Title: Precious Child/Matthew 18:1-4
Contents Precious Children / Matthew 18:1-4 Daegu First Church
1) Then the disciples came to Jesus and said, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2) Jesus called a little child and set him among them 3) He said to them, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4) Therefore whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
*(Shows a picture of a child through the projector)*
I also had a childhood. All of you had a childhood. (And the children gathered here are having their childhoods.) I miss my childhood all the time. Children want to grow up quickly, but for example, most adults want to go back to their childhood. Although it was a difficult time, I still miss it. Some people go back to their childhood when they sleep at night. It is a return to childhood through dreams.
Perhaps Jesus thought about it when he was young, and he liked children very much. So he stopped the little child passing by and hugged him. He didn't like only cute children. Jesus liked and loved every little child. He liked it just because he was a child. Therein lies the privilege that only little children have. (Children, you are having a really good time right now, because Jesus loves you.)
*(Shows pictures of playing with children)*
I was born in Seoul, but lived in Suwon for 7 years as a child. Behind my house was a small mountain, and that was my playground. In the summer, I played tag in the forest and wrapped my throat in the creek. In the fall, I picked up acorns from the mountain behind. In winter, we made snow slides on the hill to ride and play. I also ran and played to catch hares. Then his life continued in Oryu-dong, on the outskirts of Seoul, and ended when he moved to Jongno-gu, Seoul at the age of 12. But it was a time when there were no worries in my heart. It seems like he was just happy. Because when I was young, I depended on my parents for everything and lived a worry-free life.
Even Jesus valued children. So Jesus raised a little child and told his disciples to become like little children. What a strange teaching, isn't it? Why did you raise a child? Did I tell you to be like a child again? Jesus wanted his disciples to be happy like little children. He wanted to be a worry-free person.
*(shows pictures taken with children)*
Childhood is a time when you can play with your peers without any worries. When I was young, I didn't really care about who was handsome and who was ugly. It's not that we played more friendly between Yeong-soon in the front house and Geum-ran in the back house because they thought someone was prettier. We just played together because we were the same age. It didn't matter who wore the better clothes and who wore the more shabby clothes. We played together just because we were the same age. We played together without distinguishing between Cheol-su next door and Yeong-cheol next door, who lives in the better house. We played together because we were just the same age.
But Jesus' disciples were arguing on the road. They had a war of nerves over who was the greatest in heaven. To fight each other over who is bigger is to compare. This is an indication that something is lacking. In other words, there are dissatisfaction and greed. Ultimately, they are not satisfied with their current life. So Jesus set up a little child before his disciples. Jesus wanted his disciples to get along just as little children do.
*(Picture of children and adults separated from each other)*
However, children face problems when they meet adults. Sometimes it's a problem when children get into trouble with adults. At other times, adults are annoyed by children and become a problem. Then I started to distance myself from adults. A wall began to form in my heart. To put it more politely, a barrier has been created between generations.
But Jesus was not far from children. When the disciples were arguing with each other, Jesus summoned a little boy and made everyone pay attention. And I tried to solve the problems of adults through children. When adults' problems are not solved, children sometimes provide clues to the problems.
*(Photos of adults respecting children)*
Truly children are adults. That's why Wordsworth went so far as to say in his poem 'The Rainbow', "Children are the fathers of adults!" This means that no one else can be as pure and sincere as a child. That is why adults need to learn that from children too. This world is too full of lies to be honest. There are too many fakes in this world to be pure. But children are sincere and pure.
Jesus also set the little children in front of his disciples and said: “Whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” To be really big and grown up, you have to humble yourself like a child. This means that you are a really big person when you are honest, pure, and humble like a child.
Therefore, a person who can love a child is a great person. The same is true for countries. A strong country values children very much. Let's take an example.
About ten years ago I was in America. At that time, President Bush was preparing for war against Iraq. So all Americans were deeply concerned and interested in war. There is a broadcasting station called ABC in the United States, and a commentator from a general came out to explain the war in the news class. After explaining this and that, he was going to answer phone questions from children all over the country from now on. I doubted my ears. No, answering children's phone calls during that expensive hour called golden hour... Questions from young children from all over America were, as expected, very childish. If you fire a missile from Iraq, will it land in your town? He is in the fifth grade of elementary school, should he go to war too? Do schools close when war breaks out? There were a lot of silly-looking questions. So, the commentator gave good answers one by one.
Do you know what I felt then? “Ah, after all, America is a strong country!” It makes even a small child interested in the country and makes them worry. By taking an interest in the country's affairs, even young children will love the country. When adults and children come together to love a country, it is clear that the country becomes stronger. So it will become a country that develops greater power?
But what about us? We often hear these stories. “Go kids!” It means not to meddle in adult affairs. Of course, there are things for children to do and only for adults to do. However, there are also issues of common interest, which are often not allowed.
A single word, “Kids go,” creates a wall between adults and children. This is a wall in the heart. So when children grow up, they stop listening to them. When they grow up, they stop taking care of their parents who neglected them and throw them away. If there is a wall of heart within the family, the nation will also lose strength. We will have to change. Changing what we have to do together with the words “Come, children!” is to put into practice the teachings of Jesus. That is to say.
Dear Daegu First Church members,
There is a poem called 'I like kids' by Michelle Quest.
God says
i like the kid
I wish everyone would be like that
I don't like adults who aren't like kids
Only children are allowed into my country
That such a thing was decided from the beginning of the world
what i like children
Because the image that resembles me is not blurred yet.
It does not break and is fresh
Purely without stains
Because it is preserved without any damage.
So if you get close to them
I can see myself in them.
As we celebrate Children's Day today, let's reflect ourselves in the mirror. Let's take a closer look at whether you have a bright face and heart like a child. Jesus said that when you have the face of a child in your heart, you can enter the kingdom of heaven. A church where people with children's hearts gather is a church where people get along together.