Praise the Lord for this last Wednesday of June. We will meet for our Wednesday Evening gathering at 6 PM with a special meal following the Bible Study on Acts 2.. We spent the weekend in Washington, DC with Sunita and Andy, and with Gabe. I was asked to participate in the dedication service for Gabe at St. Brendan's in the City Anglican Church that meets in the City of Washington, DC. On Monday evening Sunita, Laureen, and Gabe joined my wife and me as we went for an evening walk on the Mall in the city. As we were walking faint strains of music drifted across the mall. When I followed the music I found that the US Navy Band was playing a concert on the capitol steps. What a treat for all of us. We also went to Johns Hopkins for my regular doctor's visit yesterday. We got back home last evening. Praise the Lord for His continued grace and faithfulness.
Today is Janice and Jeremy's fourteenth wedding anniversary. They were married on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, some time between the brilliant sunshine and tornado warnings. We rejoice in their faith, their love, and their dedication to one another, to the Lord, and to their family.
Looking back at Sunday and reflecting, It was a great service as the whole church came together to celebrate and worship. There was church-wide reception following the service. We praise the Lord for little Gabe. We praise the Lord for all of the children in our lives and in the church. After the service of dedication we all sang the chorus, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." In Matthew 18:1-19, our Lord Jesus illustrated the place of children in His Kingdom. The disciples of Jesus, just like us, again and again failed to understand it. On one occasion they came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Adults are always asking that question: who's important? Think about magazine covers of the 100 most-powerful people in the world, Hollywood's hottest couples, the fastest-growing companies, or the most-eligible bachelor. Adults always want to know, Who matters? Who's important?
Jesus, however, pulled a child out
of the crowd and said, "See this little child—he's important. In fact, he's so
important that unless you become like him, you're not even getting into my
kingdom!" That certainly was not the answer they were looking for, and it
caught them by surprise. Children were not very important in that culture.
They had no rights, no status, and no economic value until they could work.
Sometimes parents would leave an unwanted newborn out in the elements to die; it
wasn't a crime. While boys could be educated, girls never were, since
distinguished rabbis wouldn't think of wasting time teaching children. For this
reason, on another occasion, when mothers brought children to Jesus, the
disciples turned them away. Jesus was an important person. He couldn't be
wasting his time with children when there were so many adults waiting to see
him. But on that occasion and this one, Jesus changed the rules. Both times, he
brought those children to the front of the line. Both times, he said: These are
the most important people in the crowd, and unless you become like one of them,
you will not enter my kingdom.
Notice that Jesus didn't just say
that children were most likely to enter the kingdom. He said they were most
likely to be great in the kingdom—most likely to follow him with all their
hearts, most likely to advance his work in the world. Children are eager to grow
in their faith, eager to learn and to serve. Jesus is reminding us here that children are the most vulnerable members
of society, and that when we fail to nurture them, to protect them, and to lead
them toward God, we are failing in the worst possible way. We're endangering
both their souls and ours. That's why the church must be a place where children
are welcome. I praise the Lord that I came to hear about Jesus when I was a
very little child. I, with a child-like faith, put my trust in Him. I knew He
loved me and that He had a very special plan and purpose for my life. During my
recent trip to India on the last Sunday there I preached in a small village
church. The church was full of children. They had no instruments except one
drum and some cymbals. During the worship I listened as the drums played a
great rhythm. To my surprise I discovered the drums being played by a young boy
aged 7. My heart heart was joyful and jubilant.
Children are important because they
are most likely to become fully-devoted followers of Christ, and because when we
open our hearts to children, we open our hearts to Christ.
In Christ,
Brown
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