Like a Child
Notes
Transcript
Kids can be loud, and high energy. Sometimes people would rather keep them distant, away from us so we aren’t being bothered by them.
This is where we find Jesus’ disciples. They are turning people away and trying to keep them from approaching Jesus.
Rebuked Them
Rebuked Them
The disciples attitude is that children aren’t important, there are others here who are important, who need to hear from Jesus and these children are getting in the way!
We see Jesus get angry at the disciples.
Mark 10:14
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
This wasn’t just, “hey guys, maybe you should let them come too.” This is Jesus getting angry at the disciples.
Letting them know that the kids are more than just an afterthought, they are the future.
How do you feel about children’s ministry?
Is it a ministry to keep kids out of the way, keep them quiet so we can learn and worship?
Or is it a ministry of highest importance, where we are training children from a young age who Jesus is, and what it looks like to follow Him?
Jesus is emphasizing the importance of letting children come to Him.
Proverbs 22:6
6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
This tells us the importance to training kids. Not just teaching them the bible studies, but also application of scripture.
Parents, grandparents, are you training your kids?
How do you feel about children’s ministry?
If you believe it’s necessary, how are you helping?
We enjoy using the statement, “that isn’t my gift.” Sometimes no, it isn’t your preference. But sometimes what God needs is people who are willing to sacrifice themselves for His glory and do the work of the ministry.
Gladys Alward wanted to be a missionary to China. She flunked out of bible school. Was told by everybody she couldn’t learn the language or be a missionary. She spent her life savings to get to China anyways, despite what everyone said. This was her statement.
“I wasn’t God’s first choice for what I’ve done for China…I don’t know who it was…it must have been a man…a well educated man. I don’t know what happened. Perhaps he died. Perhaps he wasn’t willing, and God looked down and saw Gladys Alward…and said… ‘well, She’s willing.”’
Are we willing, to do what needs to be done, for the glory of God and to save sinners from hell.
Jesus was a Man
Jesus was a Man
Let the children come to me.
Not the nursery workers or whatever poor lady we can rope into teaching.
We have it in our minds that children’s programs are the women’s job.
So teaching is done only by ladies in churches.
To make matters worse, men are being devalued in the world.
To be a strong brave man doesn’t mean what it did before.
To lead a household now means that you a tyrant.
With the gender alphabet movement, the world is de-valuing men and women.
Men, we are called to lead, in our households, our children, and in our churches.
Don’t give into the lie that children’s programs isn’t a man’s Job.
Kids need to see that men love Jesus, that their dad’s love Jesus, that their grandpa’s love Jesus.
Jesus was a man’s man. He literately beat and threw some out of the temple who we practicing injustice. He willingly went to be tortured for those He loved. .
He is the same one who is saying, LET THEM COME TO ME. They need to have a proper view of God.
Men, we must live the way our Lord did.
Such Belongs the Kingdom
Such Belongs the Kingdom
Jesus isn’t making a statement of age here, but a statement of faith.
Difference between childlike and childish
Childish
Childish
Selfish
Believing that we should get what we want.
Demanding things from God.
Philippians 2:3
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
We are to not do things out of selfishness, but to be thinking of others as better than ourselves.
Uneducated
There are many things that children don’t know.
Sometimes there are things that we think we know when we don’t.
I’ve heard some people say that they know Jesus, and that’s all they need…Really?
If you love someone, don’t you want to know them more, to have a deeper relationship?
1 Corinthians 14:20
20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
We must grow in our thinking. We cannot stay as infants.
Fighting over silly things
My kids got into a fight because neither of them wanted the corn dog with the torn corn...
We laugh, but how often do we get into fights over pretty stupid things. Are we being childish.
This goes back to Philippians 2:3 again. Consider others better than yourselves.
We are the body of Christ. We shouldn’t be tearing the body apart over petty things.
Childlike
Childlike
Confidence & trust in our heavenly father.
Children believe whatever adults tell them.
They have confidence in the source that the word is coming from.
When a child knows that you love them and care for them. They will believe what you say…becasue it’s you that says it.
We must have this type of confidence in our heavenly father, where we believe what is being said, becasue of who is saying it.