Thanks be to God for our precious little children! [Thanks to the teachers, parents, members and children for their participation in the morning review] 2 years ago when I was just preparing to become a parent, I was a nervous wreck – thinking of how I would train Ashlyn to know God, what kind of father I would be, how I would show discipline and love to her. As parents, we all have a critical responsibility to train our little ones to know God and to desire a deeper relationship with Him. I thought training was going to be a one-way street when I became a father, but boy was I wrong! Our little children are constantly teaching us from the day they’re born. As a father, I’m amazed at what I’m learning about myself from Ashlyn, and what she’s showing me about my spiritual walk with my Father in Heaven!

Tonight I want to look at lessons that our children teach us, and how we can use their innocence and purity as a guide for our walk with God. Let’s be clear, yes – all throughout God’s Word, we’re told to grow up, to be mature, to no longer be tossed about like children. However, there are aspects of our lives that we should remain as little children, looking to them for an example of purity and innocence. We’ll look at 4 characteristics that we see in our children, we’ll consider what God’s Word has to say, and then we’ll make application of these characteristics into our own lives.

HUMBLE

  • HUMILITY OF A CHILD
    • Little children don’t try to feel superior or look down on others.
  • LEARNING FROM THEM
    • FROM GOD’S WORD
      • “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 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. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.” (Matthew 18:1–5)
    • WHEN WE ARE HUMBLE
      • We’ll be looking for opportunities to lower ourselves. We’ll have no problem admitting sin.
      • There will be no feelings of superiority or competition, only genuine love for our fellow man.
      • No one will be a stranger. We’ll show no partiality. We’ll look eagerly for opportunities to serve.

HUNGRY

  • HUNGER OF A CHILD
    • Little children are hungry, and they need to eat!
  • LEARNING FROM THEM
    • FROM GOD’S WORD
      • “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,” (1 Peter 2:1–2)
    • WHEN WE ARE HUNGRY
      • We won’t let a day pass without studying, meditating, and talking about God’s Word.
      • We will expect only the best! We will not stand for something watered down or artificial.
      • That Word will fill us, satisfy us, and make us a new man. Our faith will be active and growing.

HELPLESS

  • HELPLESSNESS OF A CHILD
    • Little children can’t do very many things for themselves. They rely on their parents for everything.
  • LEARNING FROM THEM
    • FROM GOD’S WORD
      • “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4–5)
    • WHEN WE ARE HELPLESS
      • We will trust the greatness of God and His wonderful grace as the source of salvation.
      • Whatever we say, whatever we do, we will be doing so by the authority of the Lord.
      • Our lives will be filled with the good fruit of the Spirit, and not our own willful fruit.

HONEST

  • HONESTY OF A CHILD
    • Little children have nothing to gain from hiding the truth. They’ll tell you exactly how they feel.
  • LEARNING FROM THEM
    • FROM GOD’S WORD
      • “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,” (Colossians 3:9–10)
    • WHEN WE ARE HONEST
      • We’ll be the kind of person that people can trust and have confidence in.
      • Our sincere and genuine self will be evident at all times, not just when we’re assembled together.
      • We’ll have no trouble confessing our trespasses to one another, because we’re not trying to hide.

CONCLUSION

  • HUMBLE – Do you place yourself in the least place and elevate your God and others above you?
  • HUNGRY – Are you studying God’s Word as you should, sharing it with those you love?
  • HELPLESS – Have you placed your full trust in the power of God and bearing good fruit for Him?
  • HONEST – Is the man that you are today, the man that you really are?

“Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3–5)