08-21-05-Who We Are-Being A Child of God
Introduction:
For the next few weeks we are going to look at who we are as believers. Or what it means to be a Christian. We will examine some of the names that are used to describe a believer and learn from them about who we are. Today we are going to look at what it means to be a child of God.
Imagine yourself as a small child running down the hallway. A guard stops you, but you slip past him. As you crash through the doors, dozens of eyes look at you. But you only see one pair of eyes behind the large desk. You run to him and he takes you in his arms with a big hug, a smile, and a kiss. You just kissed the most important man in the free-world—the President—but to you he is simply Daddy.
To be called children of the President would be considered a high honor, but we have been given an even greater honor—to be called the children of the King of the Universe—the Creator of all things. We are King’s Kids!
Matthew 18:3 “and (Jesus) said, “Truly I say to you, unless you 1are converted and abecome like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (NASB95)
Matthew 18:3 (NIV) And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:3 (NLT) Then he said, “I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.”
The word that is used here means “little” children. This is probably around pre-school age, or at least pre-adolescent. What does it mean to become like little children? Let’s look at some of the characteristics of little children.
1. Joyfulness—Laughter
We recently visited our granddaughter, Haley, in Georgia and when she laughs it just makes your day. One of the primary characteristics that we should be known to have as the children of God is JOY. Now, I’m going to meddle for a minute--When we go to work, do we greet our co-workers with a smile and have joy in our hearts? How about when we go into a restaurant or store, does our joy show or are we demanding and grumpy? Can anyone tell that you are a child of God by the JOY you show?
Isaiah 12:3 (NIV) With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
John 15:11 (NLT) I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
Romans 15:13 (NASB) Now may the God of hope fill you with all ajoy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope bby the power of the Holy Spirit.
James 1:2-3 (NIV) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
2. Boldness—Asking
When a little child wants something, they will come to you and ask for it no matter where you are. And sometimes they will ask very loudly! Jesus told us to ask our Father for what we need and He would give it to us. (Matt 7:7-11). Now of course, we know when a little child asks for something, they don’t always know what is best for them, so as responsible adults we don’t just give them what they want—we give them what we know is best for them. So when we ask of our Heavenly Father, He will give us what is best for us. The key is that we must ASK!
Not only does the child ask for that they want, but they ask boldly. Little children (unless they have been abused) don’t ask in fear or trembling—they ask boldly! I want a drink! I want food! So too we must ask of our Heavenly Father boldly for what we want. Jesus said that the Father knows what we need (Matt 6:32) and He will not give us bad things, but good things (Matt 7:11).
Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) sLet us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain (ask for) mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
3. Persistence—Determination
When we visited our granddaughter we got her some books to read. Haley kept bringing the books to us and crawling up in our laps to have us read them to her. It did not matter that we had read them time and time again and were talking to her parents. She wanted them read when she wanted them read and she did not care if we were busy!
Sometimes, we quit asking too quickly and give up because we don’t get the answer we want immediately. Jesus not only told us to ask, but to seek—keep on asking from God until we get what we are asking Him for (Matt 7:7-8). We need that childlike determination and persistence to not give up when things gets tough.
James 1:2-4 (NASB) aConsider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter bvarious 1trials (temptations), knowing that athe testing of your bfaith produces 1cendurance. And let 1aendurance have its perfect 2result (work), so that you may be 3bperfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
4. Teachable—Loves to Learn
There is a commercial where a little boy is laying on top of his Dad. He says, I hear a noise like—thump, thump—and his father says that’s his heart talking; then the little boy says he hears another noise that sounds like—qworp, qworp—and his father says that’s his stomach talking. The commercial ends as the little boy looks up at his father and smiles. Now I don’t know what product that commercial is trying to sell, but the smile at the end and curiosity of the little boy is what I remember the most.
There is a God given ability every child has to learn. They will ask questions to get answers and sometimes they won’t stop. Why is the sky blue? Where does rain come from? Where does God live? …
We should be just as inquisitive and teachable. Have you ever thought of just asking God questions? Of course, God has given us the answer to many of our questions in the Bible. But do we take the time to read it and learn from it? When you read His Word, do you ask the Holy Spirit what it means? When you have a problem in your life, have you taken the time to ask God why He let that problem happen? We must find our answers and our nourishment through the Word of God.
1 Peter 2:2 (NLT) You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk,
2 Timothy 3:15-16 (NLT) You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.
5. Trust—Faith
A little child has confidence or trust in his father, and therefore he has no fear. He does not have to worry about what to eat, drink, or wear—his parents will give him what he needs to eat, what he needs to drink, and the clothes he needs to wear. He simply takes his father’s hand and allows his Dad to lead him wherever he wants him to go. He knows that his Dad will not allow anything to harm him and that his Dad will protect him. He also knows that his father will never leave him or abandon him. He has faith that if his Dad said he would take him to the store to get an ice cream cone, he will do it. Even when he sees Dad pulling up to the hardware store, he knows that at some time they will go to the ice cream store. Why? Because his Dad said so!
We need that same kind of trust and faith in our Heavenly Father that no matter what happens, we can trust Him to take care of us. We do not need to fear anything, because our Heavenly Father is in control. We do not need to worry about what to eat, drink, or wear—our Father knows exactly what we need and He provides it for us (Matt 6:25-34). We can simply take His hand and follow wherever He leads—regardless of whether it looks like we are going in the right direction or not. We must know that He will never leave us or forsake us (Heb 13:5) and that He will protect us from our enemies and keep us safe from harm. We must have faith that what He says is true and no matter how it may look like it is not going to happen, God will cause His Word to come to pass.
Mark 10:14-15 (NLT) . . . “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I assure you, anyone who doesn’t have their kind of faith will never get into the Kingdom of God.”
6. Intimacy—Love
Haley had no problem climbing up in our laps. She loved to be held by her Papa and Gram G. She needed that intimacy and love to be expressed to her and she gave it back to us as we gave it to her. A little child loves everyone and knows no prejudice or hatred toward others (this is taught to them by society).
We must crawl up in our Heavenly Father’s lap and allow Him to hold us. He so desires for His children to love Him and for Him to love them back. When was the last time you had a holy hug from your Heavenly Father?
John 16:26-27 (NLT) “. . . for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. “
God has given us access to Himself, as our Heavenly Father, through His Son Jesus— but we must come as little children and boldly receive what He has for us today. Jesus said that we must be converted and become as little children to enter the kingdom of heaven. He was saying that in order to be a true believer we must get rid of thoughts of personal greatness and take the position of a little child. This begins when we acknowledge our sinfulness and unworthiness and receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. We should have this childlike attitude throughout our Christian life.
I Belong To You
In my heart is a deep, deep yearning
To be with you so much more
For when I’m with You
I remember
How tenderly You call to me
How faithfully You walk with me
How lovingly You speak to me
That I am Your child
I belong to You
I am not my own
I belong to You
I am Yours forever . . .
----
1 Lit are turned
a Matt 19:14; Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17; 1 Cor 14:20; 1 Pet 2:2
a Rom 14:17
b Rom 15:19; 1 Cor 2:4; 1 Thess 1:5
s [Eph. 2:18; Heb. 10:19, 22]
a Matt 5:12; James 1:12; 5:11
b 1 Pet 1:6
1 Or temptations
a 1 Pet 1:7
b Heb 6:12
1 Or steadfastness
c Luke 21:19
1 V 3, note 1
a Luke 21:19
3 Or mature
b Matt 5:48; Col 4:12