Children Do What Children Do

“Children Do What Children Do”
II Chronicles 33:1-4

Introduction

  • Children do what children do. In other words, children will be children. These sayings that the hearing often say are quoted of Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:11…When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12) For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
  • If you read I Corinthians and chapter 13:1-12 you would know why Paul was telling the Corinthians this.
  • The Corinthians were guilty of acting like children in every aspect of their Christian life. They were plagued with rampant sins of every sort.
  • The church at Corinth was spiritually gifted in many areas (Ch. 1:7), and they had the right doctrine in place (Ch. 11:2). But, they had a key ingredient missing… LOVE.
  • The absence of love creates problems and fuel sins such as…
  1. Fights and quarrels
  2. Selfishness
  3. Pride
  4. Lack of sympathy and compassion
  5. Anger
  • Spiritual gifts mean nothing if you do not possess the LOVE of God in using them.
  • Children (normally) have a love that we as adults should have more often. Children will love unconditionally.
  • Children do not see a fat person, tall person, poor or rich person. They see things as Paul said here “…through a glass darkly.” Which means, that they do not see a clear picture, they see only part of the picture.
  • There are many of us who still look at life with children’s eyes. We have not matured. We do not act like a mature person.
  • Look at the last part of the verse in I Cor. 13:11… “but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
  • To stop doing childish things is a sign of maturity.
  • A child always thinks of “PLAY” rather than work or responsibilities.
  • A child is not in control of their anger, affection, speech or thoughts.
  • I want us now to look at our text scripture of II Chronicles 33…
  • Manasseh was the son of King Hezekiah. So, Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh.

I. Look at the Father

  A) A father named Hezekiah

  • Hezekiah had become the King of Judah at 25 years of age in chapter 29 and reigned in Jerusalem for 29 years.
  • In chapter 29 Hezekiah started sanctifying (making holy) the house of the Lord after the apostasy (abandonment of religion, abandonment of what you believe) of Ahaz.
  • Hezekiah further sanctified the priests (29:5) and then preached to them in II Chronicles 29:6 …For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their
  • In preaching to the men at the meeting, I believe that it is important to realize that Hezekiah had listed the sins of “our fathers.” The sins of …evil doings, forsaking the LORD, turned their faces away from where God lives, and turned their backs of God.
  • Hezekiah is saying here… “Look guys, our fathers messed up big time. We gotta straighten this mess out or suffer the wrath of God on our generation.”

  B) Our fathers

  • We as Americans living free in the good ole USA need to do the same today. Our fathers today are making huge mistakes on raising their children.
  • Today, there is no discipline for children, no morals for children to follow, no acceptance of religion in schools, the workplace or government, and now there is no respect for authority whatsoever.
  • Children will be children unless their parents wake up out of the deep sleep called apathy and complacency and set the path straight as Hezekiah did in II Chronicles 29.
  • Fathers need to be teaching their children about wolves in sheep’s clothing, the wheat amongst the tares, the sin of Sodom, and the reason Lot’s wife turned to a pillar of salt. They need to hear of Jonah’s call in his life, his running from God, his judgment from God, and then his repentance that led to a whole city repenting.
  • Fathers don’t teach this today. In fact they barely come to church. What does that teach your children? It teaches them that church is not that important and you can do what you think is right, when you feel like it.
  • God then becomes a novelty. Something put on a shelf until you need it.
  • Fathers, it is your duty to bring your family to God and His house.

II. A Look at the Children

  A) Raising children

  • II Chronicles 33:1…Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem:
  • Here in the above verse we see Manasseh had been appointed by his father Hezekiah as the “co-regent (assistant ruler of government)” at the ripe age of 12. (This story also told in II Kings 21:1-10)
  • Hezekiah had become older and apparently started losing his mind by allowing a 12 year old “boy” to assist him in his governing of Judah.
  • Hezekiah (the father of Manasseh) had nurtured his son in the LORD’S work, ministry and traditions of the church. Hezekiah apparently raised him to know some things about governing people.
  • I ask you… Why give a boy at 12 years of age a position of assistant to a governing head? He’s 12 years old for crying out loud! He’s barely out of diapers.
  • As parents we have to know that this was a huge mistake. This is part of the reason that God came to earth in the flesh of Jesus Christ. Adults in ruling positions were doing stupid things and placing a value on things or people that was totally against God’s order, His Laws.
  • Jesus did not start His earthly ministry until He was 30 years old. God did this to show His people the age of a person in any authoritative position in God’s house should be at least 30 years of age.
  • WHY 30? A person of 30 has more experience, more time and opportunities to gain the wisdom needed, more time to mature and make wiser decisions.

  B) What can children know?

  • Children can only know what they have been taught and what they have witnessed.
  • At the age of 12, what can you possible know that would be of benefit to a leader?
  • Children especially at 12 years of age, have a different perspective on life.
  • Apparently Manasseh did not have a very staunch spiritual upbringing. And maybe he had one that was too strict which caused him to go spiritually sour.
  • Look at II Chronicles 33:2…But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
  • His father (Hezekiah) led of the LORD, threw out all the idols, evil doers, evil things, and false leaders from the church to purify it, and sanctify it.
  • WHY then, would Hezekiah’s son do “…that which is evil in the sight of the LORD?”
  • Because at 12 years of age he did not have the experience of God’s wrath upon evil doers.
  • What can children know? Not near as much as a 30 year old. Children lack experience, knowledge, understanding and maturity.

  C) What do parents /adults know?

  • It varies drastically.
  • A verse for adults to live by and remember is I Corinthians 13:11…When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
  • When you are a child you say foolish or silly things.
  • When you are a child you a lot less understanding about everything.
  • When you are a child you understand as a child because a child lacks experience.
  • When you are a child you also think like a child (in innocence).
  • Paul tells the Corinthians “…but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” This means that you stop talking like a child, try and absorb all wisdom you can to gain understanding, and stop thinking like a child.
  • Sometimes it is hard to see any difference between adults today and their children. Because they have not changed, or matured.

  D) What do parents and children see?

  • Young adults of today’s world are very immature. They lack vision!
  • What is a child’s vision like? Look at I Corinthians 13:12…For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
  • Paul is saying that right now we see (spiritual things) through a dark glass. He further states that we only see “in part (half)” of the truths of God.
  • So many of us are deceived by the world’s vision of God because we are influenced by “friends” and trust their opinion over the man of God.
  • We need more Godly influence than we do worldly influence.
  • How many of you believe that everything we want to know is in the Bible? No, everything that we “WANT” to know is not in the Bible.
  • Everything that we “NEED” to know is in the Bible.
  • This is why Paul said “…I know in part;” only a fraction of what we will know is given to us now.

III. Children Will Do What Children Do

  A) Act like a baby

  • Let us see how we have matured since childhood…
  1. Do you get upset if you come into the classroom and someone is sitting in your chair? YES /NO (If Yes, GROW UP!)
  2. Do you get upset when everyone decides the choice of restaurant we at after church is not your favorite? YES/NO (If yes, GROW UP!)
  3. Is your whole day ruined when you wake up in a bad mood or things aren’t going so well? YES/NO (If yes, GROW UP!)
  4. Do you have times when you just want to sit down and cry your eyes out because you didn’t get your way? (If yes, GROW UP!)
  • Children act like children because they have not been taught right, or not encouraged correctly, or not disciplined.
  • You cannot pick up a child and cuddle it every time it cries. WHY? Picking up a child every time it cries will spoil the child in knowing that if it doesn’t like something it can cry loud and long enough to get its way. This also teaches a child “manipulation.”
  1. Babies throw “temper tantrums.”
  2. Babies get upset over little things.
  3. Babies want their way all the time and get mad when they don’t get it.
  4. Babies make a mess and don’t desire to clean it up.
  5. Babies do not understand the word “NO” until disciplined.
  6. Babies are not coordinated at doing anything until they start getting older.
  7. Babies do not know they have done something wrong until someone informs them of their wrong doing.
  8. Babies only eat small portions of food so that they do not choke.
  9. Babies throw things when they get upset or mad.
  10. Babies are happy when their diaper is clean, they are getting the attention needed, and their bellies are full.
  • Does this sound like any adults that you know of?
  • Do you do as children do? Or are you mature and doing exactly as God has commanded?
  • I Peter 2:2…As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3) If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is
  • Do you still drink “milk” or are you ready for some “meat?”

 

Ask yourself…

“Do I Do as a child does?”

if yes then pray…

“Lord help me to mature in my walk for you and stop acting like a child hindering the work of the Lord in people’s life.”