Children: Gift and Model

April 19, 2026 Background Scripture: Matthew 18:1 - 6; Mark 9:36 - 37, 42; 10:13 - 16; Luke 2:1 -20 Lesson Passage: Mark 9:36 - 37, 42; 10:13 - 16 Today's lesson is a reminder that leaders considered Jesus to be a very controversial person during the three years of His ministry in this world. His behavior went against what many considered the social norms at that time. One such behavior was how He related to children in public settings. He used little children as object lessons to teach His disciples about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, Jesus used a child as an example of what it means to be great in the kingdom of God. After His disciples argued about which of them would be the greatest in the kingdom of God, Jesus used a little child to explain how far they were from being great. That little child was the model of what greatness in the kingdom of God looks like. Jesus told them that receiving a little child in His name is equivalent to receiving Him and the Father who sent Him. The bible doesn't disclose what His disciples considered as greatness. Perhaps they were arguing about their masculinity, or machismo, as evidence of their greatness; because Jesus used the humility and submission of a little child as evidence of greatness in the kingdom of God. A little child who was expected to be kept out of an adult conversation was brought into the conversation as a role model for the adults. Jesus also warned them that causing a little child who believed in Him to go astray would lead to grave consequences for the person who does it. At times, it seems that Jesus identified with little children more than He identified with the adults around Him. It should not be surprising that Jesus expressed a special affinity for little children. Jesus understood what it was like to be a little child. Jesus did not descend from heaven as an adult. Jesus was born into this world as a baby. Jesus was born into this world as a gift to mankind from God. He matured in this world into adulthood. His life embodied the perfect image and likeness of God. Jesus' life was a model of what God expects of mankind. Jesus' teaching reflected the perfect will of God rather than reinforce the acceptable social norms of the day. The contrast between Jesus' teaching and social norms was clearly seen in terms of how Jesus related to little children. Again, the social norm was for children to be kept away from adults who were conversing among themselves. Therefore, when people attempted to bring little children to Jesus for Him to lay His hand on them and impart a blessing to them, Jesus' disciples rebuked the adults for bringing children to Jesus. Apparently, the disciples did not learn what Jesus taught them previously about receiving little children. Jesus expressed His displeasure with His disciples and rebuked them. They had forgotten the lesson about little children being their role models of greatness in the kingdom of God. On this occasion, Jesus talked about little children being the embodiment of citizens of the kingdom of God. Hence, the little children should be brought to Jesus that He may bless them. Furthermore, Jesus emphasized that His disciples, and others, needed to know that adults who desire to enter the kingdom of God must first become as little children. This was a second lesson Jesus taught His disciples about the importance of little children. Solomon wrote, "Children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them." Children are both gifts and role models. Robert C. Hudson April 8, 2026

Family: Distinct and Obedient

April 26, 2026 Background Scripture: Matthew 19:3 9; Ephesians 6:1 - 4; 2 Timothy 1:3-5 Lesson Passage: Deuteronomy 6:3 - 9; Matthew 19:3 - 9 Today's lesson focuses on the family as a divinely appointed institution. It is clear from the passage out of Deuteronomy that God intended for His word to have preeminence in the family. Almost every conceivable way in which the word of God could be made evident is named. It must first start in the believer's heart. After that it should be taught to the children. It was to be talked about while sitting in the house. It was to be discussed while they were away from home. It was to be talked about late at night before retiring to bed and early in the morning after they arose. The word of God was to be as visible as someone wearing jewelry. This preeminence of the word of God in the family would influence the children. Obedience to the word of God promises prosperity for the people of God. Obedience to God's word must begin with the family at home. God's plan was for the family to be a stable institution that would be the building block of society. The stability of the family was based on the husband and wife being joined as one flesh by God. Sin always disrupts God's plans. Sin causes individuals to have hard hearts towards others—including their spouses. God allowed Moses to introduce divorce as an option to prevent a person from living a miserable life with someone who had a hard heart towards them. Jesus made it clear that this was not God's original plan for the family, but the bill of divorcement allowed the two people to be separated and at peace. Despite sin's devastating effect on the family as an institution, God continues to work through families by providing instructions for them. The fact that Paul wrote to a church and instructed children to obey their parents is an indication that disobedient children were part of that society. Likewise, instructing fathers to not provoke their children to anger is an indication that fathers were already provoking their children to anger. Those instructions were sent by Paul to strengthen the Christian families in that society. The father' s provocation was to be replaced by training and teaching their children to love the Lord. This restores God's original intent for the relationship between the father and his children as Moses had instructed Israel. In what is believed to be Paul's last letter, he reflected on how God-fearing families had influenced their offspring. He attributed his steadfast serving of God to the example of his forefathers. Likewise, when Paul spoke of Timothy's genuine faith, he attributed it to the faith of Timothy's mother and grandmother. Faith is not inherited. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. Timothy's grandmother and mother evidently did the very thing God had instructed Israel to do within their families during the time of Moses. In the Law, God instructed the people of Israel to teach the word of God to their children, Their obedience to this provision of the Law was made evident through the generations. Today, Christian families must dare to believe that God blesses obedience to His word the same today as He did in the past. We must believe that our families are blessed and prosper when we make the word of God a priority for our families. We might not see the results immediately, but time will reveal the faithfulness of God in honoring His word. His word declares that when we train up a child in the way that he should go, when he is old, he will not depart from it. It does not say there will not be ups and downs in life as he grows older. But if the word of God is hidden in his heart, it will be a lamp to his feet and a light to his path. The family, as an institution, must remain distinct and obedient to God's word. Robert C. Hudson April 11, 2026