Children Matter - Bring Them To Jesus Series

Title: Children Matter

Theme: To show the importance of Children in the family and passing on our heritage to the next generation.

Text: Deuteronomy 6:4 – 7; Mark 9

Introduction

I want to begin by sharing with you one of the most famous scripture in all of Judiaism. It was so important that it transcended into Christianity Jesus brought it forth in Matthew 22, Mark 12, Luke 10.

To the Jew it was called the Shema

Opening Scripture

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 says: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. (the Shema)

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Key words:

“teach diligently” – prick the heart,

Hebrews 4:12 describes the Word of God

Hebrews_4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Proverbs_22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

How? You have planted the word in their heart.

Teach consistently” – talk with them – in your house, by the way, when you sit, down, when you rise

There should be a desire to pass on the word of God to your children. Why? Children matter to God.

Quote from Sermon on Children Matter

“The western church has blatantly disregarded God’s command for parents to pass the faith on to their kids, and then we have the gall to wonder why our children are leaving the church in droves! We have abandoned God’s mandate to pass the faith on to our children. We have outsourced our duties as Christian parents to an hour once, or maybe twice a week, and that is being generous. We cannot blindly ignore one of God’s greatest commandments and expect it to go well with us. “

This is so true. Too many times we expect an hour or two of church to replace the many hours of television. We are not growing, so we blame a service or the messenger. Yet we are missing the intimate moments with God. We are missing those times that God wants to get alone with us. To quiet the noise around us.

Matthew 6:5 – 6 reminds us: "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

The key here is to be intentional.

Passing Our Faith onto our Children

Being Intentional about bringing our children to Jesus. Letting the word of God prick their heart.

Why? Children Matter

Psalms 127:1-5 A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. (2) It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep. (3) Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. (4) Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. (5) Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Heritage – inheritance to be passed on. That it why it is vital that we pass on our faith.

Transition to Mark 9

To bring our children to Jesus. Matthew 17 tells the story of a desperate father who did the same. He knew he had to get his son to Jesus.

Mark 9

It all begins with a powerful experience on the mountain. Matthew 17 started out great. We find Jesus, Peter, James and John on the mountain top.

Jesus was transfigured:

The word "transformed" (metemorphothe PWS: 4031) means a change into another form; a transformation; a change of countenance; a complete change. Luke said, "the fashion of His countenance was altered" (Luke 9:29). Note how the gospel writers described what happened.