Family Relationship Part 2 Children

The 4-14 Window

Researcher George Barna, author of Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions (Regal Books, 2003), stresses the importance of children's ministry by contending that lifelong moral views are largely in place by adolescence.

"What you believe at age 13 is pretty much what you're going to die believing," Barna said. Research compiled by his Barna Group shows that children between the ages of 5 and 13 have a 32 percent probability of accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior. That likelihood drops to 4 percent for teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18, and ticks back up to 6 percent for adults older than 18.

So we see Jesus here essentially pulling the curtain back to show us how to interact with children.

Let’s look at the text

Text

Mark 10:13–16 (ESV)

13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

Rebuke - strong word

Indiganant - strong reaction (rare word in the text)

My Goal Today

My Goal today is to break your heart, and then to equip you to do exactly what Jesus calls us today to in our text.

We’ve been looking at Family in the text and today I want to call you to the evangelism and importance of Children. I’m praying through some values that I believe we need to own going forward and one of the values is Children.

Let me tell you a story.

My youngest sister name is Karley, (Explain story)

While we were leaving church, a lady who was in her 90’s walked out past us and said very clearly “I hope we have worship again next week.” My sister and the other students literally sang the same stuff in worship that we did all the time. It wasn’t a rock concert it was just them singing, albeit a bit faster.

I was angry. Today my sister doesn’t attend church, she thinks that it is filled with judgmental people and hypocrites. She was so active in her youth group and now nothing. Many people have been by the attitudes in the church toward them as young people don’t want to be here. I was a youth pastor for a long time. I’ve seen it, kids get hurt easy, people get hurt easy. We must not be like the disciples and keep the children away from Jesus.

The First Warning - Don’t hinder the Children

The word in verse 13 rebuke is a very strong word. The disciples were rebuke parents from bringing their children to Jesus! Can you imagine?

The word here is used elsewhere in the bible by Jesus when he:

Matthew 8:26 (ESV)

Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

and was dealing with demons Mk. 1:25

Mark 1:25 ESV

25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”

This the disciples where doing with their words to parents and to children!

Application:

This is a warning to us! The word in verse 14 is a command from Jesus, we are commanded to not hinder the children from Jesus!. This action as we see in verse 13 made Jesus Indignant in the ESV or displeased in the NKJV. You don’t want to be in that position. The Greek word used here is only used 7 times in the bible all together. In the context here Jesus, God is experiencing Anger and displeasure at them. This God loves children, he loves kids, he wants you to bring them to him, he wants to bless them, so we must not hinder the children from coming, but we must bring them to him.

Ways you can hinder your children and grandchildren today

The Bible warns about this Eph. 6:4

Ephesians 6:4 ESV

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

1. You don’t go to God and model that to them Phil 4:6

Philippians 4:6 ESV

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

How easy is it to become so focused on our issues that we forget God, forget to ask our father for help. We try to do it alone and the God of the universe, your heavenly father you never go to. Remember Jesus is our great high priest he relates to our infirmities and hang ups as it says in Hebrews. We must through our actions show that we Go to Jesus when things get hard, so they will do the same. You are being watched, by God and your loved ones consider your actions and if you have failed in this area, ask Jesus to forgive you, then take up your cross and start today.

2. The world dominates you.

This is the home that everything but Jesus is going on. What used to drive me crazy as a youth pastor was parents that expected me to make up for their lack of consistent faith at home. I had a boy who was more a disciples of the latest baseball information then Jesus. It dominated his home, Spring came and I wouldn’t see him for months unless I went to his games or took him out for lunch. One Lunch, one game can’t disciples like consistency of faith. I’m picking on this, but it happens with anything. Jesus warns about this in the parable of the sower.

Matthew 13:7 ESV

7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

How many have fell among the thorns. We must be diligent at picking our the weeds and pruning dominating outside forces. You make life about everything else, even good things, but not about Christ.

In Genesis 4 you see the outcome of the difference. Kane’s line builds cities and invents cultural things like music and iron working. But it’s all about the worship of self like Kane. Seth his brother raises his children to follow God and for the first time in the bible, in history you see this said Gen. 4:26

Genesis 4:26 ESV

26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.

Follow God and bring your children to him.

3. Speaking ill of the church, her ministers, her people

You ever want to know what someone really thinks about other people, your children will tell you. I had a student whose parent was a pastor and when this student was a young pre-teen this student would make some very cutting remarks about some of the adults in the church that student’s dad pastored. I would ask how you got that opinion and I would be told that’s what my Dad and mom have said.

It made me wonder what was being said about all sorts of people behind their backs to their children. This is a hindrance to the young about church. People aren’t perfect, pastors make mistakes and sin also. Yet, we must encourage and build up the bride of Christ.

I have read studies that have said if a person has one bad experience at a restaurant they will tell upwards of 7 people, but if they have a good experience they will share with others about it also. How much more serious is the bride of Christ and her ministers?

In my study of this passage I read an account of a family that the father spoke ill of the pastor in front of his children. He had a problem with his leadership and when the pastor came for a visit he blasted him in-front of his children. He said “Oh my kids know what I think of you!” This is not good.

Part of good marriages is to never disparage your husband or wife in front of others, let alone your children or grandchildren. You’re to speak privately with each other about your issues. When it comes to the body of Christ we must lovely talk to each other, knowing that we are brothers and sisters, assuming that the best is meant, praying for one another.

When you cut up in secret, your heavenly father sees it, your loved ones see it. It makes Jesus indignant.

How To bring them

The word for children is a word for all under-aged children, infants, toddlers, kids, pre-teens, teens, the whole lot. Every child, at every stage of development, it is not to late for them, bring them to be blessed by the Lord.

The Context in the very beginning in verse 13 is that these parents are bringing their children to him. Given the previous section about husbands and wives I conclude that it was both parents. So men given the rest of scripture and the context this is my call out to you, you are responsible for the spiritual state of your family, you set the temperature for your household. God asked Adam what happened, not Eve. In your mind you should see Dad bringing his kids to Jesus, along with mom. If your a grandparent, be the best helper to your children to do this for your grandchildren. If your children are out of the house encourage them to go to the Lord, see how their faith is doing, pray for them, lift them up to Jesus, keep bringing them before him in prayer.

Bring your kids even if there is opposition. The disciples wrongly hindered some parents. You may see hindrances in your lives, bring them anyway. The risk here church is we must not think children can’t know their God, because they’re not developed enough, smart enough, old enough and so on. Jesus says the opposite in this text, bring them to me. I keep my kids in the service because I want them to experience the word of God, I want it to wash over them. I can tell you that we are starting to get questions about why we do what we do. I know the scripture never comes back void, let them hear it, maybe you’ll hear a baby cry, but they need the word to cover them also! So practically encourage your family to bring their children, the Holy Spirit doesn’t fear your children’s age.

Show them the Joy of the Faith Psalm 33:1

Psalm 33:1 ESV

1 Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.

Let them see the joy that is from Jesus in you! Phil 4:4

Philippians 4:4 ESV

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

The child is the father in the second edition said Thomas Watson. He will love what you love, rejoice in what makes you rejoice! My daughter has my wife's nose, my wife has her mother’s nose! What you love they will love! what you praise they will praise! I think baseball is the most boring sport to watch, but I know families that are right now counting down the days! They love the sport and have taught their kids by shared affection to love it as well!

When you build up what God is doing, when you show your reverence and joy of the Lord and welcome them into sharing that with you, you are bringing them to Jesus!

4. Sponsor a Christian education. The God of the school is the name of the school. If your Child, grandchild is going to a Christian school the odds for them believing by human power go up. In the rest of the world you hear about Christian missionaries starting schools, because they know that children are the future. In our country their was an intentional effort to take the public school systems and remove Christianity from them. We must give our children an education that is shaped by Christ. I can tell you stories about my time in public school, about public school in the inner city. The future belongs to Christ, we must be willing to work hard to help him

I had a conversation with a classical Christian homeschooling Co-op again about 2 weeks ago. I’m praying that we can move forward with them.

5. Become Spiritual mentors for your Grandchildren Psalm 103:17

Psalm 103:17 ESV

17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,

You can share that everlasting love with them, and maybe if you encourage your children to do the same it will win them back to the Lord aswell

How to be a Christian Kid

Ephesians 6:1–3 ESV

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Children in this passage is inclusive of both genders, so this is for boys and girls. Grandchildren, wards, pupils and so on.

Obey is a command, listen with humble submission, pay careful attention to the correction, reproof, directions, exhortations and so on that you have been given. This is submissive respect. This is good for those of us who are grown. We show respect for our aging parents and honor their wishes. Of course this is if the requests will not lead us to sin.

Parents in this context is both those that begot you, but also those that are in the place of your natural parents. Grandparents, legal guardians, N’laws, tutors, teachers, and so on.

Your - This means at the same time you don’t just obey everyone’s parents, but you obey those that are your’s. That sin’t to say that the neighbors parents can’t give wise counsel, but you’re to obey your parents above all others.

Honor in verse 2 is a repeat in the same sense of obey. So Saint Paul is repeating himself to make a point here. Verse 2 echos verse 1 so that we get the sense of importance!

Finishing the text

15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

I was driving up to disney for a nice couple of days last father’s day and around Brandon, my 4runner decided it was a large paper weight no longer a car. Many of you know about that. One way that this text connects with that event was that in those moments I didn’t see any fear in my children. They knew Alaina and I were going to take care of them.

You and I must see this last part of the text here and return to our first faith. We must trust God so simply. One of my favorite things as a Dad is when I’m walking and a little hand takes mine without my prompting. I’ve recently felt a new little hand take mine.

We must be like that with our heavenly father, not afraid to reach up and take his hand, truly and sincerely. Our God calls us to be like the children around us, we must trust him the same way. We must trust Jesus like a child trust his parents.

You see the last part here

16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

The Greek word for blessed here in verse 16 is only used one time in the entire bible. That is something that catches the eye of a original language user.

Jesus is invoking his divine favor unto these children. He is giving them the unmerited kindness of God. Can you see that in your minds eye, Jesus holding your child, your loved one in his arms and blessing them. You to are in his hands being blessed, this thought takes my breath away. I just want to see my children in his arms. I want that more then anything else, and As I read this text so does Jesus, there is a God who wants to know you, he is Jesus.

Will you believe?