God Knows - Baby Dedication 2024

What a better way to kick-off our Love Life adoption week than to do so with a baby dedication? In a time when we are told the world is overpopulated, a time when we are told that humans are the problem, at a time when we are told we need to cut the earth’s population in half, we need more than ever men and women to stand up for life.

Children are a gift from God, given to us, and the purpose of this dedication service is simply to acknowledge to God our understanding of how precious this gift is, how awesome a responsibility it is, what a privilege and blessing it is, and to publicly state that as the parents and legal guardian of these children we are giving them back to God.

Today, I am speaking to everyone, but specifically I am speaking directly to those parents who are presenting their children to God today. So, Jeramy and Mandy, Ryan and Brittany, and Julie, today’s message is for you.

Our text today is just one verse, written by a somber individual known as the “weeping prophet”. Please turn to Jeremiah 1:5 where we read one of the greatest statements on life in the entire Bible. God says...

Jeremiah 1:5 KJV 1900

5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Life is precious and the responsibilities are enormous for the following reasons...

Life Comes From God

I want to point out that Jeremiah is quick to let us know that it what is recorded are the sayings of God… Jeremiah 1:4

Jeremiah 1:4 (KJV 1900)

4 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Fifty-one times in this book Jeremiah declares, “The word of the LORD came unto me...”

I want you to see and understand with me that what God declared to Jeremiah in this verse is that life comes from Him! This verse speaks to us that God is...

All-Powerful

“I formed thee”

I’m reminded of Psalm 139:13–16 “13 For thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Marvellous are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, When I was made in secret, And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; And in thy book all my members were written, Which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”

Of all the miracles which God had accomplished when it came time to demonstrate His power, the Holy Spirit chose to use the example of a child being formed in its mother’s womb as the greatest example of all!

We are reminded that God is...

All-knowing

The little baby that you hold, the small child that curls up in your lap was known by God long before they were conceived.

God doesn’t just know about us, He knows us!

Jeremiah 29:11 “11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Our children just sang “I am a promise” they are a “great big bundle of potentiality”

God knows what that small child will accomplish!

Of those being presented today: Little Davis could be the next pastor of Parks Crossroads Christian church.

Wyona, Audrey, Lyla… they could be serving God some foreign field sharing the gospel and leading others to Christ.

God knows this already, and mom and dad, it is your responsibility, not to lead them down the path you have in mind for them, but to help them discover the path God has already placed before them!

Mom and dad, you must be willing to understand that their little lives have been given to you on load from God, and your job, your privilege, is to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Now let me say this, our church exists to “help” you in this endeavor, but we can never replace you and your role in your home and in the lives of your children. You MUST take up the charge to do your part in this. Life is precious because it comes from God. That God has placed such an amazing gift in your hands, your duty this day is to acknowledge God’s gift to you. There’s more in this verse for us today, notice now that...

Life is Sacred to God

The word “sanctified” in verse five literally means sacred, and sacred means holy.

In 2023 there were 878,000 abortions carried out in the United States alone. 44.6 Million across the globe. In the US the rate of death due to heart disease was 681,00, Cancer was 570,000, Homicide 19,000, firearm relate deaths (since that is constantly thrown at us to ‘keep children safe’ was 40,000, just to name a few.

The leading cause of death in America is abortion. God says “before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee...”

To be sanctified means to be holy, to be set apart, but specifically, to be set apart for God’s plan, and God’s purpose. Becasue life is sacred to God it should be sacred to us. That is why we are joining together to take a stand this Saturday at 9 AM. That is why we are here today to dedicate these children to God. By presenting our children to God we are saying “The world cannot have them. The Devil cannot have them. They belong to God!”

Life is sacred so we must do our part to teach our young people they are precious, and that God has a purpose and a plan for them. Those who are presenting their children here in a few moments, by doing so you are accepting the challenge to face the opposition which is in the world. You are not alone. We are here and we will stand with you, but more than that, God is with you.

This amazing verse teaches us that life comes from God, is sacred to God, and lastly that...

Life Belongs to God

“…before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee...”

The word ordained means to be given a purpose. For Jeremiah, his purpose was to be a prophet to the nations, one who would stand up and speak on behalf of God to all the people of the world. What purpose does God have for Wyona, Davis, Audrey, or Lyla? We don’t know! That is the beauty of faith! We can say, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future!”

My final challenge to you today is that you do not hold on so tightly to your children that you hinder them from God’s will for them. By symbolically placing your children in God’s hands today you are acknowledging that they are in the safest place they can be. Your part is to pray for them, pray with them, and help them find God’s plan and purpose for their life.

Conclusion:

At this time I want to invite those parents dedicating their children to come forward.

My charge to you today before God and these witnesses is that each of you will dedicate, not only the lives of your children, but yourselves as well. That you will acknowledge that life comes form God, is sacred to God, and that life belongs to God. Today I call on you to publically acknowledge that the child or children you dedicate today are a gift from God to you and that you will pledge to the best of your ability to teach them about God, and to demonstrate the love of God, making it your life’s ambition to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of God. Do you, Jeramy and Many so promise? Do you Ryan and Brittany so promise? Do you Julie so promise?

Let us pray...