by Prince Josiah Jeyaraj
Six months ago, God gave me an insight from few of the very familiar passages from the Scriptures, which many Pastors’, Pulpit preachers use for their sermons to talk about the Kingdom of God. This time around as I was called to minister to my Staff in West Bengal and Manipur, the Lord poured out few more insights from the same passage. The passage I am talking about is found in Matthew 18:1 – 6, Mark 9: 33 – 37 & Luke 9:46 – 48
In the passage that I mentioned above, we can find that there was BIG FIGHT going on between the disciples. Let me highlight the verses to you, In Matthew 18:1 the Bible says, “About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Which of us is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”. Also in the Bible says, Mark 9: 33 – 34 “Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing out on the road?” But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest”. Also in Luke 9:46 the Bible says, “Then there was an argument among them as to which of them would be the greatest”.
Jesus looking into the fight an argument and responds, the Children are much more important than you and me. Dear people of God, who serve with Children, You need to know, Children are much more important than you and me.
When Jesus called a little child to explain a greater truth, He was an EXPRESSION OF LOVE, we can find that in Matthew 18:2 the Bible says, “Jesus called a small child over to him and put the child among them”. Also in Mark 9:36 the Bible says, “Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them.” Also in Luke 9:47 the Bible says, “But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side”. Also in Matthew 19:13 - 15, Mark 13:13 - 16 & Luke 18:15 & 16, the Bible says "Some children were brought to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. The disciples told them not to bother him. But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." And he put his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left."
In Matthew Jesus Calls a Child, an expression of Love, In Mark, He took the child in His arms or carried the child, an expression of Love, and In Luke, He brought a little child to his side, it does mean Jesus should have gone near the child and brought the child near his disciples and pulled the child close to his side, an expression of Love. Finally in Matthew, Mark & Luke, he put his hand on them and blessed them, an expression of Love.
As people working among children, do we have an Expression of Love, as Jesus had?
In the same passage, Jesus highlights that you and I are called to SERVE THE GREATEST. Who is the greatest? In Matthew 18:4 the Bible Says, “Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven”.
You might be wondering, that you are serving some poor children, or some children in need, or some Sunday school children, you might have all sorts of views to the work that you do, but…. Remember you and I are called to serve the GREATEST ONES, not of the this world, but of the KINGDOM OF GOD. WOW what a privilege God has given to us.
Another truth we can learn from the passage is that we are GOD’S REPRESENTATIVES, in Matthew 18:5, Mark 9:37 & Luke 9:48 the Bible says, “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.”
From the same references we can understand another truth, that we have privilege to WELCOME JESUS EVERYDAY. Did you realize, by inviting Children, in you Sunday schools, in your Churches, in your homes, or at play, you are inviting JESUS himself? WOW that’s Great.
YOUR RANK IS 3 in the Body Of Christ, let me quote a reference from I Corinthians 12:28 the Bible says, “Here is a list of some of the members that God has placed in the body of Christ: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who can get others to work together, those who speak in unknown languages".
As Child care workers you and I need to know we are much more important than people who perform miracles, people who have gift of healing, people who can help, people who can get others work together and people who speak in tongues. I am not against all these things, In fact I do have few of the gifts mentioned here, but I am just making a point to how important you are.
YOU ARE A GIFT TO THE CHURCH or The Body of Christ, in Ephesians 4:11 the Bible says, He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
That means, Jesus has purchased you with a prize and given you as a gift to the Church; you are not by default working with Children. You are a Gift from God to the Church.
Let me summarize my brief article
1. Children are important than YOU
2. Do you have Expression of Love?
3. You are Serving the Greatest
4. You are God’s Representative
5. You have privilege to welcome Jesus
6. You are Rank 3 in Body Of Christ
7. You are Gift to the Church or Body Of Christ
When God thinks of you to be an important person in the Body Of Christ and also in the Children ministry, you need to understand, it is a SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITY. In Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, & Luke 17:1 & 2 the Bible says, “ But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck.”
In simple words, you better die if you mislead your children. There are few other reference too. In Proverbs 19:18 the Bible says, “ Discipline your children while there is hope. If you don’t, you will ruin their lives” Make use of the opportunities, God has given to you, to discipline the children. In Proverbs 12:7 the Bible says, “The wicked perish and are gone, but the children of the godly stand firm”. You life reflects on the life of Children. If you are Godly and righteous, then too will be so. In Proverbs 22:6 the Bible says,“Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.” This verse is like a command, it is not if you teach right things, but it starts with Teach right things. So as people who serve the Lord, teach the right things as it has been commanded in the scriptures.
Finally what is my role of being a Child Care Worker? In Ephesians 4:12 the Bible says,” Their (Teachers) responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ,” Your responsibility is provide, train, to do his work and most importantly to build the Body Of Christ and the Church.
In the passage that I mentioned above, we can find that there was BIG FIGHT going on between the disciples. Let me highlight the verses to you, In Matthew 18:1 the Bible says, “About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Which of us is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”. Also in the Bible says, Mark 9: 33 – 34 “Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing out on the road?” But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest”. Also in Luke 9:46 the Bible says, “Then there was an argument among them as to which of them would be the greatest”.
Jesus looking into the fight an argument and responds, the Children are much more important than you and me. Dear people of God, who serve with Children, You need to know, Children are much more important than you and me.
When Jesus called a little child to explain a greater truth, He was an EXPRESSION OF LOVE, we can find that in Matthew 18:2 the Bible says, “Jesus called a small child over to him and put the child among them”. Also in Mark 9:36 the Bible says, “Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them.” Also in Luke 9:47 the Bible says, “But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side”. Also in Matthew 19:13 - 15, Mark 13:13 - 16 & Luke 18:15 & 16, the Bible says "Some children were brought to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. The disciples told them not to bother him. But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." And he put his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left."
In Matthew Jesus Calls a Child, an expression of Love, In Mark, He took the child in His arms or carried the child, an expression of Love, and In Luke, He brought a little child to his side, it does mean Jesus should have gone near the child and brought the child near his disciples and pulled the child close to his side, an expression of Love. Finally in Matthew, Mark & Luke, he put his hand on them and blessed them, an expression of Love.
As people working among children, do we have an Expression of Love, as Jesus had?
In the same passage, Jesus highlights that you and I are called to SERVE THE GREATEST. Who is the greatest? In Matthew 18:4 the Bible Says, “Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven”.
You might be wondering, that you are serving some poor children, or some children in need, or some Sunday school children, you might have all sorts of views to the work that you do, but…. Remember you and I are called to serve the GREATEST ONES, not of the this world, but of the KINGDOM OF GOD. WOW what a privilege God has given to us.
Another truth we can learn from the passage is that we are GOD’S REPRESENTATIVES, in Matthew 18:5, Mark 9:37 & Luke 9:48 the Bible says, “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.”
From the same references we can understand another truth, that we have privilege to WELCOME JESUS EVERYDAY. Did you realize, by inviting Children, in you Sunday schools, in your Churches, in your homes, or at play, you are inviting JESUS himself? WOW that’s Great.
YOUR RANK IS 3 in the Body Of Christ, let me quote a reference from I Corinthians 12:28 the Bible says, “Here is a list of some of the members that God has placed in the body of Christ: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who can get others to work together, those who speak in unknown languages".
As Child care workers you and I need to know we are much more important than people who perform miracles, people who have gift of healing, people who can help, people who can get others work together and people who speak in tongues. I am not against all these things, In fact I do have few of the gifts mentioned here, but I am just making a point to how important you are.
YOU ARE A GIFT TO THE CHURCH or The Body of Christ, in Ephesians 4:11 the Bible says, He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
That means, Jesus has purchased you with a prize and given you as a gift to the Church; you are not by default working with Children. You are a Gift from God to the Church.
Let me summarize my brief article
1. Children are important than YOU
2. Do you have Expression of Love?
3. You are Serving the Greatest
4. You are God’s Representative
5. You have privilege to welcome Jesus
6. You are Rank 3 in Body Of Christ
7. You are Gift to the Church or Body Of Christ
When God thinks of you to be an important person in the Body Of Christ and also in the Children ministry, you need to understand, it is a SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITY. In Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, & Luke 17:1 & 2 the Bible says, “ But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck.”
In simple words, you better die if you mislead your children. There are few other reference too. In Proverbs 19:18 the Bible says, “ Discipline your children while there is hope. If you don’t, you will ruin their lives” Make use of the opportunities, God has given to you, to discipline the children. In Proverbs 12:7 the Bible says, “The wicked perish and are gone, but the children of the godly stand firm”. You life reflects on the life of Children. If you are Godly and righteous, then too will be so. In Proverbs 22:6 the Bible says,“Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.” This verse is like a command, it is not if you teach right things, but it starts with Teach right things. So as people who serve the Lord, teach the right things as it has been commanded in the scriptures.
Finally what is my role of being a Child Care Worker? In Ephesians 4:12 the Bible says,” Their (Teachers) responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ,” Your responsibility is provide, train, to do his work and most importantly to build the Body Of Christ and the Church.
No comments:
Post a Comment