Receive Children

Jeremiah 11:18-20

(The people turned against God and His covenants.  They sought to kill His prophet Jeremiah, but he called upon the Lord for justice and defense.)

    The Lord made it known to me and I knew;

        then you showed me their deeds.

    But I was like a gentle lamb

        led to the slaughter.

    I did not know it was against me

        they devised schemes, saying,

    "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,

        let us cut him off from the land of the living,

        that his name be remembered no more."

    But, O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously,

        who tests the heart and the mind,

    let me see your vengeance upon them,

        for to you have I committed my cause.

James 3:13-18 -- 4:10

(Repent of worldly desires that lead to evil.  God gives grace to and raises up the humble, but He opposes the proud sinner.)

    Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. [14] But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. [15] This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. [16] For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. [17] But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. [18] And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

    What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? [2] You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. [3] You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. [4] You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. [5] Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? [6] But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." [7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Mark 9:30-37

(God will exalt His humble servants who receive others in His name.)

    They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, [31] for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise." [32] But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

    [33] And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?" [34] But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. [35] And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." [36] And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, [37] "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me."

Receive Children

Jesus said (Mark 9:37 ESV): "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me."

Jesus calls us to receive children into the Church.  Adults who are part of the body of Christ, the Church, should have as a main goal receiving the lost, especially children.

God values children greatly.  Two thousand years ago, children were considered to be not as important as adults.  Some today still consider children to be less valuable and even expendable if they get in the way of adult lifestyles.  Forty million have been aborted in the United States alone.

Jesus tells us that children are ready to be received and the very trusting nature of little children is how we receive the promise of the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus said (Matthew 18:3), "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” And, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:14)

Do you know of a child that needs to hear about the love of Jesus Christ and to be baptized?  Humbly receive them into His kingdom in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Pastor Raymond Van Buskirk, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Baytown, TX