Children—Ted Allan
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Well, good morning. There's plenty of seats up front if there's any children who are sitting shyly in the back rows up here.
OK, this is Sunday school, so we're gonna start by singing a few hymns. And I think it'd be nice if perhaps some of the children, if they had one, they would like to sing. Maybe you'd like to raise your hand. There's songs in the very back of the sheet that you each should have. And, uh, if you have one, you can just raise your hand and I'll ask you which one. Does anybody have a favorite? Benjamin 32?
Somebody could start that, I'd appreciate it #32.
OK, does anybody else have one they'd like to sing?
45 Thank you.
Too little eyes to look to God. OK, if somebody could start that.
All right now.
So that's the word for them.
Uh-huh.
00:05:07
That was a very nice one. Thank you. That's the last two lines really are a prayer and I think really a wonderful prayer. You know, I think it would be good for each one of us to pray that prayer. Take them, Lord Jesus, and let them be always obedient and true to Thee, whether it be our hands, our feet, our eyes, our ears.
That we would use those for the glory of God. OK, who has another one?
46.
Nsnoise.
OK. Does anybody else, Laura?
41 Thank you.
Around the throne of God in heaven will many children sing. That's true. I think they'll be so many, probably even far more than we even realized. So #41.
Around the throne of the throne of the throne of the.
And we'll have a call on everything if you don't wanna go.
Forward and give them to me on the head of the heavens on the screen. And glory and glory and glory and glory and glory and glory, glory and glory, glory, glory if you're in a lot of time.
In the shining world.
What a great end to that world.
Is going to cry everywhere.
In the Children's Day.
OK, well sing one more.
34.
OK #34.
Nsnoise.
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Nsnoise.
OK, maybe we'll ask the Lord's help.
Our father, we give thanks for every boy and girl who's here today.
We just pray, Lord, that each and everyone of them might be found that day at that throne surrounding the singing praise and honor to the Lamb. We know, Father, it will be because of that precious blood of Jesus that each and every one of them will be there in that day. But if there's one here, Lord Jesus, who has never given their life.
And their heart to be that they would do so today. And we just commit the next half hour into thy hands. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Well, this morning to talk about something, I'm holding in my hands. What am I holding?
What do you think, Trip? Yeah, it's a rock. We're gonna talk about stones today. I realize the word is somewhat synonymous with, perhaps a rock.
Rocks are mentioned really throughout Scripture and you know, as a little boy I had a lot of fun with these, perhaps like many of you. In fact, where I grew up in Nova Scotia, I used to spend hours over at my friend Jonathan Dickey's house out in the back. They had a little Creek and we would put rocks there and try to divert the water and build dams and we just spent so much time there.
Playing with rocks and stones and you know, rocks can be used in many different ways. And this morning I thought we would talk about 3 different ways. There's more than that in the scripture in which rocks are used. OK, so we're going to turn to the first thought I was thinking of and.
It's found in First Kings chapter 5.
First Kings chapter 5 and I'm not going to read the entire passage because of the interest of time.
But I'm going to read 2 verses, verses 17 and 18.
And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and huge stones to lay the foundation of the house. And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them and the stone's cores. So they prepared timber and stones to build the house. And then I'm gonna read one verse in chapter 6, and it says in the house, when it was in building was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither.
So that there was neither hammer nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building.
So what we're talking about here was actually the temple.
And they went and got rock from a place called a quarry. I don't know if anybody knows what a quarry is, but they went and cut these rocks out of a quarry. And these were big rocks. A little bit later, it says some of them were 10 cubits in span. That would be like 15 feet, I'm guessing blocks. So these were very sizable. This is not like a stone I'm talking about here.
But a couple things I want to note out of this. In these particular verses I'm gonna refer to stones that were used.
In construction, OK, these were stones that were used in the construction of the temple. It refers to them as great stones and costly stones. It would have required a lot of effort for somebody to go in and cut those out in that quarry. They would have had to use many different tools at that location. But you know, they did all the refining there in the quarry and when it was done.
They transported those rocks over to where the temple was being construct constructed and put them.
Into place.
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So why do I mention this?
You know, we are all like those stones in a certain sense.
You know each one of you children are like stones that are costly.
And you are costly because there is somebody, the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave his life for you, each and everyone of you. And in that sense we are costly. You know, there's a verse in the Bible that says for ye are bought with a price.
And that's found in Philippians. It says for your buy with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are gods.
You were bought with a price. You know, there's a song I used to think about when I was a child and it said this.
He's still working on me to make me what he ought to be. It took him just a week to make the moon and stars, the sun and the moon and Jupiter and Mars. You know, I used to sing that song. And there was another song I used to hear on many of the trips my parents took. And it said, this kids under construction, maybe the paint is still wet.
I don't know if anybody's heard that song, but I will say this, that there's more than just children.
Who are under construction and the paint is still wet. And what do I mean by that? That God is still working on not only you, but me and those who are older in this room. In fact, I overheard one of the brothers last night mentioning that God was still working on them. And that's so true.
I speak primarily to children this morning who have given their life to Jesus.
And children, God is working in you right now.
Have you given your life to Christ and he will not stop working on you? It says in another place in the Bible. It will continue until the day of Jesus Christ.
He is working on you.
You know, my prayer is that as he works on you, that you would be receptive to when that hammer and chisel is applied in your life.
And that you would be obedient unto him.
He is working on you because he cares for you.
But you know, a little bit later it talks about the fact that when those stones were completely cut and refined, they were brought to the temple. And it says once they were brought, there was no, it says stone or uh, I'll just read it says neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house when it was in building.
Those were man made tools.
But when it came to the actual construction of the temple, none of those tools were heard. They were not being used.
And what I take of that is, you know, in a certain sense, we'll talk perhaps a little bit later about it first, Peter but talks about us being as living stones, as being part of the house that God has constructed, a spiritual house, God's house. And in that house there is nothing of man represented there. It is all God's doing.
Remember, boys and girls, it is God that's working.
In your life to shape you and refine you. You know in today's society we hear a lot from various preachers that talk about the fact we need to improve our own life and do certain things to make us better. But the fact is that it is God that's working in you and through you in your life.
And when he is doing that?
Maybe like that little hem said when I was a child and I often think about.
That we would say, make me a servant.
And that you would be receptive to when the Lord is working in you and through you. OK, so that's the first one. Stones that were used in construction. The second one I want to talk about is a very well known one. And First Samuel 17 with respect to David. So let's turn over to that.
First Samuel 17 I'm going to read 3 verses starting at verse 38.
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It says in Saul arm David with his armor, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head. Also he armed him with a coat of mail, and David girded his stone upon his armor, and he has saved to go, for he had not proved it.
And David said to Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them. And David put them off him, And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, which he had even in a strip, and a sling was in his hand, And he drew near to the Philistine.
So I'm sure we're all familiar with the story of David and Goliath.
The first thing I've note here is that he was offered to take armor and use it, but he had said that they hadn't tested them, he hadn't proved them, and so he didn't want to use them. What was it that David was comfortable with and using?
Ben.
What he had.
And what did he have?
A sling on some stones? Yes. David was a shepherd boy. He took care of sheep and he was very comfortable using a sling.
I'm sure brother Tim here could probably tell you more about this, but I was hearing recently, uh, from the president of Compassion International. He was raised in Africa and he talked about boys in Africa that still use slings to this day. In fact, he said that he used to use them on baboons.
And he used to laugh and said.
He didn't think actually what David had done was any amazing thing. They used to cut a little piece out of a tree and they used to hit the bullseye right out of that tree with their sling. And he said that Goliath was actually the stupid one, that he would get that close to a boy with a sling. But David was very skilled with his slang.
And a stone so we know the story well. He goes to the brook and he chooses 5 smooth stones.
David obviously had courage. It says that he had a few things really here, It said. He had a staff.
It says that he had a shepherd's pouch, he had his fling, and then he had these five smooth stones.
Now this stone I referred to as a stone that's used in battle.
OK. And for this particular stone, it obviously required a lot of courage on David's part to go in front of that giant that was close to 10 feet tall.
He was 9 cubits I believe in a span. He was very or six cubits in a span. Sorry. He was very, very tall and uh, he used these stones.
This stone I think we've probably heard, but if not, I think it could be likened to the Word of God in Scripture. In fact, I've heard it at one point in my life that the five stones could represent, in part, the first five books of the Bible.
In Ephesians it talks about using the sword of the Spirit, it says, which is the word of God.
It's a good thing, boys and girls, that you become acquainted with the Word of God in your youth.
And not just to read it, but to memorize it and study it.
It's amazing to me. Umm shouldn't be amazing, but how often verses come to mind.
Throughout life, and it's not necessarily because you're thinking, oh, I need to think of a verse. The verse just pops into your mind and it can be used at just the right time.
You know, in the book of Hebrews it talks about, and I'll read it here because I'll probably misquote it, it says the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow, and as a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And that's in Hebrews 4 verse 12.
When David was out on those fields watching the sheep.
We it's very clear from the book of Psalms he spent a lot of time thinking about God.
And he was very much acquainted with God himself.
You know, when the time came, he knew by experience from taking on a lion and a bear that he could take on that giant.
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And he came before that giant, and he spoke with boldness and courage and basically set in effect, How dare you defy the living God?
David had courage because he was acquainted with the God of this universe.
Boys and girls, don't wait until you're a teenager or the age of your mom and dad. You can become acquainted with God even at your age. The age of trip here, or Zach or Benjamin or Laura. The age of the boys and girls here, in fact.
You know, later in David's life, I think he lacks some of that same courage that he had in his youth.
And he was afraid to deal with the issues that his son caused them.
And in fact, it talks about another man later that would come and throw rocks at him and kick up dust at him.
And he learned through life's difficult experiences.
Perhaps.
Had he?
Had he spent more time thinking about the God who he loved in his youth, perhaps he wouldn't have made those same mistakes later in life. But in any case, back to what I'm talking about. The stone that he used on Goliath that day was the stone that was used in battle, and it was used for victory.
So, boys and girls, the point I want to make is become acquainted with the word of God.
And study it and memorize it.
And it can be done at any age, at my age, the age of four or five can be done at the age of 507080. But it will benefit you for your entire life.
And it can be used in victory.
To help you defeat the enemy who wants to really ruin your life.
You know, in Hebrews it talks about it being A2 edged sword.
And perhaps just as much in my own life.
As I thought about it in connection with the things that I faced, I have found it to be two edged because it speaks to my own heart and my own soul.
Just as much as it can be used for others.
So this is the stone of battle. The third one I want to talk about is over in the book of Joshua, the book of Joshua chapter 4, and I'm going to read 5 verses here. Chapter 4 verse 19 says and the people came up out of Jordan on the 10th day of the first month and in Campton, Gilgal in the east border of Jericho.
And those 12 Stones which they took out of Jordan did Joshua pitch and Gilgal. And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask your father's in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
Then you shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land, for the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you until you were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea.
Which you dried up from before until we were gone over, that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord.
That it is mighty that you might fear the Lord your God forever.
So we considered first stones that were used in construction, stones that were used in battle.
And this one I like to think of stones that were used as a memorial.
Just a bit of backdrop. What happened here? They traveled through the wilderness land for 40 years. They came to the Jordan River.
Has it been many years since they across the Red Sea and God instructed that there would be 12 men that would go and gather 12 Stones out of the Jordan and they were to take it where they were going to camp when they crossed the Jordan River in a place called Gilgal?
And they were to set up 12 Stones there.
It seems also clear that they took 12 Stones and they put it in the midst of the Jordan River, where the feet of the priests also stood, who carried the ark.
This was a great miracle that God did in the parting of the Jordans so they could walk through this river.
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It is estimated there was well over a million people that traveled from Egypt into the wilderness land. Quite a number of them died in the wilderness, but I'm sure it was still a quite a large number that crossed here at the Jordan River, given at least the children who were born in the wilderness and so on.
These stones were there because when the children would come across these stones in Gilgal later and ask their parents about it, they were to remind them what God had done at the Jordan River.
And parting the waters there.
You know, stones are used as a memorial sometimes today. Umm, it's kind of tradition in our house that we go to Mom and dad Hadleys at Thanksgiving and we often take a walk through a, a graveyard actually at the end of the road. And there's one place they actually have a bench that's constructed of stone. And they often have the person, whoever died there, one of their children, I presume, comes and sets a stone each time they come and visit. You often see a single straight line.
Just to acknowledge that they had been there.
Stones are used as memorial and other lands like Nepal and stuff today.
But this was to be a memorial to remember what God had done at that place.
It is a good thing, boys and girls, to remember, especially as you go through life and you experience God's ways and what He has done with you, to remember His goodness, His faithfulness, and His wonderful works.
But I want to talk a little bit further.
In less than an hour, there's going to be another memorial that will take place in this room.
Commemorate the greatest work that has ever been done on the face of this earth.
And on this table, there's going to be set a loaf.
Of bread and a cup of wine.
I think sometimes as parents, we may take it for granted that children know what that represents. But I remember I was probably 9 or 10, asking my brother Danny, asking what? What do those people do when they close their eyes, when they take the bread? I didn't fully understand. I knew that they closed their eyes, but I really wasn't sure the significance of what was going on.
The significant boys and girls is we are going to come together in a short while.
To remember that God sent his Son into this world.
And he came and he lived 33 years on this earth, and that it brought him to a cross.
And that he gave his life to be a ransom for many.
The greatest act, as I said, that has ever been done in the history of this universe.
And it says in the night of which Jesus was betrayed, he sat down with his disciples, and he instituted that of which we will do here shortly.
The bread that signifies the body of Jesus that was broken for us.
And the wine signifies his blood that was shed for us.
And we are never to forget.
What happened that day just outside the city of Jerusalem?
The disciples, it was their practice to do it on a weekly basis on the first day of the week.
And it is our privilege to do that.
There are many Christians who don't do it on a weekly basis. Some do it once a year, twice a year, maybe not at all.
But it is our privilege, boys and girls, to remember what God did for us that day.
Have you thought about it?
You know Jesus said this do in remembrance of Maine. Perhaps there's a young person.
Somebody has been thinking.
About taking their place at that table and remembering him and his death.
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It's a good thing, it's the right thing, and God has asked us to do it.
So these were stones of remembrance.
And they were to recall that to their children for many years to come.
You know, there's other stones that are mentioned in Scripture and we just don't have the time to turn to them. But I'll just mention them briefly in passing.
There were stones that were used in judgment.
With respect to a can, he was the man.
Who stole that which did not belong to him? He coveted some Babylonian garments, silver and gold I think it was.
And Israel lost the battle at AI because of it. And God instructed them that they were to take stones and it said all of them, and they were to stone a can and his family there.
It's an uncomfortable story.
My children just asked me recently about it.
Stoning actually happens in this world today.
In Muslim lands.
It's a brutal way to die.
But boys and girls, young person, older one.
To die a death of stoning will be nothing than it would be like for you to hear the things that you hear in this place and reject the gospel of God's salvation.
The judgment that you will endure will be far more severe.
Akin he coveted, he saw, he took that which did not belong to him.
Some in this room are guilty of stealing.
I know I have stolen my life.
Taking that which did not belong to me.
I deserve to die, but the Bible says for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and the wages of sin is death.
Stones that were used in judgment and then the last one just in passing.
In first Peter chapter 2.
It talks about a stone that was rejected of man.
Does anybody know who that stone refers to?
Laura, the Lord Jesus.
Look at that stone on that table.
First, Peter talks about Jesus referred to as a stone that was rejected of man.
But chosen of God and precious.
Is he precious to you, young boy? Young girl?
To follow Christ in this life, there will be rejection.
There will be suffering.
And hardship.
And Jesus knew what that was like.
If he was chosen of God, disallowed of men.
He was precious.
We could consider a lot more with respect to this topic.
But just remember that there was that stone that was disallowed of men.
For us who are believers.
Referred to as living stones in first Peter chapter two-part of that spiritual house. I trust that you are each and everyone of you, boys and girls, is a living stone here today.
God has a great plan for your life.
Life has a way of taking many twists and turns, some for the good, some for the not so good.
But you, as a Livingstone, remember that he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
And he loves you and cares for you and wants the best that is for you.
But if you choose to follow him, it's not necessarily going to be an easy path.
If you've never given your life to the Lord Jesus, I invite you to do that right now where you're sitting and just say, Lord Jesus, I invite you into my heart and in my life. I yield my will to yours, and I seek to serve you and follow you.
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It's important to acknowledge your sin, confess your sin to him, and remember what He did for you at Calvary's cross.
So again, 3 stones primarily. I wanted to talk about the first one, stones used in construction. Lord's not finished with you, He's not finished with me.
It is God's doing #2 stones that are used in battle. Get acquainted with the Word of God. Study it, memorize it. It will benefit you your entire life and help you to gain victories like David did.
The third one is the Stona Memorial, those 12 Stones that stood in Gilgal. One thing I didn't mention, it's interesting that I was in Gilgal, the place where they were circumcised. And as those stones were there for memorial was the place where they had to cut off the flesh. And those who are older, as we come together, it's important we judge those things in our life that are dishonouring to God.
Stones and memorial.
And then the other ones I mentioned in passing stones used in judgment.
And finally, the stone that was rejected of men.
But precious to God.
Let's pray.
Our Father, we do thank Thee for this time this morning.
We thank thee for that one who is precious to thyself, who always did that which was pleasing unto thee.
We know, Father, that we are often like wayward sheep, doing our own will.
But we know there was that one who was perhaps or we know, rejected of men, but indeed precious to thee.
We pray that He will be precious to each and everyone here. We think of the boys and girls. We just trust and pray that they have given their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, that they would follow Him.
Not only in the good times but also in the hard times, we pray for our young people and those who perhaps may be going through a very difficult time. We just pray that they would turn to Thee and follow Thee while there is still time left. We thank Thee that thou start work, still working in US and through US, Lord Jesus, and Thou will continue to shape and refine us.
We know it is not of man's doing, but it's all of thy doing, and we praise thee for it.
And thy precious name we give thanks, Lord Jesus Christ.