Some Things A Child Can Know
2 Timothy 3:15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Intro: This is the thought that is on my heart. We find the word “able” in this text.
Because Scripture is able, children are able.
God gave me a heart for young people way back at the beginning of my ministry.
I was on staff at a church as a youth pastor before I even got married.
I’ve pastored a church with a Christian school for 17 years.
Working with young people and preaching to young people has been a huge part of my life for the past 30 years.
There are some things that I have learned about these verses.
A. The Intelligence of a Child
One of the biggest mistakes in families and in churches is underestimating the intelligence of a child.
2 Timothy 3
· 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
· 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise…
Luke 2 (Jesus is 12 years old here)
· 46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
· 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
Not many children do listen, or do care enough to pay attention, but they CAN if they want to!
B. The Involvement of a Child
· Proverbs 20:11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Children can have a testimony.
Children are judged by others for what they do.
Children can work.
In fact, the young people do much of the work.
The Bible doesn’t say their playing is pure, or their goofing off is pure; it says their work is pure.
C. The Instruction of a Child
· Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
· 2 Timothy 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
In our text, Paul instructed Timothy, who was a pastor, to CONTINUE in the things he had learned from a child.
What he had learned was right.
The ones that taught him was right.
And who it was that taught him added credibility and weight to what he was taught.
· 2 Timothy 3:14 … knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
Are we as parents doing our children a favor by teaching them that?
This message is a two-edged sword.
This message is to the children – to remind them that they can know some things.
The message is to the rest of us – to remind us that they need to be taught some things!
A Child Can Know…
I. How to Hear from God
1 Samuel 3
· 1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
· 2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
· 3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
· 4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
A Child Can Know…
II. How to Give to God
John 6
· 5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
· 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
· 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
· 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,
· 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
A Child Can Know…
III. How to Fight for God
1 Samuel 17
· 33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
· 34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
· 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
FACT: The one person there that nobody thought COULD fight was the only person there that WOULD fight.
A Child Can Know…
IV. How to Live for God
Daniel 1
· 8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
In case there is any question about the age of Daniel and his friends, they are called children five times in chapter 1.
(In verses 4, 10, 13, 15, and 17)
· Somebody taught Daniel to value purity.
· Somebody taught Daniel how to intreat his authorities.
· Somebody taught Daniel how to purpose in his heart to do right.
· Somebody taught Daniel to stand up against peer pressure when it comes to living for God.
· In spite of adverse circumstances, peer pressure and threat of death, Daniel had been taught to live for God.
A Child Can Know…
V. How to Speak for God
Jeremiah 1 (example of a boy)
· 4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
· 5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
· 6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
2 Kings 5 (example of a girl)
· 1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.
· 2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.
· 3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
· 4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
A Child Can Know…
VI. How to Rejoice in God
Matthew 21
· 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
· 15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,
· 16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
God was working. Lives were being changed. And the children saw it.
Their response was to cry and say HOSANNA.
When they were criticized, Jesus basically told the chief priests and the scribes that they could take praise lessons from these children.
Out of their mouths God had PERFECTED PRAISE!!
Conclusion: Children can know a lot.
Who is going to teach them?
Who is going to show them?
Who is going to live it in front of them?
Who is going to give them a chance?