We have just finished another great week of Vacation Bible School. This is one of the weeks in which I am most proud to serve as the pastor of Bells First Baptist Church. Most years we have as many of our members come to work in VBS as we have children enrolled. Few things bless a pastor’s heart more than seeing the church family work together.
Jesus gladly took time for young people. In Luke 18:15-17 the Bible says…
“…they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. But Jesus called for them, saying, ‘Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all’.”
Jesus is the Master in every way, including His way with words. He put so much in such a small paragraph. We are not only to “permit” the children to come, but we are also to be sure that we do not, “hinder” them from coming.
We can “hinder” children from coming to Jesus in many ways. Not being faithful in our personal walk with the Lord may be among the worst. This sends a clear message that this religious stuff is just not all that important. Obviously we are hindering them if we wait for them to talk us into going to church. Many children are left on their own when it comes to their spiritual development. Not only do they have to decide for themselves to seek the Lord, but also to wake themselves up, get themselves dressed, find themselves something for breakfast, and get a ride to church.
If parents hindered their children’s educational development the way some hinder their spiritual development, those parents would be labeled “unfit” and the child would be removed from their home.
The last great truth Jesus packed into His short statement is that we must all return to the child-like quality of just taking Him at His word and obeying, if we wish to “receive the kingdom of God”. How is that “obeying” thing developing in your life?
The icing on our VBS cake is that seven of our young people prayed to receive Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior during the week. Thank You, Lord; and thank you, VBS workers.
Bro. Dennis