Childlike

Today is a great day here at Overflow Church because we are packing boxes to send to children around the world. We don’t actually know what countries our boxes will go to but we do know they will not only bless the children but they will have the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus! Children are important.

Matthew 19:13–15 NIV

13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

The Kingdom Belongs to the Children!

Children were very important to Jesus because children have a trust like no adult has. Adults tend to be skeptical and not fully trusting. This is usually because life has been hard and trust is not an easy thing to us. But children are very trusting and Jesus loved being with them.

Matthew 18:1–6 AMP

1 AT THAT time the disciples came up and asked Jesus, Who then is [really] the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all]. 4 Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives and accepts and welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My name receives and accepts and welcomes Me. 6 But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in and acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct or thought], it would be better (more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea.

We Must Be Like Children!

Notice that Jesus said that the kingdom is only accessible to those who are like children. Those that trust and are forgiving and loving like children are the ones that will be great in the kingdom.

John 1:12 TPT

12 But those who embraced him and took hold of his name were given authority to become the children of God!

We Are Children of God!

Notice that when we receive Him and grow, we don’t become leaders of the Kingdom, we become children of God! We must become childlike. Today we have the opportunity to love children we don’t personally know but God knows each one of them and is looking to bless them through us. Today God’s children gets to bless children all over the world so they too can become children of God!