Scripture: Mark 10:13-16
For you created my inmost being; you knit
me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and
wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was
not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven
together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the
days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Jeremiah 1:4-5
The word of
the Lord came to me, saying, "Before I formed
you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed
you as a prophet to the nations."
HOW DID JESUS
VIEW CHILDREN?
A baby is God's opinion that life should go on. Let me ask a
question- If you were in a building that had all your family pictures, a
million dollars in paper cash, a family heirloom piece of jewelry, or anything
else you find of great worth; and their was also a baby – even one you did not
know, and that building caught fire and had become an inferno and you knew you
could only save one thing, what one thing would you save? 100% of you said the
baby. Of course you did. If human life is that important to you, how important
is human life to the one who created it? In other words, imagine that same scenario
and it was not you but a mother and her baby and all those other things, and
saving anything mean you may die in the process unless you leave everything
behind, what does the mother do? – where as we had to make a split second
decision – the mother doesn’t even see anything else besides her baby. If a
mother feels that way about her child, how does God feel about His children?
We are looking
for a dog. All the humane societies have fostered out their animals. That means
they are with families temporarily – till they can go back to the humane
society or till someone adopts them. That is the terminology used – same as
humans – adoption. That dog will become a family member. So, they adopt the dog
out for what they call – their “forever family”
That is a sweet sounding, but the dog is only a part of that family till
the family or the dog dies – there is no forever. However, with humans – it is
the perfect phrase for how Jesus views God’s children.
We are born into
a family. We do not choose it and have no say in who our family will be.
However, when we grow into reasoning human beings, we do begin to choose our
family (I have had other mothers and fathers along the way who made me a part
of their families) The most important choice we have is to be in God’s family. That
isn’t a matter of just hanging out often, that is through the actual act of
being ‘born again’. We are born into God’s family every bit as much as we were
born into our earthly family. When born
physically we are also in the Spirit’s womb, waiting to be born. When we
recognize that, like a caring mother, God loves us and desires to show us that
love, we put our faith in Him, and we are reborn into God’s truly forever
family.
John 3:1-9
Now there was
a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.
2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi,
we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the
miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." 3 In
reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no
one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?"
Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a
second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered,
"I tell you the truth, no one can enter the
kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to
spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its
sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is
with everyone born of the Spirit." 9 "How
can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
John 3:16 For God so loved
the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall
not perish but have eternal life.
Matt 18:1-6
The disciples
came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him
stand among them. And he said: I tell you the truth,
unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the
kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever
welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes
one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him
to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths
of the sea.
Nancy S, Joanna, Kathy, Rose,
Rachel, Maria, Becky, Nancy H. Mary H. Julie, Gretchen, Kim, Susan, Tammy,
Sandy
Children didn't
have a lot of rights in the first century. Kids were seen and not heard. We see
this in Mark 10:13-16 (Supper with the Savior)
People were
bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples
rebuked them. 14 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. 15
I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the
kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. 16 And he took the children in his
arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
In the disciple’s
opinion, the Lord had more important things to do. Jesus uses this as a
teaching moment - Like children, kingdom-minded people shouldn’t be jockeying
for position, looking to have power over others, or worrying about how people
perceive them. They should serve God by serving others.
Matt 21:12-16
Jesus entered
the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He
overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling
doves. "It is written," he said to
them, "'My house will be called a house of
prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'" The blind and
the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief
priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the
children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant. 16
"Do
you hear what these children are saying?" they asked Jesus, who
replied, "Yes, have
you never read, "'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained
praise'?"
Do you remember
the question I asked in the beginning about being in a burning building? Would
you save a baby or something else and you said a baby? Or a mother and a baby
and the mother may die, and she also chose to save her baby? Luke 11:11-13 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks
for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will
give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give
good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the
Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Jesus said, You must be born of the water and the Spirit.
You
and I know people who are in a burning building – and we see comfort, busyness,
work, pleasure and often choose those over rescuing the spiritual infant.
Whereas we sometimes fail and need to do better, Jesus is more like the mother,
he sees everyone in the fires of hell and is willing, even at the cost of his
own life, without a second thought, to make sure His children all get to safety
and are adopted…NO!…are born again into God’s forever family.
John 16:21
A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has
come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that
a child is born into the world.
Jesus giving birth to children has pain because his time
has come on the cross; but when his child is born he forgets the anguish,
because of his joy that a child of God has been born into God’s forever family.
Thank
you mom’s – For a mother’s love is a metaphor, a symbol, a representation of
God’s love for us.
What child is
this?
Everyone of
you was created as a masterpiece, and like a loving mother, God knows your name.
And greater than a mother’s love, God knows your every thought, He sees each
tear that falls, and He hears you when you call. And God’s Spirit is ready to
give birth and welcome you into His forever family.
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