
Young people, I write to you,
because you defeated the devil.
14. Children, I write to you,
because you know God our Father.
Parents, I write to you,
because you know Christ who lived from the beginning.
Young people, I write to you, because you are strong;
the teaching of God lives in you,
and you defeated the devil.
15. Don't love this world. Don't love things in this world.
If you love this world, you don't love God our Father.
16. Three things belong to this world:
(1) wanting to please ourselves,
(2) wanting the sinful things that we see,
(3) pride for things we have.
None of those three come from the Father.
All of them come from the world.
17. This world and everything in this world that people want melt away.
But the person doing what God wants -- that person lives forever.
GOSPEL LESSON: Mark 10:13-16
13. Some people brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch them, but his followers blocked them.
14. When Jesus saw this, he was upset and said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like these children.
15. I tell you the truth, you must accept the kingdom of God same as little children. If you don't, you will never enter.”
16. Then Jesus took the children in his arms, put his hands on them, and blessed them.
The Bible teaches a lot about children,
advice to parents
how to teach children
how and why we should love children
why children should learn discipline
The Ten Commandments -- one is specifically for children.
"Honor your father and mother..."
That commandment is not only for small children.
God gave that commandment to us adult children
that we also honor our parents.
Most of the chapters in the Old Testament book named
PROVERBS is a wise father's advice to his son.
If you go to a Christian book store,
you will see many books that teach parents
how to follow Bible principles in their family life
in ways that will help their children.
We see much teaching TO children,
and much teaching to parents FOR their children,
but we overlook all that CHILDREN CAN TEACH US.
------------------
Children teach us three important things.
First, children teach us what FAITH means.
Children in the Bible teach us that true faith [trust] is not information,
WHAT you know about God.
True faith means WHO you know,
your connection with God Himself.
Remember John.
He knew Jesus while they were both
still in the womb,
not-yet born!
Remember Samuel,
growing-up in the home of the High Priest named Eli.
Eli taught Samuel ABOUT God.
But the Bible says that Samuel didn't KNOW the Lord,
until God touched Samuel... how?
The same way He touches us: His Word.
Remember Naaman's Jewish Slave.
Her simple trust for God,
and her concern for her enemy,
led her enemy to know God, and trust Him, also.
Faith means what?
Many church teach their children,
"You must learn, and understand, and accept,
then you can become saved."
JESUS NEVER SAID THAT to children.
No. Jesus told His adult Disciples,
"If you want to become saved,
you must change and become as children."
Again, children in the Bible teach us that
FAITH doesn't mean what you know about Jesus.
FAITH means that you know Jesus.
------------
The second thing we learn from children in the Bible
is that we are all born sinners, needing a Savior.
None of us is born "innocent."
King David said, "I was a sinner in my mother's womb."
When we are small babies, maybe are not "doing sin."
But we already have sin in us, that we inherit from our parents,
because they also are sinners.
So if babies need to know Jesus, too, what-do-we-do?
We bring them to Jesus and His Cross.
We connect them with Christ, His death and resurrection,
in baptism.
Parents, pray for your children and grand-children.
Pray that God's Holy Spirit will communicate to their spirit.
If they are small, and they not-yet know language,
that doesn't matter.
They can know Jesus,
the same-as they can know their mother,
without any language.
------------
The third thing we learn from children in the Bible,
is that we cannot inherit faith from our parents.
Your relationship [connect] with God is YOURS,
not theirs [your parents].
Remember Eli's two sons?
All three were priests.
Dad loved God, but his two sons mocked God,
while they served as priests.
Remember the boy King Manasseh?
He had a good father, King Hezekiah,
that loved God and served God with all his heart.
But son Manasseh was the opposite.
He rejected his father's teaching.
He spread his evil reign,
Until Pah!
Manasseh finally woke-up in prison,
and looked to God.
That was good for King Manasseh,
but too late for Israel.
Parents,
If your children grow up well,
Give thanks to God!
Don't pat-yourself-on-the-back.
If your children rebel,
don't blame yourself.
The Bible says that each person that rebels against God,
that person himself is responsible.
Young people,
sometimes if you do something wrong
and you get in trouble,
and then your parents help you...
That won't work in heaven.
When you rebel against God,
your parents can't save you.
You yourself must have a relationship [connection]
with God.
You yourself must know and trust Jesus Christ
for your forgiveness.
------------
The fourth thing --
Children teach us about God Himself,
His deep love and concern for children.
When Jesus' Disciples blocked children,
not permitting them to bother Jesus,
Jesus became angry.
"Let children come to Me! Don't block them!"
Another time, Jesus said:
"Temptations for doing sin will come.
But the person who brings temptation,
punishment will be terrible for that person!
And if you tempt a child to do sin, ... really awful!
If you have a large stone tied on your neck
and we throw you into the sea,
that is better than the punishment you deserve."
All sin makes God angry.
And sin against children makes God terribly angry.
Clearly Jesus has a soft heart for children.
He desires a relationship with all people,
but children are most important.
Why?
Which is easier:
(1) Winning the heart of a child for the Lord. OR
(2) Converting an adult who does not yet believe in Jesus.
Which?
If we win the heart of a child for the Lord,
we also win the adult that child will become.
So, Church...
What-do-we-do now??
advice to parents
how to teach children
how and why we should love children
why children should learn discipline
The Ten Commandments -- one is specifically for children.
"Honor your father and mother..."
That commandment is not only for small children.
God gave that commandment to us adult children
that we also honor our parents.
Most of the chapters in the Old Testament book named
PROVERBS is a wise father's advice to his son.
If you go to a Christian book store,
you will see many books that teach parents
how to follow Bible principles in their family life
in ways that will help their children.
We see much teaching TO children,
and much teaching to parents FOR their children,
but we overlook all that CHILDREN CAN TEACH US.
------------------
Children teach us three important things.
First, children teach us what FAITH means.
Children in the Bible teach us that true faith [trust] is not information,
WHAT you know about God.
True faith means WHO you know,
your connection with God Himself.
Remember John.
He knew Jesus while they were both
still in the womb,
not-yet born!
Remember Samuel,
growing-up in the home of the High Priest named Eli.
Eli taught Samuel ABOUT God.
But the Bible says that Samuel didn't KNOW the Lord,
until God touched Samuel... how?
The same way He touches us: His Word.
Remember Naaman's Jewish Slave.
Her simple trust for God,
and her concern for her enemy,
led her enemy to know God, and trust Him, also.
Faith means what?
Many church teach their children,
"You must learn, and understand, and accept,
then you can become saved."
JESUS NEVER SAID THAT to children.
No. Jesus told His adult Disciples,
"If you want to become saved,
you must change and become as children."
Again, children in the Bible teach us that
FAITH doesn't mean what you know about Jesus.
FAITH means that you know Jesus.
------------
The second thing we learn from children in the Bible
is that we are all born sinners, needing a Savior.
None of us is born "innocent."
King David said, "I was a sinner in my mother's womb."
When we are small babies, maybe are not "doing sin."
But we already have sin in us, that we inherit from our parents,
because they also are sinners.
So if babies need to know Jesus, too, what-do-we-do?
We bring them to Jesus and His Cross.
We connect them with Christ, His death and resurrection,
in baptism.
Parents, pray for your children and grand-children.
Pray that God's Holy Spirit will communicate to their spirit.
If they are small, and they not-yet know language,
that doesn't matter.
They can know Jesus,
the same-as they can know their mother,
without any language.
------------
The third thing we learn from children in the Bible,
is that we cannot inherit faith from our parents.
Your relationship [connect] with God is YOURS,
not theirs [your parents].
Remember Eli's two sons?
All three were priests.
Dad loved God, but his two sons mocked God,
while they served as priests.
Remember the boy King Manasseh?
He had a good father, King Hezekiah,
that loved God and served God with all his heart.
But son Manasseh was the opposite.
He rejected his father's teaching.
He spread his evil reign,
Until Pah!
Manasseh finally woke-up in prison,
and looked to God.
That was good for King Manasseh,
but too late for Israel.
Parents,
If your children grow up well,
Give thanks to God!
Don't pat-yourself-on-the-back.
If your children rebel,
don't blame yourself.
The Bible says that each person that rebels against God,
that person himself is responsible.
Young people,
sometimes if you do something wrong
and you get in trouble,
and then your parents help you...
That won't work in heaven.
When you rebel against God,
your parents can't save you.
You yourself must have a relationship [connection]
with God.
You yourself must know and trust Jesus Christ
for your forgiveness.
------------
The fourth thing --
Children teach us about God Himself,
His deep love and concern for children.
When Jesus' Disciples blocked children,
not permitting them to bother Jesus,
Jesus became angry.
"Let children come to Me! Don't block them!"
Another time, Jesus said:
"Temptations for doing sin will come.
But the person who brings temptation,
punishment will be terrible for that person!
And if you tempt a child to do sin, ... really awful!
If you have a large stone tied on your neck
and we throw you into the sea,
that is better than the punishment you deserve."
All sin makes God angry.
And sin against children makes God terribly angry.
Clearly Jesus has a soft heart for children.
He desires a relationship with all people,
but children are most important.
Why?
Which is easier:
(1) Winning the heart of a child for the Lord. OR
(2) Converting an adult who does not yet believe in Jesus.
Which?
If we win the heart of a child for the Lord,
we also win the adult that child will become.
So, Church...
What-do-we-do now??