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November 17, 2024

Faith Like A Child

Pastor Matt continues working through Luke 18, emphasizing God's love for children and His desire for us to serve others. He challenges the congregation to respond to God's call, whether through instruction, fellowship, or commissioning, and to become actively involved in serving at Kingsway and beyond.

Sermon Notes

Luke 18:15 NIV

People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebukedthem.

The Greek word for “rebuke” (epitimáō) is frequently used in Jesus' ministry where He rebukes demons (i.e. Matthew 17), disease (i.e. Luke 4), natural elements (i.e. the wind in Matthew 8), or even His disciples (i.e. Peter in Mark 8).

Luke 18:16a NIV

But Jesus called the children to him and said,

The Greek word for “called” (proskaleó) used in the New Testament often implies a personal invitation or a directive to come closer, whether for instruction, fellowship, or commissioning.

I find it fascinating that Jesus did not rebuke the disciples, but he called the children.

Today, on behalf of the Lord, I want to call you.

Psalms 95:6-8a NIV

Come, let us bow down in worship, 

let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 

for he is our God 

and we are the people of his pasture, 

the flock under his care. 

Today, if only you would hear his voice, 

“Do not harden your hearts…

God either has an instruction, a desire to fellowship with, or a commissioning for you today.  Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart!

Matthew 6:6 NIV

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

God is a great Father! Trust His heart and direction for you.

Matthew 6:9-10 NIV

“This, then, is how you should pray: 

“ ‘Our Father in heaven, 

hallowed be your name, 

your kingdom come, 

your will be done, 

on earth as it is in heaven.”

How do I know He is trustworthy and good? 

Psalms 146:9 NIV

The Lord watches over the foreigner 

and sustains the fatherless and the widow, 

but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

Psalms 68:5-6 NIV

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, 

is God in his holy dwelling. 

God sets the lonely in families, 

he leads out the prisoners with singing; 

but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

Through faith in Jesus, you are His children!

1 John 3:1a NIV

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

What does life with our Father look like?

James 1:27 NIV

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

God watches over the Fatherless primarily through His people acting on His behalf!

Deuteronomy 24:19-21 NIV

When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow.

Isaiah 1:17 NIV

Learn to do right; seek justice. 

Defend the oppressed. 

Take up the cause of the fatherless; 

plead the case of the widow.

Where is God calling you to serve?

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Hands of hope https://handsofhopein.org/

Josiah whites https://josiahwhites.org/


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