Becoming Like Children to See God
January 25, 2023 · 1:52:54 · Watch on YouTube ↗
These notes - summary, key points, and highlighted thoughts - were generated by AI from the recording and are not the preacher’s exact words.
Summary
This midweek service opened with a prayer that God would tune our spiritual ears to His voice, and then several brothers preached around one word from Matthew 18: unless we turn and become like little children, we cannot enter the Kingdom of heaven. The first message drew out what makes children fit for the Kingdom - they forgive quickly and refuse to nurse a grudge, they trust their parents completely, and they do not think highly of themselves. The challenge was simple: stop carrying old offenses for years, and learn to trust the Father the way a child trusts mom and dad.
A second brother carefully separated hope from faith. Faith rests on a specific word from God; where no such word has come yet, what we have is hope - we know God is able, but we do not yet know whether or how He will act. He pointed to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego with their bold "but if not," to Hannah praying in the temple, to Jehoshaphat facing an army he could not defeat, and to Peter sleeping peacefully in prison because he had a word from the Lord. Hope keeps us praying, and hope does not put us to shame.
The closing message named the one childlike trait above all others: being teachable, willing to be raised and corrected. Just as good soil must be plowed and fertilized before it can bear fruit, God disciplines those He loves so that we share in His holiness, for without holiness no one will see Him. The service ended with the Lord's Prayer and intercession for the sick, for a departing family, and for Ukraine.
Key Points
- The door to the Kingdom is childlikeness: humble yourself and turn, or you cannot enter.
- Children forgive fast and let offenses go; clinging to a grudge robs us of childlike freedom.
- A child trusts his father without anxiety - learn to trust your heavenly Father the same way.
- Faith stands on a definite word from God; where there is no such word yet, hope keeps us praying and does not disappoint.
- "But if not" - even without a guarantee, the three Hebrews refused to bow; real hope holds firm.
- Being teachable marks a true child of God; if you cannot be corrected, you are not yet a child.
- God disciplines those He loves to grow His holiness in us, for without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Devotional
Ask yourself honestly whether you are still carrying an offense you should have laid down long ago, and whether you let your Father correct you or bristle because you already know best. The Kingdom belongs to those who become small again - quick to forgive, quick to trust, quick to learn. God's discipline can feel like rough soil being plowed, yet it is the very love that grows holiness in us so we can one day see Him. Today, lower yourself like a child, release what you are clutching, and let Him do His patient work in your heart.
Unless you turn and become like a little child, you will not see the Kingdom of heaven.
While you have no word from God, you still have hope - and hope keeps you on your knees.
God plows and disciplines the ones He loves, so holiness, not bitterness, grows in the heart.
