Where is your Rhoda? Where is your Rhoda? You need a “little You need a “little

one”.one”. 11 Indispensable 11 Indispensable

Relationships You Can’t Be Relationships You Can’t Be Without!Without!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011Tuesday, March 29, 2011Ray of Hope Christian ChurchRay of Hope Christian Church

Acts 12:11-17Acts 12:11-17

Children are just people in Children are just people in the process of getting the process of getting

older, vulnerable people older, vulnerable people learning to be human, and learning to be human, and

wise children know that wise children know that being men and women is being men and women is much more interesting much more interesting

and complicated than the and complicated than the state in which they are state in which they are

temporarily stuck.temporarily stuck.

A.S. ByattA.S. Byatt

Jesus chose a Jesus chose a baby face as baby face as faith’s gold faith’s gold standard standard

-Mark 10:13-16-Mark 10:13-16

Let the little children Let the little children come to me and do not come to me and do not

hinder them, for the hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven kingdom of heaven belongs to such as belongs to such as these. I tell you the these. I tell you the

truth, anyone who will truth, anyone who will not receive the not receive the

Kingdom Kingdom of God like a little of God like a little

child will never enter it.child will never enter it.

You need a Rhoda. Who You need a Rhoda. Who is your Rhoda? is your Rhoda?

You need a “little one”!You need a “little one”!

"Children are the most "Children are the most wholesome part of the wholesome part of the race, the sweetest, for race, the sweetest, for they are fresh from the they are fresh from the

hand of God.”hand of God.”

-Herbert Hoover-Herbert Hoover

““Children are a Children are a blessing from God.” blessing from God.” Each child comes,” Each child comes,”

asserts Tayne, “with asserts Tayne, “with the message that God the message that God is not yet discouraged is not yet discouraged

with humans“.with humans“.

““Sons and daughters Sons and daughters are a heritage from the are a heritage from the

Lord, children are a Lord, children are a reward from him.”reward from him.”

-Psalms 127:3-Psalms 127:3

Who in the world is Who in the world is Rhoda anyway?Rhoda anyway?

Ask and you shall Ask and you shall receive, knock and the receive, knock and the door shall be opened, door shall be opened,

seek and you will find. seek and you will find.

- Matthew 7:7- Matthew 7:7

Sometimes it takes a Sometimes it takes a child to point out the child to point out the

obvious.obvious.

A little child will lead A little child will lead them!them!

Why would Jesus chose Why would Jesus chose a child as the standard a child as the standard

of faith?of faith?

Because they are Because they are innocent, pure, more innocent, pure, more truthful or trusting?truthful or trusting?

Up until the Up until the Enlightenment, large Enlightenment, large numbers of children numbers of children toiled in the worse toiled in the worse

possible places (mines, possible places (mines, fields, sweatshops, fields, sweatshops,

etc).etc).

Little ones were Little ones were considered “worthless, considered “worthless, insignificant, despised, insignificant, despised,

degraded and degraded and neglected.”neglected.”

But, in the Gospel of But, in the Gospel of Jesus, “little ones to Jesus, “little ones to Him belong; they are Him belong; they are

weak but He is strong”.weak but He is strong”.

““Children first” was the Children first” was the Jesus motto because in Jesus motto because in

the Kingdom of God the Kingdom of God the “last shall be first.”the “last shall be first.”

A distinction needs to A distinction needs to be made between be made between

being “childlike” and being “childlike” and “childish”. The two are “childish”. The two are

vastly different. A vastly different. A childish faith needs to childish faith needs to have an answer and have an answer and

needs it now.needs it now.

““A childlike faith trusts A childlike faith trusts the one in charge, not the one in charge, not

understanding it all but understanding it all but loving or honoring the loving or honoring the

one in charge.”one in charge.”

Do not be children in Do not be children in your thinking; be babes your thinking; be babes in evil, but in thinking in evil, but in thinking

be mature. be mature.

- I Corinthians 14:20 - I Corinthians 14:20 RSVRSV

Each of us needs a Each of us needs a Rhoda.Rhoda.

Jesus weaves three mantles Jesus weaves three mantles of spiritual maturity around of spiritual maturity around

our Rhoda relationships:our Rhoda relationships: One affirmation- “Let the little children come One affirmation- “Let the little children come

to me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven”-to me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven”-occurs right after Jesus discusses and justifies occurs right after Jesus discusses and justifies his own childlessness and singleness.his own childlessness and singleness.

The second time Jesus singled out a The second time Jesus singled out a relationship with a child as the defining ideal relationship with a child as the defining ideal for faith took place after the disciples were for faith took place after the disciples were bickering with one another over who was “the bickering with one another over who was “the greatest”.greatest”.

The third time the special status of children The third time the special status of children was reinforced was in one of the harshest was reinforced was in one of the harshest warnings Jesus ever utteredwarnings Jesus ever uttered

Discussion: Discussion:

What is it about What is it about childhood that is so childhood that is so vital to our entrance vital to our entrance into the Kingdom of into the Kingdom of

God?God?

It is a child’s It is a child’s fascination for and fascination for and

loves for stories, once loves for stories, once upon a time… that give upon a time… that give

us the key!us the key!

Children’s literature Children’s literature shares five reoccurring shares five reoccurring themes that we find in themes that we find in

children’s literature children’s literature that are the five that are the five

reasons where we need reasons where we need Rhoda’s in our lives.Rhoda’s in our lives.

Feeling Like a Kid by Feeling Like a Kid by Jerry GriswoldJerry Griswold

Your relationship with Your relationship with Rhoda will keep you Rhoda will keep you snug, scared, small, snug, scared, small,

light and alive.light and alive.

Rhodas keep us Rhodas keep us Snug!Snug!

Rhodas keep us Rhodas keep us scared!scared!

Rhodas keep you Rhodas keep you small!small!

Rhodas keep you Rhodas keep you light!light!

Rhodas keep you Rhodas keep you Alive!Alive!