The Gospel According to Matthew
Matthew 19:13-15
INTRODUCTION: Merry Christmas! Wow it is here. I am so excited for Christmas this year. All our children are coming home and my husband has a big birthday. I have been planning, getting things ready, and dreaming. Dreaming of having all 5 of my kids home again. What a day that will be. What a wonderful season to have my house full of kids, love, laughter, yummy food, music, etc.
We celebrate this season because our heavenly father wanted His kids to come home. He sent His son to make it possible and now all of heaven is preparing, and planning and looking forward to the day that heaven is filled with His kids again. When it is full of laughter, love, yummy food and music!
When Jesus was here on earth, he needed us to see His father. He wanted for all of us to better understand who he was. To get it straight. This lesson is all about better understanding who our heavenly father is. It is my prayer that at the end of this lesson we better know Him.
Question of the day: What are you most looking forward this Christmas?
READ: Matthew 19: 13-15
The Little Children and Jesus
13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.
14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
If you are wondering, "Didn't we already read this story?" Yep we did, but it was a different time and place. Once again the disciples seem to have already forgotten that Jesus doesn't want the children turned away. They have already forgotten how he said unless they are willing to become like them, they will not be in the kingdom.
How many times have you learned something, you know God has made something very clear to you and then, the next thing you know you are right back where you started? Has that ever happened to you?
In this story we have several players.
1. Jesus, healer, redeemer, teacher.
2. Disciples, gate keepers, time keepers, students
3. Those who brought the children to be prayed for and touched by Jesus. (Mothers, Fathers, etc.)
4. The children
There is something for us to learn from all 4 players.
JESUS
What do we learn from Jesus?
How important are the children?
In Desire of Ages, Mrs. White writes, "upon them with unutterable longing. His heart is drawn out, not only to the best-behaved children, but to those who have by inheritance objectionable traits of character. Many parents do not understand how much they are responsible for these traits in their children. They have not the tenderness and wisdom to deal with the erring ones whom they have made what they are. But Jesus looks upon these children with pity. He traces from cause to effect.
The Christian worker may be Christ's agent in drawing these children to the Saviour. By wisdom and tact he may bind them to his heart, he may give them courage and hope, and through the grace of Christ may see them transformed in character, so that of them it may be said, "Of such is the kingdom of God."
What does Jesus say in this passage to the mothers and fathers who are bringing their children?
What can we do or what can you do to affirm parents?
How can we as a church make sure that parents who are bringing their children to Jesus are affirmed.
THOSE WHO BROUGHT THE CHILDREN
I'm telling you when our children were young and Chris and I were trying to keep them alive, there were times when we didn't do a great job making sure they were brought to Jesus.
Are you bringing your children to Jesus?
How can you do that?
List 5 ways you can "bring them to Jesus".
1._______________________________
2._______________________________
3._______________________________
4._______________________________
5._______________________________
No matter the depth of the struggles we face as parents, Jesus wants us to come to Him, and bring them to Him, and He will bless them. He will hear your cry.
In Desire of Ages Ellen White writes, "Let mothers come to Jesus with their perplexities. They will find grace sufficient to aid them in the management of their children. The gates are open for every mother who would lay her burdens at the Saviour's feet. He who said, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not," still invites the mothers to lead up their little ones to be blessed by Him. Even the babe in its mother's arms may dwell as under the shadow of the Almighty through the faith of the praying mother. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth. If we will live in communion with God, we too may expect the divine Spirit to mold our little ones, even from their earliest moments."
THE DISCIPLES
In desire of Ages Ellen White writes, "When Jesus told the disciples not to forbid the children to come to Him, He was speaking to His followers in all ages,--to officers of the church, to ministers, helpers, and all Christians. Jesus is drawing the children, and He bids us, Suffer them to come; as if He would say, They will come if you do not hinder them."
What are some ways that we may keep children from coming to Jesus?
Ellen also writes, "Let not your un-Christlike character misrepresent Jesus. Do not keep the little ones away from Him by your coldness and harshness. Never give them cause to feel that heaven will not be a pleasant place to them if you are there. Do not speak of religion as something that children cannot understand, or act as if they were not expected to accept Christ in their childhood. Do not give them the false impression that the religion of Christ is a religion of gloom, and that in coming to the Saviour they must give up all that makes life joyful."
THE CHILDREN
I realize that here the children seem to be just by standers. They were the ones brought to Jesus, but we don't pay much attention to them. We tend to think about what the disciples did and didn't do, and what Jesus said and did, but the children, what about them? Is there anything we can learn from them.
In desire of ages, we read, "In the children who were brought in contact with Him, Jesus saw the men and women who should be heirs of His grace and subjects of His kingdom, and some of whom would become martyrs for His sake.
He knew that these children would listen to Him and accept Him as their Redeemer far more readily than would grown-up people, many of whom were the worldly-wise and hardhearted. In His teaching He came down to their level. He, the Majesty of heaven, did not disdain to answer their questions, and simplify His important lessons to meet their childish understanding. He planted in their minds the seeds of truth, which in after years would spring up, and bear fruit unto eternal life."
When we think about becoming like little children, how the children will inherit the earth, how Jesus says to let the little ones come unto me.... I always think how sweet and innocent children are. How accepting they are etc.
What are some of the childish traits we should be trying to recapture?
Yet as we read here in Desire of Ages, these children being brought to Jesus were human children. I am sure some of them were having temper tantrums, others were dirty, still others rebellious and hard headed.
Just as Jesus answered their questions, planted the seed of truth, and made truths something they could understand, He will do the same for you!
How do you think the children came to Jesus?
Have you ever gone somewhere with your children, and done you best to get them cleaned up, and asked them to be on their best behavior only to have them tell the very ones you are trying to impress exactly what you told them?
I remember telling my child once to not talk about something with someone and we walked in the room and Sarah, just told them that I had told her not to talk about...XYZ. Brutal honesty. I was so upset. Mad because she had disobeyed, but also embarrassed because I knew better. She was very young, and it was more about transparency then disobedience. She was at that age where she only said what was on her mind and what was truth.
How does Jesus want us, even us old people to come to him?
I always think of the children coming and sitting on his lap and talking with him. In this passage it talks about him laying his hands on them. Praying for the children. Weather it is Jesus touching you, laying hands on you and praying for you, or weather it is you sitting on His lap, what would that experience be like for you?
If you were to go and sit on Jesus' lap, what would you say?
If you were to go and sit on Jesus' lap, what would He say to you?
I don't know about you but I need to hear Jesus say he forgives me. I need to hear Him tell me he loves me. I need to understand things that I struggle with. I would love to have him make the complicated issues simple so that I can wrap my head around them. I need to sit on His lap and soak up the acceptance in his eyes. I need to sit on His lap and understand that He created me this way! I need some lap time!!!!
In this passage, what do we learn about our Father in heaven, and Jesus His son?
He wants us to come to Him.
Come with child like hunger for knowledge.
Come with brutal honesty.
Concerned for your children, small or grown? Bring them to Jesus. Pray for them, He yearns to have them with Him more than you love them!
He has time for the least.
He has time, love, and acceptance for even YOU!
Who am I? I am a child of God, who needs to sit on the lap of Jesus. I am a parent who needs to still bring my children to Jesus! In our time together over this holiday, am I bringing them to Him? I am a parent who needs to remember to pray pray pray for my children everyday! I am a disciple who needs to remember the work of the church, the school schedule or work pressures are NEVER more important than taking time to bring children to Christ. I am someone who will never have the wisdom needed unless I sit on the lap of Jesus.
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