DIRECTION, DESIRE, AND DISCIPLINE: Children and Conversion

Read Mark 10:13-16.

Can children come to Christ?  I believe that they not only can, but they should. Spurgeon said, “I have sometimes met with a deeper spiritual experience in children of ten and twelve—than I have in certain people of fifty and sixty! ... Capacity for believing lies more in the child—than in the man. We grow less rather capable of faith—than more capable of faith. Each year brings the unregenerate farther away from God...” (https://gracegems.org/B/Spurgeon_children.htm).  Every parent and church leader should read what Spurgeon says there.

Children should be directed to Jesus.  In our text, we see “they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them.”  The stodgy old theologians (the disciples) thought it a waste of time, but Jesus “was greatly displeased,” at them and rebuked them.

In directing them to Jesus, we help grow a desire for Jesus. These children were not compelled by force but came freely, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them...” and thus we see in their tender hearts a passion that went beyond parental direction to the youth’s drawing to Christ.  We must show, as adults, the wondrous glory of Jesus—His supreme worth and beauty. Show Jesus as He is to them and they will likely seek Him eagerly!

Of course, they will need discipline in developing their faith. The connection between the world discipline and discipleship should be evident. We must all—irrespective of age—have a childlike faith in coming to Christ. You cannot be saved without such simple trust for Jesus said, “whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”  That, however, is the starting point and not the ending point. Such genuine faith will become a growing faith.  We disciple them in the principles of “the kingdom of God.”

CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? The Experiential Testimony, Part 1

The proof of the pudding is in the eating and the evidence of lives transformed by truth adds weight to the Bible’s claims.  When we add this to our previous lessons concerning the logical rationale for believing the Bible and the internal and external evidence to back it up, there is every reason to answer, “Can I trust the Bible?” with a resounding, “Yes!” 

Consider first THE MIRACULOUS POWER OF SCRIPTURE PROMISED.   Psalm 19:7-11 presents ten promises of the power of the Word of God.  We will look at the first five today.

1.  IT CONVERTS THE SOUL.  The Bible is perfect—complete—nothing needing to be added or amended, subtracted or retracted.  Though it doesn’t tell us all there is to know, or want to know, it tells us all we need to know.  Its power is to convert—to change us—from sinners to saints.  That is an ongoing process which the Scriptures accomplish in us.

2.  IT TEACHES THE SIMPLE.  It is sure—infallible—and will impart the very wisdom of God!  The word “simple” in the original language is rooted in a term for a door.  A simple person has the door of the ears open to everything so that whatever deception or delusion is given access.  The Word of God enters and closes the door.  Then it only opens to the sweet friend of truth and is locked to the knock of the evil foe of error.

  

3.  IT REJOICES THE SPIRIT.  The Word is right, and it is our joy to hear and heed it.  Sorrow comes when we get life wrong.  Wrong decisions lead to wrong directions and ultimately to wrong destinations.  Hell is the ultimate end of those who get life wrong—a place of unimaginable sorrow.  On the other hand to get life right is to experience joy here and hereafter!  That will bring unending rejoicing.  The Bible marks the right path.

4.  IT ENLIGHTENS THE EYES.  The Scriptures are pure, giving clarity—light to navigate this dark world.  Part of my morning ritual is to clean my glasses before I head out to face the day.  I want to be able to see clearly.  You would not want to see me coming down the road without my glasses.  Everything would be a fog.  A wreck would surely ensue.  When we put on our Bible glasses, God’s Word gives us an always clean lens by which we see things without blurred vision.  Our eyes are enlightened by it.  They even make the invisible things of the spirit world visible!

5.  IT ENDURES THE CHALLENGES.  It is clean—a Holy Bible—and despite all the challenges of the wicked it endures.  Satan’s persistent attack has always been against the Word—doubt and denial.  Recall when the serpent beguiled Eve in the garden, he approached her first with a question to cause doubt, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat...’ ” Then, when she continued the debate, he uttered a denial, “You will not surely die!”  The devil has not changed his modus operandi.  He does not need to; it has been so effective.  Yet, despite all the critics and their assaults, the Word endures!  People may falter, but Scripture will not fail.

CHANGED FOREVER!

 

that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.  (1 Peter 4:2)

I love to sing, “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, since Jesus came into my heart….”  He has changed my direction here and my destination hereafter.  Although that process is ongoing, it is relentless—I am not who I used to be and can never be again—forever changed.

There is A DISPOSITION THAT IS SETTLED (v.1).  Peter has been talking about how Christ suffered for us in doing the will of God (3:17-18). This is an encouragement to each of us to be willing to suffer in following His example.  Peter uses a military term as we prepare for battle.  Our weapons are spiritual in nature and the battlefield is the mind.  If we are willing to deny self and die to sin in following Christ, we are done with the lifestyle of sin.  That is repentance.

There is also A DIRECTION THAT IS SET (v.2).  The reorientation of our lives is from a direction set by fleshly impulse to one set according to the will of God.  Our life will be directed by the lust of the flesh or the lordship of the Father.  We can seek our own will or God’s will.  Sin occurs whenever I rebel against the will of God.  That means I have established my self as my own god—and that is idolatry.  This is how we were before salvation, but if we are truly saved this can no longer be the case. 

There is further A DIMENSION THAT IS SPENT (v.3).  The Christian has come to realize that this world is utterly bankrupt—it is fool’s gold.  The currency of our time was once spent for wicked pleasures and now it will be exchanged for eternal pursuits.  Peter was writing to converted pagans radically altered by Christ!  A Christian’s life is no longer dominated by the evils mentioned here.  Peter says, “Enough of that!”

There will be A DIFFERENCE THAT IS SEEN (v.4).  At first people are surprised at the change in us and then they scorn the change in us.  Better to be scorned than ignored.  So many claim to be Christians and they are chameleons instead!  The world will call you a holy roller!  They will brand you a fanatic.  In my day, they mocked you as a “Jesus freak!” 

There is then A DETERMINATION THAT IS SURE (v.5).  “It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment.”  It is inescapable. We must prepare to meet God.  Either the account is settled when we die because the Eternal Son paid it or we will be settling up for all eternity—a debt we cannot pay.  The problem we have isn’t just the sins we commit or we might eventually pay for them.  The problem is the sinner we are—and without the new birth we can never become anything different.  That’s why we risk ridicule and rejection to warn the wicked!

We have A DELIVERANCE THAT IS SECURED  (v.6) What’s the worst that could be done to you?  Someone kill you?  Then you would enter the greatest life there is!  Peter paid that price. Your whole outlook about life is changed.

Can you honestly sing, “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought, since Jesus came into my heart”?  Christ will change you today if you ask; He will change you forever!

THE HOPE OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST: A Personal Connection

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. (1 Corinthians 11:26)

We are commanded to take the bread and the cup in our hands and consume it—symbolically testifying that we have a personal connection with Jesus Christ and His church.  If we do not, then it is a sham—we have eaten a sliver of unleavened bread and downed a bit of grape juice—that’s it, and we have confessed a lie making us worse than we would have been had we refused it.

Today, on this Good Friday, there is opportunity to say,

King of my life, I crown Thee now,

                                    Thine shall the glory be;
                                    Lest I forget Thine thorn-crowned brow,
                                    Lead me to Calvary.
                                    Lest I forget Gethsemane;
                                    Lest I forget Thine agony;
                                    Lest I forget Thy love for me,
                                    Lead me to Calvary. (Jennie Evelyn Hussey)

Those who nailed Jesus to the cross crowned Him with thorns—will you reject Him as they did, or will you crown Him Lord of your life today?

Can you recall a past conversion—has there been a time that you received Jesus Christ by faith?  If not, this is the day to make that choice.

Perhaps you have received Him—praise God!  But what about this:

Is there anything between your soul and your Savior that would hinder communion with Him?  Are you in fellowship with your fellow believers?  The Lord’s Supper is meant to be a time of solemn self-examination and repentance that brings cleansing.

Are you living in light of eternity?  Are you thrilled with that hope of heaven, or are you too drawn by the things of the world?  Yes, the hope of the cross takes us beyond the suffering of this present time to the glory that shall be revealed.  C.S. Lewis said it this way, “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”