A Call for mission Mark 16:15

Go

The call to all God’s people

Ps 96:2–3; Mt 28:19, Ac 1:8; Jn 20:21

I. God’s message is for everyone

A. God commanded the disciples to preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).

B. God’s love extends to every individual in the world (John 3:16).

C. The promise of salvation was not given with age limits.

John 3:16—“ . . . whosoever believeth . . . ”

John 1:12—“ . . . as many as received him . . . ”

Romans 10:13—“ . . . whosoevershall call . . . ”

II. Children are lost

A. Children have a sinful nature.

Romans 3:23—“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Romans 5:12—“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

Psalm 51:5—“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

B. Children need to be made aware of their condition before God- they are guity

The Bible commands us to evangelise EVERYBODY (Mark 16:15). This means we are required to evangelise all children in a thorough, biblical way—and leave the question of regeneration in the hands of God.

Illustration

(David Livingstone) “Our business is to teach children about sin and the Saviour, without even a hint about a certain age to accept Christ. The Holy Spirit will, in due time, convict them of sin. When he convicts of sin, whatever the age, who are we to dare to interfere with His work? It is at this, of all times, that we show our sympathetic interest. Any child is old enough to accept Christ when he realises that his sin is against God and that because of that sin, he is lost without Christ.”

III. Scripture commands us

Deuteronomy 6:6-8

Teachings of Christ in Matthew 18:5-6

Sow

“If you suffer for the truth of the gospel, and you will, remember you’re in good company. You’re following the best example who ever served God; you are on the Lord’s side, casting off self-righteousness to walk through the narrow gospel gate that leads to eternal life, and faithfully giving that gospel to others.” ― John F. MacArthur Jr., Hard to Believe: The High Cost and Infinite Value of Following Jesus

IV. Children are under attack

Children today are attacked on every side by the world’s influence.

V. Children can be born again

Some people are sceptical and find it difficult to believe in the reality of child conversion. However, there is no verse in the whole Bible which says that a child cannot come into a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

A. Children are more ready to receive the Saviour.

Illustration

In a sermon by Charles Spurgeon, he states, “A child of five, if properly instructed, can as truly believe and be regenerated as an adult. My conviction is that our converts from among children are among the best that we have. I should judge them to have been more numerously genuine than any other class, more constant, and in the long run, more solid.”

B. Children are more likely to have many years to serve the Lord.

Many preachers and evangelists were saved as children.

C. Children are dependent upon us to show them the way.

Proverbs 22:6

Grow

Discipling is deliberately doing spiritual good to someone so that he or she will be more like Christ. Discipleship is the term I use to describe our own following Christ. Discipling is the subset of that, which is helping someone else follow Christ.

Mark Dever

I. The need to teach a new Christian

Judges 2:10-11, 17:6

A. God says to evangelise and disciple (Matt. 28:19-20).

B. Our goal is to present each Christian, children included, mature in Christ (Col. 1:28-29).

C. Definition—

“Follow-up (discipling) is providing every opportunity possible to help the person grow in the essential areas of the Christian life to where he can walk on his own and can help someone else get started in that life.”

D. Aims of discipling

1. That the child will know assurance of his salvation

2. That the child will experience spiritual growth in his life so he will trust the Lord for victory and daily become more conformed to the image of Christ

3. That the child will willingly allow the Lord to use his life for service

4. That the child will become established in the local church

II. Basic teaching to produce spiritual growth

A. The foundation

1. Assurance from God’s Word that he is saved

2. Knowledge of how to deal with sin in light of 1 John 1:9

B. Other important teaching (e.g., giving, consecration, reading God’s Word, prayer, fellowship with other believers, guidance, witnessing, victory)

Discuss which of the other important teachings should be taught after assurance and why. Conclude by relating the following information.

As the child is taught from God’s Word by God’s Spirit, his relationship with God and a new appreciation for God is established. Proper attitudes, conduct and habits are developed and strengthened as the child’s relationship with God grows.

III. Helping the child understand his new life

A. Definition of “new life”—Each person who receives Christ as Saviour receives His life. Jesus Christ is our new life. He must live His life through us.

B. Key Scriptures

- 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 5:11, 12, John 3:3; 14:6;

C. Basic Principle—A child must understand what he is before he can understand what to do.

D. Comparison of physical birth and spiritual birth

Physical Birth Spiritual Birth

Physical life Spiritual life (John 3:3-7; 1:12, 13); Eternal life (John 5:24)

Individual personality New creation; new desires (2 Cor. 5:17)

Washed at birth Cleansed by the blood; all sins forgiven (Eph. 1:7; Acts 26:18)

Given clothing Covered with God’s righteousness (Isa. 61:10)

Born into a family God’s family; God is the Heavenly Father (Rom. 8:15-17)

Given a name Christian (Acts 11:26; 26:28)

Has a home Heaven—where someday we will live with God forever (John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:14-17)