BY TOM COULTER
Good morning, Everyone!
I want to say a shot out to the Kramers and to the Bouchettes, the
family up in
We live in an eventful and exciting times certainly to say
the least. In the world, we see
horrendous things happening. And, of
course, even in the
Well, I ask: How much do you stop and really think about these events because we hear them so often that it’s easy to just, “Well, it’s news”? But these are moms, dads, children, but more importantly they are God’s heritage. Every child that is born it is the intention for God to have them in His Family. And certainly my heart goes out to them as I’m sure you do as we think about what they’ve had to endure, what mankind is enduring and how blessed we are that we know God’s purpose. And this is all coming to a crescendo. God will get everyone’s attention and finally man will start to obey and honor God.
But here we are today on the fifth of the seventh Sabbaths that we’re supposed to be observing and taking notice. And when that Wave Sheaf was offered up on that morning after the Sabbath during the Passover, Christ was waved up. The First of the firstfruits offered up to God and He accepted Him. And we begin counting the fifties and this is that fifth Sabbath as we mark these treks. And I have likened the fact that this fifty day period is a totality of all those from Abel on to those we have now. It’s the sum total of all the firstfruits. Now many of them are in their place of safety in the grave waiting for that time that they’ll be raised up as that loaf offered up to God. And then we still wait for that time in our safety in God and in Christ being offered up as that other loaf.
Well have you ever stopped and thought seriously about how much God and Christ are anticipating that time where God sends His Son back to harvest that firstfruit harvest? How much they’re anticipating, talking, hugging, and spending that time on a spiritual level with all those that He’s called and have obeyed Him?
Now we have examples and Mrs. Hechler was showing this off a couple of weeks ago. And I though it was really amazing. Four generations that’s heritage from her! That her family continues on and they nurture and they taught and the children are beautiful as her family continues on. And the Hechler’s are certainly proud of that.
And we have the example of Mrs. Watts. The next week comes showing off her newest grandchild. And it was just kind of building on itself as Jeff announced that they’re expecting their second grandchild. And it got me thinking, as Donna and I are anticipating another generation from us through Sarah and Stephen, about our heritage. What a blessing it is that a child is and then that a grandchild is!
And I have something that I’m quite proud of that at the
time I just thought, “Well, okay sure.”
And I don’t know but you probably can’t see it. I’ll be glad to show it to everyone, a
picture that was taken in 1982 of my grandma, my dad, myself, and holding my
oldest girl, my oldest child Sarah. Four
generations keeping the Feast together in 1982 at the
And it makes the heart glad, but at the same time our emotions about family, about heritage is similar to what God’s is. We’re made in His image and His likeness. And He looks forward to that time that He continues to build His Family from Christ onto the firstfruits. And then we teach, as helpmates with Christ, others about God and train them.
So if you will, let’s go over to Psalm 127.
I was given a topic years ago by a particular individual that I fell flat on my face. But he asked the question as I stood up there before the guys, “How is the human family a microcosm of the God Family?” And, of course, you have the father, God. And you have the children, those that obey God. But I’ve always thought of Jesus Christ as the one we’re going to marry and had a little bit of a hard time expressing Jesus Christ as our Mother but yet it says, “We are hidden in Christ.” He nurtures us. He teaches us. He trains us as we’re going to see through the Scriptures. He calls us “His children.” And so I’ll be able to give that speech in a sermon today. Mr. Buchanan’s the one that gave me that topic. Thanks. Ha, ha ha.
Psalms 127.
Psalm 127:1. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in
vain who build it; unless the Lord
guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
So regardless of what we’re doing in our lives, if we do it just on a physical level not allowing God to have a hand in it, a part in it, a purpose in it, it’s done in vain. Solomon talked about his whole life as he looked back. And it was “Vanity of vanity.” It was just all for trying to accomplish physical things. And as he neared the end, what did he accomplish? He had lost his relationship with God at least for a period of time and it profited him nothing. So unless we put God at the center of our house, as we’re building a house, building a family on a physical level, it’s in vain. It doesn’t serve the purpose that God intended it to be.
Verse 2.
Psalm 127:2. It is vain for you to rise up early, to
sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for
so He gives to His beloved sleep.
That as we live physical life and we don’t do it with the purpose that’s set, it serves in the end when all things look back and remember, it was a waste of time.
Verse 3.
Psalm 127:3. Behold,
children are a heritage from the Lord,
A beautiful heritage, a blessing that God gives to humans that we can continue on. But the title of my message is Heritage Of The Lord. Every human is the heritage of the Lord. That’s His purpose. As He’s going to build His Family and keep creating on and on, God’s way will be taken on. We’ll become in His likeness, walk like Him, talk like Him, and be able to reflect Him to others until the next generation.
And certainly He told—if you remember back—Israel, when the instructions were given to Moses and the Lord had told Moses the commandments and the statutes and the judgments that they were to pass them on from generation to generation. And when we read about the Holy Days, it’s the Lord’s Holy Days and they’re to be taught from generation to generation. The Sabbath is to be kept on and on and on. It didn’t end with Christ. He didn’t do away with it as some would teach. It’s to continue on and we’re to teach our children. It’s the heritage of God that we pass on to the next generation.
That word “heritage” is 5159 in Strong’s. I’m not going to pronounce the word. It’s mukhalaw, but it means something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, an estate, an inheritance, a possession that God gives to us when He gives us a child. But in essence, it’s on loan for us to train them to look to God because they’re His children too. That we have a responsibility as parents to raise them directing them to God that He can then later add them to His Family. So children are a gift from God for each one of us to share in, to certainly look at pictures, and spend time together, and have meals together. That we reflect on all the things that happen in our life and what’s going to happen in the future through our children but it’s beautiful and it’s wonderful to think about those things. But we must allow God to build that house, to build that family, and to keep Him in the center of all decisions that we do. And He will bless it. He promises that here.
Let’s go—hold your place here—go back to Genesis 33. Genesis 33, we have the example there where Jacob is trying to make peace with Esau and basically fearing for his life. And this event that takes place in chapter 33 is right after Jacob had wrestled with the Lord all night long and had his hip displaced and he’s going to be given a new name, Israel, from that point on as God is beginning to build His nation, the apple of His eye. 33 verse 1.
Genesis 33:1. Now Jacob
lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four
hundred men. So he divided the children
among Leah [his first, his eldest wife that he had been married to the longest
by six months], Rachel, and the two maidservants. 2) And he put the maidservants and their
children in front, Leah and her children behind [them], and Rachel and Joseph
last.
Of course, we know Joseph was dearest to his heart so he wanted to protect him.
Genesis 33:3. Then he
crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he
came near to his brother. 4) But Esau
ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and
they wept.
And here Esau was after Jacob but God had done something in Esau’s heart that changed because God has a plan.
Verse 5.
Genesis 33:5. And he lifted
his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, “Who are these with you?” [And
Jacob] said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”
He saw that they didn’t just happen. They were for a purpose. They were a blessing from God. And every child that we have is a tremendous blessing from God. It’s a resource. It’s also gives us a chance to build character as we develop patience especially me as a father, one of my hardest to build attributes.
Turn over to chapter 48 and verse 16. Well, let’s start in verse 8. And this is the story of
Genesis 48:8. Then
Genesis 48 verse 9.
Genesis 48:9. And Joseph
said to his father, “They are my
sons, whom God has given me in this place.” And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I
will bless them.”
Middle of verse 11.
Genesis 48:11b. God has also
shown me your offspring!”
As God is working with
Genesis 48:12. So Joseph
brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the
earth. 13) And Joseph took them both,
Ephraim with his right hand toward
And, of course, the right hand would be the hand for the firstborn.
Genesis 48:14. Then
So it was done with intent with what the Lord had told him to do.
Genesis 48:15. And he
blessed Joseph, and said: “God, before
whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life
long to this day, 16) The Angel who has
redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; let my name be named upon them, and
the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in
the midst of the earth.” 17) Now when
Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it
displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from
Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18)
And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right
hand on his head.” 19) But his father
refused and said, “I know, my son, I know.
He also shall become a people [talking about Manasseh], and he also
shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his
descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” 20) So he blessed them that day, saying, “By
you
But because of
So let’s go back over to Psalm 127. So
Psalm 127:3. Behold,
children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is [His] reward.
As God views it, a child is a reward to the parents, an expression of their love, an expression of God’s love to the couple in marriage.
Psalm 127:4. Like arrows in
the hand of a warrior, so are the
children of one’s youth. 5) Happy is the man who has his quiver full of
them; they shall not be ashamed but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
And certainly our children represent who we are as parents as they go out and deal with people in the world. We teach them of God’s way and they represent us but they represent God to their friends when they refuse to do the things that other kids are doing. But truly it is a happy occasion—as we just celebrated Mother’s Day and the kids came and spoiled mom as they should—to have the family together and to enjoy a meal and to realize how much God has blessed us with beautiful children that we have with the heritage that we have. And to realize that with us allowing God to work in our lives that we’re directing them to Him for His heritage. And it is an honor as a parent to have, one that responsibility, but that privilege.
Chapter 128. Psalms 128.
Psalm 128:1. Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. 2) When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
3) Your wife shall be like a
fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants
all around your table.
As you begin to see God’s way work within a family. Not always peace but in a general sense we enjoy peace in God’s Church within families because we teach our children God’s ways and because we walk in fear of the Lord realizing that we made a commitment and that God is working in our lives.
Go to Proverbs 22.
Family is very dear to God as we can clearly see through the
pages of the Bible. That the reason He
created mankind is God is creating a Family and He loves even in a greater
level than we do. He anticipates that
time that we’ll be gathered round His table talking about events, laughing,
even more so than those of us that have children, grandchildren, great
grandchildren. It’s amazing to think
about the emotions that God and Christ have and the patience They have to
display in working with us.
Proverbs 22 and verse 6, it says here
Proverbs 22:6. Train up a
child in the way he should go, and [even] when he is old he will not depart
from it.
Now the Proverbs are full of just quick hit statements. The wisdom God gave Solomon that are facts. That we can read them and know that with God’s blessing, fearing God, if we train up a child, he’ll walk in it even when he’s older. He may stumble along the way. He may stumble for a couple of years but in that training he’s going to come back to God. I firmly believe that because the Scripture says it. That he’s going to hold on to what we’ve taught them. God teaches us and looks at us as His children, Him the Father, Jesus Christ is our Mother and They are training us. And in particular, Christ is training us. He tells us, “to imitate Me,” as—we’re going to read later—He imitated His Father. And that we are to be like those children trained that we continue when we’re older to walk in that way as we see the parallel of the human family and God’s Family.
And it’s really remarkable. A tremendous responsibility that I have as a father, that all of us have as parents but also a responsibility that we have to God as His children to continue to allow Him to train us because it’s easy after we’ve been in a few years, thirty, forty, you feel like you don’t need to learn anything more. And that gets dangerous. We’ll read a Proverb about that. That we have to constantly be learning, constantly be training and to know we’re constantly going to be disciplined when we step out of line.
Christ said in Luke 6:40
Luke 6:40. “A disciple [or a
child] is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be
like his teacher.
But that’s our ultimate goal. We want to train our children, hopefully, to
walk like we walk and our walk be like Christ’s walk as we try to continue on
His heritage of truth in our children.
But ultimately we have got to allow ourselves to be taught. We have to be disciplined. And we know that as we study the Bible, He
established it with
Go over to 2 Timothy chapter 1. We’ll look at an example of a young man that allowed himself to be trained and because of that God through Paul was able to use Timothy. 2 Timothy verse 1, it stays with the theme of the heritage that we’re talking about here that would pass on. 2 Timothy first chapter and verse 2.
2 Timothy 1:1. To Timothy,
[my] beloved son [as Paul is talking here]:
Grace, mercy, and peace from
God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Verse 5, he’s admonishing Timothy on his faith and here he admonishes him on his heritage too.
2 Timothy 1:5. When I call
to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your
grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
That here Timothy had allowed himself and thankfully he had a grandmother and a mother that were teaching him. Lois passed it on to Eunice and Eunice passed it on to Timothy and Timothy is able to serve God because of being trained in the way of God, being taught to obey God, being allowed yourself to be used in service.
Paul said in Ephesians 6:4
Ephesians 6:4. And you,
fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the
training and admonition of the Lord.
And again, when you first have your first child, I read the Proverbs I promise when I was a teenager but somehow it overwhelms you to realize the responsibility that you’ve taken on, that God has given you this gift and now He expects the fathers and the mothers to teach them, to bring them up to a fear and love and respect them but He also expects us as children to follow and obey Him and to be trained.
Proverbs 19, let’s flip back over there. Proverbs 19 and verse 27.
I feel this is an important subject to address because we live in a time in a society that the children basically rule in this country. And Malachi talked about even that that they would stomp their feet down and they set the law. They set what they do. And part of that is because of the training as parents have received that you shouldn’t spank. You shouldn’t correct. You shouldn’t tell little Andrew, “No,” because it limits his potential. It holds him down as an individual but yet the wisest Being in the universe says that every human needs correction, needs discipline, needs guidance. That that little child, not giving direction, that’s so sweet, smells so nice. Their skin’s so soft. That depends so much on mom and dad when they’re little can grow up without the proper training to be a brat, to throw theirselves down in the grocery store on the floor and throw a fit for all to see which embarrasses mom. And we’ll read a proverb about that. But they begin to desecrate their body. Do things that they know that they shouldn’t be doing, even common sense. But we as parents need to keep reminding them because after all how often does God have to keep reminding us of things that we slip back into patterns and we have to be corrected?
Proverbs 19 and verse 27, it’s a warning here to children, to each one of us.
Proverbs 19:27. Cease
listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
And that’s a fact. If we quit teaching our children or they flip the switch and decide, “I don’t need mom and dad anymore,” it’s going to cause problems in their life. Also if we begin to no longer listen to instruction by reading the Bible and allowing Christ and God to talk to us, to teach us, to instruct us, the next thing you know knowledge is forced out and the world’s way comes right back in. It’s natural. It happens and this proverb is proof of it.
20 verse 7.
Proverbs 20:7. The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.
You can see the fruit of parents that have diligently, first of all allowed God to build their house, key point that each one of us need to remember. And you can tell the parents have done a good job by looking at the kids and for the most part that’s true in the Church that they’re a reflection of dad and of mom. But think about that on a spiritual level. Are we a reflection of Jesus Christ? Of God? What type of reflection are we? God walks in His integrity. But do we reflect the way God is, the way His truth, His faith, His character in the way we live our lives? Again, we’re His children.
So those that are young kids, you might want to put your hands over your ears because we’re going to read some of those Scriptures that man I used to squirm when a kid and the minister would get up and start reading the Proverbs about correction because I didn’t think my dad needed any help in telling him to spank me. And I knew he loved me but wow. Let’s look at a couple of them though. But please as we go through these realize we can read it on a physical level and it certain does apply. It’s given to Solomon for the training of our children. But for you kids that do want to continue listening here, we as parents get spanked. Don’t we? God corrects us. And it hurts sometimes.
Proverbs 19 and verse 18.
Proverbs 19:18. Chasten your
son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction.
So before he becomes to the point where he puts his foot down and says, “No, you’re not telling me anymore,” you need to correct him. Pull the reins back. “I set the boundary. I’m the parent.” That’s what God does to us. Don’t let him go so far that he destroys himself. And always do it in love so he knows that you’re doing it for his good as a parent, as one that loves, that wants to put that fence around to guard him from any danger. That you’ve lived and learned, studied and learned, been corrected by God and learned, and now are passing it on to your children.
13 and verse 24 of Proverbs. And here we go, kids.
Proverbs 13:24. He who
spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.
And I will have to say the hardest thing is for dad to say, “When we get home from Church, I’m going to give you the swats.” It’s like, “No, Dad. Just take me out in the bathroom and let me have it.” So it’s good to do it as promptly as possible. Don’t torture the poor kid. And I guess we’re supposed to ask God because we’re applying this on a spiritual level. “Whenever I step out of line, snap my shorts. Let me have it right away in your godly love.” But if we spare the rod, we try to reason with our kids, talk to them as adults when they’re seven or eight, we hate our children. And that’s a terrible thing to say. That blessing from God that we think we’re going to do it a better way than God says to do it. It won’t work.
20 verse 30.
Proverbs 20:30. Blows that
hurt cleanse away evil, as do stripes
the inner depths of the heart.
And I know my dad and I remember Jeff talking about how his dad used the switch. I’m sure Steve got some stripes. But it does get our attention. It does help us toe the line for a while. There’s a lot of energy in a kid. A lot of energy in us. And a lot of pull to do it the way other people do it instead of the way the parents, the way God intends for us to do it. But those blows help cleanse away the evil. They’re necessary. Necessary for God to give us blows now and then to straighten us, to make us to get down on our knees and cry before Him and allow Him to comfort us with His Spirit knowing that what He has done He has shown His love to us. That He’s caring for us.
22 and verse 15, boy, is this ever true!
Proverbs 22:15. Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
[but] the rod of correction will drive it far from him.
If it’s practiced continually because some of us there’s a lot of mischief. And thankfully we had parents who loved us enough that made us pull the reins in. And even deacons at times at Church helped pull the reins in as they grabbed us by the nap of the neck and set us on the right course. But parents need help. And it’s good that others are willing to set a good example and help us keep our children on a right path.
29 verse 15.
Proverbs 29:15. The rod and
reproof give wisdom, but a child left to
himself brings shame to his mother.
And we’ve seen this happen so many times that you feel sorry for the parent at least to the point that the kid is down on the floor making a scene.
Verse 17.
Proverbs 29:17. Correct your
son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give [you] delight to your soul.
To be able to look at your children and you have to say for the most part, “Man, I did it God’s way and I have to say ‘I have been blessed to have good children.’ That God’s way works.” No one’s perfect. I’m certainly not but then I don’t need to tell you that. You already know it. But at the same time God does bless us if we put these into practice. And He blesses us as His children as He shows His love to us.
Proverbs 3 and verse 11, God’s training His heritage right now. Christ and God are teaching us, those who are going to be soon born into His Kingdom of the Spiritual Family. He’s training us. He’s looking forward to that time like Jeff and I are to the time we hold our little grandchild. 3 and verse 11.
Proverbs 3:11. My son, do
not despise the chastening of the Lord,
nor detest His correction; 12) For whom
the Lord loves He corrects, just
as a father the son in whom he
delights.
Again, we’re made in His image and He teaches us how to train our children. And God certainly loves each one us enough that He sent His only begotten Son to lay down His life for us to bring us back to His bosom, to fear and obey Him.
Verse 1.
Proverbs 3:1. My son, do not
forget my law, but let your heart keep my [commandments]; 2) For length of days and long life and peace
they will add to you.
As we show honor to God just like the commandment says when our children show honor to mother and father, their days are extended and given peace. That’s a beautiful analogy. That God has built the human family that constantly reminds us of what’s going on in the spiritual Family.
And that Jesus Christ loves—actually I don’t have time to go
there but Isaiah 49 talks about the depth of love that Christ has for the
nation of
Let’s go to Hebrews 12 and verse 5. Think about the many ways that God has corrected you in your life. As I was preparing this, and I’m not going to share any of them with you because that’s personal, but He’s corrected me. Pride and different things that an individual battles with. We’ll read this in verse 5 and actually The Authorized translation says it better. It says verse 5
Hebrews 12:5. Have you
forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons?
As he’s asking this question.
Hebrews 12:5b. “My son, do
not despise the chastening of the Lord,
nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6) For whom the Lord loves
He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”
So this is His proof to us that He’s dealing with us. If you’ve never been corrected, you have to start scratching your head, “Well, what’s wrong?” Because it says right here, “I love you and I will correct you.” And obviously, our path’s been corrected or we’d still be going the way of the world. Maybe even the way of some that decided to go back to the world and no longer view the Sabbath or the Holy Days or Pentecost as even important or tracking these fifty days as being important. God loves us and He correct us and He keeps us fenced in in that straight and narrow path so we can reach our potential as sons of God.
Verse 7.
Hebrews 12:7. If you endure
chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what sons is there whom a
father does not chasten?
And I missed the parallel Scriptures to verse 6. I’m going to quote them for you. Psalms 94:12, this is for verse 6 that God shows His love by His correcting us.
Psalm 94:12. Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law,
And Revelation
Revelation 3:19. “As many as
I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore
be zealous and repent.
“Turn and come back to Me. I love you. Hugs and kisses.” If you want to put it in a term that a mother and a father would do with a child because God loves even deeper than we love and He comforts with His Spirit.
Verse 8.
Hebrews 12:8. But if you are
without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are
illegitimate and not sons. 9) [Brethren,
where] we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them
respect. Shall we not much more readily
be [subject] to the Father of spirits and live?
That God’s doing this on our spiritual level. He’s bringing us into His spiritual Family that we should show Him that honor and respect when He shows us we’ve made a mistake. And I’m sure we do. And we’re glad that He shows us, corrects us.
Verse 10.
Hebrews 12:10. For they
indeed for a few days [talking about the fathers, human fathers] chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our
profit, that we may be partakers in
His holiness. 11) Now no chastening
seems to be joyful for the present, but [grievous]; [but] nevertheless,
afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been
trained by it.
And we train our children and a home becomes peaceful when
all are pulling a cart in the same direction.
We, as Christians, we are trained by when God corrects us, by when we
study the Scripture, by whomever’s up front and He inspires to give a message,
by an individual that is talking to you and expounding on a Scripture that kind
of hits that spot that you know you’ve got problems with. And He corrects us and trains us that we need
to get back on course so we can reach our potential as His sons, as His
children in the
Go now to Ephesians 5.
Now obviously my children are Donna and my DNA. And it goes back even further than that as it’s been passed on from generation to generation. Brethren, we are God’s DNA. As we heard earlier, spirit is put in us. Impregnated, if you will, as Mr. McCrady used to expound on and embarrass the daylights out of all of us but I won’t go into detail but we become that new man. A man that begins to want to and try to think like and act like Jesus Christ. That’s our goal. And Christ as our Mother continues to bring us in, nurture us, correct us, and steer us to God that we act and imitate and start taking on the mind of Christ.
Ephesians 5 and verse 8.
Ephesians 5:8. For you were
once darkness, but now you are light
in the Lord. Walk as children of
light 9) (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and
truth), 10) [Proving] what is acceptable
to the Lord.
And we, as children, are to study and to prove all things. Romans 12:2 says we are “to prove what’s acceptable to the perfect will of God,” as we study and try to fit our spot into that Family of God and grow in it. And certainly our children prove themselves by testing mom and dad to see if the rules can be compromised. “Can I watch movies that you wouldn’t let me watch before?” And I appreciate it but Andrew has been appealing a video game that his friends think that he ought to be able to play and think his dad’s strict but they pull people out and shoot them and then steal their car and drive around. I can’t even remember the name of the game. But he says, “I wouldn’t do that.” But the old man’s pretty strict and it’s a rule that’s not going to be compromised. God doesn’t compromise on the rules that are set for our good and we can be thankful for that. But as our children prove, “How much leeway do I have here?” the tendency is we as Christians look for the gray area. And God brings us back to center. Thankfully!
Chapter 5 verse 1.
Ephesians 5:1. Therefore be
[followers] of God as dear children. 2)
And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, [as] an
offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
The price was paid and now we are in Christ and He’s nurturing, teaching us but we need to view ourselves as children and realize that we have more correction due our way when we step out of line. We’re to fear God and to realize what He says He means and to realize it’s for our good and how much He loves us. Just like we want our children to know how much we love them as we become that parent that’s strict.
James
James 1:18. Of His own will
He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of
firstfruits of His [creation].
That Jesus Christ being the First of that firstfruit but we are something special that God’s working with now, His blessed children, His heritage. We need to view it that way. To realize how important we are to God not in a vain puffed up way, but that God and Christ love us. They put a lot of time and effort in teaching us and They expect us now as we grow to walk the walk. Walk in light. To honor Them by the way we live our lives. An obedient child honors his parents.
Let’s go over to Romans 8. We were there earlier. One of my favorite chapters! The more we obey God just like the more our children obey us, they begin to act like and when God talks about a man a woman becoming one, that our children begin to act like we do. A standard that hopefully we are living that is right and our children begin to act that way. They feel comfortable in that. And that’s our goal to feel comfortable in our spiritual relationship with Christ and with God. Romans 8 and verse 14.
Romans 8:14. For as many as
are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
This is how God views it. Once He gives you His Spirit, He has now brought you into His Family. He’s still waiting for you to be born fully that He can hug you and talk to you. But yet He does talk to you through the Spirit. It works with our spirit.
Romans 8:15. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage
again to fear, but you received the Spirit of [sonship]
That we are adopted into His Family and He loves us as His own. He loves us as He does His Son Christ.
Romans 8:15b. by whom we cry
out, “[Daddy], Father.”
When we hurt. I can
remember about a month or two ago, a month, month and a half ago, Kelton and Jordan
played. And Kelton came over to give
So let’s look at what Christ has to say about children. Mark 10. How precious they are! How precious they are to us as adults and parents! But how there’s attributes about a child that we have to have as Christians or else we won’t be in the Kingdom. Mark 10 and verse 13.
Mark
“Keep those kids away. They’re to be seen, not heard.” Heard that many a time.
Mark
That we got to have the innocence. A child doesn’t hold grudges. If they get into a spat, they get hurt and right back at it after a couple of minutes being resolved. They always look to mom and dad for nurturing, for care, for safety, for comforting. That’s how we need to be. Not puffed up thinking we can take care of ourselves but depending on Christ and God to nurture us and guide us along the way.
So I’ve got a couple of things I’d like to read to you that children can’t be. You ought to really appreciate this how children view things. It’s simple to them. They think like a child.
Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree.
Noah’s wife was Joan of Arc. And Noah built an ark and the animals came on in pears.
That’s how they think. They need corrected a lot but they’re innocent.
Sampson was a strong man who let himself be led astray by a Jezebel like Delilah.
We get confused at times.
Moses led the Jews to the
And you definite can hear the kids explain it that way because I’ve been through it myself.
The first commandment was when Eve told Adam to eat the apple.
Moses died before he reached
The greatest miracle in the Bible was when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him.
Solomon, one of David’s sons, had three hundred wives and seven hundred porcupines.
Well then they asked children just simple questions.
How does dew form?
See you think like a child.
Well, the sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.
Simple.
What causes the tides in the ocean?
The tides are in a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends to flow toward the moon because there is no water on the moon and nature hates a vacuum. I forgot where the sun joins in the fight.
As they try to put things together. But Jeff mentioned earlier, we see through that mirror dimly. It’s ironic that some might view that we understand at all. And we don’t. We’re children. We’re being taught. There’s more to learn. There’s more correction on the way. But can we take it and have a simple way of viewing things? And when mom and dad tell a child, explain something to them, the light bulb comes on and they get it. But they’re sweet. They’re innocent.
We got steroids going on.
What are steroids?
Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.
And that goes on and on and on. I don’t know how far to go with it.
Don’t pick on your sister when she’s holding a baseball bat.
That’s like a proverb.
When you get a bad grade in school, show it to mom when she’s on the phone.
Should have tried that one.
Never try to baptize a cat.
Now I did when my mom and dad were killing chickens and dunking them in the hot water and pulling the feathers off. I threw my cat in the hot water and got in some serious trouble.
But we need to be like a small child, teachable. All kinds of bundled up energy that needs pulled back and given guidance but always wanting to learn, curious. “Why, Dad? How come I can’t do that?” And not just be abrupt and say, “No.” To try to explain it to them to the level that they can understand; simple, which at times when you’re trying to teach your child the Bible—and that’s why I very much appreciate Aunt Kathy that she can break it down and teach them on their level. That’s hard to do. And I remember many a sermon as a little kid sitting in church thinking, “What? I know he’s a minister and I should be getting something out of it.” But it was just “Whew,” over my head. So it’s good that we can break things down on their level. And God breaks it down as we study and ask Him, “Why, God? Explain it to me.” That He in His love does. He will reveal it to you little by little so it doesn’t overwhelm you.
But innocent like a little child as Christ picked them up and said we need to be like them. Eager, looking forward to the time that we’re there with Christ and with God, excited. To take a kid somewhere, how many times do we hear, “Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” That’s how we need to be and for the most part we are. We’re looking forward to that. I know.
2 Timothy 3.
We had in our past, unfortunately, those that thought they were brighter than the rest of the children that God was working with and they wanted to show their tremendous wisdom. They wanted to show that they could explain who God is. To complicate something that’s simple. And I had to set through—thankfully, most of you didn’t—tapes from Mr. Feazell and Stavrinides on trying to explain who this Being is so we could better worship Him. And they chased their tail and when they’d take a break they couldn’t even recap. They’d just say, “Well, you know what I said,” and go on. So, finally we told the minister we wouldn’t listen to it anymore.
But we see here in 2 Timothy 3 and verse 13
2 Timothy 3:13. [That] evil
men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
We’ve seen it happen. But the little children, the ones that recognize Christ’s voice,
2 Timothy 3:14. But [as far
as for] you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured
of, knowing from whom you have learned them.
From Mom, from Dad. They made sense. They were simple. They were pure, just, and right.
2 Timothy 3:15. And that
from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you
wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
That we know.
2 Timothy 3:16b. and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
And it guides us. It corrects us when we step out of line. It instructs us down the path when others might try to throw obstacles in the way. Keep listening to Christ, to God, the simple, the straight and narrow. Remember what you were trained.
2 Timothy 3:17. That [a] man
of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
That we are going to be brought to completion on that time that Christ raises us to that new body and we’re presented before our Father, God. God is. Who is He? God’s our Father. That’s what the Bible says. I believe it and you believe it. And the way that we hallow His name is by the way we honor Him by obeying Him. That we are His children, precious children!
Let’s go to Proverbs 23.
When you’re going through a rough time in your life and you’re down, please take a few moments to think about how precious your life is and the work is that God and Christ are doing in your life. Think about your potential as called children of God.
Proverbs 23 and verse 24.
Proverbs 23:24. The father
of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will delight in him. 25) Let your father and your mother be glad,
and let her who bore you rejoice. 26) My
son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
As God pleads with each one of His little children, you and I. Give our heart, all our effort, our attention. Allow God and Christ to build that house in our lives, in our families, in our children that He will have that heritage that He so much desired that He was willing to give up His Son and to see what His Son had to go through for His love for mankind.
John 5. Here Jesus Christ is in a struggle with the Jews. He’s doing good deeds on the Sabbath and the Jews, “Well, the Sabbath is too important. You can’t,” you got to keep it their way because after all they had invented a more righteous way, a holy way of keeping it than the One that is the Originator of the Sabbath, Jesus Christ. So verse 17.
John 5:17. But Jesus
answered them,
They were accusing Him, seeking to kill Him. Verse 17.
John 5:17b. answered them,
“My Father has been working [always], and I have been working.” 18) Therefore the Jews sought all the more to
kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His
Father, making Himself equal with God.
19) Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you,
the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever
He does, the Son also does in like manner.
Hmm. Second greatest Being on earth mimics His Father. God’s the designer. He obeys what His Father said. And then we obey Jesus Christ.
John 5:20. “For the Father
loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show
Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21) “For as the Father raises the dead and
gives life to them, even so the Son
gives life to whom He will.
And He’s given it to us.
John 5:22. “For the Father
judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23) “That all should honor the Son just as
they honor the Father. He who does not
honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
And so we honor God our Father and we honor Jesus Christ our Savior, the Son of God, our Mother, the one who nurtures us, care for us, teaches us.
Ephesians 3:14.
Remember the statement that Christ made to the disciples and they were talking about the harvest being in months, four months. He said, “No, the harvest is ready. It’s white and it’s ready to be harvested. There are those ready to be harvested.” And Christ is trying to prepare frantically you and I to complete the firstfruit harvest. Let’s help Him. Let’s obey Him. Let’s honor God.
Ephesians 3 and verse 14.
Ephesians 3:14. For this
reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15) From whom the whole family in heaven and
earth is named, 16) That He would grant
you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through
His Spirit in the inner man, 17) That
Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and
grounded in love, 18) May be able to
comprehend with all the saints what is
the width and length and depth and height—
About what it’s going to be like as we try to imagine the
Ephesians 3:20. Now to Him
who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works in us,
21) To Him be glory in the
church by Christ Jesus [throughout all the ages, world without end].
As we honor Christ in this walk, as we obey Him.
1 Peter 1 and verse 13.
I’m going to quote Matthew 18:1-5. I’m just going to quote a couple of verses in there. You can look at it later. But the synopsis of what He says
Matthew 18:3b. “Assuredly, I
say to you,
This is Christ speaking.
Matthew 18:3 continued.
unless you are converted and become as [a little child],
And we read a parallel Scripture to that.
Matthew 18:3 continued. you
will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
4) “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the
greatest
They argued, “Which one of us is more important? Which one of us is great?” And Christ said, “Be like a little child. Just obey Me. Honor Me. And God will make you great.” And that’s what we are doing here with our lives, trying to, as our children try to obey us and please mom and dad, we are seeking to please our Father and our Mother.
1 Peter 1 verse 13.
1 Peter 1:13. Therefore gird
up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ; 14) As
obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15) But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. 16) Because it is written, “Be holy, for I am
holy.” 17) And if you call on the
Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct
yourselves throughout the time of your [sojourn on this earth]
That God expects us to be holy. He demands that we be holy and that we honor
Him and we obey Him. That we set the
example to the children, the next generation.
That each one of us are the Lord’s
heritage, His possession, His heirloom.
And He and His Son, Jesus Christ, are bringing us to Their Family. What a beautiful, wonderful time it is that
we have a part and a knowledge and that we know that we’re being trained for
royalty, royalty in the Family of God!
And we, then, will teach other children as we have been taught by
Christ, helping Christ teach them, training them to walk in those boundaries in
the areas that God says, “You stay here,” for their wellbeing because at that
time, we’re going to love even more than a father or a grandfather or a
grandmother. We’re going to love like
God loves, like Christ loves. What a
special privilege it is! Brethren, we
are the heritage of the Lord.
Transcribed by kb