The Faith Of A Child

Have you ever got into a debate over who was better at a sport or who should be the captain of the team?

My brother and I love basketball, but we would always get in debates about who was better. So we would play each other one on one and see who wins all the time.

But when my brother and I were on the same team we knew we were going to hold down the court. We were the best compared to everyone else.

Have you ever thought of that kid who was always picked last in gym class? To young, not athletic enough.

But every-time that person made the team they were willing to listen, go where you tell them to go and do what you tell them to do.

Proverbs 12:15 - “The way of a fool is right in His own eyes, but the wise listens to advice.”

READ Matthew 18:1-6

DO YOU STAND OUT AMONG PEOPLE?

Disciples wanted to know who was going to be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Who was better - Who did the best things, who preforms better.

In our fallen state of humanity I believe that we are competitive in nature.

DISCIPLES WANTED TO STAND OUT IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Earthly kingdom) SEEKING POSITION AND POWER.

Who Is the Greatest?

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:1–3 (ESV)

IT IS NOT ABOUT BEING CHILDISH BUT BEING CHILDLIKE

Childish is what the disciples were doing with arguing who is better.

Childlike - is the very natural of a child.

The very moral being of a person has to turn become like a children.

IF YOU DON’T YOU WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Jesus used a child to illustrate for his disciples how they should think and who they need to become.

TRANSITION:

Children are humble, sincere, and having trusting hearts.

Santa Clause, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy are believed to be true because children have TRUSTING HEARTS

Children have an attitude of simple trust and faith.

Holding Lucas up as he learns to walk, he trusts me to hold him while he is taking steps.

Now that He is getting bigger he is trying to walk on his own.

I am still right beside him which allows him to trust and have faith that if he was to fall I would catch him.

So he is walking by faith and His faith is over His fear of falling because he trusts me.

TRUST - Total reliance on and confidence in a person.

Do you total rely and depend on God to help you walk in truth while your in this World? Do you rely on God to bring you to things that are out of your reach?

Children are dependent on their parents to hear, listen, learn, grow, talk, walk, and think… and more.

We must be dependent on God to hear, listen, learn, grow, talk, walk in truth, and think.

 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:4

Humble - Bring down to a low position.

- Discipline my self and deal with myself harshly into a state of humility. That I NEED GOD.

John The Baptist Said it perfectly:

John 3:30 - 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Apostle Paul said it even better:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

ARM WRESTLE: A CHILD

Children

Need help to reach things

Need help in how to walk

How do I humble myself like this child in this World Lord?

When I can’t reach for something I would ASK.

When I don’t know how to walk or what direction to walk

In This World.

I rely on Him. I talk to Him.

I listen for His Voice when I am in the Word.

  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.6  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

But How Do We Trust? What Does that Look Like?

TRUST - Total reliance on and confidence in a person. The person Jesus Christ

IF SOMEONE SAYS GOD TOLD ME TO BUY THIS EXPENSIVE CAR.

I NO THATS NOT GOD. BECAUSE I AM CONFIDENT IN WHO HE IS. HIS CHARACTER AND HIS ATTRIBUTES.

GOD DOESN’T WANT YOU IN DEBUT.

GOD GIVES US WHAT WE NEED NOT WHAT WE WANT.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. (Jn 1:1–2) ESV

a. In the VERY BEGINNING WAS THE WORD. BEFORE CREATION THE WORD WAS ALREADY WITH GOD.

JESUS WAS WITH GOD WHEN HE SPOKE EVERYTHING INTO EXISTENCE.

JESUS CHRIST. HE IS PRESENTED AS THE PERSONAL WORD OF GOD.

JUST AS A PERSON’S WORDS REVEAL WHAT IS HIS OR HER HEART AND MIND.

CHRIST - “WORD” REAVLS THE HEART AND MIND OF GOD.

JESUS WAS THE PERFECT REVELATION AND REPRESENTATION OF THE FATHER’S NATURE AND CHARACTER.

HOW DO WE KNOW THIS SCRIPTURE IS TALKING ABOUT JESUS?

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Jn 1:14) ESV

THE DIVINE HUMBLED HIMSELF, AND THE SON OF GOD PUT ON HUMAN FLESH.

THIS IS WHERE DIVINE DIETY OF GOD MEETS HUMANITY AND BECOME UNITY TOGETHER.

HUMILITY - HE ENTER HUMAN LIFE.

EXPERIENCING TEMPTATION AND DIFFICULTIES WE FACE.

OVERCOMING ALL OF THEM WITHOUT FAILING OR DISOBEYING GOD.

HE DID THIS SO HE CAN RELATE TO US IN EVERY WAY !

DWELT - “TENT”

TRUST - THE WORD OF GOD

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Ti 3:16–17) ESV

SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRE AND GOD BREATHED FROM GOD.

JESUS LIVED IT, EVERYTHING PERFECTLY. HE BROUGHT TRUTH BECAUSE HE IS TRUTH.

DISCIPLES WROTE ABOUT IT.

AS THEY WERE WRITING THE HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRED THEIR WRITING, THOUGHTS, AND INTENTIONS.

DIRECTING THE INK THAT WAS COMING OUT OF THE PIN.

SCRIPTURE IS THE VERY LIFE OF GOD.

Children need help in how to walk and how to talk.

11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.(1 Ti 4:11–13).

APOSTLE PAUL INFLUENCED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD

WROTE IN THE BIBLE TO TIMOTHY WHO HE CALLED HIS SPIRITUAL SON.

TIMOTHY WAS A PASTOR OF THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS.

YOUNG PEOPLE USUALLY HAVE AN INTESE PASSION FOR CHRIST. THEY HAVE SPIRITUAL ENTHUSIASM!

KING DAVID KILL GOLIATH, DANIEL LIONS DEN, JEREMIAH THE PROPHET, ESTHER.

APOSTLE PAUL IS GIVING YOUNG TIMOTHY DIRECTION.

TEACHABLE

I can’t tell you how many times I have talked to Lucas and he doesn’t talk back.

The parent says so many words for the children to grasp the words we say.

Telling and Showing Lucas how to HIGH FIVE was exhausting.

Until one day He gets it. He knows what HIGH FIVE is and when he sees people holding their HANDS OUT HE KNOWS HIGH FIVE.

This is how God is with us. TELLING US HE LOVES YOU & HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.

UNITL ONE DAY WE BELIEVE - START TRUSTING, AND WE START LIVING.

Children are so important to parents because they believe that they live on in their children.

GOD WANTS TO LIVE WITH YOU, IN YOU, AND THROUGH YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE HIS CHILD.

Do You Stand Out Among the People?

- In the Eyes of Disciples of course children stand out when they are by adults.

- But in the Eyes of God they stand out because their faith stands out among the people.

- The Child needs God.

- The Child wants God.

- The Child trust God.

- The Child depends on God.

THE CHILD IS HUMBLE.

DOES YOUR FAITH STAND OUT AMONG THE PEOPLE?

Like the nature of a child.