Don't Hinder Their Faith
Notes
Transcript
Don't Hinder Their Faith
Don't Hinder Their Faith
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
The Lord had time for the children… What a blessing - it is amazing to watch all of the families and the children - to watch them grow, learn, mature...
See them as they are learning the ways of the Lord and the truths of scripture...
Seeing them come to a place where they trust christ for their salvation -
it’s as easy as:
A, B, C...
Admit
Believe
Call -
Salvation is recieved by faith
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
The disciples thought the children shouldn’t bother the Lord...
It is obvious by his response, that the kids were not a bother at all...
Tonight, I want to speak to you on the subject:
Don't Hinder Their Faith
Don't Hinder Their Faith
Pray:
The disciples meant well...
They were not intentionally trying to hurt or hinder the children, they were trying to protect the Savior and his time.
But the disciples - no matter what their intentions were, were hindering the children...
Several observations:
Jesus loves the Little children
Jesus loves the little children
Jesus love me
King James Version Chapter 10
Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Jesus wants all the children to come to him
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
rich / poor
red and yellow, black and white - all races, religions or creeds...
drive in children - our children
bus kids - those in the community that we do not even know...
the receptivity to the gospel is higher in children than anyone else...
Christians need to help children in their faith:
6 Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Teaching
Kids club
Youth ministry
Church
Nursery
Tot’s
Beginner’s
Primaries
Junior Church
Teens
Reaching
Getting them the gospel...
Introducing them to the Savior...
Bus ministry
Helping
*Come to the knowledge of the truth
Salvation
Baptism
Service
If the children aren’t going to be reached, we have no future...
The idea that the Lord is coming back is biblical, but it isn’t an excuse not to continue to reach people - it is a motivator not an excuse...
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: And the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; So are children of the youth.
These children are not just children to grow up and do whatever they want to do in life, these children have been given to us by the Lord - and are the weapons we (as parents) are to prepare and skillfully shoot and launch into the direction of God’s plan for His Kingdom...
It’s not about how educated
It’s not about how skilled
It’s not about how great a career -
It’s about us preparing them for the Lord’s service...
Giant Killers:
David - a lad - prepared to be not just a shepherd boy - but a giant killer and later a king
Samuel - a little boy - dedicated by his parents to the Lord - dropped off at the church to be raised by Eli -
He became Prophet and Priest...
Esther - raised by her older cousin Mordecai - but she had been an arrow in the hand of a mighty man - a nation was saved...
We could go on and on...
Mary the mother of Jesus
Timothy -
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Solomon
John the Baptist
Don’t Hinder their faith… Help their faith...
Invest
Encourage
Equip
Our world is changing -
The culture is changing -
The Mission is not changing -
We have heard of the 10/40 window- Missions emphasis on the population and receptivity of the gospel in this corridor or window -
it is the section seen between the 10th and 40th parallel north of the Equator...
There is another window as well - a window that is closing -
4/14 window - in 1996 and earlier - 85% of believers were saved between the ages of 4/14…
in 2004 Barna Research did another survey that showed 43% of people who are saved get saved before they are 13 -
64% of the saved get saved before they turn 18...
You see - that window is closing… Barna in 2004 was sharing the shift from faith of those saved as children...
Is it because the children have changed so much, or is it because the churches have changed in their evangelism and children’s outreach ministries?
Is it because of the church, or is it because of the parents?
spiritual emphasis in the home
value and priority that the Lord, His Word and His church has in personal lives
involvement and leading children to be involved in ministry and service for our Lord...
Don’t Hinder their Faith...