Covenant Baptist Church
Sermon Guide for May 20, 2018
How can I learn to interact with children in a way that I experience the real presence of God and His kingdom among us?
Mark 9:36-37 NASB
…and taking him in His arms…
The physical actions of Jesus in holding this child are demonstrating what he is saying verbally.
…whoever receives one child like this…
To receive in this way communicates accepting, patience, embracing, being open and genuine.
…in my name…
We are to receive children in the name of Jesus, that is, with a mind toward His presence and the reality of his kingdom.
“When you receive a child into your presence you also receive the presence of Jesus.” ~ David Fitch
…receives…Him who sent me.
To attend to and humbly engage the presence of a child in the name of Jesus is to enter into and know the presence of God.
Three things we have to surrender to receive children as Jesus did:
● Our agenda: Entering a child’s world in the name of Jesus means we cannot have an agenda other than to be present with that child.
● Our pace: With a child, something as simple as getting the mail can turn a routine task into a colorful fun filled adventure if we follow their pace.
● When we receive and are with children there is generally no thought of who the best is or who is the smartest.
What might happen in your family if you began practicing this kind of interaction with children? How could God reorder and redeem things that are broken or simply just boring?
How might we, here at Covenant, begin to experience the reality of God’s kingdom in brighter, more playful, more innocent and refreshing ways if we practice receiving children as Jesus did?
