Faith of a Child

Happy Sunday. My grandson Jackson was baptized last weekend. I am so proud of him. He's eight years old. Today I thought that I would talk about the faith of a child.

You know, Jesus said a great deal about the faith of children. In Matthew 18, verses 1 to 5, we find these words: "About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?' Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. And then he said, 'I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.'"

Mark chapter 10, verses 13 to 16, tells us more. We're told, "One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, 'Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never inherit, will never enter it.' And then he took the children in his arms and placed his hand on their heads and blessed them."

Luke tells us basically the same thing in chapter 18. I'll read just verse 17. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."

What's Jesus telling us here, Matthew, Mark, and Luke? What can we learn from this? You know, there are a lot of qualities or characteristics that children possess that we should still incorporate into our faith.

One that I thought of is children are dependent. A little child places their life completely in the hands of others. My youngest grandson is a little over eight months old. He is awesome, yet there's not a lot that he can do. He is not self-sufficient.

He is totally dependent on his daddy and his mommy. They have to do everything. Now, he's well taken care of. As adults, we forget that we are truly totally dependent on God.

One of my favorite Old Testament stories is in Exodus 14, when Moses parts the Red Sea. If you recall, Pharaoh and his army are advancing on the children of Israel. They are at the Red Sea, and there's no escape. They complain to Moses that they would rather live as slaves than die in the wilderness.

I love what Moses told them in Exodus 14:22. Moses says, "The Lord will fight for you, and you only have to keep still." Now, adults don't understand that, but people of faith do. Children of God do. They were totally dependent on God. There was nothing they could do.

God our Father will care for us always, and we must trust him and realize that we are not self-sufficient. We're dependent on God more than we realize: every breath, every heartbeat, every sunrise, every raindrop. I love how Jesus puts it in John 15:5, when he said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, but apart from me you can do nothing."

Children are trusting, and as adults, we learn to be skeptical of almost everything and everyone. We're called to trust God completely. We need to trust God even when life doesn't make sense. Proverbs 3:5 and 6 tells us to "trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not our own, on our own understanding. And all our ways acknowledge him, and he will direct our paths." We need to trust God like children, like children trust loving parents.

If you've been around children, you know that children, this is another good thing that we ought to be like children, always remember a promise. I'm amazed at the still traps that make up children's brains. They may have trouble remembering homework or to do their chores, but if you tell a five-year-old that when they're 12 you'll take them to Disney World, you'd better believe seven years later they will remember. If you ever have told a child, "Next time we go to the store, I'll get you a toy," they will have that memorized.

We as God's children need to remember his promises. Proverbs chapter 30, verse 5, tells us, "Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection." Do you have a favorite Bible promise? Remember what God has promised, like a child.

Another way we should be childlike is very important. Children, by and large, are content. The older we get, that changes. Imagine a husband telling his wife that on date night they're going to McDonald's for Happy Meals and ice cream. Not a good plan.

But tell a five-year-old that, and it's party time. At Christmas, salt, small children are content with empty boxes and wrapping paper and bows. We change. As a child, I loved getting Kool-Aid and cookies at Bible school, but the older we get, if we're not careful, we're seldom content.

First Timothy 6, verses 6, 7, and 8, tell us this: "True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into this world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content." Do you know people that are never satisfied, never content? It's unhealthy. It's not what God expects of his children.

I can go on and on, but let me end with this one. Children have blind faith. They will believe what you tell them. God created the world, they'll say, "Okay." Noah built an ark, they got it.

Moses split the Red Sea, okay. David killed Goliath, they can see it in their minds. A great fish swallowed Jonah, they've got no problem with that. Daniel survived the lion's den, they believe. Most importantly, Jesus rose from the grave, they believe.

You know, I believed those things as a child, and I believed them as an adult, as a child of God. When my grandson was baptized last week, I was so grateful to my heavenly Father for all he has done for me. He is my Father, I am his child, and I pray I always have the faith like a child. May God bless us as we depend and trust and remember and show contentment with all he does for us, his children.

Pray with me. Lord, help our faith to grow. Help us, if we have gotten hard, if we have gotten jaded, if we have gotten skeptical, to look at our faith and to trust you and to believe you and to put all of our faith in you. Bless each one that watches. We pray for the week ahead, that we would be your children, and we know that our Father loves us.

In the name of Jesus we pray, amen. God bless you.