Untitled Sermon (14)

In Bedford Falls women and children are valued. In Pottersville (Rome) they were vulnerable.

“Know that we are still in Alexandria … I ask and entreat you, take care of the child, and as soon as we receive wages I will send them up to you.

If—may you have good luck!—you should give birth; if it is a boy; keep it; if it is a girl, throw it out.”

paterfamilias

expositio

Jesus advocated for children changing their fate forever.

The first person to recognize Jesus was an unborn child.

“Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.”

“Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

“But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.”

Jesus has saved us twice; when we were born and when we were born again.

If Jesus had never lived as a baby, you may not have lived as one.

Because of Jesus, children are allowed to become independent adults.

Because of Jesus, have more freedom to become who God fashioned us.

“It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper (ezer) comparable to him.”

“What does helper mean? The Hebrew word ezer evokes images of someone surrounding and protecting another. Ezer lies about as far linguistically from “doormat” as one can get. An ezer is really a kind of hero. God planned to make Adam a heroine-counterpart. They’d be quite the power couple.”

“To the woman [God] said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” And he [man] shall rule over you [woman].”

Prescriptive – God telling the world, “This is how it should be.”

Descriptive — God telling the world, “This is how it will be due to sin.”

“...were surprised to find Him talking with a woman.”

“Mary has chose the good thing...”

The first person to recognize Jesus was an unborn child, and the first people to recognize the resurrected Christ were women.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

“The birth of Jesus was the turning point in the history of women.”

One’s advocacy changes the fate of women and children forever.

When self-reigns – women and children pay the price in blood.