Let the Children Come to Me

ð One house - phone rings, weeping, teen – dead. Hearts break, words no comfort; advice fails. Funeral – byes whispered. Classmates mourn, friends grieve. Wants to know “why?”

o Another house - phone rings, weeping, teen – dead. Hearts break, words no comfort; advice fails. NO funeral; no “byes”; Classmates not mourn, few friends grieve. Fewer EVER ask “why?”

o Difference? 1st house – physical death; 2nd – spiritual death. 1st causes hearts to break, eyes to mist up. Does 2nd? Spiritual death has greater implications. If teen dies and is “alive” spiritually, when it’s all over the family can say like Paul in 1 Cor 15:55 (READ). Physical loss temporary! Peter says in 2 Pet 2:20-21 (READ). No worse!

ð Our young people are faced with tremendous pressures. Their souls are at risk by the influences. We must make sure we are doing all we can to guide them to Christ. More about you than to you!

ð Need to realize that sadly, we ARE losing our kids! Conservative estimates suggest that we are losing up to 50% of our kids after they graduate. Some areas, #’s approach 90%.

ð Statistics and illustrations are just meaningless strings of numbers and tear-jerkers…until it is your child – or one of ours! When you’re praying for kid here, for own child, situation becomes real - urgent. So, 2 obvious questions: Why are we; and what can we DO about it?

° T – 1st, let’s back up – before we ask “Why?”; need to ask first of all…

I. Why is This So Important?

A. In any given year, est. 6 mil. people have lives changed – parents! What an amazing blessing. Psalmist says in Ps 127:3 (READ). Kids bring love, joy, to home; to congreg.

1. But, also bring great responsibility. What a job–know our kids will build lives on what we teach; love we show. How many of the 6 mil–how many of us, really prepared to make Eph 6:4 a reality (RD).

2. Back in Ps 127, next verse he says (READ). His point? Kids, like arrows, are to be launched toward a single target - Heaven! Our diligence can assist them; and our neglect, even unintentionally, can rob them of reaching that target.

B. All over the country, parents, teachers, counselors all raising hands in despair, “What has happened to our kids?!” See events like Columbine in 90’s; school shootings; even here in Meridian last year – what is happening!?

1. AND – the converse of that – when we see or hear about abuse toward children, we’re enraged! We seek and expect swift, severe punishment for the perpetrator.

2. Yet, how many parents realize someday they will give an account before God of abusing kids in a much more serious way – spiritual abuse. Greatest form of abuse is neglect. Kids must not be neglected in Bible teaching because consequences are eternal!

C. Why important? Answer: During His ministry earth, Matt, Mark, Luke all give account of Jesus teaching His disciples a lesson on this very point. In Matt 19:13, He says, (READ).

1. He rebukes those who keep children from Him. He wants them to come– and still does! Invitation of Jesus rings clear: Parents, loved ones, friends of children – bring them to ME!

2. It is our task as parents, concerned Christian family, to see that they are launched toward that target of Jesus Christ. If we fail, it can cost them their souls.

° T – That we’re failing is evident (50-90%) – but WHY? One reason…

II. Failed to Teach Spiritual Values

A. Aside from obvious responsibility of working out our salvation, no greater responsibility than souls of our kids. It is a full-time job! Children can’t be reared properly by a half-hearted approach to the job.

1. As adults, we owe a serious approach to our kids – owe it to God! We cannot let them or Him down! Deut 6:4-6 (READ) – make sure you’re always teaching!

2. We have to realize that instilling in them a love of God and His word and equipping them to deal with temptation is the greatest gift we can give them!

B. Remember the D or F on the report card? How upset Mom and Dad were? Or ever get fed up with b-ball coach and quit. Parents upset? I would be! But are we bothered if our kids fail to bring a Bible to Bible study? Make them do homework 2-3 hours each night – do we ever enforce Bible study at home? Believe me - talking to ME! We’re trying! Hope you are.

C. Hosea 4:6 – (READ). Destroyed by a lack of knowing God – and the children destroyed as well. How sad! Let me encourage you to have family devos – at least READ! Teach kids the love of Christ! Give our kids that foundation of ROCK to build on – not sand.

° T – Another reason we’re losing our kids – a painful and difficult one to confront…

III. Someone Did Their Job Better, and Before, We Did

A. Xians have always served God in an anti-Xian environment. True in the 1st century, it’s true in the 21st. Parents have always had to bring up kids in that environ. Mom and Dad teach one thing, world teaches another. Key to success in this environ is to help kids understand that while they must exist IN the world, we are not OF the world! 1 John 2:15 (READ). Blurring that distinction has disastrous results! Must teach kids who and whose we ARE!!

B. Somewhere along the way, it seems that we forgot one thing – it is not a matter of IF our kids will be taught, but WHAT they’re going to be taught! Questions for us are: who will we allow to do the REAL teaching; what will the others be allowed to teach? Not a shot at schools, don’t get me wrong. Some teachers will approach their job from a Xian perspective (thanks).

1. But – it’s EVERYTHING else! TV, movies, video games, magazines – you NAME it – the environment our kids live in creates an atmosphere of hostility toward Xian values. Kids WILL be taught. Look at Oscars!

2. What can our Bible classes – meeting once, twice each week – do to stem the tidal wave of humanistic, evolutionist thinking 7 days a week? Can’t – MUST do it at home.

C. If we allow secular humanism – whatever – situation ethics – contemporary values – to do their job better or before we do, we are endangering our child’s faith and are risking losing our children.

° T – Another, but certainly not final reason we may be losing our kids…

IV. We, as Adults, Have Served as Faulty Role Models

A. We cannot expect our kids to take their relationship with God seriously if they have the impression that we want them to “do as we say, not as we do.” Jesus says in Matt 5:16 (READ). Our light will be judged as actual or a sham by our kids better than anyone else! If we tell them to live right and we’re not – they’ll know! The result is kids rebelling and maybe not even knowing why!

B. Must remember we teach our kids in 2 ways – Say and Do. How often does the old adage ring true – “I can’t hear what you’re saying because you actions are speaking so loudly”? If we tell them that worship is important and we think of every way possible to skip – they know. If we tell them love is vital and we never call or visit – they know! Not their job to sift thru our actions find good ones – our job to lead.

C. Must correct this problem. Losing even 1 is tragic, but 50-90 out of 100? Horrifying! What can we do?

1. Teach them to pray. Help them to not just mutter a prayer but to really understand.

2. Read the Bible with them. Help them to not just stumble thru Scriptures but to really understand.

3. Teach kids the basic Xian principles – authority of Bible, Deity of Christ, singularity of the church, necessity of evangelism. If not us – who will?

4. Demonstrate God, His word, and His church are the most important things in the world to us. Not job, not sports, not money, but the right R with God. Need to hear us SAY it – but HAVE to see us LIVE it! If not this – what is!?

5. Provide a home of unselfish, agape love – always! Home must be a place of memories that will last a lifetime – a foretaste of Heaven. If not home – where?

ð Sounds easy – makes sense. But, it comes down to you and I adults – are we going to do our job? Are we going to do all that we can to overcome this issue of losing Xian kids to the world – making sure they are arrows launched to the target of Jesus?

ð A vital job. MUST be done. Jesus rebuked disciples who prevented children from coming to Him. Are we doing our best to see to it that we are not hindering, but helping?

ð Not a lesson about how to become a Xian – but about the responsibility of being Xian…making sure others become and/or STAY Xians. Like to become a Xian – obedient baptism – can do that tonight. Like prayers for you to raise kids well – better example – any need?