The Greatest Gift Child dedication Service Sometimes I just can't understand the way God works. Imagine if you will, a world in trouble, with a fatal disease. And he sends a baby. A tiny, crying, helpless, human baby. Perhaps we would have sent a powerful general to defeat sin. But God sent a baby. Or perhaps we would have chosen a high powered lawyer, with skills of oratory to persuade humanity to choose to change. But God sent an infant. Or perhaps we would have offered an aged wise philosopher to show by logic the existence of God and a better way. But God sent a nursling, dependent on his mother for life. We might have sent a politician to make laws to right the wrongs of society and bring about justice. But God sent a newborn to rescue the world from destruction. We might have sent a great evangelist to teach truth expose error. Yet God chose to send His only begotten son, in the form of helpless humanity, to eternally right the wrongs that plague this world. And in that little body, dependent upon his human mother for nourishment, and his human father for protection, God gave the greatest gift that He could give. The Apostle John confirms this when he writes John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." Paul confirms this in Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) We celebrate that mind-boggling event each year in what we call the Christmas Season, and tend not to think too much of it outside of that. Yet a much more powerful reminder of Christ's birth is around us every day. That reminder is reflected in the words of the first mother when her first child was born when she said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD." Today, we are showing our thanks for the gift of our children. A gift that reflects the greatest gift that has been given to this world. What should this gift mean to us? One thing that we can learn from these gifts that are given to us is this: Children show us that God hasn't given up on the world. Each time a child is born, some of God's creativity is displayed, some of his love shown. Each child reminds us of the coming of the Christ Child and like Hannah 1 Samuel 1:20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel (Heard of God), saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD. It was the coming of a child that began the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. It was the coming of a child that fulfilled the promise of a faithful nation that was made to Abraham. It was the coming of a child that signaled the coming deliverance of Israel from the Philistines. And it was the coming of a Child that sealed our salvation for eternity. Contrary to what much of the world thinks today, God declares that children are a blessing. Ps 127:3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. 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. 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. 4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the LORD. The destruction of the unborn physically, as well as the moral attacks that assault a child from birth, are all Satan's ways of trying to deface the image of God in mankind. From before birth, the attack goes on, trying to affect the child through things that the mother ingests, to stressful lifestyles that affect the unborn. It only intensifies at birth. Physical and sexual abuse warp lives, and make it difficult for children to represent the gift of God to the world. And I believe possibly the biggest sin of our society today is the forced and coerced maturing of children before they are ready. Innocence is taken at such an early age so often today, is it any wonder that we have the sick society that we see around us. So we should treat our children as gifts, not burdens. I believe that they represent just that to Jesus. Because, the way I read my Bible, Jesus had a soft spot for children and they for Him. Matthew 18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. 6 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! 8 "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9 "And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. 10 "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. 15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. Mark 9:36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me." I would say that Jesus was protective of children. And he offers us an example that we would do well to follow. Children can teach us about relationships. At least the way God would have it. Most children are much better at relationships than adults. They instinctively follow Matthew 18 where Jesus teaches about how we should deal with each other. You have heard them. A child may have anger, but they are usually up front and honest. When they play they will tell each other just exactly how they feel, but they usually keep playing together. Luke 18:16 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. Another thing that we can learn from our children is trust. A child raised in a loving family trusts. When my parents were living in Iran, we adopted a baby girl. She had been abandoned on the streets and just about died, but once we got past that she thrived. At the house where we lived was a pool where we could splash around. There was a ledge around the pool that was only about 5 inches under water. Tammi would walk around that edge, and when she got close to someone she would just jump in trusting that someone would catch her. And I guess we always did. The older you get, the harder it is to trust. We recognize the weakness of our own efforts, and know the failings of others. And we tend to carry that attitude over towards our heavenly Father. We try to second guess Him, and depend on what we can do to make it. But God wants us to throw ourselves on Him, trusting Him for our survival. He knows, and we need to learn, that everything connected with our eternal survival is up to Him, and He can handle it. The Bible uses the illustration of us being God's children to help us understand his desires for us. Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Ps 103:13 As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. Being God's child has some wonderful advantages. I Cor 14:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. So how does the Bible say that we adults should relate to children? Should encourage and build up, not destroy. Eph 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. I cringe when I hear some of the things that people say to their children. I am totally ashamed when I think of some of the things I said to my kids. Remember what Jesus said in Matt 28:8 "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9 "And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. And this is in the direct context of dealing with children. Then we should teach them of God and His word. This is done more by example than words. But teaching is appropriate also. Psalm 78:1 Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, 3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. 5 For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; 6 That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children, 7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments; What a different nation this would be if we were concerned less with God's law in the halls of the courts, and more concerned with His laws being written in the hearts of our children. And their children, and their children. We need to influence our children for the Lord. If we won't try to teach them: The ads will! The press will! The movies will! The neighbors will! The forces of sin will! The politicians will! We use our influence over flowers, vegetables, cattle, etc. How much sense does it make to ignore our own children? As Jesus did, we need to let our children have part in the services of the church. Matthew 21:15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, 16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? I can imagine in my heart, that there is nothing that Satan hates more than an innocent child of God singing praises to God's name. And finally, let your kids teach you how to be a kid again. In the adult world we get to moving so fast that we stop living. Let them teach you to marvel at the world that God gave us. There is a story about a father who became disturbed about the length of time his six year old son was taking to get home from school. The father decided he would make the trip to discover for himself how long it should take a small boy to cover the distance. The father settled on 20 minutes but his son was still taking an hour. Finally the father decided to make the trip with his son. After the trip, the man said, "The 20 minutes I thought reasonable was right, but I failed to consider such important things as a side trip to track down a trail of ants -- or an educational stop to watch a man fix a flat -- or the time it took to swing around a half dozen telephone poles -- or how much time it took for a boy just to get acquainted with two stray dogs and a brown cat. "In short," said the father, "I had forgotten what it is really like to be six years old." Let the children teach us how to be 6 years old again. God has given us the greatest gift. And that gift is reflected in all that is lovely and good in our children. What are we going to do with our heritage? I took a piece of plastic clay And idly fashioned it one day, And as my fingers pressed it still, It moved and yielded to my will. I came again when days were past -- The bit of clay was hard at last; The form I gave it, it still bore, But I could change that form no more. I took a piece of living clay And gently formed it day by day, And moulded with my power and art A young child's soft and yielding heart. I came again when years were gone -- It was a man I looked upon; He still that early impress wore, And I could change him nevermore. Take a moment to listen today To what your children are trying to say; Listen today, whatever you do Or they won't be there to listen to you. Listen to their problems, listen for their needs, Praise their smallest triumphs, praise their smallest deeds; Tolerate their chatter, amplify their laughter, Find out what's the matter, find out what they're after. But tell them that you love them, every single night And though you scold them, be sure you hold them; Tell them "Everything's all right; Tomorrow's looking bright!" Take a moment to listen today To what your children are trying to say; Listen today, whatever you do And they will come back to listen to you.