Skip HeitzigSkip Heitzig

Skip's Teachings > From the Edge of Eternity > Jesus, Friend of Children

Message:

BUY: Buy CD
Player will resume where you were momentarily. Please wait...

Cancel
Loading player...
Enter your Email Address:

or cancel

Jesus, Friend of Children
Matthew 19:13-15
Skip Heitzig

Matthew 19 (NKJV™)
13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.
14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

Previous | Next Cookies must be enabled to support these options.
From the Edge of Eternity

Today's subject is a tender one. The death of infants and children is the greatest fear of any parent. Does the Bible speak clearly about what happens when they die? It certainly does and it also gives great comfort to many who suffer the horrible loss of a little one. In this series on Eternity we must consider this subject since it affects so many and will also help us understand the fate of those who, like children, have diminished capacities.

What happens when a believer dies? What will heaven be like? What about infants and children who die? When do our bodies get resurrected? What will they be like? These questions and more occupy our thoughts from time to time. In this new series, From the Edge of Eternity, we will follow a believer from death into the different stages of eternity: the Intermediate State, the resurrection of the body, the Kingdom Age and the Eternal State. Since forever is a long time, it only makes sense that we both understand and prepare for this "ultimate journey".

FREE - Download Entire Series (MP3) (Help) | Buy series | Buy audiobook

Outline

    Open as Word Doc Open as Word Doc    Copy Copy to Clipboard    Print icon    Show expand

I. Parents' Spiritual Concern (Vs 13)

A. Desire for Present Safety

B. Desire for Future Salvation

C. Display of Disciples' Insensitivity


II. Jesus' Special Care (Vss 14-15)

A. Reveals God Tender Love

B. Reveals Child's Special Access


Think on These Things:

1.
Read Matthew 18:1-5 and 10-14. Consider also the analogy in 1 John 3:1-2. All these scriptures form a composite of how God thinks towards little children. What principles emerge for you from these truths?


2. Consider how you might become an agent of healing and God's presence to someone who has suffered the loss of a child. Ask God for special sensitivity and grace for such.

Transcript

Open as Word Doc Open as Word Doc    Copy Copy to Clipboard    Print icon    Show expand

I'd like you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 19 this morning. We're doing a series "From the Edge of Eternity." And today we look at a very tender topic, a very difficult topic, in fact it's one that I have never devoted an entire message to as I will today. It is an issue that recently Stephen Curtis Chapman faced, some of you heard about that, his five-year-old girl Maria was struck and killed in their own driveway. It was a tragedy, it hit the Christian community, it was all over the news, but it hurt more than anything the heart of those dear parents who lost their five-year-old girl. People magazine covered the funeral event and the magazine said the family raised their arms as they sang songs of worship and sought comfort in their faith. And then Stephen Curtis Chapman told the press, "We had talked with Maria about what it means to be with Jesus but I had no idea how soon it was going to be. But we know that she is in His amazing house." One of the most difficult things in life to face is the death of a child. I watched my parents bury one of their sons. He was much older but I saw the hurt, the pain, how it ravaged the emotions. And I've stood at the grave of many a child that with the parents we laid to rest. Very very difficult. And this last month I officiated at two funerals for babies. And at one of them I was at the cemetery earlier than the rest of the funeral party before the hearse got there, before the little casket arrived, and I was just walking around the section of the cemetery devoted solely to little children. And I read the gravestones, it was very very emotional to read what parent's wrote and to read the child's life: One year old, four months old, two days old, twenty-four, forty-eight hours and then gone. It is much different when a child dies than when an older person dies. It's never fun when anybody dies, it's always a shock and always a tragedy, but when a child dies it's much different because with older people there is an expectation that they're going to die but when a child dies it seems so cruel, out of order, something's wrong, this isn't right. One person said, likened it, infant death to a period that is placed before the end of a sentence, it's out of place.
What happens to babies when they die? Do they automatically go to heaven? Do they go to a place called limbo? Anybody every get taught that as I did as a child, that the soul goes to a place of contentment but not perfect joy in the presence of God because of original sin. What happens? Well you might be asking: Why this sermon? Why a whole message on this? Because you might be thinking, "Skip, this doesn't relate to my life." You don't know that yet. You don't know what your life's going to bring. And in the very least through this message you will be equipped to help bring comfort to those parents who have lost precious little ones.
It's been estimated that twenty-five percent of all pregnancies will not complete the twentieth week of pregnancy. That's a staggering number, one out of every four pregnancies at least will end in miscarriage. We had two miscarriages in our family and many of you have faced them as well. Now that's just miscarriage. Then there's neonatal death, death inside the womb. Then there's perinatal death, death at the time of delivery. And these are in staggering numbers, proportions. Of course the number one cause of death of children between one week and five years of age is called Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, SIDS, and the numbers are amazing. It's estimated that two million babies will die within their first twenty-four hours each year worldwide. 
Now all of these are eternal souls. Where do they go? What happens to them? It's a question that we really need an answer to, and we need an answer more than just an emotional answer, what we want, we need a biblical answer. And to say, as many in churches do, "I don't know," or "We can never know." That's not very comforting. I believe we can know and I believe unequivocally that when a child dies they go directly into the presence of God and I want to show you that from scripture.
Anow the text we're going to look at is Matthew 19, three short verses, verse 13 through 15, "Then little children were brought to Him (that is, to Jesus) that He might put his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me and do not forbid them for of such is the kingdom of heaven." And he laid his hands on them and departed from there. 
Before we jump into unpacking this text, let me just tell you what this text does not refer to. It does not refer to infant baptism, I don't know where people get that from, you really have to stretch the meaning of the text, they try to quote this verse as a proof of infant baptism, those who believe in baptismal regeneration. Second, this verse has nothing at all to do with bringing little children into the main church service. Okay, can I just get that out there. You would be surprised over the years, especially before we had that wonderful Family Room, how many parents would be stopped by ushers when they wanted to bring their little babies in and the mothers and fathers in anger would say, "Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me.'" Well, first of all, I'm not Jesus, so we'll get that out of the way. You say, "Well I know that." And the whole point of the nursery and Sunday School is to in that environment get them to Jesus as soon as we can, in that age-appropriate way. Now these verses have everything to do with who Jesus lets into his kingdom. And he says, "For such is the kingdom of heaven."
Now today what I'd like to do is just sort of look at two main things. There are at least four parties involved in this little meeting: there is Jesus Christ, then there are the disciples, then there are the parents presumably who bring number four, the children to Jesus. There may have even been a crowd of people watching this, so there might be five independent parties involved, we're going to deal really with two sections: that is the parent sand their spiritual concern for their children and then Jesus and his special care for children; those two items as outlined in your bulletin.
Let's look at verse 13 a little more carefully and notice, it says, "Little children." Now mark that phrase in your mind, we'll get back to it. "Little children were brought to him that he might put his hands on them and pray." Now this was a common practice, to bring children to a rabbi to have the rabbi lay his hand on the child and to bless the child and to pray for the child's safety and future. It was a common practice and it goes all the way back to the time of the patriarchs. Back in Genesis 42, do you remember the story, when Joseph who had his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim born and raised in Egypt, he wanted to get those two kids to his father Jacob, their grandfather and have Grandpa lay his hands on the children and bless them. Remember the story, it says Jacob was an old guy and he couldn't see but he knowingly pulled a switcheroo, that's not how the scripture says it, but he crossed his hands and he placed his right hand on the youngest and Joseph said, "No, no, no, he's the youngest." And Jacob said, "I know what I'm doing. The younger is going to be more prominent than even the older." And even the Jewish Talmud instructed parents to bring their children to a notable rabbi, a spiritual leader. So it became a custom that on the anniversary of the child's birth, the first birthday, they would bring to the synagogue the little children to be blessed by the rabbis. 
And here they bring children to Jesus. Notice it says ‘little children.' The Greek word paiadea, toddlers, or actually all the way from infancy up to a young child. Now in Luke's same account of this text, it says, "And they brought infants to him," breathos. And so all the way from infancy to young childhood, that was the age of those who were being brought to Jesus here. Now we've sort of followed that custom, we have baby dedications. By the way, it's not to take the place of infant baptism, we don't hold some superstitious element and says, "Well you've got to get your child dedicated or else." No, we do it as a way to incorporate that new wonderful life of these children being born into our fellowship in a way that we can all stand behind those children and those parents.
Well, no wonder parents would want to bring their children to Jesus and place their kids in his hands. They've watched those hands heal people, give sight to blind eyes, unstop deaf ears. Who wouldn't want to get their children into the hand of Jesus? So why did they bring their kids to Jesus? Because every parent loves his children, every parent wants the safe passage and journey for the children, wants their children to go into the kingdom, wants them to go to heaven. So they brought them to Jesus. I'd suggest the same for any parent, get your kids to Jesus as soon as you can. In those earliest years, when you think, "Oh they don't even know what I'm talking about." Mention His name, instruct them. Charles Spurgeon used to put it this way, "Before a child reaches seven, teach him all the way to heaven. And better stil the work will thrive if he learns before he's five." As young as you can because a parent is a partner with God in discipling children.
So it's a beautiful story, they're bringing their kids to Jesus. But notice, "But the disciples rebuked them." How weird is that? You think, "Wait a minute, these disciples have been now with Jesus for at least two years, they've heard his messages, they've seen Him." They obviously don't share his heart for children. It's a very strong word by the way, rebuked. It means to scold or sharply reprimand. Something like, "Get out of here." Why would disciples do that? I can think of a couple reasons. Possibility number one, these disciples were influenced by the worldly idea of what children were, the Greco-Roman idea that children were insignificant, that childhood was the most insignificant part of a person's life. "They're just children." Did you know that two thousand years ago in the pagan cultures, unwanted children were simply abandoned, just cast out, just thrown out, abandoned out in the open field. And especially if they were a girl, unfortunately there was a lot of discrimination in gender, because you see a daughter in a poor family would mean a future financial burden. But a boy could contribute to the economy of the family in those days. So the girls were cast out.
Here's a little excerpt from a letter, a little over two thousand years ago. From 1 BC a man writes to his wife, he's out on the battlefield, "If," he says, "If good luck to you you have another child, if it is a male child let it live; if it is a female cast it out." And so these babies that were abandoned were collected at night and placed into the city forum. Most of them didn't survive. The ones that survived were made slaves, gladiators or prostitutes. It could be that just that kind of thinking about children in the world had influenced these disciples. And you might say, "Well I don't buy that, they were Jewish, and they were Jesus' disciples, so they probably didn't think that way." You might be right. In fact, it could be that they were tainted by the very religious view of children. You say, "what do you mean by that, the very religious view?" Did you know that the most religious people of Jesus' day, the Pharisees, they didn't think very well of children either. And here's why: the Pharisees believed that you earned your salvation. And because a child is incapable of earning their salvation, the kingdom of God does not belong to children, they can't do anything to earn their salvation, thus they're insignificant.
Now I won't have you turn to it but the account that we're reading, these three verses, they're so important, they're found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke; all three synoptics. In Luke's account, listen to this, in Luke's account of the same passage, Jesus said this right after he told a parable. And I want you to see how it fits together. It says, "Jesus spoke a parable to those who trusted in themselves that they were more righteous than others. And he said, ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray' (remember that story?) A Pharisee and a tax collecter. And the Pharisee stood and he prayed with himself and he said, "God, I thank you that I'm not like other people. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I possess and I thank you that I'm certainly not like that tax collector over there." He was boasting in his own good work. Jesus continued the parable, that the tax collector wouldn't even raise his head up, but he pound his breast and he said, "God be merciful to me the sinner." Literally the sinner. And what did Jesus say? That man went down to his house justified. And the righteous religious guy did not. Right after that Jesus said, "Let the little children come unto me, don't forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." You get the connection? In other words, it's not the self-righteous who are justified, it's not the spiritually elite, it's not the moral achievers. It's all those who like little children recognize their own helplessness, their own hopelessness apart from Christ, and they completely and totally depend on his grace. 
Now something to note about these disciples and their response. I think that children want to come to Jesus Christ. Once they find out about Jesus, I've even noticed this among children of unbelievers, that children often want to come to Jesus Christ and it's too often the adults that get in the way. I heard about an atheistic lawyer who had a plaque in his office and the plaque read (get this) "God is nowhere." His little girl was in his office one day looking up at this plaque "God is nowhere." And she was just sort of killing time waiting for Dad and she took a couple pieces of paper and kept copying that motto, kept copying it. But as she copied it, she made a mistake and she put a space between the last word between the w and the h. So it read, "God is now here." Completely changed the meaning and upset her father. That little illustration just points to how kids on their own, God I think put that within their hearts. And parents have to steer that away. Parents, make it easy for kids to love Jesus, to come to him. Even kind of overture that they make that's spiritual, seize the moment. Evangelize them, gospelize them. I remember when my little Natie, who's now not so little, he's 22 and six foot four, but when he was, just a couple years ago, so small. And we were driving, I remember the day, I remember the road we were on, right up here. And he had seen an altar call at church and he was asking me about it and what it meant to come to Christ and pray to receive Christ. And we're driving down the street. And he just turned to me and he said, "Daddy, I want to pray to receive Christ." Now I was on the way to an appointment. I did not say, "Hold that thought." I went..., pulled the car over, stopped it, looked at him, spent the time. And I remember holding his little hands as he prayed to receive Christ. Seize all of those little moments. 
Let's look at the next couple of verses, let's segway from the parent's concern to Jesus' personal and tender special care. Verse 14, "But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me.' (I bet this blew the disciples' mind, they didn't expect that. it sure delighted however.) And do not forbid them for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Now this little section is a very short section, really only one verse, main verse. But it is so significant and so important, as I said, it's mentioned in three gospel accounts, Matthew, Mark and Luke. And I think it's a major statement that Jesus is making about he value and significance of children, about His tender love for children and about their access to God and to his kingdom.
One thing you realize if you read through the whole of scripture, you can't miss this, God has a tender spot in his heart toward children. A special spot, a special care for children. And I thank you see that all the way through the scripture. There's a great text in Ezekiel chapter 16 where God is likening Israel to a little child. This is what he says, " I remember when you were born," God says, "as a nation. Nobody cut your navel cord, nobody washed you, nobody rubbed salt on you (as was the custom), nobody put you in swaddling cloths. But they cast you out and they abandoned you in a field and then I found you and I said to you in your blood, ‘Live.' And you lived and you grew up. But as you grew up you turned away from me. You rejected me. IN fact, now you've become idolatrous in your practices." And then God says this in Ezekiel chapter 16, verse 20 and 21, listen to this. "Moreover, you took your sons and your daughters whom you bore to me," says God. Stop there. You had them, but you bore them to me, God's claiming them. "And these you sacrificed to them to be devoured." You know what they were doing? They were taking their little babies and placing them on an idol's arms called Molek and they would wait til that molten steel idol became red hot and they would incinerate their babies as an offering to the god Molek. And so God says, "You sacrifice them to be devoured. Were your acts of harlotry a small matter, that you have slain my children, and offered them up by causing them to pass through the fire." Do you hear those words? God is laying claim to those children. And he's not laying claim to the children of believing Jews, these were idolaters. He's not saying that they were his children because the parents were saved, God's saying, "They're my children because they exist as children. They were mine, you bore them to me and they're mine." Special tender care.
Now I believe that verse 14 of Matthew, the verse we're reading, it also reveals a child's special access to God. And I think that nowhere at no time will you see the grace of God exhibited more in a child's life than at the time of death. For Jesus says, "Of such is the kingdom of heaven." Or as the NASB says, "The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Tontoloutone, ton guar tolutone in the Greek. In other words, it belongs to those who are like children and it also includes children themselves. And until that child reaches the condition of, the age of accountability where they can discern between right and wrong and make choices and are held responsible for those choices, they have that special care and access to God.
I want you to see something. I want you to go back one chapter, chapter 18 of Matthew, because you see where the thought begins. Chapter 18 verse 1, "At that time the disciples came to Jesus (and these guys are really theologically inclined, they ask a very heavy question, ‘Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' Maybe they though Jesus would say, ‘Well Peter, you are.' Or, ‘John, I think it's you.') Then Jesus called a little child to him and set him in the midst of them and said, ‘Assuredly I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.'" See even an adult has to come to a place where they're willing like a child to be absolutely and totally dependent upon God's grace not their own works. You have to become like a little child.
Well, children as referred to in chapter 19 verse 14, children of that age, little children or infants, they're at an age where they're incapable of exercising saving faith, they're at an age where they're incapable of rebelling against God. And I think there are plenty of scriptures that indicate if a child dies before that age, condition of accountability, they are in heaven. What that age is, I can't tell you. If you ask me afterwards, I'll say again, I don't know, I think it varies from child to child. But I want to show you some scriptures, and you can just write these down. I'll show them to you: Deuteronomy chapter 1 verse 39, there's one verse I want to pull out, God says to the children of Israel, "Moreover your little ones, your children, whom you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. To them I will give it" (that is, give the land). I want to just lift out that phrase, they have no knowledge of good and evil. They have no clear true understanding of what is right and what is wrong, what is evil and what is good, no sense of law at all, no conscious rebellion against the law of God. In fact, because they're little kids, they don't even know what the law of God is. They're not even conscious of it, let alone able to rebel against it. So they are therefore not responsible moral agents, there's no culpability because they don't know what's right, they don't know what's wrong. Twice in Jeremiah, Jeremiah chapter 34 and chapter 19 verse 4, God calls little children by this term: innocents, they are innocents. He says of their parents who are sacrificing their children, "You have filled this place with the blood of the innocents." Now you know what? If God calls somebody innocent, guess what? They're innocent. He didn't toss that term around lightly. They're innocent. Does that mean that children are not sinful? No. Does that mean your children are not fallen? No and it's manifestly seen as the child grows up, right? I think every parent should be able to say, "Amen" to that. Everybody notices that bent toward evil, that you don't have to teach a child, it comes naturally. It does mean that a child cannot discern God's law and they can't be held guilty for premeditated sin because they don't have any premeditated, volitional rebellion.
Then there's Jonah chapter 4 verse 11. And before we put it up on the screen, you know the book of Jonah, God took Jonah to Nineveh, right? And then he said, preach to this city. And then the city repented and so God withheld his judgment. And what did Jonah do? He got really bummed out. "God, I was counting on you destroying all these people." You know, he hated the Ninevites. So listen to what God says, Jonah chapter 4, verse 11, "Should I not pity Nineveh, that great city in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left? Jonah, you want me to destroy a whole city that has a hundred and twenty thousand children in it, kids? What a description. It's the same description metaphorically, can't tell their right from their left, as Deuteronomy chapter 1. They don't know right from wrong, good and evil.
Then there was Job. Job lost everything, including his children. Job got so low after losing his kids, losing his health, and losing everything he owned, in chapter 3 here's his despair, "After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born. He said, ‘May the day perish on which I was born and the night on which it was said a male child was conceived." And then down in verse 11 Job says, "Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb? Why did the knees receive me or why did the breast that I should nurse? For now I would have lain still and been quiet (that is if he would have been born a stillborn, perinatal death) I would have been asleep, I would have been at rest." Now before you say, "Well all that Job meant was that he would be better off dead than alive and suffering, he just meant not exist, rest from existence." He didn't mean that. Job must have meant that to be at rest as a baby was to be in the presence of God and here's why: Because it was the same Job who says a few chapters later "I know that my redeemer lives and I know that I will resurrect and in my flesh I will see God." That's what he believed. So here he is stating that a child when he dies goes to be at rest with the Lord.
Then there's I Kings chapter and I'm just sort of summing up a few but I want you to keep these, write these down, look them up, use them. I Kings chapter 14, God pronounces judgment on the whole household of King Jeroboam because he was so wicked and God basically says, "I'm going to make a clean sweep and every male of your entire household is going to be destroyed. You can't even bury them, they're going to lie out on the streets nad the birds and dogs are going to get them", they won't even have a proper burial. He says in verse 10 of I Kings 14, "I will bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam, I will cut off from Jeroboam every male in Israel, I will take away the remnant from the house of Jeroboam as one takes away refuse until it is all gone." That is, except for one little child. And God says in verses 12 and 13, I Kings 14, "When your feet enter the city, the child (it's the little child, toddler or infant) shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him (watch this) for he is the one of Jeroboam who shall come to the grave because in him there is found something good toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam." Now how could that be that something good was found inside that little child, who's not even old enough to discern? For all the same reasons I've just shared with you. Even though this child is the son of an idolatrous father and and idolatrous family, he never knowingly rebelled against God. He is in the same category of not knowing good from evil, right hand from left hand, innocent as a child.
One of the most famous passages is II Samuel chapter 12, David had sinned with Bathsheba, you know the story. Bathsheba is pregnant. David kills her previous husband, marries her, it's all a sinful episode. The child is born, the child gets sick. For one week David fasts and he prays, "Oh God, save this child." The child dies in a week. As soon as the child dies, David washes himself and he eats food. And his servants go, "What's up with you David? This is strange behavior." David said, "I can't do anything now. While he was alive I could at least pray that God would spare his life. But now it's too late." And this is how David comforted himself. He said, "I shall go to the child but the child cannot return to me." David certainly believed and wrote about heaven on a few different occasions. The way David comforted himself is, "Well I guess I'm going to die and go to the grave." The way he comforted himself is, "One day I will go to thee with my child, in God's presence. He can never return here." So Jesus takes the little ones in his arms, lays his hands on them, prays for them and says, "The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." When a baby dies it goes to heaven. If that child hasn't reached that level of accountability where he has to stand or fall on his own choices for or against God I believe that there's special mercy, not because a baby deserves it but because God is merciful.
The kingdom of heaven belongs to children because children belong to God, he claims them. That's where the whole idea of limbo erupted from. I was raised with the whole idea of limbo. Do you know where limbo was invented? In the 13th century, that's how long it took to figure that out. It was concocted because the Roman Catholic church said, "We have a problem. We have a conundrum. What do we do, what do we say about babies who die before we can baptize them? Because they believe in baptismal regeneration, they're not saved unless they're baptized. We can't say they go to hell, they didn't do anything wrong. We can't put them in Purgatory because they were never bad enough. So let's create limbo. And they did. Until two years ago, and then they sort of threw it out and said, "Well it's possible that a baby could go to heaven." It's not possible, it's absolutely certain that when a child dies, that child is in God's presence.
Not only that, but look more carefully. "The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Including children but also such as these. I think that includes the mentally handicapped. They're at a level, they haven't grown beyond infancy yet. And that mental deficiency makes them incapable of faith or of rebellion. Now I just want you to think of this as we close: If you were to think of all of the miscarriages that we began with giving you the statistic, all of the prenatal, neonatal, perinatal death. If you were then to add to that the infant mortality rate that is very high in impoverished nations around the world, think of it this way, it's possible, many theologians believe, that heaven will be more populated with children that went there at death, than adults. It's an interesting though, isn't it? It's a beautiful thought.
John Newton, who wrote Amazing Grace said, "The number of infants in heaven so greatly exceeds the aggregate of adult believers that comparatively speaking the kingdom may be said to consist of little children."
Then there's texts like Revelation chapter 7 which pictures people from every nation, every tribe, every people standing before the throne of God. Well we know that there are some tribes and people where there are no believers. How do you have believers from every conceivable corner? Answer: There are children who die, are graciously placed in God's presence. 
Well we don't own our children, do we? We don't own them. They're entrusted to us. They're in your care and your training for eighteen to twenty years (these days thirty-five to forty years they stay at home, can't get rid of them). But they're just, you're stewards of them. And God may decide at any time since he gave or entrusted them to say, "I want them. And I'll take care of them. And I'll surround them with my special love and my special mercy much more than you could ever provide." And even Job recognized after he lost all of his kids, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. And then he said, "Blessed be the name of the Lord."
Charles Spurgeon in 1861 preached a sermon to his church, The Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England and among his words were these that I close with. He's speaking about ikening the death of a child to a fine rose being taken. "Suppose you're a gardener employed by another. It's not your garden but you're called upon to tend it and you have your wages paid you. You have taken great care with a certain number of roses, you've trained them up and there they are blooming in their beauty. You pride yourself upon them. To come one morning into the garden you find that the best rose has been taken away. You are angry and you go to your fellow servants and you charge them with having taken the rose. They will declare that they had nothing at all to do with it. And then one says, ‘I saw the master walking here this morning. I think he took it.' Is the gardener angry then? No, at once he says, ‘I am happy that my rose should have been so fair as to attract the attention of the master. It is his own, he has taken it. Let him do what seems good to him." If, God forbid, that should ever happen to you, and I pray it won't, I pray that your children grow up healthy and happy and wonderful. That's what we long for, that's what we anticipate. But if God's sovereignty that doesn't happen, know that your child will be forever cared for until you go to him or her.
And I would say you can only go to him or her if you go the same way. They went by God's grace, you have to go by God's grace. You have to receive Christ as your Savior to get into the kingdom of heaven. It belongs to such as these. That's the incredible promise.
Let's have word of prayer. Heavenly Father, you are so merciful that you have found a way even though we have fallen short of your mark, fallen short of the glory of God, we fell short of that the very moment we were conceived David said. We were born in sin, we have a fallen nature that must be dealt with. We're just so grateful and so thankful that by your mercy you placed children in that special category, you whisk them off and gather them into heaven and care for them eternally until we can rejoin them by coming the same way of your grace. Lord, I pray for moms and dads, some faces I see I know that they've lost a son or a daughter, reliving that pain even in this message, bring special comfort to these hearts. And then Lord use us, use us as implements of your mercy, use as tools who would spread your comfort, as we run into people like this, or they're in our family and we could offer great comfort. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Additional Messages in this Series

Show expand

 
Date Title   Watch Listen Notes Share Save Buy
4/27/2008
completed
resume  
The Ultimate Journey
Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
What happens when a believer dies? What will heaven be like? What about infants and children who die? When do our bodies get resurrected? What will they be like? These questions and more occupy our thoughts from time to time. In this series, From the Edge of Eternity, we will follow a believer from death into the different stages of eternity: the Intermediate State, the resurrection of the body, the Kingdom Age and the Eternal State. Since forever is a long time, it only makes sense that we both understand and prepare for this "ultimate journey."
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/4/2008
completed
resume  
View From Death's Door - Part 1
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Nathaniel Hawthorne once wrote, "A grave, wherever found, reaches a short and pithy sermon to the soul." He's right! Cemeteries remind us of our future on this earth--the only real estate we'll hold onto for awhile! But what happens to a believer after death? What about those who have died already? What are they doing now? Today and next week we will look at the experience of the death of the believer and what takes place afterwards.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/11/2008
completed
resume  
View from Death's Door - Part 2
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
How can mortal man penetrate beyond the grave and find assurance and peace for his own heart? Philosophers won't help--they've been for centuries discussing life and death without any resolve. Scientists don't want to tread into the area of wrestling with such questions. Paul solved the problem when he wrote, "For this we say to you by the Word of the Lord." We don’t need to wonder or speculate. Why substitute human speculation when we have divine revelation?
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/18/2008
completed
resume  
Groaning for Glory
2 Corinthians 5:1-8
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
What sort of existence and experiences are departed believers enjoying right now? Is the heaven we go to when we die our final destination? Paul described it as "far better" (Phil. 1:23) but it's going to get even much better! Paul lightly touches on what happens when a Christian dies and awaits the resurrection, but it's enough to give us confidence. Let's consider today the "intermediate" or temporary transitional heaven before the resurrection of our bodies.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
5/25/2008
completed
resume  
Rise and Shine!
1 Corinthians 15:3-4;15:20-28
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
My mom used to saunter into my room to wake me up in the morning with a sweet call to "rise and shine!" One day our Savior will give a call for all His children to do the same! This week and next week we will be considering the resurrection of our bodies. Why is resurrection even necessary? What will our resurrected bodies be like? What capabilities will they possess? Will babies always be babies and the elderly always remain elderly when resurrected? As we begin, know this: the idea of resurrection isn't just a New Testament idea; it began long, long ago!
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
6/1/2008
completed
resume  
Getting the Body You've Always Wanted
1 Corinthians 15:35-50
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
I know I've gotten your attention with the title! This is one of our culture's driving goals--to look trimmer, healthier, younger and stronger than we are. The solution happens to be in the future with the resurrection of our bodies--it will be the body you've always wanted. Scripture gives some wonderful descriptions of the future strength, beauty and permanence of our resurrected body. Let's consider what the Bible says about how you'll look then.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
6/22/2008
completed
resume  
A Sneak-Peek Into What's Up There
Revelation 4:1-3
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
In the early morning of his last day on earth, Dwight L. Moody, awoke suddenly and said, "Earth recedes; heaven opens before me." Those near him thought he was dreaming. "No, this is no dream, it is beautiful. It is like a trance. If this is death, it is sweet. There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go." After that sneak-peek of heaven, Mr. Moody entered his heavenly home. Today lets begin to consider our future home by glimpsing God’s heavenly Throne Room.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
6/29/2008
completed
resume  
What on Earth is Going On in Heaven?
Revelation 4-5
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
The above title is more than just a play on words. Although there will be many activities going on in heaven, worship is one of the few things that we can do "down here" on earth that we will also do "up there" in heaven. That means that one of the ways you can get closer to heaven is to engage in biblical worship right now. Let's tag along with John for his extended tour of heaven.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
7/13/2008
completed
resume  
Gold, Silver, or Bronze?
2 Corinthians 5:9-11
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Next month, the eyes of the world will be on the Olympic Games in Beijing. Athletes from all over the world will compete, hoping to win the gold, silver or bronze medals that rank them as being some of the best on earth. This image of receiving an award from a judge on the raised platform of the Olympic Games is what Paul had in mind when he wrote about the future judgment of believers for their works on earth. Let’s see what this means.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
7/20/2008
completed
resume  
Heaven on Earth - Part 1
Revelation 20:1-3
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Mankind long ago gave up on the idea of a future Utopia. The idea of perpetual peace and undisturbed harmony became the stuff of fairy tale books. But that is precisely what God promised He will bring to this earth one day. And even though Satan has exercised a temporary authority over God's creation for several millennia, the story isn't over yet. Jesus Christ, who came two millennia ago as Savior, will return to rule as Sovereign for a thousand years. And no, this won't just be a spiritual kingdom in the hearts of His followers. This will be a literal dominion over a renewed earth. Let's explore this 1000 year phase of your eternal future.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
7/27/2008
completed
resume  
Heaven on Earth - Part 2: The Bad Guy is Bound
Revelation 20:1-3
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
This world has been so tainted and marred with sin and Satanic deception that it's impossible for us to even imagine what it would be like with Him out of the way. Thankfully we have a clear description of what that will be like during the 1000 year reign of Christ in the Kingdom Age. Today we see the drama of Satan's arrest and incarceration, as the ultimate "bad guy" gets put away to make way for this future era of peace, prosperity and righteousness.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/10/2008
completed
resume  
Heaven on Earth - Part 3: When Politics are Perfect
Revelation 20:4-6
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
It's the political season in our country and both sides are ramping up their platform to get as many votes as possible. The country is sharply divided on the two candidates but one thing is certain according to a recent poll: Americans consider both candidates to be risky if elected president. In Christ's Kingdom on earth, Christ will reign and all those who help Him administer will be in a glorified state, thereby minimizing any risk for shady politics. Get ready--you’re going to be part of the future political agenda of the King of Kings.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/17/2008
completed
resume  
Six Things That Will Surprise You About Heaven
Revelation 21:1-8
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
I began this series talking about all the things I heard people say at funerals about the afterlife, from turning into angels when you die to having to answer Peter's questions at the gates of heaven. I have discovered that most people's (even Christians) ideas about what heaven will be like are vastly different that what Scripture reveals. We turn now to the Eternal State--after our initial experience of the Throne room of heaven, after our bodily resurrection at the Rapture, after the Millennial Reign of Christ. Here's a few things that might surprise you further:
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
8/24/2008
completed
resume  
Future-Town - Part 1
Revelation 21:9-21
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Our English word town is related to the German word zaun (tuin in Dutch). The original idea behind the meaning referred to a space that a fence or wall would enclose. The town of the future described in this chapter, also enclosed by a wall, will be so magnificent that even John's depiction leaves us scratching our heads. This is God's revelation of the future Eternal dwelling of all believers. Let's do a walk-through today.
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
9/7/2008
completed
resume  
Future-Town - Part 2
Revelation 21:22-22:5
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
Today we will conduct a walk-through of your ultimate destination as a believer. We will walk with John as he describes what he saw as he was shown the New Jerusalem. It will be a social environment with such unique features, you'll have to bend and stretch your imagination just a bit. I will sum up this future cityscape by describing five conditions that will exist in God's Town
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Outline
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
9/14/2008
completed
resume  
Living Between Two Worlds
Philippians 1:19-26
Skip Heitzig
Info
Message Summary
After studying about the believer's death, resurrection and heaven for four months now, maybe you can relate to these words by Puritan author, Thomas Watson, "Spiritual things satisfy; the more of heaven is in us, the less earth will content us." Knowing what we know now about the believer's future world, how can life be different in this present world?
Watch
Watch and take notes
Listen - Mini Player
Listen and Take Notes
Listen in Spanish
Detailed Notes
Transcript
Facebook
Twitter
Email
Video (MP4)
Audio (MP3)
Spanish (MP3)
Buy CD
There are 16 additional messages in this series.
© Copyright 2024 Connection Communications | 1-800-922-1888