27/05/2024
Greetings to all my brothers and sisters in Christ
Hope you all are walking in Christ and eagerly waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ
*THE PLACE OF CHILDREN IN THE KINGDOM*
LUKE 18:15-17.
15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
*Timeless Truth:* _"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward."_ Psalm 127:3.
*INTRODUCTION*
A man of God testified what happened to him in the 1960s when he was enlisted as a soldier in a civil war that took place in his country. He was hit by a bullet, and he died immediately. When he died, his soul left his body, and he could see his body dead and lying on the ground. He (his soul) immediately began to wander to a few places he knew before he died. In a matter of minutes, he found himself in a thick darkness that was so thick as to be pushing him back as he was uncontrollably pushing into the darkness while moving. According to him, he saw a ray of light in a distance and kept on pushing against the darkness so as to reach where the light was. As soon as he got to where the light was, a voice asked him to recant what he used his brief life on earth to achieve. He said suddenly, his power of memory was awakened and he began to count ALL the evils he had done from the age of seven, including the fowls of neighbours he killed in the village which nobody knew. He said He attempted to stop his mouth, but he could not until he mentioned all the sins and evils he did from age seven. While the true knowledge of the word is rooted in the scriptures and not in dreams, revelations or visions, there are heaven sent revelations that do not contradict the Bible and also make the word of God clearer. The age of accountability differs from generation to generation and culture to culture. The age of accountability for a child is the age that he can differentiate between good and evil and make wilful choices of either good or evil. *"For before, the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good..."*, Isaiah 7:16. The age of accountability is a reality and definite. He told the children of Israel that those children that have not reached the age of accountability were declared innocent and acquitted of the sins of the older ones in the wilderness and therefore will be able to enter Canaan. *"Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it."* Deuteronomy 1:39. Jesus said, *"of such is the kingdom of God"* v16. All those who died before this age will automatically go to heaven while all those who died after this age as sinners will have their part in the eternal lake of fire, just like adults that died as sinners. The text is about children who are yet to reach the age of accountability. The text shows more matters of concern when it comes to how we deal with children in spiritual things.
1.*Bringing Children to Christ*
a. It was the practice of mothers to bring their children to Rabbi for their blessings. The purpose was not just for a touch but for prayers of blessings. *"Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them."* Matthew 19:13. Such a prayer would specially receive divine blessings because those children are counted as innocents and saintly by God with no sin to their account. Jesus was a lover of those children just as He is a lover of saints.
b. Unfortunately, the attitude of the disciples was not welcomed by God. The disciples rebuked those people, bringing the children and the children themselves. There may be many reasons why they did so. Perhaps they saw it as a distraction to Christ or as a waste of Christ time since, to them, there are "more serious" issues that Jesus needed to attend to. It was even possible that the children were playful and may not understand anything that Jesus was talking about. These "event managers" of Jesus were disappointed by Jesus' response, showing the heavenly priority is not always the same with man's priorities.
c. Why did Jesus attach such importance to these children? One, they are made in the image of God as tripartite beings just like the adult. They have imperishable spirit, soul and body, and the same eternal life like that of the adults. The adults are by no means superior. The fact that they are innocent put them at higher favour and honour before God than the adults who are living in sins. They also have their guardian angels like the saints do. They enjoy more angelic protection than sinning adults. Jesus specially warned us not to despise or disrespect them but to honour them. *"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."* Matthew 18:10. Beyond that, they have spiritual value in the kingdom of God. As a result of their innocency, their praises and prayers are powerful and effectual before God. *"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger."* Psalm 8:2. In fact, as arrows are mighty in the hands of a man of war, so are the children of youths in the hands of God. The soul of a child is as important to God as the soul of the adult.
*Question*
Why should we give utmost respect to children?
*2. Bad Characters against Children*
a. The disciples rebuked the children and those who brought them to Jesus. *"But when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them."* v15. We must be careful not to condemn he that the Lord respects and honours. Jesus rebuked the disciples instead. *"But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."* v16.
b. There are many ways children are directly or indirectly despised and disrespected. At times, parents engage their children in errands while they go to hear the word of God and enjoy His fellowship. The excuse is that usually, they are not mature enough for God. At times when the adults are put in a beautiful place of worship, the children are just put somewhere just to manage, "after all they are children." In the places of worship, they are neglected without providing teachers that can teach professionally to their level for good comprehension. "After all, they don't have money to give," some indirectly justify their actions. Many never know that when children are not treated like Jesus Himself, they incur divine and angelic frowns. The next result is that we are unconsciously raising a generation of sceptics, sodomites, etc. who are mentally sound but spiritually hollow. Such will be causes of sorrow to us later in life.
c. The children, often classified by the ignorant as least in the kingdom, should be treated just like Christ would be treated if He is with us physically. Jesus said, *"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me,"* Matthew 25:40. Best training, best worship environment, best care etc should be given to children as unto Christ. Service to children is the greatest investment for future generations.
*Question*
Are you obeying Christ command in this area?
*3. Building Chistlike Character*
a. Jesus said, *"of such (children) is the kingdom of God"* v16. He further said, *"Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein."* What are the characteristics of these children who are yet to reach the age of accountability? They don't know offence. When you think they are offended, you just discover that they don't relate with people with that mindset. They don't get easily offended, and if they are offended, they forgive easily and unconditionally. Actually, they don't keep grudges, and neither do they keep offences. They also exercise simple faith and have trust in their parents or in other friendly and responsible adults. True saints will exercise simple faith and trust in the word of God without criticising or arguing against the word. They are humble and are easily corrected. Any child who does not have these graces has reached the age of accountability.
b. None get saved without having these childlike attributes before God, and none will enter heaven without any of them. Each saints should always examine himself and ensure that the childlike attributes are increasing in his life. Note that childlikeness, which God is expecting of us, is different from childishness. We are supposed to be childlike and not childish.
*Question*
Are you increasing in childlike graces, or are you becoming childish in the faith?
*Prayer Points*
1.Ask for forgiveness for all your child abuse and where you have not been treating children like christ🙏.
2.Specifically pray for the childlike traits that are missing or draining in your life🙏.
3.Pray for more christlike love and care for children as unto Christ🙏.
4.Ask God to help every saint and church to invest more in children for a better tomorrow and their eternal life. Pray that our children will love the Lord and His ways🙏
