1 John 3:1-7      NT p. 223

1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

2 Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.

3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

4 Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

5 You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

6 No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

INTRODUCTION:

Three year old Jenny learned at an early age that she had Grandma and Grandpa wrapped around her little finger and could get just about anything she wanted during her visits. One time Grandpa wanted to take Jenny to K-Mart with him. Jenny's mother warned Grandpa not to buy anything for Jenny. Jenny returned with a smile and a toy.

Grandpa explained that when they walked into the store, Jenny took his hand and said, "Now Papa, what would you like for me to have?" (1)

You know, this passage sort of says the same thing. It shows us how we should live in relationship to God. Not that we have God wrapped about our little finger, absolutely not. But to go through life asking God what God would like us to have. Or what God would like us to do. That's the way life should be.

Today is one of those days, I almost said this is one of my favorite passages but then most of them are, as you know. I love the Scripture and how it speaks to us. And I love this Sunday, maybe almost as much as I love Easter and Christmas.

When I was in seminary, our worship professor had us create a special worship service. He wanted us to be as original as possible. I developed Children's Sunday. We had Sundays honoring Mothers, Fathers, Children's Sunday. I have always believed that our children understand more than we do at times. And I have always believed and have witnessed it time and again, that our children have a deep faith. And that childlike faith can show us Christ.

I. SEE WHAT LOVE:

The first thing that childlike faith teaches us is that we are loved. That's what this passage says. "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are." That is such an awesome, wonderful pronouncement. And it isn't something that is going to happen in the future. In the very next verse John writes: "Beloved, we are God's children NOW." Just thinking about it is almost more than my heart and mind can handle. Knowing who we are, how we behave and misbehave, how can God love us like that?

I feel like three year old Caleb. Caleb was overheard by his mother singing this song: "I love my daddy, I love my daddy, I love my daddy..."

When Mom told Dad about it, Dad started getting those warm fuzzies just thinking how sweet it was. At least until Mom said Caleb's next verse was, "BUT I DON"T KNOW WHY! NO, I DON'T KNOW WHY!" And then he went back to singing, "I love my daddy, I love my daddy..." (2)

We don't know why God loves us they way God does. But God does love us. All of Scripture is clear about that. That's why we were created and that's why Jesus came, because we are loved by God. Our children know this and sometimes show it.

II. HE IS PURE:

Our kids also remind us of how simple and pure our faith should really be because Jesus is pure.

Dad was sitting in his chair reading the paper and his three year old son was playing. The little boy was all boy and hardly slowed down for anything. Since learning to walk, he had forgotten what the word walk meant and ran everywhere. He ran to get a toy. He ran to chase a ball. Then he ran from one side of the room to the other while holding a toy airplane, pretending to fly the plane. He crawled across the floor making car and truck noises.

On one trip across the room, he suddenly stopped, walked over to his father, and pushing the paper aside, climbed up in Dad's lap. Dad grinned and looked down at his son, and asked, "And what do you want?"

The little boy curled up with his head on Dad's chest, and with a sigh said, "I rest here a minute. OK, Daddy?"

Dad said, "OK." About two minutes later the little boy jumped down and started to run off and play but then turned and with a big grin said, "T'ank you. I love you." And off he ran.

I think sometimes that the best times of prayer and the purest times in my life and faith, are those times when I visualize God as Abba, my Heavenly Daddy and simply crawl up into His lap and rest. I learned that from my children and from the children in the churches I've served. God wants us to have that same kind of relationship and to take the same kind of time in prayer. Time to simply rest in God's presence, and to say "Thank you" and "I love you" to God who created us. That's the purity of faith.

III. HE TAKES AWAY SINS:

Our children even teach us about sin and forgiveness. Four year old Walker was misbehaving, so his parents gave him a "timeout." After his timeout, his father lectured him about misbehaving and asked him why he misbehaved. Walker thought for a minute and said, "Well, Dad, I think my attitude gets in the way." (3)

Isn't that really the root of sin, our attitude? It's our attitude that gets in the way of obeying God. We'd rather do it our way. It's our attitude that gets in the way of loving our neighbor. "But they're not like us how can we love them."

It's our attitude that gets in the way of taking time to pray and study. "I'm too busy now, Lord. I'll get to it tomorrow."

Walker was right. "Our attitude gets in the way."

But luckily God sent Jesus to help us change our attitude, to start over and to get all cleaned up and experience God's forgiveness.

One Sunday morning during worship I invited the children of the church to sit on the front pew during a baptism, so that they might be able to see what was going on during the baptism. I had talked about baptism during the children's sermon and even checked with the parents to make sure they didn't mind. The kids were all there, wide eyed as they watched me baptize that baby.

After the worship service, one little girl came by with her parents and said, "I saw you wash that baby!" And as they say, "out of the mouths of babes!" because that's exactly what forgiveness is all about. Through Christ our sins are washed away.

I. CHILDREN OF GOD:

"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are." Our own children remind us to have a simple uncluttered faith. And when we do, then I truly believe that we can see the presence of God more clearly in everyday life.

Tuesday I was able to capture some of that childlike innocence and awe. And I was able to do it this week while making a hospital visit. Louis Caldwell and Roland Walden graciously flew me down to Houston so visit Carolyn Sue Hollingsworth and Marilyn Goodspeed.

Both going and coming I experienced the joy and wonder these two guys feel every time they fly. We flew under a storm that was brewing on the way down. And we flew above the clouds on the way back. I've flown before but I've never been that close to the clouds before. You could almost reach out and touch them. It was so beautiful I almost expected to see an angel come walking across the clouds. But of course, I'm glad I didn't, that might have meant our time was up and he was coming to take us home. But I still can't get over the awe and the beauty of that flight.

That's the kind of awe we're supposed to have every day for God's creation, and for the love that God has for us through Jesus. But we get so caught up in the mundane. We get so caught up in the worldly aspects of eeking out a living. Or getting ahead. That we forget to see God in all of life.

Our children remind us to stay connected to God and to look for God throughout all of life.

CONCLUSION:

Evelyn Risner told me this week that she was helping her granddaughter say her bed time prayers one night. The little girl asked her if there was anything that Grandma wanted her to pray for. Evelyn said, "We need some rain."

Her granddaughter bowed her head and so did Grandma. After praying for a couple of minutes, Evelyn felt a nudge in her side. She looked up and her granddaughter asked her, "Grandma, do you want a little thunder and lightening with that rain?"

John writes: "Beloved, we are God's children NOW." We ARE the children of God. We're called to have a child like faith. And we're called to let the children teach us through their faith.

1. Grace Witwer Housholder, The Funny Kids Project, http://www.funnykids.com. That story is from Jenny's aunt, Connie Stewart of Colonial Heights, Va.

2. Grace Witwer Housholder, The Funny Kids Project, http://www.funnykids.com. That story is from Michael Powers of Janesville, Wis.

3. Grace Witwer Housholder, The Funny Kids Project, http://www.funnykids.com. That story is from Michael Powers of Janesville, Wis. That story is from Jeanne Healey of Ashley, Ind. Walker is her great-grandson and the son of Brian and Kim Healey, also of Ashley.