FIRST BIBLE LESSON: LUKE 18:16-17
But Jesus called them unto him and said: "Suffer the children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
SECOND BIBLE LESSON: LUKE 9:47-48
"And Jesus perceiving the thoughts of their hearts, took a little 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."
GOLDEN TEXT: MATTHEW 19:14-15
But Jesus said: "Suffer the 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."
Brethren, this is spiritual nourishment which we are going to acquire this morning. It is a nourishment which has existed from time immemorial in its prepared form and we are only going to partake of it.
Beloved brethren, God's admonition on the relationship between adults and children has been made known since time immemorial, I am therefore not going to tell you something new. Indeed, as our Lord Jesus Christ said, when the Comforter comes He will not speak of Himself, He will only recall all that had been said and clarify to you what may not have been understood. So it is going to be today. Therefore make no mistake today, to credit Leader Olumba Olumba Obu with the final authority on this subject, as we derive all that we do and say here from the scriptures. You are our witnesses on this score. You will no doubt agree with me that the whole process can be likened to a school where children are taught and they are later put to a test as a means of ascertaining that they actually understood what they learnt. We here just revise what we learnt from the scriptures, as we come to the final days that are already here.
MY ADVISE AS WE GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THESE DAYS IS THAT GOD IN HIS INFINITE MERCY IS GIVING YOU THIS GRACIOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR REVISION SO THAT IF YOU NEVER HITHERTO BELIEVED, YOU SHOULD DO SO AND ALSO IF YOU DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE END OF THE WORLD IS IN SIGHT, YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY DO SO. GO AND TELL THE WORLD THAT THE END OF THE WORLD IS DRAWING NEAR.
On this note, I feel it is incumbent on me to remind you of what God said about children; His relationship and His regard for them.
It is on this basis that God looks at the people of world as little children. That statement of Our Lord Jesus Christ that the kingdom of God is like little children is not clear to the world. You are aware that the world is moving forward and not backwards. What is this progress of the world? It is the children who are born. What you have not seen, the little children will see; what you cannot do, the little children will do and where you cannot reach, they will reach.
It is quite pitiful at this end of time to observe how you curse your children when you pronounce woe unto them. If you go to a person's house and see how he treats his children, you marvel at it, because he treats them like beasts. Very many children, as soon as they hear the voices of their parents, they would want to vanish because of fear. Some of them quake at the sight of their parents. Even a person who is not capable of fighting his equal will always wage war against his children at home. Even a fellow who pretends to be quiet here becomes a talkative at home with his children. In deed, most people who claim to know Jesus appear to be very cruel with their children.
Brethren, it is not easy to know how to bring up children. We should think very seriously about this because our attitude towards children leaves much to be desired. Children need to be studied and cared for. They just come into this world in innocence and do not know what is in the world. They are like tombstones. If you want to know the nature of children, compare a newly born child with a goat, sheep, or calf, it does not understand, it looks blank. We do not know that our trouble is based on the fact that we fail to know how to get on with children. You only ask God to give you children, but you do not know how to bring them up in the fear and love and knowledge of God. If I tell you the task involved in caring for and bringing up children, you will realize what a great task your parents had.
Among the whites, one who is a millionaire is satisfied with a lone child because his preoccupation is how to bring up that child in a proper way. IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO REAR CHILDREN, RATHER WHAT IS DIFFICULT IS HOW TO NURTURE THEM IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. The trouble of many parents arise from the shabby parental habits and maltreatment of their children. Parents do not always have regards for children. You complain that your child is useless and is not worth anything. Who is responsible for this? It is due to your useless attitude. You also complain that your children do not know God, you are the cause. Name any person whose parents do not know God but they came up to know God, and got related to him, and I will tell you many people in the Bible who followed God from the good examples of their parents. WHAT YOU SOW IS WHAT YOU REAP.
To bear children should not be the our first duty on earth, but rather our first duty should be to lead a righteous life that is acceptable to God. However in your case you begin with going to soothsayers, necromancers or you consult oracles and mermaids, you drink concoctions and you also wear charms in order to get children. What will become of these children when you get them through such means? You do not want to know God, you do not love God; you steal, fornicate, curse, abuse and call people names. If you lead this type of life, what will become of the children you want to bear? You want money, cars, ships, houses, and many children, but you do not want to know God and keep His commandments. You do not want to know anything about goodness, righteousness, nor do you want your children to know and appreciate the way of God. What will be the fate of the children you crave to bear?
Do you know that all your blessings come from your children and the blessing of your children derive from your pattern of life; and so the symbiosis of the life of the parents and the children has much influence on the shaping of the life of the children. Remember what Our Lord Jesus Christ said, "Suffer the little children and forbid them not to come to me, for such is the kingdom of God."
Then He called the children and blessed them. Little children make up the kingdom of God, but you do not recognize them and do you bless them? Specifically, what about your own children? Do you bless them and draw them close to you to appreciate your life?
I do not mean blessing them with wealth when you build houses for them, buy them new clothes and prepare delicious food for them. WHAT I MEAN IS THAT YOU SHOULD BLESS THEM WITH THE WORDS OF GOD. BRING THEM UP IN THE FEAR AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND TEACH THEM THE WAY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, EMPLOYING SIMPLICITY, HUMILITY, PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING. THIS IS THE GREATEST LEGACY YOU CAN LEAVE FOR YOUR CHILDREN.
Those who were here yesterday, heard a story on a similar subject: THE KINGDOM OF GOD. THIS IS TO SHOW YOU THAT BRINGING UP LITTLE CHILDREN AND MAKING THEM RESPONSIBLE HUMAN BEINGS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO, FOR THE WORLD DEPENDS ON THE CHILDREN AS THE FUTURE GENERATION.
It is true that the environment plays an important role in the molding of a person. Why evil men are born is the resultant effect of what the parents have been doing. It is what they sowed for their children. The evils you commit come back on your children. If you steal, your children will be given to roguery. If you fornicate, they will take to fornication. If you indulge in witchcraft, concoctions and charms, your children will indulge in the same practices. When you therefore procreate a child, that same blood of roguery or witchcraft will recur. If I should take you any longer, you will realize that all that happens stem from our ignorance in the treatment of children.
BEFORE WE CAN HAVE GOOD CHILDREN WE HAVE TO REFRAIN FROM DOING EVIL COMPLETELY AND BE DETERMINED TO DO GOOD. INSTEAD OF ABUSING AND CURSING, YOU BLESS; INSTEAD OF PRONOUNCING WOES, WE ENCOURAGE. BY SO DOING, THEY WILL BECOME GOOD CHILDREN. You are true witnesses to the fact that no person speaks good words to children, most people have no regard for their children and they console themselves by saying: "Provided they live." What are they living for?
The reason why Our Lord Jesus Christ compared the kingdom of God to little children is that little children are like blank sheets of paper, an empty pot and it is your duty as a parent to fill the pot and write on the blank sheet of paper. All you fill in the pot or write on the paper will show in the adult life of the children. You are aware that babies when they are born, are motionless and you have to move them about; they must be molded by parents as to the formation of the parts of the body. Any mistake by the parents leaves permanent deformities in the children.
Whatever comes out of the life of a child is what was put in. God has made it clear that we should treat little children kindly. WE SHOULD DESIST FROM CURSING THEM, PRONOUNCING WOE ON THEM, CALLING THEM FOOLS AND SAYING WHAT THEY DO TO YOU WILL BE DONE TO THEM BY THEIR CHILDREN. IN SHORT PREDICTING THEIR DOWNFALL. WHEN YOU SPEAK LIKE THIS WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR CHILDREN WILL BECOME? THE REASON WHY A COW IS MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE THAN A HUMAN BEING IS BECAUSE WHEN A COW DELIVERS, IT WILL USE ITS TONGUE TO LICK AND CLEAN ITS CALF'S BODY.
You have been hearing how parents bless their children. Blessing is important. Abraham blessed Isaac and Isaac blessed Jacob. If Isaac had blessed Jacob and Esau at the same time there would not have been any trouble. But instead of blessing Esau, he told him he had already blessed Jacob and that there was no blessing left for him. He added that Esau would be subject to his brother Jacob, whereas it would have been simple to bless the two of them for the sake of peace. As a result of this, Esau and his descendants became subjected to Jacob. That is exactly what happens when you curse and abuse your children. When you pronounce curses on your children they are cursed.
Again Jacob called his twelve children to bestow his blessings on them. He pronounced curses on his children, from the first son down until he got to Joseph whom he blessed lavishly saying: he would be wealthy, and also an elevated tower, wise, fruitful and many other good things and that all would be subject to him. Was it impossible for him to bless all the children? Who was the cause of the trouble?
What is the cause of trouble in your family? Who is responsible for its lack of performing well? It is the curses you pronounce on them. What have your children done to you to prompt your ill-treatment of them? You always remain with them with heavy hearts and long drawn faces whereas they do not know anything. You should lead, and guide, and teach, and mould and be easy with them. You should always look at them with smiles instead of being fastidious.
If your child is a thief it is because you have been a thief. Whatever he has done, he learns from you. WHY DO YOU NOT USE KINDNESS, PATIENCE AND TRUTH TO REAR THEM IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD? BY SO DOING YOU WILL REMOVE SEVERAL PRONOUNCED CURSES ON YOUR FAMILY. As to the question of eating, most of your children do not eat from your plate and with your spoon. Which is greater, your child or your spoon? You do not allow your children to go near your bed, not to talk of them sleeping on it. You would not even allow them to touch your bed. Is it how God has told you to treat your children?
Instead of thinking of how you will lead a life of good example to the children, you go about stealing, fornicating, indulging in preparing concoctions and charms and consulting oracles before them. What type of life do want them to live when they grow up? God says: "I WILL VISIT THE INIQUITIES OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN; UNTO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION OF THEM THAT HATE ME; AND SHOWING MERCY ONTO THOUSANDS OF THEM THAT LOVE ME AND KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS."
Think of how such a family will be blessed. Is the light of God shinning in such a family? Now, one person has a hundred children, the hundred children bear one thousand children and the thousand bear ten thousand and the multiplicity thus continues.
What is the sense of having so many children without the knowledge and awe of God? Which families were Sodom and Gomorrah? Who were their great ancestors? Nothing happens without a cause which cannot be traced. Sodom and Gomorrah descended from the first son of Noah. The first son of Noah was cursed by the father. He went away, the descendants waxed in wealth and knowledge and they became prominent people who established the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Why did Noah curse the first son? Because he saw his father's nakedness and laughed at it. If Noah had led a good life, he would not have been drunk and would not have slept naked and his first son would not have laughed at his nakedness.
This curse passed unto his children and his grandchildren. It was however the second son who when he discovered his father's naked body, covered his nakedness and took him to a place of rest. Later on, when Noah returned to consciousness, he was told that the first son laughed at him while the second son covered his nakedness. It was because of this that he cursed his son. This is an example of the "woe onto you" you pronounce on your children. Noah cursed his first son, later the curse passed onto his descendants who were finally destroyed in Sodom and Gomorrah. Of what use was the destruction to Noah who pronounced the curse?
FIRST BIBLE LESSON: LUKE 18:16-17
"But Jesus called them unto him and said: "Suffer the children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
PARENTS' NEGLIGENCE OF CHILDREN:
Brethren, have you heard the lesson? Why do you bear a child and abandon him? Why do you impregnate a woman and when she bears a child, you run away from the child and the woman? Why do you bear children but later on you drive them away, asking them who was their mother? Whose duty is it to care for a child, is it the mother or is it the father's responsibility? or is it the joint responsibility of both mother and father? Do you know that to reject a child is to reject the blessing of God, life and all other good things? If you reject him do you know what the child will become? You who commit abortion, do you know what that child is coming to do or who he is - whether he is John the baptist, Jesus or Moses.
When Pharaoh wanted to exterminate all Israelite male babies in Egypt, the mother of Moses, because of her love and humility, did everything to save the life of Moses. If she had been negligent and the infant Moses had been killed, who would have delivered the children of Israel from Egypt?
After the departure of the three wise men, the angel advised Joseph and Mary to take the child Jesus, to Egypt because Herod was seeking to kill him. If the parents did not obey the angel, and the infant Jesus had been killed, who would have redeemed the world? We therefore have a responsibility for all little children.
You are indebted to God, unless you nurture them and bring them up in the fear and knowledge of God. You have to teach, guide, and love them whether, they are your own children or the children of other parents. If you do this you will receive blessing from God.
Till today, many communities are still crossed about twins and their mothers. They kill the children and in some places, kill their mothers too. And some say that they do not want two babies, why? But for the timely arrival of Christian Missionaries who would have rescued the twins and their mothers. Today some of these twins have become prominent persons in the society.
You who deliver a number of children and abandon them with the father and run away in favor of prostitution, thinking that you want the father to suffer, where are you going to? When you abandon your children you cannot receive the blessings of God. Because of such attitude, the children suffer. Some parents who have separated, adopt the attitude of throwing their children from father to mother and vice versa. You do not know you are torturing the children who themselves have come in the likeness of God.
This gospel is not a simple one that one can easily understand and practice, especially when it comes to the question of proper care for the children. Look at a situation where mothers were taking their children to Our Lord Jesus Christ for blessing, but His disciples prevented them and ordered them to be taken away. Unless you begin to change your attitude towards children, things will never be good in the world.
Here is an illustration: There is a huge tree which needs to be cut down and you have an old blunt axe as well as knives which are no more useful. You are like these blunt implements. When God sends these little children, who are like sharp axes and knives, capable of cutting down a tree, you reject them and mistreat them. How foolish are you? The word of God preached to you enable you to know how to handle little children, how to nurture them when they are growing up and at different times. It is only when you know the Word of God you are able to bring up your Children in the fear and knowledge of God.
You say you want to serve God and that if you were to see God that you would do everything for Him, but, the little children sent to you are the likeness of God, therefore whatever services you would have rendered to God, if you had seen Him, render to these children. If you want to prostrate to God, prostrate to these children. If you want this world to be good, you have to develop good attitudes towards the children and bring up children with good attitudes. Do not curse them, but always bless them, be simple, tolerant, loving and show merciful and peaceful attitudes. Use humility to lead them to the type of life God wants them to live.
Do you realize that whatever you do to a child, he will grow up with that upbringing? If you beat, curse or torture him, he will apply the same attitude and when he becomes a parent, he will behave the same way you behaved towards him. If we continue with such attitudes, when do you think the world will be reformed? Is it because you regard them as defenseless and that no person would ask you questions?
Most of the times, you abuse your children because you feel they have not sufficiently provided for you. What have you done yourself, upon all the blessing of God for you? Are you not ashamed of yourself when you cannot provide for your children and you rather turn around to ask the children to provide for you. It is not the children who should provide for the parents but the reverse should be the case. Where would the children get these things from in order to supply to the parents. If you serve and provide, you will receive blessing from God. These are the Children of God, the Christs of God, they therefore need to be cared for properly. From now on, do everything as if you are doing unto God and this goes with blessings.
The father of Abraham did not know that the son he bore will be the father of many nations. Was he himself the Father of many nations? When the mother of Moses delivered Moses, did she know that Moses would be the person to deliver the Children of Israel from Egypt? When Mary delivered Jesus, did she know that Jesus would be the Christ, the Messiah, and the Supreme ruler of the universe?
I cannot enumerate all the good things which have been done by men born of good parents. Do you realize that any good thing you do for these children, you do same for God? We should help the children, we should supply their lack. The attention of the parents should be focused on the nurturing of children, speak good of them, care for them, provide for them, whether you know them or not, whether black or white. It is only in this way that you can be blessed. Do not order them about, let them be free to speak and do not hush them up. Do not starve them and do not be difficult with them. The whole world should stop maltreating children.
SECOND BIBLE LESSON: LUKE 9:47-48
"And Jesus perceiving the thoughts of their hearts, took a little 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."
Have you heard that lesson? You are now looking for God in the sky, and Jesus to come down from the clouds. What about the children in your midst? Do you receive them and are you happy with them?
The whites have gone very far from the blacks in this direction. A black man may go overseas and stay there for ten to twenty years but may come back as a black man. This is because he fails to imbibe the white man's attitude towards children. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that any person who receives children receives Him and that any person who receives Him receives the person who sent Him. Have you received them? Are you happy with them? Have you accepted Christ? You have always driven away the children who come to you. Sometimes children are very much surprised at the way they are beaten by the parents. You beat them up and say that they should die if they want to die.
You complain that your child does not respect you. Do you respect your child? Who should respect the other? Don't you hear that the three wise men travelled all the way to worship the infant Jesus? Do you respect and accept children? Our Lord Jesus Christ was a child. If you do not accept these children as the kingdom of God, you cannot enter into it. Those monstrous eyes which you show to your children, have you ever shown them to your equals? Or do you do this because you feel that they have not got any person to protect them? Is it evil for a visitor to come to your house or is it evil for a brother to call at your house to give you solace? Do you know that these children are definitely sent to help you; they are sent to put right what was wrong and to amend the mistakes you have made? You say that you have run out of luck. Have you ever wished your children good luck?
We should now ponder over these questions and retrace our steps because the children are greater than us. They are the great prophets and apostles of old who have now reincarnated. They are greater, they see better and they think clearer and they are purer than we are. If you are not as pure as they are you have no share in the kingdom of God. Now that you call the children names, have they ever followed you to fornicate, steal, smoke and drink? The children do not know anything, for they are as harmless as doves. Why do you oppress them and blame them? Are you not the person who taught them to steal and to fornicate and tell lies? You take them to soothsayers, and juju doctors, you direct your daughter to meet with a man. If she refuses you curse and disown her. You ask her to tell lies. When she refuses, you drive her away from your house. You teach the children all the evils they commit, left for them alone they would not hurt a fly.
If you were a rogue, you have to forsake stealing and live a life expected of you by God. The children are sent to you in order that you may care for them. You should therefore try to care properly for them. In this kingdom, many people claim that if it were in their youthful days they would have done this or that. Now that you are old and weighed down with your sins, what about these little innocent ones? Would you not give them the chance to perform by nurturing them well? Let us hear the Golden Text.
GOLDEN TEXT: MATTHEW 19:14-15
But Jesus said: "Suffer the 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."
Brethren, see what God has revealed to you, to show you that God loves little children. In your house, you do not allow the children to come; you always drive them away, saying, that you do not want them to soil you. Our Lord Jesus Christ advises us not to forsake the little ones because the kingdom of God is like them. He blessed them. What lesson has Our Lord Jesus Christ now taught us? If Our Lord Jesus Christ went as far as acknowledging and recognizing little children, holding them up and blessing them, then every person should be aware of the significance of blessing children. That blessing bestowed on little children by Our Lord Jesus Christ, has passed on to all the children of the world. Till today, Our Lord Jesus Christ is still the friend of little children. He walks with them, converses with them, sings with them and blesses them. Let us emulate the example of Our Lord Jesus Christ by feeling free to talk to children, eating, with them and singing and conversing with them.
Do not worry yourself about having many children, yet you are not able to care for them. Rather be happy with the few that you have and care for them in the knowledge and fear of God. It is wrong to say you have no child. What about all the children around? Who owns them? They are the children of God, and if they are God's children, they are your children. Therefore, you should care for them. Whoever wants children is foolish and whoever wants many children is equally foolish. Any person who cares for children, cares and ministers unto them is great in the sight of God.
Little children constitute the kingdom of God. Both God and Christ are in little children. They work and bless through them. WHOEVER MINISTERS UNTO LITTLE CHILDREN WILL BE BLESSED BY GOD. IF THERE IS A PERSON WHO HAS NEVER GONE TO CHURCH BUT STAYS AT HOME WITH LITTLE CHILDREN, CARES FOR THEM, TEACHES THEM, BLESSES THEM, AND IS THANKFUL TO GOD FOR THE CHILDREN; AND IF THERE IS ANOTHER PERSON WHO IS A BISHOP WHO DRIVES A LUXURIOUS CAR, WHO BETWEEN THESE TWO IS A MAN OF GOD? The whole world should love little children, care for them, nurture them, in the fear and love of God, in this way, you will bring up a generation of good people. It is foolishness for one to say the children nowadays are senseless or useless, for it means their parents are first, and equally senseless and useless. It is reflection of the parents' attitude. The reason why John the Baptist is great is that Elizabeth his mother was a lady devoted to the services of God, and his father Zacharias was a high priest. The union of the two brought about the greatness of John the Baptist.
Why was Christ born of Mary? It was because Mary was a virgin who served God diligently and Joseph was also devoted in the services of God. It was because of Mary's chastity and devotion that she became the mother of the Son of Man, Son of God, Christ the Messiah and God incarnate. If it were you, you would have caused Mary and Jesus to be killed, because there was a law that any woman betrothed to a man, if she becomes pregnant without her husband's knowledge should be killed.
Who is that man to whom a beautiful girl is given in marriage and who has no intimate knowledge of the girl but finds that she is pregnant and would not cause a lot of trouble or divorce her. We are told that Joseph was making secret plans to divorce Mary, but the angel of the Lord appeared and warned him that she was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. If it were today, even if you were warned by the angel you would have sent away the woman. This is to demonstrate to you that Joseph was devoted to God and because of this Our Lord Jesus Christ was born unto him.
There is nothing you can teach little children, but do not look down on them, rather look at them with mercy, with tolerance, with patience, with respect. The whole world should live properly with children. We should speak well of them, act well and think well of them. Let us pray God to use the children for the original purpose for which he intended to use them.
Brethren, I do not want to take you on a long winding course. Those who have ears to hear let them hear. May God bless His Holy Words, Amen.
THANK YOU HOLY FATHER.