Child Dedication: What? Who? Why?

INTRO

This morning is a little bit different than a normal Sunday. This is our first ever Child Dedication Sunday at our church!

In light of that, we have crafted a service today that seeks to express one of our Distinctives which is our deep love and concern for the next generation.

We desire here at Soma for child dedication to be more than just a short moment in the service and then a photo opp, but rather something that we can all look back on as a church family as a special and sweet time.

This is a time for us as a church family to come together and make this a day that is altogether different.

A day where we express together the love that we have for the children God has blessed our church with and beg God for his grace as we embark to steward this high calling we have been given to raise these kids up.

So before we participate in that together this morning, I wanna take a few moments and talk about What child dedication is, who it’s for and why we believe it is important…

What? Who? Why?

BODY

What is Child Dedication?

There is nothing in the scripture that we can point to where churches are commanded to hold an annual child dedication

What we can point to all over the Bible is the sentiment or the ethos behind what we are doing today.

And the passage that I think gives most insight into what child dedication is for is in Psalm 78

Read Psalm 78:1–7 “Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;”

Psalm 78 lays out for us a framework for raising children who love God.

If you are anything like me, you overthink and at times worry about the future of your children.

You want them to grow up to be successful, independent, wise and most of all to love God. But the first things that comes to mind when you ponder this is all of your shortcomings as a parent and a role model.

Here’s the reality… you’re not perfect and if you are placing your hope in yourself to see your children place theirs in God you will be disappointed.

What I think is interesting about Psalm 78 is it says nothing about the actions of parents or mentors, but it talks a lot about content.

Parables, teachings, words, law, commandments being shared in love will lead the next generation to place their hope in God.

Give your kids the word of God and trust Him for results.

So based on what we see in Psalm 78, let’s answer this first question together… What is Child Dedication?

Child Dedication is a commitment to raise our children in the fear and knowledge of a Holy God having faith that He will save them from their sin.

Who is Child Dedication for?

While children are certainly the outcome of child dedication, I would not say that this moment we are celebrating today is for them.

Rather, I would say that this is for both the parents and the rest of the body.

Children are not raising themselves in the fear and knowledge of God, we are.

For the parents it looks like Joshua’s words in Joshua 24:15 “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.””

Parents, this is a commitment that no matter what it costs, no matter what suffering it may bring, no matter how much it may distress your children at times, your house will serve Yahweh.

This a “Here I stand and I can do not other” moment for us parents.

For the rest of the body the commitment is the same.

We have an obligation to set an example for the next generation in both our speech and our conduct for what it means to set our hope in God.

Look with me at how Paul tells one of his pupils, Titus, how he wants his church to function in this way…

Read Titus 2:1–6 “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.”

What we see in this passage in Titus is an urge to the whole body to raise up the next generation, not just the parents

Parents, you must have other men and women speaking into your kids lives.

I expect our church to hold my children to the standards I have for them.

Older folks, those without children, and even others with children, we must partner together to accomplish what we want to see in our kids

Today is not for the kids, its for us…

Why is child dedication important?

We believe child dedication is important because children are important to God.

Matthew 19:14 “but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.””

Psalm 127:3–5 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”

Proverbs 17:6 “Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.”

Psalm 8:2 “Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.”

The ultimate example of this reality is when we see our savior Jesus on the cross giving his life for the world of whom our children and their children and their children are included.

If they were worth his life, then we ought to commit to steward them to the best of our ability in reliance upon this Spirit.

CLOSING

As we close, I wanna ask first you parents…

Will you to the best of your ability live out what you are committing to?

Telling your children of the Holy God we serve. Prioritizing church attendance. modeling life with Jesus as you walk throughout your days. And praying for your kids in faith believing God for big things in their lives?

Church, Will you to the best of your ability do the the same?

PRAY