Dedication for Everest Sterling

Introduction:

Good afternoon. My name is Pastor Alex Hong. I am Luc and Jerica’s pastor. And we gather this afternoon to dedicate Everest Kea Sterling.

Every parent wants the best for their children, and I truly believe the best thing we can give our kids is the gospel by which they come to truly know God.

I say at every dedication it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it takes a church to raise a Christian and it takes a community of people who love the parents and child to also help a child come to know the Lord.

If you are not familiar with the Christian faith, I just want to say what this is NOT:

Baby Dedication is NOT infant baptism

I have no water on me. We are not going to dunk Everest in the Water dispenser or pour the Water dispenser on her. Baptism is a symbolic act for a professing believer who has been born again and has been converted by the gospel.

2. Baby Dedication is NOT for salvation

A dedication does not guarantee or promise that the child will come to know the Lord. God is the One who has to open the heart and the child in time must freely and willingly believe and come to Christ on their own.

What is a dedication?

A dedication is a dedication or a promise from the parents to take seriously the Bible’s instruction to fulfill their God given responsibility and authority to raise Everest in the knowledge and discipline of the Lord (). Only God grants the conversion, but we can help our child by being godly influences and examples in their lives, so that by God’s grace one day they would trust in Christ.

And it takes a community and a church to help to this end. Parents need help. The child will need help. And that’s why we are here celebrating because this represents all the love and influence that have helped shape Jerica and Luc as singles, to married people, now to parents of this beautiful child Everest Sterling.

In our brief time this afternoon, I want to share how children can teach us about God:

Matthew 18:1–4 ESV

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:

We know that children are a precious gift from God (). Children are made in the image of God. And Jesus uses children to teach us two important truths about the Christian life.

I. Dependency (v. 3)

Matthew 18:3 ESV

and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus is teaching his his disciples, that children show us that we are dependent upon our parents.

A child depends upon parents for love, care, physical and spiritual needs.

And what Jesus is saying to us, we have to realize just like children, we are dependent upon God for every need. It is God who gives us life. It is God who gives us breath. It is God who gives us food. We are dedpendent upon God as the author and sustainer of life.

He gives us our daily bread, as well as the bread of life.

Children teach us the need to be dependent upon God physically, but we are dependent upon God for our spiritual provision.

II. Humility

Children teach us humility. Children are needy and rely on their parents.

Matthew 18:4 ESV

Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:4

A child is not only dependent upon his parents, but must be humble before her parents. In other words, the child doesn’t know everything. And sometimes, a child must trust that the parents know what is best for their children. They must rely on them for guidance.

As the Lord provides everything for us, we also trust our heavenly Father even though we don’t know how all things work out. And we must acknowledge we are helpless and that only God can provide and guide and save.

It takes humility to acknowledge we are needy people. And it takes humility to trust our parents that they know better than we do. It takes humility to trust our Heavenly Father to provide for us physically and spiritually.

Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Turn is another word for repentance. And Jesus is saying, unless you turn from self-sufficiency and pride, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

The Bible’s central truths is that:

God is Creator—He made us and we are dependent upon Him for everything.

Man is Sinner—Yet we turn from God thinking we don’t need Him and can do life on our own. That is the condition of every human being that we think we know better than God’s way.

God is Holy—And because God is holy, he must satisfy his own justice and punish sin.

God is Loving—But the Bible presents the truth that God is loving at the same time.

So he sent Jesus Christ, to live the perfect life you should have lived, and died the death we should have died on a cross, that all who humble themselves, and acknowledge their need of Christ, and turn from their sin, would be granted access as a sinner.

Response—And we can enter the kingdom of heaven, not by our works, by Christ’s work. We must humble ourselves acknowledging our sin of pride and self-sufficiency, and turn and depend on Christ for salvation, humbling ourselves trusting Christ alone.

Dependence and humility show us how one enters the kingdom of God.

Acknowledging that God is our Creator and Redeemer.

Acknowledging our neediness and dependence that only God can provide and only God can save.

This takes faith that God grants.

And this is what we pray Everest would come to know through the love of her parents and this community. That one day Everest would see just how she depended and trusted mom and dad, they were pointers of a loving Heavenly Father who she can depend and trust who provides for us physically and spiritually speaking.

So can I call the parents and Godparents up here:

The Role of Parents

You are the primary caretaker and influence in your child’s life. It is your responsibility to not only raise this child by proving for their physical needs, but also spiritual needs. Both mom and dad are to teach the Word diligently, consistently, and lovingly to the child.

The ultimate goal of our parenting then is not for them to be good citizens or well-behaved kids; but to know, love, and serve the Christ who died for them. And they will by God’s grace be converted by the godly nurture and discipline of their parents and those who walk alongside them.

The Role of Godpraents

Godparents—historically were people who parents chose to help them in the responsibility to fulfill their duty to raise this child in spiritual instruction. By extension, they help the parents by also committing to help instruct the child doctrinal and gospel truths, and being a godly influence of regularly prays for the child.

PARENTAL BABY DEDICATION VOW

I, on honor before the living God, promise to fulfill the following biblical responsibilities by the grace of God:

(1) Do you promise to do your best to make sure my child is taught the doctrinal truths of the Gospel revealed in the Holy Scriptures. This includes instruction in the home and regular exposure to the teaching of the church.

(2) Do you promise to do your best to live a life that exemplifies the Gospel before your child. Do you promise to exemplify the Gospel in my own personal life and in the manner in which you raise my child—in my love, encouragement, discipline, etc.

(3) Do you promise that you will regularly pray for the spiritually health of your child. In doing so you recognize that salvation is not by works, but must be accomplished by God’s divine work. This prayer consists of the salvation of my child and Lord willing for spiritual growth after salvation.

GODPARENTS BABY DEDICATION VOW

We, on honor before the living God, promise to fulfill the following biblical responsibilities by the grace of God:

(1) Do promise to do your best to make sure this child is taught the doctrinal truths of the Gospel revealed in the Holy Scriptures? This takes place in your own personal interactions and in the support of the child to regularly attend a Bible believing church?

(2) Do you promise to do your best to live a life that exemplifies the Gospel before this child. Do you promise to exemplify the Gospel in your own personal lives and in the manner in which aide in the raising of this child. This includes a deliberate attempt to exemplify the character of God in my relationship with this child.

(3) Do you promise that you will regularly pray for the spiritually health of this child. In doing so you recognize that salvation is not by works, but must be accomplished by God’s divine work. This prayer consists of the salvation of this child and Lord willing for spiritual growth after salvation.

Prayer:

Our Father in Heaven,,

Thank you that children can teach us what means to enter the kingdom of heaven. Help us become like children, who are dependent and humble trusting that you provide everything we need.

We pray for the Luc and Jerica to provide Everest with a loving and Christ-centered home. We pray that they would raise Everest in the discipline and instruction of the Lord through teaching ad by example.

We pray that Everest, would one day come to know you, through the prayers, the love of the parents, families, and members of our church, as your Spirit opens her heart to one day love and serve the Savior her parents and her community loves. We pray all this in Jesus name. Amen.