Sermon Title: FAITH CHARACTERISTICS: CHILDREN BORN OF GOD (Part 1)
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. (Luke 10:17-20)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Indeed, our Heavenly Father is pleased to hide the simple truth about His Kingdom – inhabited with those who believe in Jesus; whose “names are written in heaven” – “from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.”
Why is that?
Just as the truth about His Sovereignty and Kingdom is simple; so is the faith required to receive His gift of eternal life.
It takes a simple faith to believe in Jesus; and to follow Him.
We need to simply believe – with the simple faith of “little children”.
“The wise and learned” locate their identity in this world, and thus, in themselves.
God’s children rejoices and lives for the assurance that their “names are written in heaven” – by solely and uniquely locating our identity in heaven.
Our identity, our purpose and our worth must begin with, and be completely established in GOD.
The very essence of our lives must manifest into the utmost confidence and pride that we are – first and foremost - children of the Living God.
For only the Child of GOD – knows and rejoices that his, or her, name is written in heaven.
What does the Bible reveal to us being God’s Children?
What must we know about our identity? What is the purpose of our existence?
The Kingdom of God belongs to the Children of God
Our Lord Jesus makes it abundantly clear to us in Mark 10:13-16:
“ 13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them.
14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant.
He said to them,
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.”
God’s children do not belong to the Kingdom of God; the Kingdom of God belongs to them.
Imagine this!
God’s eternal Kingdom belongs to those who receives His Son, Jesus; and believes in His Name.
That Christ affirmed and blessed the little children reveals to us: Relationship with God is key to being His Child.
Our identity, purpose and worth – established in God – means that we have foremost placed our entire life’s substance, endeavors, trajectory and aspiration on being known as His children.
What more is there to live for if the Kingdom of God belongs to you?
We must rejoice that our names are written in heaven because that is the absolute best thing that could ever happen to us!
Our roles in life is corollary to being child of the living God; and thus, must be rooted in and flow out of being His child.
Which means, in my example: I must substantiate my roles as husband, father, son, brother, pastor and friend fundamentally on being a child of God; that out of my personal relationship with God are all my other relationships established.
Many mistakenly find their identity and thus, sense of worth, in their choice of vocation; in being recognized professionals – whose names are found on professional registers, or who belong to widely known institutions.
Our identity as children of the living God - whose names are found in heaven – must be our vocation; our calling, and the very substance for our sense of worth.
The Kingdom of God belongs to His children.
To belong to God – and the knowledge that His Kingdom belongs to us – must fill us with confidence and courage to live solely for Christ.
Like all children, we must have an impulse to please our heavenly Father.
We must have a craving to spend time with Him in prayer, praise and worship; a longing to glorify Him; the deepest devotion to Him – in utterly striving to know His Character, His likes and dislikes; yearning to be found in His Presence; hungry for His Word; thirsty for His Spirit; setting our hearts wholly on Him; and telling the world about Him.
How?
How do we truly receive the right to become children of God?
With the simple faith of a little child - receive Christ and believe in His Name.
“12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)
Faith as God’s children is: Unconditional, Unqualified, Unreserved
If relationship with God is key to being God’s child; receiving Jesus and believing in His Name is key to nurturing our relationship with God.
How are we children of God? How are we born of God?
The simple faith is unconditional.
Many say, “God, you must do this for me, or answer my question, or remove my doubts… then I will believe.”
There is no such thing as conditional faith; for we are in no position to give God conditions. We have a sinful condition, and we are in need of His Love, His Grace, and His Salvation.
Receive Christ and believe in His Name unconditionally; and you will begin to experience His unconditional Love, Grace and Salvation.
The simple faith is unqualified.
Many say, “God, you must prove your qualifications, your status, then I will believe.”
God has already demonstrated “His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
He does not need to qualify for our love; we need to qualify our love for Him; by coming before Him – as a little child would – with an unqualified faith; in the knowledge that though we are unworthy, Christ has made us worthy to be called children of God, destined to inherit His eternal Kingdom.
The simple faith is unreserved.
Many will say: “let me keep some faith for myself... ... I want to hedge my faith against the possibility that God does not do what is beneficial to me…”
To reserve any amount of faith for yourself is to doubt God.
In the context of drawing into the Holy Presence of God, our Lord Jesus teaches us, “Have faith in God. ... ... Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:22-24)
Leave nothing for this world; give it all to God.
Have unreserved, utter faith in Him.
One of the very few perfect sights in this world is one of a little child’s complete faith in the love of the parent.
With the unconditional, unqualified and unreserved faith of a little child, place your trust in God and live truly – as His child.
Because the moment you received Christ and believed in His Name – you already are.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Lord, make my joy complete in the simple faith that I am your child, whose name is written in heaven!
Thank You that You were pleased to reveal them to little children – just like You have revealed to me.
May I receive Christ and believe in His Name with the simple faith of a little child that is unconditional, unqualified and unreserved.
Holy Spirit, grant that I may have an impulse to please my heavenly Father.
Change my heart – that my identity, purpose and worth begin with, and be completely established upon Your Calling and Work in my life as child of the living God.
In everything, Lord, may I live in the utmost confidence and pride that I am – first and foremost - child of God.
I rejoice that my name is written in heaven!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. (Luke 10:17-20)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Indeed, our Heavenly Father is pleased to hide the simple truth about His Kingdom – inhabited with those who believe in Jesus; whose “names are written in heaven” – “from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.”
Why is that?
Just as the truth about His Sovereignty and Kingdom is simple; so is the faith required to receive His gift of eternal life.
It takes a simple faith to believe in Jesus; and to follow Him.
We need to simply believe – with the simple faith of “little children”.
“The wise and learned” locate their identity in this world, and thus, in themselves.
God’s children rejoices and lives for the assurance that their “names are written in heaven” – by solely and uniquely locating our identity in heaven.
Our identity, our purpose and our worth must begin with, and be completely established in GOD.
The very essence of our lives must manifest into the utmost confidence and pride that we are – first and foremost - children of the Living God.
For only the Child of GOD – knows and rejoices that his, or her, name is written in heaven.
What does the Bible reveal to us being God’s Children?
What must we know about our identity? What is the purpose of our existence?
The Kingdom of God belongs to the Children of God
Our Lord Jesus makes it abundantly clear to us in Mark 10:13-16:
“ 13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them.
14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant.
He said to them,
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.”
God’s children do not belong to the Kingdom of God; the Kingdom of God belongs to them.
Imagine this!
God’s eternal Kingdom belongs to those who receives His Son, Jesus; and believes in His Name.
That Christ affirmed and blessed the little children reveals to us: Relationship with God is key to being His Child.
Our identity, purpose and worth – established in God – means that we have foremost placed our entire life’s substance, endeavors, trajectory and aspiration on being known as His children.
What more is there to live for if the Kingdom of God belongs to you?
We must rejoice that our names are written in heaven because that is the absolute best thing that could ever happen to us!
Our roles in life is corollary to being child of the living God; and thus, must be rooted in and flow out of being His child.
Which means, in my example: I must substantiate my roles as husband, father, son, brother, pastor and friend fundamentally on being a child of God; that out of my personal relationship with God are all my other relationships established.
Many mistakenly find their identity and thus, sense of worth, in their choice of vocation; in being recognized professionals – whose names are found on professional registers, or who belong to widely known institutions.
Our identity as children of the living God - whose names are found in heaven – must be our vocation; our calling, and the very substance for our sense of worth.
The Kingdom of God belongs to His children.
To belong to God – and the knowledge that His Kingdom belongs to us – must fill us with confidence and courage to live solely for Christ.
Like all children, we must have an impulse to please our heavenly Father.
We must have a craving to spend time with Him in prayer, praise and worship; a longing to glorify Him; the deepest devotion to Him – in utterly striving to know His Character, His likes and dislikes; yearning to be found in His Presence; hungry for His Word; thirsty for His Spirit; setting our hearts wholly on Him; and telling the world about Him.
How?
How do we truly receive the right to become children of God?
With the simple faith of a little child - receive Christ and believe in His Name.
“12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)
Faith as God’s children is: Unconditional, Unqualified, Unreserved
If relationship with God is key to being God’s child; receiving Jesus and believing in His Name is key to nurturing our relationship with God.
How are we children of God? How are we born of God?
The simple faith is unconditional.
Many say, “God, you must do this for me, or answer my question, or remove my doubts… then I will believe.”
There is no such thing as conditional faith; for we are in no position to give God conditions. We have a sinful condition, and we are in need of His Love, His Grace, and His Salvation.
Receive Christ and believe in His Name unconditionally; and you will begin to experience His unconditional Love, Grace and Salvation.
The simple faith is unqualified.
Many say, “God, you must prove your qualifications, your status, then I will believe.”
God has already demonstrated “His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
He does not need to qualify for our love; we need to qualify our love for Him; by coming before Him – as a little child would – with an unqualified faith; in the knowledge that though we are unworthy, Christ has made us worthy to be called children of God, destined to inherit His eternal Kingdom.
The simple faith is unreserved.
Many will say: “let me keep some faith for myself... ... I want to hedge my faith against the possibility that God does not do what is beneficial to me…”
To reserve any amount of faith for yourself is to doubt God.
In the context of drawing into the Holy Presence of God, our Lord Jesus teaches us, “Have faith in God. ... ... Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:22-24)
Leave nothing for this world; give it all to God.
Have unreserved, utter faith in Him.
One of the very few perfect sights in this world is one of a little child’s complete faith in the love of the parent.
With the unconditional, unqualified and unreserved faith of a little child, place your trust in God and live truly – as His child.
Because the moment you received Christ and believed in His Name – you already are.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Lord, make my joy complete in the simple faith that I am your child, whose name is written in heaven!
Thank You that You were pleased to reveal them to little children – just like You have revealed to me.
May I receive Christ and believe in His Name with the simple faith of a little child that is unconditional, unqualified and unreserved.
Holy Spirit, grant that I may have an impulse to please my heavenly Father.
Change my heart – that my identity, purpose and worth begin with, and be completely established upon Your Calling and Work in my life as child of the living God.
In everything, Lord, may I live in the utmost confidence and pride that I am – first and foremost - child of God.
I rejoice that my name is written in heaven!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.