🔵Model Christ 🔵Serve Others 🔵BE The Church
Jesus talks about the fact that without faith and trust like a child we will not “inherit” the kingdom of heaven. Some translations say “enter” the kingdom. This is the last sermon on the life of Child-Like Faith, but it takes us back to the beginning.
What does it take to have a faith like this, that is so absolutely loving and trusting to inherit the Kingdom of God? Let’s look at what the bible is telling us, and what Jesus himself says.
Have we gotten so numb by our adult-ness that we’ve forgotten how amazing life itself is? Do we follow God into the unknown with joy and eagerness? Or with fear and dread that our years of skepticism have taught us to use?
That skepticism is hard-earned. And it has a place as pa protective means against a harsh world. But do we trust God enough to NOT be harsh? To NOT be against us in the same way? Let’s talk about that today and learn to regain our wonder and excitement.
Let’s explore the unwavering TRUST that a child has. They don’t worry about bills, or retirement or how they’ll be in ten years. We’ve fallen into the trap that if we don’t have our future planned, then any failures we encounter are our own fault.
But our freedom is in the identity of Christ, following his leading, and being dependent on God. Do we invest? Yes! There is plenty of scripture talking about investing and money. But where we FOCUS… that’s what we’re discussing today. Come with us and let’s talk!
Today we’re talking about having a child-like faith. And we’ve all heard it before, but what does that mean? To be naive? To be devoid of personality or cookie-cut-out? Do we just charge-ahead blindly? No, of course not.
Let’s look at what Jesus teaches about having that kind of faith. After all, he even noted that without this kind of faith, you will not see heaven. So… what does that mean?
Some people may have a rough history with their father figures here in this world. But the fact is that our Heavenly Father has given us a great model to follow. Let’s look into that and see what God is saying about who HE is, and how we can imitate HIM.
We talked today about the pastor that had a kid’s moment and asked a simple life question. And the kid replied “I know the answer is Jesus, but I just don’t get it.”
That’s how it is with us sometimes too. And that’s okay. Sometimes we need to remember that while we don’t understand everything, it’s okay that we don’t. But God does.
Let’s talk more about that.
Our greatest act of worship is often giving back to God the very thing we worked hardest to get. Hannah prayed earnestly and deeply for Samuel to be born. His name even means “God heard me.” And today we see that Hannah did as she promised, yet again exercising her faith in God and facing the unknown as she sent Samuel to serve in the temple.
We may not need to send our kids away to exercise faith, but how are we exercising our faith day-to-day and showing God what is truly important in our hearts? Let’s look at that.
A woman who was a wife of one of the prophets of God found herself a widow. And in her day, this meant that she and her family would very likely become destitute. She owed debts in her husband’s name. She had this deep financial need, and came to Elisha for how to resolve her need.
This woman may have had a need, but that didn’t mean her faith was void. In fact, she had incredible faith. We see it on display through this entire story. Let’s look at her story to see her faith, and to see how God responds to her when she brings to him all that she has, and even jars borrowed from friends to contain all that God is about to — literally — pour out for her in more than she will be able to contain.
Hannah was being tormented by her sister-wife, Peninnah. She had a longing, this DEEP DESIRE, and she was begging God to help her. We see her humanity meets God’s sovereignty.
Have you ever had a deep, deep longing? This want that verges into something that is deeply central to something you feel to your core? Guess what: God cares! He listens. And while the answer may not come immediately, God does hear. Let’s review Hannah’s story and see God working in and through Hannah and her son, Samuel.
Do you need peace? Do you need a reset? A chance to just take a breath, and find a new breath in our hearts? In the middle of the disciples’ most trying time — when Jesus was taken by the Romans and crucified — just before that, Jesus gave them a very pointed message. “Take the peace I’m offering. I don’t give it as the world gives it, so you can trust in this peace.”
God promises that we can have that when we draw close to him and hold on. It may be strange and uncomfortable, but He promises us it will be there. It’s ours for the taking, if we just take the time to receive it. Let’s look at how Jesus himself teaches us to receive his peace. We’ll look at the specifics and do a bit of a deep dive today, so buckle up and let’s go look together.