“DEDICATE YOUR CHILDREN UNTO THE LORD”

Saturday, December 31, 2022

Written by Rev. Mark Muckler

SCRIPTURE:

21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. 22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” - Luke 2:21-24

THOUGHTS TO PONDER

As we look into the Nativity story and ALL that it has to share with us, let us consider the righteousness of Joseph and Mary as they lived out their own faith. By faith, they lived into their divine purpose as the earthly parents of the Christ-child. They gave their Son the name Jesus, the name given them by the Angel of the Lord. And in good Jewish tradition, they had their Son circumcised, presented Him in the temple, had Him consecrated unto the Lord, and offered sacrifices in keeping with the Law of the Lord.

It begs the question of each of us today and on into the New Year; how will YOU live out YOUR faith this coming year? For those of you with children, will you “dedicate YOUR children unto the Lord?” And if so, what will that look like this year for your own family? Will you recommit to bringing them to church with you every week? Will you encourage them to attend Sunday School and/or youth group? How will you participate in the training up of your own children in the way they should go, even beyond Sundays? Remember, our own children need to see each of us as parents, and grandparents living out our faith.

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION

In thinking about Mary and Joseph dedicating their Son unto the Lord within the first few moments of his life on earth, surely their life and faith had a lasting impression on their Son. For each of us who have children, (aka preacher’s kids), we have been given a blessed privilege and holy responsibility to make an eternal impact in their lives. Yes, we are called to serve ALL those entrusted unto our care within Christ’s Church, but even so, as we reflect upon the nativity, we have also been entrusted first and foremost to the children in our own homes.

Our children need to see us engaging in the spiritual disciplines of prayer and fasting, reading our Bibles, and worshiping Christ. Our children need to see us serving the Lord, giving our time and talent and energy to those in need. Our children need to see us living out our faith, offering forgiveness to those who haven’t asked for it and who aren’t sorry for what they’ve done. Our children need to see us investing in an authentic relationship with Christ on a regular daily basis, not because it’s what were “supposed” to do on a Sunday morning for all to see, but because we have truly experienced the saving work of Jesus Christ and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in the intimate places of our own personal lives. Our children need to see us sharing our faith. They need to see us inviting others to church. And more importantly, they need to see us inviting others into a personal relationship with Christ. Scripture is very clear that it is the parent’s responsibility and an honored privilege to pass on the faith to their children. That is what we see Mary & Joseph doing as we read in our scripture.

As we reflect upon baptisms, baby dedications, and confirmations celebrated in our churches today, we are invited once again to share in the faith formation of (not only our own children but), all the children entrusted unto our care. Let us be reminded that it is the community of faith as parents, elders, and church members who make up the body of Christ, the Church. But more specifically, it was Mary & Joseph, Jesus’ mom and dad, His own earthly parents, who saw the value in receiving and embracing the personal responsibility and honored privilege to pass on their faith to their child.

Let us be encouraged by Joseph & Mary who lived out their faith, who practiced it, who worshiped, who dedicated their Son unto the Lord, and sacrificially gave of themselves through an offering for God’s glory alone. Your home IS, … CAN BE, … and SHOULD BE a place for intentional spiritual formation and transformation. As mothers and fathers, as parents and grandparents and guardians, we have a blessed responsibility and a holy privilege to provide opportunities for the Holy Spirit to work within our families. If we want our children to have a strong faith that influences the way they live their own lives and the critical life decisions they will make, then in our homes we need to be practicing our own faith through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

As you ponder New Year’s Resolution, New Habits, New Disciplines, etc., let this New Year be a Year where you and your family establish or re-establish a sacred and holy rhythm of worship, discipleship, honor, and praise. And not only doing so for the sake of the faith community you serve, but for the sake of your own children, grandchildren, and family as well…. – Amen? Amen

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank you for the awesome privilege of being a parent, a mother/father, a grandmother/grandfather/guardian entrusted unto the spiritual wellbeing of children even if they are not my own. Empower me with Your Holy Spirit to live a Holy and upright life this New Year. May my life be a living testimony of who You are, and when necessary, grant me the words to say and the courage to share my faith with all those entrusted unto my care. Thank You for Your Word, for the truth’s as revealed in the nativity, and for Your never-ending love. I pray in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. – AMEN

RESOURCE/APPLICATION

I’d like to recommend to you a book by Mark Holman entitled: Faith Begins At Home. In it, the author highlights a survey describing “The Most Significant Religious Influencers in Children’s Lives”. One might think that on the top of the list might be a Pastor, a Children or Youth Leader, or a Sunday School Teacher, right? However, the top two most significant religious influencers in children’s lives, are THEIR PARENTS, their mother and their father.

In his book, the author describes the invaluable importance of parents sharing their faith in Jesus Christ within the home and seeing the local church as a place where WHAT they’ve learned and seen lived out in their own families, might then be enforced, and encouraged even greater within the context of other believers in the local church.