Teaching children to trust in Jesus for life

This week in Vacation Bible School the children are learning how to trust in Jesus for life. I’d say that’s a pretty important subject, wouldn’t you? In a messed up world where wrong seems right and right seems wrong, and where you don’t always know who to trust, we unapologetically want to anchor children to the solid rock of Christ Jesus.

And we are giving our absolute best effort to teach Jesus according to the Bible. We want the children to not only know who Jesus is, but to lead them to love, trust and obey Him here and now, even as they look forward to His promise of greater things yet to come. And hopefully, we are also demonstrating what living by faith in Jesus looks like.

Parents and grandparents, thank you for seeing the value of bringing your children to church. Thank you for entrusting them to us, if even for a few days of VBS. Your children are a delight, a joy, brimming with energy, excitement and potential. I want you to know how much we love them and care for them.

And if you’re not actively involved in church elsewhere, please know you are encouraged to come and join us for Sunday School every Sunday morning at 9:30, followed by our Worship Celebration at 10:45. We’ll also be starting Kids Klub back up on Wednesday nights in September, as well as Children’s Church and Children’s Choir.

The Bible tells us how important children were to Jesus, and our desire is to show that same love to your children. “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God,” Jesus said. “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of a God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. (Mark 10:14-16)

As a church, however, our time with your children is limited, and our influence in their lives is nothing compared to the influence in their homes. Parents and grandparents, I want to encourage you – plead with you – to raise your children in the ways of the Lord. If you’re already doing so, I applaud you! If not, now’s the perfect time to begin.

What in the world does that look like, you may be wondering? If you will, allow me to give a few brief thoughts, in classic three-point preaching outline.

First, start seeing the vision of what your family life would look like when Jesus rules your home. Where love for one another characterizes your relationships. Where respect and honor, encouragement and comfort, and mercy and grace flow freely. Where kindness, patience, joy, peace, faithfulness, gentleness, humility and forgiveness set the tone of your home. That’s a pretty compelling picture for any household!

Next, be intentional about how to make this vision come to life. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul writes: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Could you say that to your children? You need to be an intentional follower of Jesus yourself if you want your children to follow Jesus. That will then mean at least teaching them the word of Christ – how to walk in faith and obedience to the Lord, loving the Lord wholeheartedly, loving one another, worshiping and serving in the local church, seeking to reach the lost with the gospel of Christ Jesus and making disciples of all nations. For starters, anyway.

Third, pray and believe. By pray, I mean, pray without ceasing. Don’t ever quit praying. Pray for your children, and pray with your children. And believe that God will do the part that only God can do – the work of making them into new creations in Christ and transforming them more and more into His image. In other words, you be diligent to do what you’re supposed to do, and trust God for the results.

We live in perilous times. We need an anchor to keep our souls “steadfast and sure while the billows roll.” For this, we have Jesus – for life.