JESUS AND THE LITTLE CHILDREN
Grandma June's Reflections
JUNE ESTELLE CASH
With Wm. Henry Cash, Jr. (1927 - 2012)
Sermon - Humility and Children
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HERE I AM AT AGE TWO OUT IN MY GRANDMOTHER'S
GARDEN. I THOUGHT I WAS SOOOO BIG.
GRANDMOTHER ASKED ME TO LOOK AND SEE
IF THERE WERE ANY PEAS YET.
GRANDMOTHER ALWAYS WELCOMED ME
WHEN ON THE FEW OCCASIONS I WENT TO HER
HOME, AND SHE WOULD SEE TO IT
THAT I WAS WELCOMED.
TODAY I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT
JESUS
WHO WELCOMED THE CHILDREN.
Our text is from Luke, chapter 18.
Verses 15 - 16 - 17
And they brought unto him also
infants, that he would touch them: but
when his disciples saw it, they
rebuked them.
But Jesus called them unto him,
and said,
Suffer (Allow, do not prevent) little children
to come unto me:
for of such is the Kingdom of God.
VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, WHOSOEVER SHALL
NOT RECEIVE THE KINGDOM OF GOD AS A CHILD
SHALL IN NO WISE ENTER THEREIN.
This is a picture I drew - a memory of hearing the stories
in my childhood.
In this passage of L
uke - he further goes
on to speak on the matter of
STUMBLING BLOCKS.
In Henry Cash's message STUMBLING BLOCKS)
(1927 - 2012
I find this comment by him.
The little child has such humble faith,
and this is seen in his criticism of
STUMBLING BLOCKS that anyone
would put in the way for a child anything
that would hinder that child from
entering the kingdom of God.
We all have stumbling blocks in our lives. We
make the most of these ourselves.
Jesus uses an EXTREME to illustrate
a spiritual truth: He warns us that
we are not to do anything that may cause
a child to stumble. The causes
of these stumbling blocks
are the hand - the foot and the eye -
In the 18. v. 1 -10
Jesus gives these warnings.
1. the hand, the foot and the eye are the organs of
self, and the symbols of taste and capacities.
2. The hand and foot are the instruments of action
3. The eye is an instrument of perception.
The Lord uses the extreme example to teach a
SPIRITUAL LESSON.
THE LITTLE WORD "IF" IS A CONDITION
IF IT COULD CAUSE ANYONE
TO STUMBLE
POSSIBLE INJURIES RESTS UPON THE PRINCIPLES
OF OUR NATURE.
WE ARE TO CONTROL OUR FACULTIES ,
SOME ARE TO BE SUPPRESSED,
AND OTHERS
ARE TO RULE.
SOME PEOPLE'S LIVES MAY BE RUINED
BECAUSE OF OUR OVER-INDULGENCE IN
THINGS THAT MAY NOT BE
WRONG IN THEMSELVES.
THE CURE IS THE KNIFE.
IT IS A MATTER OF SELF- DETERMINATION
1. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE FOR US. WE
MUST MAKE OUR OWN DECISION.
2. THE THING MAY NOT BE WRONG IN ITSELF.
WE ARE TO DECIDE WHAT IS RIGHT FOR US.
3. WE MUST THINK OF OTHERS, NOT ONLY OF OUR SELVES.
I CORINTHIANS 10.23
ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL FOR ME, BUT ALL
THINGS ARE NOT EXPEDIENT; ALL THINGS
ARE LAWFUL UNTO ME, BUT I WILL NOT
BE BROUGHT UNDER THE POWER OF ANY.
ROMANS 14.4
WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE
ANOTHER MAN'S SERVANT: TO HIS
OWN MASTER HE STANDS OR FALLS. YEA, YOU SHALL
BE HELPED UP, FOR GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE YOU
STAND.
4.WE ARE NOT TO DO ANYTHING THAT
MIGHT CAUSE HARM TO OTHERS,
OR TO OURSELVES.
5. WE MUST BE OUR OWN DOCTOR,
KNOW OUR LIMITATIONS,
SEARCH FOR WARNING SIGNS OF
DANGER.
ATTITUDES
ACTIONS
WORDS
ALL NEED OUR
SELF DETERMINED
DECISION
TO
CONTROL
CUT AWAY
OR
JUST STOP
the SPIRITUAL knife
will cut away
what is hindering
or
apt to stumble
another.
AS IN USING KNIVES
WE MUST EXERCISE
CAUTION IN
DOING
THESE
PRUNING
CORRECTING
AND
PURGING
ACTIONS.
WE NEED TO USE COMMON SENSE
ABSTINENCE FROM ALCOHOL
ABSTINENCE FROM DRUGS
ABSTINENCE FROM TOBACCO
SELF - DISCIPLINE IS THE BEST POLICY
IN SUPPRESSIVE MATTERS
1. IT IS BETTER TO BE PARTIALLY LAME
THAN TO LOSE OUR LIFE, OR SOUL.
2. OUR HAND, FOOD, AND EYE IS ANOINTED
BY GOD FOR THE PURPOSE OF SERVING HIM.
3. WE ARE TO LAY ASIDE ALL THINGS THAT
MIGHT CAUSE US TO OFFEND.
HEBREWS 12.12 -14
WHEREFORE LIFT UP THE HANDS WHICH HANG DOWN,AND THE FEEBLE KNEES
AND MAKE STRAIGHT PATHS
FOR YOUR FEET,
LEST THAT WHICH IS LAME
BE TURNED OUT OF THE WAY,
BUT LET IT RATHER
BE HEALED.
FOLLOW PEACE WITH ALL MEN,
AND HOLINESS, WITHOUT
WHICH NO MAN CAN SEE THE LORD.
WHAT IS THE REMEDY ?
A. PREVENTIVE MEASURES !
USE PLAIN COMMON SENSE :
ABSTINENCE
FROM ANYTHING
THAT WOULD HINDER ME, OR
SOMEONE ELSE.
THE ROAD TO INTEGRITY
COMES
BY FAITHFUL
FOLLOWING
SELF - DETERMINING
LISTENING TO THE WARNING SIGNS
HEEDING THE WORD
OBEYING
WHEN EVEN
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND
THE OUTCOME.
HEBREWS 12.1,2
WHEREFORE SEEING THAT WE ARE
COMPASSED ABOUT WITH SO GREAT A
CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US
LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT
AND THE SIN WHICH SO
EASILY BESET
US,
AND LET US RUN
WITH PATIENCE THE RACE
THAT IS SET BEFORE US LOOKING
UNTO JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER
OF OUR FAITH; WHO FOR THE JOY
THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM, ENDURED
THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME,
AND IS SET DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND
OF GOD.
FINALLY, CONSIDER THE MOTIVE BY
WHICH IT IS TO BE ENFORCED:
A. IT IS BETTER ----- Jesus uses
self-denial and self-mutilation as
the highest ground for our own well being.
1. Life and death depends on our faith and
conduct.
2. We need to watch for the Spirit's warning
signals.
3. We have the contrast made between a
crippled man who enters into eternal
life, and a healthy man who is condemned.
B. PROMISE OF THE RESURRECTION:
1. NO ONE WILL BE RAISED AS A CRIPPLE...ALL WILL BE WHOLE . ISAIAH 35.5-6
Then the eyes of the blind hall be opened
and ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then
shall the lame man leap as the hart, and the tongue
of the dumb sing for in the wilderness shll water
break out, and streams in the desert.
WE SHALL ALL BE COMPLETE
MATTHEW 5.48
Be ye therefore perfect
even as your Father which
is in Heaven is perfect.
CONCLUSION:
OUR CHILDREN ARE GOD'S GIFT
TO US. WE
ARE TO BE CAREFUL TO NOT
OFFEND ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES.
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