Matthew 18.1-41 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the

greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  

2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Scripture Reading

Being

God’s Child

ChildrenHave a big smile Have fun and explore the worldNot afraid to play

Don’t worry about the pastDon’t care about the future

Live in the moment

Not afraid to express what they feel

Are not afraid to loveCan melt into love

Matthew 18.1-41 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the

greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  

2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Scripture Reading

Bible Is about Children

1154 “children of”

532 “sons of”

59 “daughters of”

1745 about 26x per book

Bible Is about Relationships

A Child’s Relationship to Their:

God

Family

Nation

Religion

Matthew 5.99 Blessed are the peacemakers,

      for they will be called sons of God.

Matthew 5, mc 5.3-12, v 5.9

Luke 20.3634 Jesus replied, "The people of this age marry and are given in

marriage. 35But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection.

Luke 20, mc 20.27-39, v 20.36

John 1.9-129 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the

world. 10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

John 1, mc 1.9-12, v 1.12

Romans 8.14-2114 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Romans 8, mc 8.12-27, vv 8.14-21

1 John 3.1-31 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should

be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

1 John 3, mc 2.28-3.10, vv 3.1-3

1 John 3.8-108 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has

been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. 9No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

1 John 3, mc 2.28-3.10, v 3.10

1 John 5.1-21 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and

everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.

1 John 5, mc 5.1-12, vv 5.1-2

God’s ChildHas a Right To Be God’s Child

Is a Child of Godbecause of Faith in Jesus

Loves GodKeeps God’s CommandsIs Lead by the Holy Spirit

Loves God’s Children

Seeks PeaceIs Blameless and Harmless

Does What Is Right

Will Be Like JesusWill Be Resurrected

Endnotes

Lesson: Freely Received; Freely Give

Presented: January 17, 2010

Author: Raymond Harris www.raymondharris.com

All Scripture Quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version; used from www.biblegateway.com.

Children descriptions, The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz, pp.94-95.

“children of,” “sons of,” and “daughters of” King James phrase searches, e-Sword version 8.0.6.