Bible Passages Focusing on Children & Families

From my Intro. to Children’s Ministry Class.  All passages are from the ESV translation.

Matthew 19:13-15
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people,  (14)  but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”  (15)  And he laid his hands on them and went away.

Ephesians 6:1-4
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  (2)  “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),  (3)  “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”  (4)  Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Mark 10:14-15
But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.  (15)  Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

3 John 1:4
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

John 6:9-11
“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”  (10)  Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.  (11)  Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.

Matthew 21:14-16
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.  (15)  But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant,  (16)  and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”

Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

2 Timothy 3:14-15
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it  (15)  and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 3:1-3
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,  (2)  for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.  (3)  Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

1 Samuel 1:26-28
And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the LORD.  (27)  For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him.  (28)  Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there.

1 Peter 5:5-7
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  (6)  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,  (7)  casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

2 Chronicles 34:1-2
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.  (2)  And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father; and he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

Hebrews 2:12-13
saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”  (13)  And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-7
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  (5)  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  (6)  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  (7)  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Matthew 18:1-4
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  (2)  And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them  (3)  and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  (4)  Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Psalms 127:3-5
Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.  (4)  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.  (5)  Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

On Being a Professor

Druien Hall 2 - My Favorite Classroom

There is that old adage, “Those that can’t do, teach college.”  While I take offense to that sentiment, I do understand where it comes from.  The job of a college professor is quite nice.

For me, I teach in a small Christian college.  We are a “teaching institution” which means we are not required to pump out articles and books to keep our jobs.  While most of our faculty do write and publish, we are strongly encouraged to be great teachers and mentors to our students, not necessarily world-renown researchers and authors.

Every day I get to interact with students who, for the most part, WANT to learn.  Who have chosen to attend college to get an education.  They WANT to stay after class and talk diving into the topic more.  During the semester I teach two or three 1 hour classes per day which means I can focus on those topics with clarity and purpose.

I have a great office.  I have awesome colleagues and brothers in Christ who teach alongside of me in my department.  I have an outstanding boss, the Dean, who supports our team and encourages us in all our ministries outside of the university.

But most of all, I love my job as a professor because I get to teach students openly about Jesus.  During an age and time in their lives when some will leave their faith, my job is to keep them connected with the Lord.  And for those who have yet to trust in Jesus, who come to a Christian college that requires them to takes classes in Theology, I get the opportunity every Tuesday and Thursday to share the Gospel with them.

This gig is too good!

Do People Really Want Relativism?

Relativism is a worldview that says what’s right for me, doesn’t necessarily mean its right for you.  Or conversely, what I view as wrong, doesn’t have to be wrong for you.

Each person has the permission and the rights to choose their own personal rights and wrongs, or morals.  Progressive relativism leads to secular pluralism – the worldview that says all views (or the plurality of views) are okay, moral, and ethical.

But do people really want excessive relativism?  Do people really want to live in a world with absolutely no absolutes? No moral limitations? No ethical restrictions?  I dare say we do not.

Do we want relativistic courts?  Absolutely not.  We want judges who enforce the laws of the land.  Judges who give sentences based on guilty verdicts.  Judges who only sentence that which the government has approved as a reasonable punishment.  We do not want judges making their own personal decisions on sentencing based on how they feel about the person or the crime.

Do we want relativistic police officers?  Officers who can search your property without a warrant.  Officers who can declare you guilty without proof.  Or officers who can arrest you without a legitimate charge.  Absolutely not.  We want rules, order, and limits to our police force.

Do we want a relativistic military?  Do we want relativistic medical doctors?  Do we want relativistic garbage men who choose what to take and to leave?

We want our freedom as Americans.  We hesitate to say anyone is wrong or out of bounds.  But in reality, freedom and democracy only works when rules are enforced and stability is ensured.  The very presence of democratic restrictions imply relativism is not a ruling principle of the land.  There are still boundaries and limitations in moral judgments.

Postmodern Americans depend on want what conservative Christians call Absolute Truth.  They depend on it and they want it.

Surviving Christmas

I was standing in line in Walmart yesterday and the cashier asked each person ahead of me if they “survived Christmas.”  This expression caught me off guard.  I have heard many people use it to describe the Christmas frenzy.  Did you survive Christmas gift buying?  Did you survive Christmas meals?  Did you survive Christmas with all your family getting together?

But for some reason (maybe the Holy Spirit’s prompting) I felt like this expression was so anti-Christmas.

We survive Christmas because Jesus came to earth to die for sinners, of which I am sinner No. 1.  We survive Christmas because Jesus was willing to lay down his life, in obedience to the Father, come to earth in human flesh, and be the atoning sacrifice for my sins upon the cross.

We survive Christmas because Jesus did not survive the crucifixion.