An Awesome Responsibility
Proverbs 22:6
Matt. 19:14
Psalm 127:3
Intro-
I don’t know about you, but what I gather from the Word of God
is that children are important in his eyes. We have to understand
that our children are an incredible gift from God, which are really
only on loan to us. God says here you go, now raise them in my
ways, bring up Godly men and women of God. Wow! You know
we have an awesome responsibility to God and our children.
Because he gives them to us with the understanding that we are
going to do everything we can to raise them like his word says to.
One day we will stand before him and be accountable for what we
have done, with and for our children. Sometimes it can be
overwhelming as I think about Jonathan and Timothy. Am I
doing enough? Am I showing God to them in real away, cleary
enough? Am I doing something that maybe I shouldn’t be doing?
And I know that we all have those same thoughts and questions. I
know that each and everyone of you have at some time
contemplated the exact same things. Sure we have been given an
awesome responsibilty. But I sure am glad I don’t have to do it
alone. You see God in his infinite wisdom and understanding,
instituted the church. And with that comes the churches
responsbility to help train the children that God has given it.
Because of the church body I know that there are going to be
teachers helping to confirm what I have shown, there is going to
be someone to hug maybe when I should, someone to set straight
if maybe I didn’t see.
I want to tell you brothers and sisters that we have an awesome
responsbility to every child that walks through our doors. We all
heard the statistics that says, 80% of all who get saved do so
before the age of 18. But do we belileve that? Do we truly believe
in the importance of ministry to our children?
If we truly believe this here are six things we will do:
1. Pray
A. Pray for our children
B. Pray for workers
Matt. 9:37
2. Practice
A. Set a godly example for children
James 1:22
We’ve all heard the expression that when you have children you
have a tape recorder in your house. For the most part that is true,
not everything your says comes from your home. But e have to
know that there are hungry ears and eyes that are watching and
listening to what we say and how we act and react.
(red headed step child)
3. Prepare
A. Prepare for minstry to children
We will insure that all we do for our children is done with
excellence and with sufficient time.
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the
Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall
receive the reward of the
(Sometimes smaller churches get a mindset of only preparing for
Susy and Bobby)
Tell story of lady who took over SS for small church and turned it
into the largest SS in country (10,000 in attendance)
B. Preparing others for ministry
4. Provide
A. Provide financially for minstry to children
B. Provide varied ministries to children
Wed. nights
Sunday school
Outreaches
We need to be creative in our ways to reach the children in
Columbia City.
C. Provide an atmosphere of unconditional love for
children
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love
one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye
have love one to another.
5. Prevail
A. Do not be weary in well doing
Need to keep pressing on and understand who it is we are working
for.
B. Do not give up on the undesirable child
Many times that child is experiencing the type of love from God
for the first time in their lives
6. Proclaim
A. The gospel of Jesus to children
Judges 2:10
B. The need for quality ministry to every boy and girl
C. The need for total church involvement in this
ministry.
Let me express to you the importance of the entire church in
training up our children. We have a corporate responsibility to
instruct and teach the children in this church. And some
instruction may not happen in what you would call the traditional
class room. Let say you see children running through the church
and you don’t see their parents. Here is a perfect opportunity to
instruct and train. Now you need to do it in a loving way but the
children have to know that this place is full of adults who care and
want to see them grow in to godly men and women. The thing is
that not every parent can see what their child may be doing. It not
just the responsibility of the person who may bring 10 or 12
children to church. This a charge to every adult here to step up to
the challenge of training our children. So I don’t want to hear of
someone being offended if their child has been instructed in love
by another adult. You should feel glad that someone cares enough
about you child that they are willing to help you.
Close:
Our children are precious. We have to understand that we have
been a window of opportunity to affect and influence them. We
can not afford to not let them have every chance to know Jesus
and be presented with the gospel.
Let us as a church body commit ourselves to
Praying
Practicing
Preparing
Providing
Prevailing
Proclaiming
Jesus to our children.
Pray for our children!
