August 21

“Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know!” (Proverbs 30:4)

“And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.’ And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.” (Mark 10:13-16)

“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts 2:38-39)

The world turns, political strategies come and go, trends capture attention for a moment, sports teams win and lose, financial markets rise and fall, new currencies are even created, like bitcoin—but nothing essential changes—in the world. “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) Agur, the author of Proverbs 30, turned his eyes up to the heavens and then back to earth, with a different view in mind; this is the view that we want our children to have, asking, “Who is God, and who is his son?”

As we teach our children about the covenants God makes with his people, it is vital that they know that life in this world will not change dramatically until the Day of Judgment. It is crucial that they look beyond this world and all of its trappings to the person of Jesus Christ. The best time for them to learn about the Son of God who alone makes atonement for sin is when they are young. As we teach them we are reminded that we are also to come to Jesus like little children, trusting, open, expecting love and tenderness, help and strength. We must remember though, that our unregenerate children will not understand and cannot receive the grace of Christ until the Holy Spirit works in their hearts. So we use The Law as a tutor while we teach the gospel. We are sinners leading sinners to the feet of Christ, but God is the one who picks them up and places them in Jesus’s lap. Families will not be united and live wisely together until all members understand the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant—between the burden of human obedience and the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ. Only God can lift the burden that exists where there is division due to unconfessed sin and hard hearts. Only the gospel can truly unite family members who must confess and repent sin on a regular basis, to enjoy peace and unity from God’s forgiveness.

I heard a sermon in church yesterday that reminded me of the importance of rehearsing the gospel as frequently as possible, and especially together. When was the last time you had a “gospel talk,” outside of your church, with your spouse, children, or whole family? If your biological family members have no interest in Jesus, with whom in your Christian family can you share the gospel regularly?