11-Dec-14

One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him. Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “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 enter it.” Luke 18:15-17What is it about children?  They are naive, authentic, innocent and loving.  Never jaded or sophisticated.  Children will forgive you on the spot continuing to love you as before the harsh words or behavior on our part.  No wonder Jesus loved the little children.Do we accept Jesus with an open heart?  Does the ‘Old, Old Story’ fill our hearts with joy and awe?  Or do we ‘miss’ the real story.  Lee Stroebel interviewed Charles Templeton, a co-worker of Billy Graham for 10 years….There have been many other wonderful people, but Jesus is Jesus….’  “Uh . . . but . . . no,’ he said slowly, ‘he’s the most . . .” He stopped, then started again. “In my view,” he declared, “he is the most important human being who has ever existed.”  That’s when Templeton uttered the words I never expected to hear from him. “And if I may put it this way,” he said as his voice began to crack, ‘I . . . miss . . . him!”Truly Charles Templeton ‘missed’ Jesus, not accepting him as the only son of God, extending salvation to those who believe.  How utterly sad, he didn’t accept as a child of God.Those who hate a fellow believer walk and live in darkness.  I like the way that John writes why he is writing…I am writing: to you who are God’s children, with sins forgiven in Jesus, …. to those mature in the faith because you know Christ Jesus, and ….those who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one!Will you join me in being in one of the three groups, and say I am living as a testimony to God’s children, mature in the faith and those young in the faith….But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness. I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one. I John 2:11-13