ICEL Become Child-like, Not Child-ish Michael Fletcher 31 Jan 2016

ICEL

Outline for Today I.“The Paradox of Christian Parenting” II.Commentary on 1 Corinthians 13

ICEL The Paradox of Christian Parenting As Christian parents we want our children to be like us, yet we know that we must become like children.

ICEL Become Like Me “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 3.20

ICEL Become Like Me “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Whatever you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9

ICEL Become Like a Child Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4

ICEL Boast in this… Thus says the Lord, Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, Let not a mighty man boast of his might, Let not a rich man boast of his riches. But let him who boasts, boast in this: that he understands and knows me. Jeremiah 9:23-24

ICEL Child-like vs Child-ish Child-like: sense of wonder, awe, trust in othersChild-like: sense of wonder, awe, trust in others Child-ish: Selfish, throw tantrums, etc.Child-ish: Selfish, throw tantrums, etc.

ICEL Child-like vs Child-ish Child-like: Know how to love because their Father first loved themChild-like: Know how to love because their Father first loved them Child-ish: Do not know how to love because they ignore their Father’s loveChild-ish: Do not know how to love because they ignore their Father’s love

ICEL Children of God Know How to Love “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:8

ICEL 1 Corinthians 13: If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

ICEL 1 Corinthians 13: Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

ICEL 1 Corinthians 13: Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

ICEL Do Away with Child-ish Things When I became a man I put away child-ish things, including the fear of becoming a child-like.

ICEL The Call to Follow Christ I pray that each of you hears Jesus calling: “Follow Me!” I pray you are obedient to this call and that you can know the love of the Father as the Children of God.