Title: Like a Child / Luke 18:15-17
content like a child
Luke 18:16-17, Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Next week is Children's Day. The reason the church keeps Children's Sunday is because Jesus expressed his deep interest in children. Although society also established Children's Day and made it a public holiday, Children's Day actually started at the church. The tradition of the church to officially observe Children's Sunday began in 1868, when the annual conference of the Methodist Church in the United States decided that the second Sunday in June was Children's Sunday. In 1923, Korea observed Children's Day every year at the insistence of the late teacher Bang Jeong-hwan, but it was interrupted due to Japanese oppression. The Church established the first Sunday in May 1957 as Children's Sunday and has been keeping it ever since.
There are two things Jesus said about children.
Let little children come to me, and do not forbid them.
The kingdom of God belongs to such. (Luke 18:16, Matt 19:14, Mark 10:14).
Wherever Jesus went, many people gathered. And where a lot of people gather, a lot of children are bound to follow. In particular, women's religious beliefs were at their peak at all times, so many women gathered wherever Jesus went, so there must have been many children.
In today's verse, it is said that people brought little children because they wanted Jesus to touch them. However, the disciples did not like to bring their children with them, perhaps out of trouble. So he said he rebuked them. However, in the Gospel of Mark, when Jesus saw this, he became 'wrathful' and instead rebuked the disciples. That's when he said this.
Let little children come to me, and do not forbid them.
The kingdom of God belongs to such.
These days, it is saying that children should not be forbidden from coming to church, receiving favors, and worshiping. Where the kids are, it's always noisy, messy, and messy. Because young children are full of vitality. Some new-generation mothers don't like having their baby in those places. The whole world is polluted, it is all noisy, and it is all thought of as dangerous. But it is vain and vain to think that my child alone would raise them in a quiet place, in clean air, and in absolute protection. How long will you grow like that? Rather, it is necessary to raise it properly by raising it in such a way that it smells of the world along with the loud noises.
I hope you take them to worship from a young age. Please take it with you to the class meeting. Watching the worship services sung frequently, the meeting of the saints, and the fellowship of love, the grown-up child will naturally learn the faith. Some leaders have class meetings with lots of babies. It's really hard. Crying, fighting, chattering, toy throwing, choking, soothing sounds, how difficult it is because you have to convey the words anyway. You should know that you are happy and that you are a blessing. They are the voices of life, the voices of hope, the voices of the future.
After all, the disciples would not have liked to bring their little children. But Jesus made it clear.
Let little children come to me, and do not forbid them.
The kingdom of God belongs to such.
Another word from Jesus
Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child
You will never go in. (Luke 18:17, Mark 10:15)
It is said that we must receive the kingdom of God like a little child to enter the kingdom of God. What is it like to receive the kingdom of God like a child?
First, be honest and truthful.
Children are more honest and sincere than adults. If you hide something in your heart, you can't get it out. That is why it is said that when detectives investigate a case and catch the criminal, they can get great results by asking young children.
Children are by nature candid and sincere. It is because it has not been polluted yet, so the clean and pure soul that God has given remains.
God loves true souls. Although Jesus saved a murderer and even a prostitute, He had compassion on him, loved him, and forgave him. It was the scribes and the Pharisees. He did not hesitate to curse them to be woe to them for their hypocrisy and hypocrisy.
The word to receive the kingdom of God like a child is to restore a sincere heart and soul like a child.
Second, be humble.
I am not saying that you should be immature like a child. It says to have a heart like a child before God. It refers to believing with a child-like posture, not with a stiff posture due to pride.
In the words of 2 Samuel 6:20-23, when David brought the ark to Jerusalem, he rejoiced and danced in front of the ark to remove his clothes. At that time, his wife Michal, who looked down at the tooth from the royal palace, later rebuked it for ignorance. David said, ?쏷his is what I have done before God. He said that I would make myself less humble than this, even though I appear lowly. David's faith is like a child. When we humble ourselves before God with a heart like a child and have faith that pleases God, this faith is the faith that will allow us to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus said this directly in Matthew 18:4. Whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Third, it speaks of total trust in faith.
Just as little children follow and depend on their parents because they cannot live without their parents, so the children of God must depend on and trust God in the same way. Faith is trusting God just as a child completely trusts and relies on its mother. God cares for and protects such people.
In Proverbs 3:5 and below, it says, ?쏷rust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. You acknowledge him in all things. Then he will direct your way.' It is saying not to rely on your wisdom and understanding, but to depend on God. Whatever happens, God is pleased with the faith that puts God first and depends on God, and God protects and guides it according to that faith.
Fourth, we speak of longing hearts.
If you look closely at the words of the text, he said that the kingdom of God is 'they belong to such people'. These words of growing up are referring to young children and their mothers who are eager to come and touch the Lord. A heart that desires to come closer to the Lord, a heart that desires the Lord's touch--it is a longing heart. It is said that the kingdom of God belongs to such people--those who long for the Lord's hand.
Faith is a longing heart. When we have a heart that longs for grace, longs for the Word, and longs for blessings, it becomes faith to receive God's blessings. A cold heart, a cold heart that seems to do it well or not, cannot receive God's grace. You cannot receive God's blessing. When you have a heart like a child who came to the Lord hoping to be touched, you are blessed to possess the kingdom of God.
The reason we keep Children's Sunday like this is for two reasons. One is because Jesus told us not to forbid children to come to the Lord, and the other is to think of the hearts of children ourselves because of the word that we should receive the kingdom of God like little children.
Here's another one. It is to observe Children's Sunday in order to reaffirm our responsibility to raise the children we have entrusted to us in faith. In the Old Testament, it was strictly said that we should teach our children to believe properly.
Israel, listen. The LORD our God is the only LORD.
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
These words which I am commanding you today, keep in your heart and teach your children diligently.
when you sit at home, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, when you get up,
I will preach these words
You shall also tie it to your wrist as a sign, and put it between your forehead as a mark.
And you shall write it on the doorpost of your house and on the outer door. Deuteronomy 6:4-9
When the philosopher Socrates was old and sick, he received a favor from his disciples. ?쏷eacher, please give me one last message that is most precious to you,??Socrates said with his eyes closed. ?쏷here is one thing I want to say to the citizens of Athens when I go up to the top of the mountain,??the disciples asked again. ?쏻hat do you mean???Socrates answered aloud. "People, do not be faithful only in collecting wealth. Give more love and devotion to the children who will inherit it. This is the most precious lesson I have learned in my life."
People sometimes forget what is truly precious in their lives. Children are the number one treasure that God has entrusted to me. And it is the first mission entrusted to parents to raise their children well through the Word and faith.
I have an article like this and I will read it.
Lord,
the children I gave birth to
I don't like it at all.
May they fill my heart
I don't know how many times I prayed.
May they be my bright lighthouse.
May it be my endless song
Even though I earnestly wish for my great life
They don't fill me.
Lord, pray that I, not them, will be able to change.
according to the color of my lust
Make them stop trying to repaint them.
To them, their own subdued color,
Let me know that there is a fresh breath hidden.
Because of expectations that cannot be met by each other
Let us not be terribly broken down together.
uniquely provided by God
The joy of looking peacefully with their colors
Let me enjoy it.
Next week is Children's Day. And in society, this Friday is Children's Day. I wish that Children's Day will be a day that not only entertains them with gifts and games, but also thinks about their souls and beliefs, and our souls and beliefs as well.