FIRST LESSON: LUKE
9:47-48:
And Jesus perceiving
the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,
And said unto them,
whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall
receive me receiveth him that sent me for he that is least among you
all, the same shall be great.
SECOND LESSON: MATTHEW
18:5-6:
And whose shall
receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
But whosoever shall
offend one of these little ones which believes in me, it were better for him
that a mill stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the
depth of the sea.
GOLDEN TEXT: MATTHEW
19:13-15:
Then were there
brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and
pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
But Jesus said, Suffer
little children, and forbid them not, to Come unto me: for of such is the
kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.
LOVE THE CHILDREN:
This gospel should be disseminated to all and sundry
in every part of the world. Intact, the gospel is going to reveal to you what
really constitutes the downfall of man. Every spirit and angel of God are
present in this kingdom. So, there is great joy for those who behold the Holy
Spirit personified.
TREAT CHILDREN WITH
LOVE:
An adage has it that a good beginning makes for a
good end. It is also said that "charity begins from home." Now, if we
fail to embrace the children and give them equal right how would things go well
with us? The salvation of the world is in the hands of the little ones. The
children today are the future leaders, those to occupy all important positions
in the world. But if we fail to tolerate, love and lead them by showing good
examples to them, how then would they, perform the role expected of them?
Have you now seen the cause of the suffering faced by
the world? This gospel is also directed to those who are fond of speaking ills
so as to correct them.
To the elderly people, they should equally read
this gospel to correct their false impression that they are often been treated
like children. Some would say, "do not treat me like for a child for I am
an adult."
When you take delight in punishing children and
treating them without respect, you should realise that, you have, failed
woefully. By so doing, what do you think you have succeeded in doing? Do
you want them to copy your violent attitude?
Have you ever read and understood the three main texts
of this gospel? From any observation, you do not deserve any work at all, in
fact, you score zero by maltreating children. You are easily provoked whenever
children do one particular thing or the other. It is a thing of pity to see
some parents maltreating their very children, at the same time they
believe that such strict attitude is corrective to enhance the proper growth of
the child.
You may have read what Our Lord Jesus Christ said with
regards to our bad attitudes towards the Children in our first bible lesson.
The little children deserve mercy and love from the adults regarding the
suffering they are subjected to, in the hands of some adults. Really, your
attitude towards the children, leaves much to be desired.
Instead of providing them with leadership roles,
you instead give them bad training that tends to harden them. They have been
thought to be stubborn and insulting. It is quite true that, the children are
not born into the world with stubbornness. Rather, it is our attitude of
punishing them, depriving them of good and other right, that hardened them. It
is the cause of children's stubbornness and insult.
What do you think of their behaviour in their
youth after being subjected to all forms of ill-treatments. You do not
know anything yet you claim to know so much. Have you now seen the reason why
the children are placed in the most exalted position here. Here in this
kingdom, one could afford to toy with any group of people but not the children.
So, they (children) need to be properly taken care of, for they are those
at the apex of this very kingdom.
When you do not avoid deprivation and maltreatment of
the little ones, you are indirectly treating Our Lord Jesus Christ. But if you
maltreat them, it means inviting suffering and untold hardship to yourself.
This is the cause, of the suffering in the world. So many, who have turned
robbers today could be traced to the family upbringing. Some were subjected to
harsh conditions. Some forget the rate at which they prayed for just a single
child but as soon as their prayers are answered they start to
maltreat their offspring.
The question is, who has taught you such an attitude?
Some adults deny their involvement in illicit affairs resulting in pregnancy of
some schoolgirls. Others go the extent of aborting the pregnancy.
My concern is to draw your attention to the teaching
of Our Lord Jesus Christ with regards to child's upbringing. All along, you
have been praying and fasting, do you know that, if you receive the little
children, that you have equally received Christ? Anyone, who is charitable
to the little children, does same to Christ. Such a person is saved and has his
ways made opened.
You claim to be a Christian while you still indulge in
scolding, shunning and treating the children with disdain. What sort of
Christianity do you profess? Where have you learned such from? The question is,
do you know that, the little children you scold, punish and shun are more
powerful and knowledgeable than you? Do you also know that they posses love,
peace, humility and other heavenly attitudes than you? If we were to know that,
the children are our saviours we should have refrained from punishing them at
random. And we would have equally been free from suffering.
How can God save the world if mankind continues to
sin thereby exhibiting uncultured attitude to the children. Our characters
depict (show clearly) that we are not interested to enter into the kingdom of
God and do not also wish that, the children should enter. This is because, you
have bluntly refused to provide the children with good leadership role expected
of you. For instance, if a child is directed by his father to inform a visitor
that, he is out, whereas he is in the house, such a child would be beaten
when the visitor must have gone.
So, judging from this point of view, I am sure
you have now realised the extent to which you have made the children to derail
from the path of rectitude. It is because of your attitude towards the little
children that you encounter many problems that would have been averted. When we
hate the children, it means we are hating God and do not regard or count Him
for anything. It is recorded in our old hymn book that: "You the little
children give me your heart, you the aged people, you are needing me in
life." This shows that, the aged have all died away, remaining the
children as such God has nothing to do with them but the children. But today,
you have so decided to hate and look down on the children.
You may also like: A DISOBEDIENT CHILD IS WORTHY OF DEATH
BE KIND TO CHILDREN:
You would recall that, often I use vivid examples to
teach any lessons. Right from the inception of Brotherhood of the Cross and
Star, I have always been advising you not to drive, maltreat or hate the
children, rather you should always embrace them and also be kind to them.
Once you receive the children and also rejoice
with them, you have also rejoiced with God. We should try all our best to
embrace and receive little children.
The children are our future, saviour and leaders. Read
our first lesson again:
FIRST LESSON: LUKE
9:47-48:
And Jesus perceiving
the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,
And said unto them,
whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall
receive me receiveth him that sent me for he that is least among you
all, the same shall be great.
THE GREATEST SET OF
PEOPLE:
The little children of this world are the greatest set
of people. The children of certain parents ate commissioners, governors
and great people.
Sometime, their parents may not be high placed but the
children would occupy exalted positions. This is a veritable truth that,
anyone who, receives and embraces a little child, has equally received and
embraced God. Scolding, cursing and beating of children, do not constitute the
needed lessons to children. Therefore, we should refrain from such attitudes
completely. If you indulge in such vices it means you are encouraging
them to indulge in evil. And by so doing, you have waged war against God
and you are bound to encounter Series of problems.
The children are in the world to represent the truth. They
are truthful they teach the adults how to speak the truth, honour God and to do
what is desirable before God. Therefore, it is incumbent on us to express the
virtues of God in us to the children because it is what we do, that they
emulate. If the little children are not ill-treated, scolded at and cursed,
where would they learn such from? Do you not know that, it is what you
demonstrate before them that they easily pick up and grow with?
I do not focus my attention on the children you beget
but to the entire children in the world. This gospel has to do with teaching
Brotherhood by example. The moment you receive and embrace the little children,
you have received Christ. The second lesson has advised that:
Whoever receives one such child in my name receives
me, but whoever causes one of them who believes in me to sin, it would be
better for him to have a millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in
the depth of the sea.
So when you see people attributing their plights to
the work of witches, ghosts, juju etc, you should not believe such because
problems are as a result of maltreatment to children. Read the second lesson
again.
SECOND LESSON: MATTHEW
18:5-6:
And whose shall
receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
But whosoever shall
offend one of these little ones which believes in me, it were better for him
that a mill stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the
depth of the sea.
CHILDREN THE HOPE OF
MANKIND:
In the entire world, there is no one who would say
that he/she cares for children apart from the ones he/she bears. And whoever
cares, loves and receives the little children, along with his/hers deserves
God's blessing.
The injunction which is contained in the second lesson
calls for a universal love for children all over the world. Do not be harsh to
little children rather treat them fine, receive and care for them, for in so
doing you have received Christ. I want you to know that if you do this
with honesty, you will have your ways opened and good things of life will
be given to you.
The little, children do not lie, steal, murder, bear
malice etc. They do not commit sin. And so if you receive and love them, it
invariably means that you love Christ. Whosoever does not sin is Christ and so
any child who does not commit any sin is Christ.
I personally do not toy with the little children, I
want them first in everything here in the kingdom. This is so, because
they are the future leaders and above all they are the kingdom of God. If you
were to understand the importance of the children of God in this kingdom, you
would not toy with them.
It is quite normal to use earthly things to
illustrate the heavenly ones; hence, this illustration.
ILLUSTRATION:
There once lived a very wealthy king who had no child.
He tried everything within his capability to see that his wife was
pregnant and give birth to a child, but all to no avail. He then took a
challenge to the whole world that whosoever shall cause his wife to give
birth to child will get a handsome reward from him.
He even promised to make such a one a millionaire. One
day, the wife of the rich king (the queen) was standing at the balcony of her
storey building and as she turned to look down, she saw a young man parading
the compound, she then called on him to come up. The young man complied. On
inquiry about his background the man told the Queen that he had four children,
and had since been living in someone's veranda but that the owner of the house
has ordered him out with his children. He went further to intimate the queen
that one of his sons came by an envelope containing five pounds as they were
roaming the street in search of shelter, and that he is using the five pounds
to buy empty bottles and cans for resale so that he might use the proceeds
there from to feed his family. On hearing this story, the queen was moved with
pity. She ordered that the stewards, cooks gardeners and all those concerned
with house keeping in the kings compound should be supplying the young man with
empty bottles and similar containers as a way of assisting the young
man to fend for his family.
After this, it was not long the young man
returned to the king's compound for containers. This second time the queen
gave him money and ordered that he should go and bring his four children live
in the king's palace. And so when the young man finally brought children, the
queen went and narrated the story to the king and solicited for maximum care
for them. She told the king that it is God that has given them those children.
She condemned the thousands of pounds they had spent to native doctors and
others in the name of looking for children. She then decided to devote her
whole time and fortune for the training of those children. From then, the queen
saw herself as not having the need for her own children anymore. Rather she
claimed those children to be hers forever.
The King also consented to this. The children had no
alternative but to become part and parcel of the king's household. The last
born of the four was still a baby and the paces took the baby as her newborn
baby. This baby slept with the queen, soiled her bed and yet, received the
necessary care from the queen. In spite of this, people started telling the
queen that they can help her give birth to her personal child, but the queen was
always shunning them. She made them understand that she had no need for any
other child and that she has gotten the children she needed. She stood her
ground that nobody can deceive her and dupe her in the name of helping her to
get pregnant anymore. She was contented and happy with these four children and
as such, had no need for more.
As God would have it, the following month, she
discovered that she had missed her menstruation but she did not take it
for pregnancy. After few months, the family doctor was called in to examine the
queen. The doctor, having carried out a comprehensive test, told the queen
that she was pregnant.
This report did not bother her at all instead, she saw
state as sickness. A couple of months passed, the situation remained the
same. At the expiration of nine months, she gave birth to a male child. This
was the time she became, convinced that she was truly pregnant. And she counted
her first child as the fifth child she had. As the years passed by, she
personally gave birth to four children; two boys and two girls, just as she
adopted. Even after giving birth to four children, she did not alter the
seniority rank.
The first of the adopted children remained the most
senior heir-of the family. The second, third, forth to the last born from her1
remained the last. She did not discriminate or treat any of the children with
concession. All the children enjoyed equal love from the queen.
Note that only four children were collected from the
young man. He was given money to go and feed with the wife. But when eventually
things turned out this way, the queen reminded the king of the need for
the young man and the wife to be accommodated and cared for too. This was done.
Have you now realised the reward of receiving and
caring (or children? In spite of the fact that the king was rich, was he able
to get children with the aid of his position in the society and money? No, He
had those children because he received other children and cared for them.
I want you to note that the problems of the world
emanate from the worlds' neglect and indeed, out right disregard for
children.
If you practise this gospel, your life will definitely
change for the better. Try it.
The good luck, wealth, protection, influence and power
that you want are constituted herein. If you love and receive the little
children, all those and many more good things will come to you,
Read the golden text again.
GOLDEN TEXT: MATTHEW
19:13-15:
Then were there
brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and
pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
But Jesus said, Suffer
little children, and forbid them not, to Come unto me: for of such is the
kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.
CHILDREN, THE
FOUNDATION OF THIS KINGDOM:
How else do you want to be told about the importance
of little children in the kingdom of God and the blessings derivable from
receiving and loving them? Having read this statement of our Lord Jesus Christ,
in fact, His view on this issue, you have no cause whatsoever to
claim ignorance of the extent to which children are rated in the kingdom of
God. Jesus the Christ spared nothing rebuking the disciples for sending the
little children away from his presence, for He regarded them as the owners of
the kingdom of God.
The statement of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
"...suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of
such is the kingdom of heaven," demonstrated practical brotherhood. He
says the little children should be received and loved and having said so, He
took them by their little hands and strolled with them. Have you not seen this
action in this kingdom today? This accounts for the reason why Brotherhood is
often referred to as the church for the little children. In this kingdom, we
have no alternative than to practise the words of Christ hence, we value the
little children and treat them fine because they can do everything in this
kingdom. They can pray, sing read the bible, even conduct a full service.
Most members of this kingdom were brought into
this kingdom by their children. Most of your testimonies and in fact the most
sensitive and interesting ones are at the instance of your children. They are
the ones that know what this kingdom stands for. Their joy and faith in this
kingdom surpasses that of the grown ups in the fold. The children are the ones
that actually and truly rejoice in Christ and Christ is always with them. Based
on this fact, you are at liberty to get whatever you want from God provided you
receive these little ones and love them.
Be it known to you that the expansion and remarkable
growth of this kingdom is connected to the way children are treated in this
kingdom. I do not toy with them and they too, do not toy with me. One brother
once testified that whenever he does not want his child to do a particular
thing, he detests, he will tell the child that if he attempts to do that again,
he will not take him (the child) to the Fathers presence anymore. And with
that, he said the child will never do that thing no matter what happens. He went
further to say that it is the child that forced him to come to hall every
time for he is always worrying him to bring him (the child) to the Holy
Father's a presence.
Children know that the Father loves them and they love
Him too. They do not rejoice in any instruction that is geared towards stopping
them from having physical assess to the Father. When I said that people should
not come to see the Father in the vestry, they were not happy. They were sad
and looked awful.
I want you to start to condition your minds towards
treating the little ones with love and care, as is the will of God for all
men. Avoid doing anything to hurt the little, ones.
If you hurt a child with the pretext of correcting
him, put yourself into fervent prayer. Whenever you beat up a child, you have
done same to Christ.
It is very easy to teach a child something provided
your teachings do not deviate, from the Father's teachings. If you
teach any child what the Father teaches, he will never hesitate to learn from
you.
It is wrong and indeed a serious crime for a sinner or
somebody with evil tendency to go near a child for anything sake. This is so
because they are like the mirror, reflecting exactly what is placed before it.
That is the reason why, if you hang a very ugly mask or photograph in a room
where a pregnant woman can always see, when eventually she puts to birth the
face of baby will look more like the mask.
Whatever you do in the presence of a child, He is
bound to imitate and even do it more than you. They learn from the elders and
indiscriminately too. Children are not selective when they are learning.
Fighting and quarrelling everyday with your wife or
husband in the same house where your children live is extremely dangerous,
because they will certainly exhibit those wild traits the see in you and I be
you, they will do it even worse than you taught them. Whatever you do with your
wife or husband during pregnancy is noted by the child inside her. Do not doubt
the baby repeating same at birth.
For this cause must you live peaceably with all
men and live an exemplary life, worthy of emulation by the children. When this
is done the world will certainly witness a remarkable change.
Put this sermon to test and see the accompanying
blessing from it. If you receive the children, you will surely be
blessed and all your problems, solved. Children are spiritually very powerful.
Even the children of God are very powerful. You may pray for donkey years,
requesting God to give you one thing or the other, or that your sickness may go,
but all to no avail. Surprisingly, you may one day discover that your sickness
is gone as a result of the children of God passing by you and you appreciate
them.
Just like Christ did not toy with those little
children, you too, should not toy with little children. Have you seen me toying
with them? I do not. This is what makes Brotherhood of the Cross and
Star unique.
We need to give the
young ones a chance to enjoy equal rights.
Besides, depriving
them of their God given right does not avail us anything at all. For you to
gain prosperity it is necessary that you avoid depriving the children of their
rights.
You need to honour and
respect them.
The gospel is a
demonstration of what is meant by leadership by example, as taught and
practised by Our Lord Jesus Christ. The act of depriving the young ones,
is what has constituted much problems to the whole world.
The Father has brought this lesson today so that
the ignorance and problems faced by you might be brought to an end. This is
because it is this act of depriving the young ones that also deprives us
of the glory of God.
It is for this reason that the Father finds it
imperative to reveal this secret to us.
Let those who have ears hear. May the Lord bless His
words for us. Amen.
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