Full Text for CTM Outlines for Sermons on Christian Education 5-8 (Text)

(!tnurnr~tu m~tnlngirul tlnut41y Continuing LEHRE UND VVEHRE MAGAZIN FUER EV.-LuTH. HOMILETIK THEOLOGICAL QUARTERLY-THEOLOGICAL MONTHLY Vol. V August, 1934 No.8 CONTENTS Pap The Chief Prinoiples of New Testament Textual Critioism. W. Arndt. • • • • • • • • • • •• 577 Zur Lehre von der Reue. Th. Engelder ..•••••••••••••.• " 584 The Catechism in the Christian Home. T. Laetach ••••••• 596 Der Gottesdienst in der alten Kirohe. P. E. Kretzmann ••••• 604 The Story of loseph in the Light of Reoent Researoh. P. E. Kretzmann. • • • • • • •• 611 Sermons and Outlines.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . . . . . . .. 81lS lliscellanea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 826 Theological Observer. - Kirchlich.Zeitgeschiohtliches .•• " 630 Book Review. - Literatur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . • . .. 644 Ein Predlger mugs n1cht alleln wf!iden, also dasa er die Schafe unterwelse, me 8i8 rechte Ohrieten aollen aeiD, sondern auch daneben den Woelfen wehre,., dll/lll sle die Schafe nfcht angrellen und mit talscher Lehre vertuebren und Irrtum eln· tnehren. - Lu,her. Es lot keto Diog, daa die Leute mehr bel der Kirchc behaelt df1lD die gute Predigt. - .Apologie, Arl.2J. If the trumpet give an oncertaiD lOund, who ohall prepare h1mle1f to the battle f 1 Oor. ,lJ, 8. Published for the Ev. Luth. Synod of lIIIissouri, Ohio, and Other States CONCORDIA PUlJLISBIlfG :S:OlJ'SlI:, St. Louf!l, lIIto. OH Outlines for Sermons on Christian Education. 615 Outlines for Sermons on Christian Education. 1. Ps. 111, 10. On the report cards that are given to our children at stated intervals we find this motto: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." That is a word of God. By it an important truth is revealed to us, especially important to parents for the upbringing of their children. Parents who do not know this truth cannot bring up their children according to God's will. Let us therefore study these words and learn what our Lord desires to teach us. "The Fear of the Lord Is the Beginning of Wisdom." 1. What is the fear of the Lord? 2. What is wisdom? 1. Text. There is a fear that all men have by nature. It is the fear that God as the Judge will some day punish them for their sins. It is a fear without hope. That is the reason for their feal' of death. Such fear possessed the soul of Oain and Judas. This fear causes man to despair. This fear is not the beginning of wisdom, but it subjects man to bondage all his lifetime, Heb. 2, 15. It is the fear of the trembling slave. But the fear of the Lord is that worshipful respect which is linked with the deepest love and confidence, which worships Him as the great Oreator and Sustainer of the world, as the wonderful Savior and Oomforter of sinners. Such fear no man has by nature. For all men are sinners and come short of the glory of God. God must be reconciled. Through Ohrist He reconciled the world unto Himself. Christ's work of re- demption. And by the Word which proclaims this reconciliation man is brought to faith and thus reconciled to God. Now he recognizes God as his deal' Father, Redeemer, and OOnllorter and loves Him, trusts in Him, and respects and worships Him. Now God is to him the Source of all blessings. That fear of the Lord is here called the beginning of wisdom. 2. What is wisdom? vThen man lost the fear of the Lord, he also lost true wisdom. Pharaoh, in spite of all his learning, was a fool to resist the almighty Lord. The scribes and Pharisees at the time of Jesus. The prodigal. True wisdom is to put everything God has given us to the right use. He who is without the true wisdom uses the faculties of his soul, the members of his body, his earthly pos- sessions, for his own selfish purposes and hence to his own per- dition. The fear of the Lord changes. all that. The man who fears 616 Outlines for Sermons on Christian Education. the Lord puts everything he has into the service of God, uses it for His glory and the welfare of his fellow-men. His heart is renewed, his thoughts are changed, his view of life is altogether altered. He now aims for a higher life. He has become wise. This is of the greatest importance in the upbringing of our children. Our children are born corrupt. Their reason, will, and heart are corrupt. If they grow up in this state, their life in ever- increasing degree will be put into the service of sin. All the learn- ing they acquire at schools, colleges, and universities will not help them. They will use it either for self-aggrandizement or for crime. They will become either proud, self-righteous Pharisees or crafty criminals. Thus we see that secular knowledge and earthly possessions will be a blessing only if true wisdom teaches the right use of it. And true wisdom is to be found only where the fear of the Lord is. And the fen]" of the Lord can be alone where man by the Holy Ghost has learned to know Jesus, the Savior. It is necessary therefore for our children to be brought to Jesus. Their training must be based on the Gospel of Christ. No school is good enough for our children unless it is a school where Jesus reigns supreme. He alone can make us wise for this life and the life to come. Remember, you parent, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Let us be thankful for our Christian school. H. J. B. 2. Mark 10, 13-16. Our service to-day is arranged principally for our children. Parents and all members wish to hear what the Lord has to say with regard to the upbringing of our children. He has much to sayan this subject. Ohildren are very important for human society. With- out children, society would cease to exist. Important for the State; children of to-day are citizens of to-morrow. For the home; chil- dren will continue the homes of to-day. For the Ohurch; our chil- dren will carryon the work of our Ohurch after we have passed away. Therefore important for society, State, home, Church, that children be properly trained. That is principally the duty of the parents. While they may and should accept the aid of the Church, they cannot shift their own responsibilities to any other person or persons. Let us see and study what God has to say. The God-pleasing Attitude of Parents toward Their Children. 1. They must look upon them as gifts of God, for which they are 1'esponsible to Him; 2. They must lead them to Jesus and not keep them away. Outlines for Sermons on Christian Education. 617 1. Text. Christ says, "Of sueh," etc. God claims children for His kingdom. That raises the question, Whose is the child? Many books are Written in answer to this question. Bolshevik Russia says that the child belongs to the State. In our own country many take the same position. It is true, the State must take great interest in children, for they are the future citizens. But that does not make them the property of the State. The State has only so mueh right over the child as God has given to it. Do children belong to the Ohureh? Sinee by Baptism they have become members of the Ohurch, they do belong to the Ohureh; the Ohureh has the right and duty to look after their spiritual welfare, to train them for whole-hearted, intelligent interest in, and labor for, the Ohurch, Matt. 28, 20. Yet to the Ohurch also ehildren are given, added by Baptism, as a gift of God. - Parents are wont to say of their children, These are our children. And in a way they may say so. Yet, after all, God has given them their children. Read Ps. 127, 3. In the last analysis children are God's; for He gives them life, He preserves them, He has purchased and won them from death, sin, and the. power of the devil that they should be His own and live in His kingdom. Since children are God's own by creation and re- demption, God has the right to demand them, and parents are 1'e- sponsible for their children to Him. 2. God has entrusted children to parents that they should take care of their bodies, provide them with the necessities of life, prepare them for the battle for existence. That requires careful preparation. But that is not the most important duty. Animals prepare their young for that also. Jesus says: "Suffer the little children to come unto Me." Why unto Jesus? Because the child has an immortal soul. This life is not the longest nor the last nor the most important. Eternity will be either everlasting torment or unending bliss. Ohil- dren are born sinners. Ohrist has saved them. No salvation without Ohrist. No help without Him. Therefore children must be brought to Him to be blessed by Him. This is done by having them baptized and by teaching them the Word of God. Parents must do this. A congregation may help them in this difficult task, but the respon- sibility remains theirs. Let them pray therefore for wisdom and faithfulness to perform aright this their greatest duty on earth. Lead your children to Jesus. Beware of keeping them away from Him! Such a warning is very neceSSal·Y. Thousands of children are kept away from the Savior because their parents do not tell them of Jesus (there is no reading 618 Outlines for Sermons on Christian Education. of the Bible, no prayer, no religious instruction in the home); or because their parents lead them astray by teaching them lies, evolu- tion, atheism, giving them poison for bread; etc.; or because their parents give them offense by living in sin, by allowing access to evil reading-matter, allowing them to go to movies or such other enter- tainments as pander to the flesh, etc.; or because their parents are negligent, not using the means provided for them by a Ohristian con- gregation - Christian schools. What Jesus has to say about keeping children away from Him. Much displeased, Matt. 18, 6. God grant that we all give heed to the instruction and admoni- tion of our Lord. H. J. B. 3. IDlattij. 18, 1-14. ~idjt meniger aI~ Die ermadjfenen ~~riften ~alien i~re S'Hnber unun±erlirodjene djtiftridje @ir3ie~ung nong, unb nidjt meniger aI~ Die ermadjf enen Unliefe~rten ~alien bie unliefe~t±en Sfinblein ba~ @itJan,. geIium ni)tig. Unfer l.l)Hffillui3ltJ>erf au ben ~ttberu. 1. stlie Sl'Ieinen finb bon ~atur bedoren; alier ~ @i f u ~ i it g ef 0 m men, 1i e f eI i g 3 u m a dj en. A. stlie Sl'Ieinen finb bon ~a±1tr berIoren. 1. ~m ~e6t rebd ~@ifu~ nodj immer bon ben Sl'Ieinen. stlie nadj 9htfjm bUrftenben ~unger fragten iJjn: m. 1. ~(tfu ~ntmot±: m. 2-4. ~adjbem er bom ~rgel> ni~, ba0 ben stIeinen gegelien mirb, im liefonberen (m. 6) unb bom urgerni0 im afigemeinen (m. 7-9) gerebd ~at, fommi er in feiner IBeIefjrung aUf Die Sfleinen 3uriicf unb fptidjt: m. 10-14. @5omo~r fein liefannte~ ID3ot± m. 11 ag audj ba~ ~errIidje ®Ieidjni~ in m. 12. 13 liesiefjt fidj liefonber~ aUf bie S'Hnber; benn er fdjIief3t: m. 14. - 2. ~@ifu~ giOt ben SfIeinen ~amen, bie un~ auerft liefremben: "ba~ merIorne ", "bQ~ meritr±e ". ~amU liringt er sum ~u0bruc'f bie @5djrift,. re~re bOn ber @irbfiinbe unb ber tuirHidjen @5unbe famt beren fdjrec'f,. Iidjen unb emigen iSoIgen, ~f. 51. 5; ~o~. 3, 6; 91om. 7, 18; ®en. 8, 21; @ip~. 2, 3. stla~ Sjingefjen, @5udjen, iSinben, m. 12. 13, unb 91etten, m. 11, bon jeUen be~ IDlenfdjenfo~ne~ aetgt beutIidj genug bie ~iefe be0 merberben~ ber Si:leinen. - 3. stlie @5djriftre~re bon bem naturIic~en merberlien ber stlcinen ftefjt feft ±to~ arrer l13quofop~ie unb ®efuljlsbufelei ber feIbf±geredJ±en ID3eU, bie "bem merIornen" na±urIidje unb geiitnd)e ®eredjtigfeit iJulpridjt, an ben naturIidjen @5±oIa ber IDlen] dl~eit, an bie natUrfidje .2ielie Der (tUern appellier±, um bas "un~ fdjulbige Sfinb gegen ben ~ar±en ~U~lPtudj unb ba~ fdjarfe UrieH be~ IDlenf djenlofjne~ au fdju~en". ID3eldj ein @5eIbfttuiberfprudJ, bat bief elbe ID3eU in i~rem (traie~ungstuefen bodj mit bem bon i~r geleugneien naturridjen ~erberben bet S'Hnber redjnetl - 4. iSort mit ber tJet~ Outlines for Sermons 011 Christian Education. 619 berb±en !8ernunf±, mit ben fleifdjHdjen, roeidjen @efiifjIenl ~ir blek ben bei ~@:fu 9tebe, f1l:ll$fen ben ~iberfprudj be~ B'Ieifdje~ unb ber ~ert nieber uub beroeinen unb bdlagen ben natudidjen .Buftanb aUer SHnber, audj unferer eigenen. ~fjre Unfdjulb ift bafjin, unb fie finb bon 9Iatur bor ®ott berbammIidj unb bedoren. ~ir fOnnen fie nid)! erHifen. Ofjne ~@:fum roiirben roir fie burdj ~ort, Stat unb ~eifpie! nodj Hefer in~ !Berberben fiifjren. B. ~ber ~@:fus iit gefommen, fie feIig au madjen. 1. ~rs .Broed jeines Sl'ommens unb jillede~ nenn± 0~fu~ im Ste);t bie @dofung bet: Sl'inber. @:r roarb feroft ein Iiebe~ SHnbIein. @:r fjat bie SHubfjeit ge~ fjeiHgt, bie @rbfunbe unb bie roirfIidje @lunbe audj ber Sl'Ieinen ge~ ±ragen unb fur fie ®o±te~ ®efe~ erfuUt. ~udj fur fie ift er geftorben, unb fein )BIut madj± aUel) fie rein bon aUer @lunbe. ~ie ~at er bie Sl'Ieinen fo fieb I - 2. @leine mebe au ifjnen offenbart er lneiter burdj ~ort unb Stat, audj nadjbem er fie gefunben ~at. a. @r fdju~t bie gI1l:ubigen SHnber bor ~rgerniB, berfjeiBt i~nen @:ngelfdju~, madjt fie au !BorbUbern fefter 3uberfidjt. b. mad. 10 giot er feine 2iebe au i~nen funb (NB. nadjbem er feinen Unterridji uber e~eIidje~ 2eben gegeben ~at). c. @leine roeitere IiebeboUe B'iirforge fur bie Sl'Ieinen offenbart er audj im @ltanbe fetner @rfjofjung, inbem er bie feeIforger~ Hdje ~fIege berfeIben nur fold)en fibergibt, Die ifjn aufridjtig Iieben, 00~. 21, 15, uub audj fur fie bie ®nabenmitter gegeben ljat, IDCattfj. 28,19.20. - 3. S)aben roir nun (£ljrifti mebe 3U ben Sl'Ieinen gefaBt~ ~ein, lie geIjt fiber )Bitten unb !BerfteIjen. jillie gIiicmdj bie Sl'irdje, bie @r3ie~er, bie @:rtern, bie bie mebe 0@fu fennen, aUf bie eigenen fdjon gIiiubigen SNnber in ber el)rtf±ridjen @:raie~ung anroenben unb ben nodj fern en Sl'inbIein bedunbigen unb anbie±enl ~eiI bie SHnbIein bon ~atur berloren finb, 0@:fus aber gdommen ift, fie feIig 3U madjen, 2. barum forren luir in unferm IDCiffion~roetf audj b i e Sl' i n brei nbc ben Ie n. A. Unf er ,\JJCiffion~l!Jed ift gegriinbet aUf bie @ldjriftIeIjre bOn ber ffledjtfertigung. SDiefe foUen mir ±reiben an aUer Sl'rea±ur, audj an unf ern Sl'inbern, unb in aUer m5ert, barum an an e n Sl'inbern, IDCarI. 16, 15. - 1. 0n unferm Ste);± Ieqr! 0@:fus gana basfelbe. !B. 10 fagt er un~, roa~ lnir aIs SHnbereraieIjer unb ~miHionare meiben foUen. S)aben mir biefe ~arnung notig? @r rebet ja 3U feinen ~ungernl ~udj mir finb geneigi, baiZl @roBe bem Sl'Ieinen bor3uaiefjen. ~ir beradjten (£Ijrifti Sl'Ieine, menn roir iljncn bas @:bangeHum bor" en±IjaHen, unfere gcifHidje ~fIidj± iljnen gegeniioer bernad)IiiHigen. ~ 2. 0@fus fagt un~ !B. 5, ma~ mir tun foUen. ®efegnet feien Die S)irien, bie ben S)eHanb fiebIjaben unb bie Sl'Ieinen Heben; gefegnet bie ®emeinbe" unb @lonntag~f d)uIreIjrer, bie eifrigen ®emeinbegIieber, lJie baiZl S)eiI ber SHnber fudjen; gefegnet bie @Hern, Die mit djrift~ lidjem ~ori unb gottgefiiUiger Stat an ben eigenen unb anbern Sl'inbern 620 Outlines for Sermons on Christian Education. oetrJeifen, ban fie Z5~fum im §.?er3cn ~aoen. ~ic aUe ne~men Z5~fum aUf unb bien en ifjm. - 3. IBebenfi ba~er bie Sl'Ieinen im ~r3iefjungs~ trJcfen unb in ber IDciffionsaweii! .~~fus eifert filr bie llinberj barum me~r 9.JliHionare; mcfjr ®coe±e unb ®aoen j mefjr ®emeinbe~ unb ~onntagsf cl)ulen; me~r 5rreue in ber d)riftIid)en ~raie~ung 1m .I;)aus, .R'ird)e, ®c~ule; fein ~'lrgernis, fein ®ei3, rein ?!BeItfinn. ?!BoHen mand)e Ieid)±fcdig f ein uub 2ur. 1, 41 minoraud)en ~ ::Da trJirb uns gefag±, trJas ber §.?eiIige ®ciit trJirfeu fauu; aoer in unferm 5re6± ift 11US unfere ~fIid)t auferlegt, bie luir erfiiHen f oUen. E. ~~fus iit unfer ~rli:ifer. mIs foId)er erfd)eint er im 5re6±. ?!BiebieI ~aoen luir bod) ber[ aumt! Unf ere j8ernad)IaHigung ber Sl'rei~ nen ift C'Silnbe gegen oeibe 5rafeIn bes ®efe:\les. ?!Befje u1101 m. 6. moer Z5~fu meoe 3U ben seIeinen ift fteUbedreienb filr aUe ~d)uIbigen: ~Hern, 2efjrer, ®emeinbegIieber, l)Saftoren. ::Das ifi unfer 5rrof±. ::Dod) forbert bie ±agIid)e §.?eiIigung, baB luir aud) feinem j8oroiIb foIgen. - ?!Bie ~~fus fid) freu± iloer bas ®etrJot1nene, j8.13, fo foUen aud) trJil: 11ns frenen. - 2ant uns in unferm mmt an ben St:leinen red)±e 5rre11e o etrJeifenI ®ott trJirb fein ®ebeifjen geoen. ®. §.? ~ m llf a L 4. J'iJ:ark 10, 13-16. OUT children, what a treasure they are, and at the same time, what a problem! Here they sit, your little ones and mine, to-morrow's home- makers or home-breakers, to-morrow's curse or blessing to this nation, to-morrow's builders or wreckers of our Ohurch; and remember, what they will be to-morrow depends to a great extent on what we make of them to-day. How to train them aright, how to bring them up that they, even as the Ohild Jesus, may increase in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and with men; how to instruct, guide, and correct them, so that some day they may be men and women of good character and habits, stalwart citizens, and, above all, heirs of the life to come, that, indeed, is a problem so great that it is hard to imagine a greater one. Even the world is interested in this matter, that is, so far as the welfare of the home and of the nation is concerned. Yes, it is more than interested; it is frankly worried about it. This world of ours has a headache; and there are many causes of it. There is the "flaming youth" problem, the liquor problem, the divorce problem, the 81·ime problem, - who will enumerate them all? But all these vexing problems - and leading educators and jurists know and admit this - can be traced back to an unsatisfactory solution, rather, to the total lack of a solution of the child problem. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." That is a Biblical axiom whose homely truth even Outlines for Sermons on Christian Education. 621 the most anti-Biblical-minded people must concede. But how to train the child - ah, that is the problem! Educational conferences are discussing it, committees consisting of the best brains of the nation are deliberating on it, men and women who are devoting their whole life to a study of it, are annually writing books and magazine articles by the thousands, but to no avail. And this is the mOTe pathetic since a fully satisfactory, yes, the only possible solution of the problem has been given to the wodd, and that long, long ago. That same Book which says: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it," tells us all we need to know about this subject. Let us turn to the simple story told Mark; for there we have- The Solution of the Child Problem: "Suffer the Little Children to Come unto Me." 1. "And they brought young children to Jesus that He should touch them." We can almost see them, those Jewish mothers, as with their little ones they all but mobbed the tired Master. Yes, tired He was, for it had been a busy day. But all signs af fatigue are gone the moment He sees these mothers and their children. Just a minute ago He had spoken on the sanctity of holy wedlock. Now He sees an opportunity to teach what people are to do with the living fruits of the marriage union. "Suffer the little children," says He, "to come unto Me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God." These words of Jesus tell us, to begin with, that children are not mere playthings, but that they have a soul. "Of such is the kingdom of God." Many people never think of that. Did you ever hear of the "wild children" of Russia ~ Abandoned, homeless, left to shift for themselves, a ragged, filthy, vermin-covered lot, they prowl about the streets like so many stray dogs, existing on the scraps they find or the food they contrive to steal and sleeping in places which we would not consider fit for kennels. I would never have beHeved that such conditions could exist in this our day, had I not seen authentic pictures of these miserable creatures taken by an engineer, a Lutheran man of our own city. And yet, who are we to look down on Russia while right here in America we, too, have our "wild children" ~ And these live not only in the slums; they dwell in hovels and mansions, in country and city; indeed, you will find some in this very block. It is not that their parents do not provide for their bodily welfare. They do, as well as their means permit. Neither am I accusing them of neglecting their children's mental training. Every year fabulous sums are spent for our public- school system. No, I am referring to the deplorable, but incontro- vertible fact that millions of American parents are forgetting all 622 Outlines for Sermons on Christian Education. about their children's soul. And that is a tragic, an appalling, a disastrous thing. - Parent, your child has a soul. That soul is immortal. That soul is worth far more than body or mind, yes, than the whole world. I hope you realize that; for a proper realiza- tion of this fact is the first step towards the solution of the child problem. No, our children are not animals. But neither, my friends, are they angels. And this brings us to another ;point which deserves our most serious consideration. The Scriptures teach- and this doc- trine, though not expressly taught in our text, is implied therein- that our children are conceived and born in sin, that they are by nature totally depraved, and that, as a consequence, they are under God's wrath and condemnation. Modern educators deny all this. I shall quote three of their spokesmen; note their word. Says Betts in his book How to Teach Religion: "We no longer insist with the older theologians that a child is completely under the curse of original sin. . .. We believe that he has infinite capacities for good and equally infinite capacities for evil, either of which may be developed. We know that at the beginning the child is sinless, pure of heart, his life undefiled." Says Soares in his Religious Education: "Yen have held that the babe that lies in its mother's arms has a nature utterly corrupt. There is no possibility of good; all its tendencies are towards evil. It is alien from God and under His eternal wrath. . .. It is clear that all these theological theories are unscientific. . .. A child is born unmoral, just as he is born un- political. Morality and immorality develop in the social process." Says Wilson in his Ohild Psychology and Religious Education: "The conception of childhood's total depravity, or, at any rate, of its original sin, has had an honored place in theological thought. . . . The science of evolution and the better understanding of the early chapters of Genesis have delivered man's thoughts from this per- nicious doctrine." - But enough of this. I already feel as if I had granted these modern heretics too much of our precious time. But I did want to show you how far away these people are from the real solution of the child problem. They do not even know what is wrong with the child. Fact is, they claim that there is nothing wrong with the child. It's evolution, it's the social order, it's environment, - ah, what a word to conjure by these days 1- it's nothing in the child, but something outside of the child, that is to blame! But God's inspired and infallible Book gives the lie to these superwise educators of our day and says: "The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." And again: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." And because of these and many other Scriptural declarations I cannot but say to you: Parent, your child, no matter how small or sweet it be, is a born sinner. Its nature, mind, and soul are totally depraved and Outlines for Sermons on Christian Education. 623 as such altogether unfit for the kingdom of heaven. Yes, unless a remedy is found, your child is eternally lost. :Mark this well, for a thorough knowledge of this fact is anot.her important step towards the solution of the child problem. Here, then, is the sit.uation. Our children have an immortal soul, intended for the kingdom of God. But as they are by nature, they cannot enter that kingdom, for they are altogether sinful und under the wrath of God. What is the remedy? A better environment ~ Environment, as we have seen, is not the ultimate cause, and there- fore it is evident that a change of it cannot effect a cure. More secular education? It has been well said, "Educate men without religion, and you make them but clever devils." Threats such as "Orime does not pay" may hold children back from the gross outbursts of sin; promises like "Honesty is the best policy" may appeal to their selfish nature. The rod is both necessary and effective in its place; but no amount of threatening, promising, or spanking will make chil- dren pure, holy, and right with God. After all, the heart of the child problem is the child's heart. What is needed, and needed in the case of every single child, is a new heart and to that end a new birth, as Jesus said to Nicodemus: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." "But that requires a miracle," you say. Indeed it does. But there is One who can perform this miracle, yes, who performs it every day. "Suffer the little children to come unto Me." When Jesus spoke these words, He was on His last journey, whose end was Oalvary. He had been born for children that by His sinless conception and birth He might hallow their sinful beginning. He had lived for children that by His perfect obedience He might. make satisfaction to God for their sinful life. Lat.er He died for children that through His death He might make them heirs of the kingdom of God. And now He commands that the children, your children, all children, be brought to Him. How? Through Holy Baptism and a Ohristian education. Through Baptism, for it is by this blessed means that the Holy Spirit. works faith in the child, gives it a new heart, forgives its sins, and thus makes it a partaker of the kingdom which Jesus has merited with His own blood. And through a continual Ohristian education and training; for it. is through the Word of God taught where such an education is given that the new life kindled through Baptism is nourished, strengthened, and made fruitful unto many good works. This, my dear parent, is the solut.ion of the child problem: "Suffer the little children to come unto Me." The whole education and training of the child, beginning with its birth and ever there- after, must be in one direction - towards Jesus. Do you under- stand thaH And will you never forget it? Then let us proceed to the practical carrying out of this solution. 624 Outlines for Sermons on Christian Education. 2. This is not an easy task. There are so many difficulties to contend with. The devil, the world, and our flesh would constantly do what the disciples did to those Jewish mothers; "And His disciples rebuked those that brought them." But let us remember that our Lord was "much displeased," was "moved with indigna- tion," over this attitude of the Twelve and that His wrath will most certainly rest upon us if we permit anything to come between Him and our children. "Forbid them not!" Whatever the obstacles, they must and can be overcome for the sake of Jesus and the children whom He loves. It is also to be noted that the carrying out of this solution is a joint task. God says to parents: "Ye fathers," - and that does not exclude mothers, - "provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." And God says to the Ohurch: "Feed My lambs." Accordingly it is not for parents to say: "We do not need and shall not use the facilities which the Ohurch has provided for this purpose," or; "Let the Ohurch assume the entire responsibility in this matter. Why should we bother our heads about it~" Neither is it for thc Ohurch to say: "It takes too much time and money. Let the parents see to the Ohristian education of their children. That's their business." No, it is for both, parents and Ohurch, to heed the command of Jesus, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me," and to cooperate in this so difficult, but blessed work. Having b(')en baptized and thus become a child of God and an heir of heaven, the child spends the first and most impressionable years of its life in the home. That home should be so ordered that it becomes for the child the greatest educational agency in the world. And to be that, it must be a Jesus home. The child must be taught to pray to Jesus as soon as its little hands can be folded and its lips can lisp His name. The child must be told of J esns, and that daily, especially in the family devotion. The child must be admonished and, if need be, punished, but always in such a manner as will lead it to do right and to shun wrong, not for fear of the rod, but because it loves Jesus. In short, the whole home atmosphere must literally breathe the spirit of Jesus, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me." Parents, your church wants to cooperate with you in this gigantic task. That is why I am telling you this. For Jesus' and your child's sake do not let the advice given you go into one ear and out of the other lest you do something that may never be entirely undone and the Savior be moved with indignation. Bnt your church does more for you parents than to offer you Outlines for Sermons on Ohristian Education. 625 good advice. Do you see these tiny tots, about seventy-five of them, the kindergarten of our Sunday-school? Did you ever hear them sing and pray and tell the story of "J eeus Blessing Little Ohildren" ~ Could you think of depriving your child of the instruction and the inspiration given in this class? Then, as your child grows older, continue to send it to our Sunday-school. Though limited to one brief session every Lord's Day, it is an institute of real value. Its aim is to bring all its scholars, especially also the so-called "out- siders," to Jesus. Its teachers are doing what those Jewish mothers did. Let us not do what the disciples did - rebuke them. No, let us be thankful that the Lord has given us such consecrated men and women; let us wish them and their work well on this tenth anniversary of our Sunday-school; and, above all, let all our parents cooperate with them by regularly sending their own children as well as by making a continued and most earnest effort to bring about the enrolment of others. But the most ~triking proof that your congregation shuns neither labor nor expense in order to help the parent to carry out the solu- tion of the great child problem is the fact that during all the many years of its existence it has maintained a Ohristian day-schooL The public school does not and cannot bring children to Jesus. The Sunday-school, deserving as it is of our support, can offer but a minimum of Ohristian education. There is but one school which fills all tho needs, especially the soul needs, of the child, and that is a school in which its whole education and training, every minute of the hour and every hour ad: the day and every day of the sehool- year, is in one direction- towards Jesus. Such a school we have in our Ohristian day-school. Parent, is your child there~ If so, are you seeing to it that it is regular in its attendance and diligent in its studies? And what are you doing for the support of that school, morally, fmaneially, and by your prayers ~ Would to God that all of us would realize as well as the devil does what this school means to our children; that we love it as much as he hates it and work for it as zealously as he fights against it - for Jesus' and our children's sake! "And they brought young children to Jesus that He should touch them." Grant, 0 Lord Jesus, that the whole education and train- ing of our children be a continued bringing of them to Thee. Help us to overcome all the sinister forces which would prevent us from successfully cooperating in this glorious work. And then do Thou also take our children into Thy arms, put Thy hands upon them, bless them, and make them a blessing to home and Ohurch and country. Amen. OSWALD RIESS. 40