Who Does This Child Belong To?
Esmé Harrison and Jesse Ontiveros Baby Dedication
- These children belong to God, and we give them back to Him. We should willingly give ourselves to God, because we are His Children.
Texts: Genesis 1:26-27, Matthew 19:14
What a Baby Dedication Is
A baby dedication is actually the dedication of the parents to rear and raise their child in the fear and admonition of the Lord. It is an act whereby they make promises in the presence of assembled witnesses that as parents, they are going to do their part in helping to prepare their child for eternity.
Dedication is like Hannah who, after asking God for a child and having her request granted, brought Samuel to the Temple and literally gave him to the Lord (I Samuel 1:20-22). A baby’s dedication is stating that parents are giving their child back to God, that they will obey and submit to God’s Word in order to give their child a godly home environment that is conducive for them to learn and witness the love of God displayed so that it will be a natural process for them to come to Jesus Christ in repentance and be born again.
The gift of life is so beautifully illustrated in the story of Samuel. Hannah had no children. She prayed a travailing prayer, and God blessed her with a son. She then gave the child to the Lord for as long as he would live (I Samuel 1:27-28).
Remember also that Mary and Joseph took the infant Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (Luke 2:22).
Jesse Ontiveros (Joseph and Lisa) born January 2024
Guests & Family:
Marianne Anderson - Oma
Albert Anderson - grandpa
Michelle Shelley - aunt
Archie Shelley - uncle
MaCayla Williams - cousin
Denise Barnes - aunt
Alyie Barnes - cousin
Robin Green - grandma
Tony Ontiveros - grandpa
Nissi Rapp - aunt
Ronin Rapp - cousin
Samuel Ontiveros - uncle
Hannah Murphy - aunt
Brian Murphy - uncle
Esmé Harrison, (Miles and Vanessa Harrison) born May 2024
Guests & Family:
Big Sister - Vera & Big Brother - Cole,
Miguel & Gisela Rivera,
Miguel, Amanda, Noah & Callen Rivera
Guests: Mary Twohig & George Harrison (grandparents)
DEDICATION
This act of dedication tells the Lord several things that you as parents believe:
1. Your child belongs to God.
2. God’s will, not your will, is best for your child’s life.
3. You will do your best to teach and tell your child the ways of the Lord.
PLANT GIFT
There is something far more precious in the crib that needs nurturing.
BIBLE GIFT
This Bible is God’s parenting handbook.
Take the time to fill their minds with the Word of God.
Not just with information, but with application to their daily lives.
PARENTAL VOWS
Charge to Church Family:
Will you do all that you can to provide and support a place of instruction where these children may hear the whole counsel of God?
Will you covenant together as a family to set an example by your lives and to maintain an atmosphere that will inspire them to desire to live for God?
So that these children may walk in the abundant life that Jesus offers, do you vow by God’s help,
to be faithful in your calling as members of the body of Christ, to help THESE PARENTS to be faithful to God,
and to help teach and train THESE CHILDREN in the ways of the Lord?
Will you do as God leads you and pray for their salvation?
Those of you willing to accept this charge, please answer:
“With God‟s help, we will.”
DEDICATION PRAYER
We pray blessings and protection over these children, and we pray prayers of consecration, commitment, and dedication over the parents!
1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
2 In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear to me and save me.
3 Be my rock of refuge,
to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.
5 For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord,
my confidence since my youth.
6 From birth I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.
I will ever praise you. — Psalm 71 (NIV)
GOD’S INTENTIONS
Adam and Eve were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
Everything God created is connected in relationship.
It is only through God’s Word that we can truly live and become everything He has intended for us to be.
Let’s Read…
Genesis 1:26-27, Matthew 19:14, Ezekiel 18:4, and Psalm 127:3.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. —Genesis 1:26-27 (KJV - King James Version)14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 19:14 (KJV - King James Version)
4 “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.
—Ezekiel 18:4 (NKJV - New King James Version)3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. —Psalms 127:3 (KJV - King James Version)
Our Children Belong to God
As we have seen in these scriptures, our children are a gift to us - on loan from GOD!
How we PARENT them is an act of WORSHIP and STEWARDSHIP.
Proverbs 22:6 (NIV): “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
Our role is to guide them, teach them God’s ways, and prepare them to fulfill the purposes He has for them.
Stewardship implies responsibility and accountability; we are to care for our children with the understanding that we will one day give an account to God for how we have raised them.
The goal is not just to raise successful, well-adjusted individuals but to prepare them for eternity.
This means investing in their spiritual growth and character development, knowing that their lives have eternal significance.
WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD
If we have been born naturally and spiritually - we do not belong to ourselves.
We are all the CHILDREN OF GOD!
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV):
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
Psalm 24:1 (NIV):
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” —Matthew 22:21 (NIV - New International Version)
OUR RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE WE BELONG TO GOD
Jesus said we need to give to God what is God’s!
We belong to God because we are His children, we are not our own, we have been purchased with a price…the precious blood of Jesus.
FROM THIS POINT ON, we BELONG TO GOD - and we now have a responsibility.
Here is HOW we GIVE OURSELVES BACK TO GOD according to the Bible:
1. Romans 12:1 - Present Your
NASB - Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, [a]acceptable to God, which is your [b]spiritual service of worship.
As parents, we need to show our children how to surrender our bodies to God…
through faithful prayer, by attending church, in the ways we think, dress, and behave,
and by constantly making godly decisions (choosing what to do based on whether or not it will help you and the family be closer to God), your example will show your children what it means to live as a sacrifice for God.
2. Matthew 22:37-38 -
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment.
Make loving God the foundation of your family life.
Teach your children to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind by incorporating prayer, worship, and Scripture into your family’s daily routines.
Let them see your passion for God and how it influences every decision you make.
3. Galatians 5:13 - Serve
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Be the example of sacrificial love in your parenting by serving your children with patience, kindness, and humility.
Help them see that love is not a feeling but an action, and encourage them to serve their siblings and others with a loving heart.
Get involved with your children in acts of service, whether it’s helping neighbors, volunteering with your church family, or supporting a charity.
Teach them that serving others is an expression of God’s love and a vital part of following Jesus.
4. John 15:8 - Bear Spiritual
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
What do you think will happen if you exhibit the fruits of the Spirit in your interactions with your children?
If you let them see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in you?
As you bear fruit, it will inspire and guide them to do the same.
Create that environment that encourages the growth of spiritual fruit in your children’s lives.
5. Proverbs 3:5-6 -
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,And lean not on your own understanding;6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,And He shall [a]direct your paths.
Do you trust God completely? If you don’t, chances are - they won’t either!
The biggest TRUST struggle for most people usually comes in the form of not surrendering to God in either their TIME, TALENT or TREASURE!
Time: Devote specific periods to worship, rest, service, and intentional living.
Talents: Use your unique abilities to serve in ministry, work with excellence, and help others grow.
Treasure: Tithe regularly, practice generosity, manage your finances wisely, and live simply.
Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV): “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV): “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Proverbs 3:9 (NIV): “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.”
- Manage your finances wisely, making decisions that honor God.
- This includes budgeting, avoiding debt, and investing in ways that align with biblical principles.
- Nothing acknowledges God as the provider of all your resources and expresses trust in His provision like showing your children how you give to the Lord through tithes and offerings.
- Consider living a simpler lifestyle, reducing material excess to focus on what truly matters. This can free up resources to give more and live in a way that reflects God’s values.
- Generosity reflects God’s love and demonstrates that your treasure is invested in His kingdom.
- Pray for your children, entrust their futures, their friends, their decisions, and spiritual growth to God.
- Trust God with the lives of your children, acknowledging that they belong to Him. Remember, you are acknowledging that today with what you are doing right now!
- Encourage your children to trust God in all areas of their lives, lead them by example.
Show them they can trust God in difficult times and lean on Him rather than on their own understanding.
6. James 4:10 -
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
Live humbly in your parenting by admitting mistakes, asking for forgiveness, and demonstrating repentance.
Let your children see that you are not perfect and you are continually seeking after God for grace and guidance.
Encourage them to acknowledge their mistakes, seek forgiveness, and strive to live in a way that pleases God.
Create a home environment where they feel safe to be honest about their shortcomings and are guided towards growth.
If we live humbly repentant before God, He will forgive us, and help us make the right decisions for our lives, and our families.