Continue in our series entitled Holding Out Hope For A Wounded World… a series I plan to conclude over the next couple of weeks… a series looking at the critical social issues of our day in light of perhaps the most compelling words Christ ever imparted to us “You are the salt… the light… world.”
- My passion is to help us discover how we can face these issues that so often overwhelm us and take hold of our role as salt of the earth… and light to the world… how we can take hold of hope in a world so easily given to cynicism.
- With that goal in mind this morning, I invite you to consider the topic of OUR CHILDREN… our very door of hope, and what GOD’S WORD world impart to us.
- I know many of you have looked forward to Leah and my 1st child in part because I’m sure to finally draw more illustrations from our child than our dog.
- The Lord impressed just such a transition on me last week: God… why did you give Golden Retrievers such eyes… expressions? And I sensed
- This would be impressed upon me again as I joined in the Promise Keepers men’s gathering at the L.A. Coliseum.
- At the close of the day…4000 teens filled the field… feelings rose in every man’s heart… I believe in part because every man knew the heartache… but I believe something else rose within us as well… something more powerful… we realized that there stood OUR DOOR OF HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.
- We knew the heartache, but we saw the hope.
- For a moment we stopped looking at the plight of today’s children and saying ‘Oh, No!’ and looked at the potential of today’s children, and dared to say ‘Let’s Go!’
- And I believe that’s God’s heart for us all
- Jesus provides such a Mode for seeing our children…
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People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)
- Here we encounter one of the most beautiful points in the Gospel. Although told in only two verses, we can capture something of each of the characters involved.
- There are those who brought the children; almost certainly young Jewish mothers. It was common for them to have their child, after the age of one, blessed by a rabbi.
- No wonder they wished Jesus to lay his hands on them. They had seen what these hands could do; had seen them renounce disease, bring sight to blind eyes, bring peace to tormented minds… and they wanted to see such blessing upon these little lives.
- So they brought their children… and more accurately the verb used means “they kept on bringing” as many translations read.
- Now in come the disciples… they sound as if they were uncaring and cold… but in truth, it was their care for Jesus that was likely involved. They saw how tired he was and didn’t want to see him bothered.
- You can sense the emotions running high… parents pushing, tempers flaring, and innocent children as always are caught in the middle.
- At the center of it all we find Jesus and the children… reminded once again that Jesus is one that everyone liked to be around… including children. Far from the idea of one stoic or stern, we can imagine warmth found in smile and laughter.
- And perhaps most surprising of all, we remember Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem… to the Cross… and he knew it… the price of God’s love to re-establish His Kingdom… to reach lives was at hand. And it was at just such a time that he had time for children
- And Jesus didn’t use this as just an opportunity to enjoy and bless the children, he used it as an occasion to explain why…
- Why? Because a child’s disposition is inherently that which can receive the kingdom.
- Jesus knows they hold the qualities needed to know him… to know his Father.
o Humility… Although they may have playful exhibitionist flares, children don’t have the pretense and pride that an adult world nourishes.
o Dependence… for them dependence is perfectly natural. They never really think they can face life alone. They are perfectly content to be utterly dependent on those who love them and care for them.
o Trust… having not assumed a false sense of pride and independence they are use to trusting others. If they go on a trip with their parents they know they themselves can’t pay the fare or control every choice of direction.
> With these qualities, Jesus declares that Children are Nearer to God than Anyone Else in His Midst.
- Everything he had said about the kingdom of God and who can receive it is there in the children… indeed they are the DOOR OF HOPE.
- In time, their humility, dependence, and trust will be pursued by the world’s pride, independence, and distrust; but now their dispensation stands like a DOOR TO HOPE OF GOD and his kingdom.
William Barclay—For us the great value of a child must always lie in the possibilities which are locked up within him. Everything depends on how he is taught and trained. The possibilities may never be realized; they may be stifled and stunted; that which might be used for good may be deflected to the purposes of evil; or they may be unleashed in such a way that a new tide of power floods the earth.
- So it is that Jesus “took the children in his arms, put his hands on them, and blessed them.”
- How can we share in that work of blessing? How can we open the door of hope?
For this I would direct us to the Model of Job.
- Few might think of Job as a model of caring… blessing…
- Job is primarily the model of suffering
- But he was also the most righteous man on earth… and a parent.
- Job 1:1-2—In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters.(He would have been a good Catholic.)
- May seem a little humorous.. that when he is ‘blessed greater before…he receives twice the herds… lands… servants… but the same kids…’
- And Job offers us God’s model of caring for children.
Three of the primary ways parents and non-parents alike can open the door of hope in children…
1. CONSECRATION
- Job teaches us to set apart our children in prayer.
His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. (Job 1:4-5)
- Job knew his kids wanted to have a good time; he knew their youthful pursuits could lend themselves to sin… but he also knew he ultimately couldn’t control it, so he simply interceded.
- Purified is the Hebrew word for Consecrated and means “set apart.” He offered sacrifices as an act of interceding… keeping them set apart.
- We too, parents and fellow members of Christ’s family, can consecrate our children, set them apart, by interceding for them in prayer. Jesus provided the final sacrifice… now we can take them to him.
- Ex. As a teen I went through years of rebellion… got into a good deal of trouble my mother prayed for me … battles were won for the devotion of my life.
- So many have told me… that after coming to Christ… they discovered that a grandmother or similar figure had been praying over them for YEARS.
- We can share in this role… share in Job’s heart.
- This is why we have public dedications of children… and a time of prayer before Children’s Church.
- AS WE DO… I SEE THE DOOR OF HOPE PUSHED OPEN AND WIDENING ALL THE TIME, AND I SEE A GLIMPSE OF TOMORROW.
2. CHARACTER
- Our need to show our children integrity with humility.
- Nearly every parent I know has shared with me the great awakening of realizing that their children learn not simply by what is taught, but by what is caught.
- Story of a family… snow… A small boy grabbed his coat and boots. "Mom," he asked, "can I go outside and help Dad put the snow chains on the car? I know all the words."
- Children will gain what they see in us… our character
o Bibles describe character as that which transcends circumstances
o James… endure trials knowing... perseverance… character.
o That’s what makes Job so powerful
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” (Job 1:8)
So was he one to simply pontificate?
I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth…. “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. (Job 40:4; 42:2-3)
- Integrity with humility
- The greatest hunger in children today is character… consistent character… integrity with humility.
- Kids today are exposed to too many parents who don’t care to do right, leaders who can’t admit when they are wrong; and a culture that isn’t sure that character should be an important issue for public figures.
- They don’t see the walk that consistent with the talk (hypocrisy)
- And hypocrisy breeds anger, and anger gives way to cynicism
- No program alone can restore hope in our children.
- CHARACTER IS THE GREATEST GIFT WE CAN GIVE TO OUR CHILDREN.
- They don’t need spiritual giants… the T.V. has told them most of them were lying and are frauds… they just need basic integrity with humility.
- They don’t need parents and communities who are perfect… but committed
- They don’t need parents and communities who are flawless… but faithful
- They don’t need parents and communities who have it all…but are humble and honest before God, like Job.
- I see those parents and communities sitting here this morning… in every daily choice of faithfulness… seen and unseen And I see the door of hope pushed open, widening all the time, and I see a glimpse of tomorrow.
3. CARE
- In particular, Job teaches us to share with those children in need.
Whoever heard me spoke well of me, and those who saw me commended me, because I rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him. (Job 29:11-12)
- How relevant those words are today! They should fill our hearts… and indeed I believe they have found expression for so many.
- I think of those involved in the inner city…
- one family who took teenage girls into their home when a mother in our fellowship was in crisis…
- my friend Ken McGill… who serves as a big brother
- School teachers…
- Those involved with an orphanage in Mexico over the years…
- Those who serve in Children’s church… in particular those who are not parents themselves.
I SEE THE DOOR OF HOPE PUSHED OPEN, WIDENING ALL THE TIME, AND I SEE A GLIMPSE OF TOMORROW.
Closing: Children called up… and all parents, school teachers, Children’s Church team to stand. Bless them… pray for them.
Closing song: Jesus Loves Me.
