Making History

For Children
December 11, 2022
Chris Seidman, Lead Minister, The Branch

Matthew 18:1-4 (NIV)
At that time 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.”

Matthew 18:5 (NIV)
“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.”

Matthew 18:6 (NIV)
“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.”

Matthew 18:10 (NIV)
“See to it that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

Matthew 19:13-14 (NIV)
Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

James 1:27 (NIV)
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Takeaways …

• For those of us with children at home, this is not a call to be child-centered, but to be Christ-centered in our parenting.

• For those of us who have children that are grown, it’s still not too late to bring our children to the King.

Malachi 4:2, 6 (NRSV)
“… the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the hearts of the children to their parents … .”

• Let’s all allow our identity to be rooted in this: That we are God’s child through Christ Jesus.

John 1:12 (NIV)
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Pray with me:

Dear Jesus,
My heart’s most fundamental trust has been in other things over the course of my life – in other people, or in other things, or in my own competence and decency. This has only gotten me into trouble.

I confess that I’m a sinner and cannot save or redeem myself. As far as I know in my own heart, today I give it to you. I transfer my trust to you, and ask that you would receive and accept me not for anything I’ve done, but because of everything you have done for me.

This day I confess that I believe you are the Son of God, and have been sent that I might have life.

I am in need of you – your life, your teachings, your death on the cross, your resurrection, and your Spirit. From this point forward, I desire to follow you as Lord of my life, and learn how to live as a child of the Most High.

AMEN