Let us start the service. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth, who keeps the truth forever, who does not forsake the works of His hands. Amen. Grace, peace, mercy, and comfort. be unto you from God the Father and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord in the communion with the Holy Ghost. Amen. Let's continue our service by singing Psalter 187, stanzas 1 and 2. 187, 1 and 2. you Let's turn to our Bibles, the book of Exodus, chapter 20. We will read verses 1 till 17. Exodus 20, verses 1 till 17, God's holy law. And after the law, we will answer by singing Psalter 23, verse 6. Psalter 23, the sixth stanza, after God's holy law. And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. For I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day, wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's. O angel, where art thou, Jesus? Where art thee, Jesus, child of Israel? Second Scripture reading this morning, you can find in the first book of Samuel, the first chapter, 1 Samuel chapter 1, and hear ye the word of God as follows. Ramathayim Zophim of Mount Ephraim. And his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zeph, an Aphrothite. And he had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters portions. But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion, for he loved Hannah, but the Lord had shut up her womb. And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb. And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her, therefore she wept and did not eat. Then said Alcana her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou, and why eatest thou not, and why is thy heart grieved? Am not I better to thee than ten sons? So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord, And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but will give unto thine handmaid a manchild, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart, only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? Put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. Then Eli answered and said, "'Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.' And she said, "'Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight.' So the woman went her way and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. And they rose up in the morning early and worshipped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house to Ramah, And Alcana knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. Wherefore, it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord. And the man Alcana and all his house went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice and his vow. But Hannah went not up, for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him that he may appear before the Lord and there abide forever. And Alcana her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good. "'Terry until thou have weaned him, "'only the Lord establish his word.' "'So the woman abode and gave her son suck "'until she weaned him. "'And when she had weaned him, "'she took him up with her with three bullocks "'and one ephah, a flower, and a bottle of wine, "'and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh, "'and the child was young. "'And they slew a bullock and brought the child to Eli. And she said, O my Lord, as thy soul liveth, my Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition, which I asked of him. Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he liveth, he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there. Let us see the Lord's face and pray, and let's pray. Holy, righteous, merciful, and most gracious God, we humbly become before Thee as a congregation in this Sabbath day morning worship service, to call upon Thy name, to seek communion with Thee in our prayers. Because, O Lord, I would only hope, like we already have confessed this in Thy name, who made heaven and earth, who keeps the truth forever, and who shall never forsake the works of Thine hands, O God. And that's why we come unto Thee also after we stand before Thy holy law as a mirror And when we looked in it, Lord, oh, we have to confess who can stand before thee. The law is spiritual, and I am carnal, sold under sin. But therefore we come unto thee, because thou shalt never forsake the works of thy hands. And thou hast opened in thy dear Son a living way to the throne of grace. And here we are, with our children before thee, without any worthy in ourselves, even not able to give thee the glory which thou art worthy to receive. But, oh, we beg thee, Lord, look upon us in mercy. Look upon us in the grace of thy dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what thou hast revealed, O Lord, in Scripture. And therefore we also have the freedom to call upon thy name for whom thou art and what thou hast given in Jesus Christ our Lord. We pray, Lord, when the gospel of Jesus Christ not only will be preached this morning, but also will be seen in a visible preaching in the sacrament of the holy baptism, we pray, be Thou with us. Be with the parents. and help and strengthen them, Lord, when they have to answer these questions faithfully before Thee, and all knowing God, oh Lord, that they might understand what they are saying. Oh, Thou has entrusted to them a child. Thou has spared the lives of the mothers, and Thou has given them a new life. Oh, what a wonder, oh Lord. but it is a life for a never-ending eternity. And as parents, we are called to raise our children. And who is able to do that, Lord? Oh, we are not. But that also these parents might be found like Hannah on her knees, pouring out her heart before Thee, seeking communion with Thee for herself and for her child. Remember the whole congregation. Remember the parents and the grandparents here present or maybe listening along. Maybe pray also for those, Lord, who during these baptismal services feel the pain of not having children. O Lord, Thou knowest what's going through their hearts and minds. It can be so hard. It can be such a desire. O may we pray, Lord, when it is possible, when it is Thy will, grant them all, grant also them a child like Hannah, put out her soul before Thee. And also these parents who already baptized and have baptized their children, Lord, but whose children are wandering away in this world. Oh, remember the parents, but in particular these children. Oh, covenant-keeping God, remember thy covenant in their lives. and fulfill thy promises also in their lives, and bring them all back unto thee, we pray. Lord, help us this morning in the administration of the sacrament of baptism, in the preaching of the word, in the singing of the Psalms. Oh, bless us in the giving of gifts, and that every aspect of this worship service might be to the glory and to the honor of thy name we pray, for Jesus' sake, amen. Let's turn to the form for the administration of the holy baptism, which you can find in your Psalter. Page 126, page 126 of your Psalter. Then we read the form as follows, the principal part of the doctrine of holy baptism are these three. First, that we with our children are conceived and born in sin, and therefore are children of wrath, insomuch that we cannot enter into the kingdom of God except we are born again. And this, the dipping in or sprinkling with water, teaches us whereby the impurity of our souls is signified, and we admonished to loathe and humble ourselves before God and seek for our purification and salvation without ourselves. Secondly, holy baptism witnesses. and sealeth unto us the washing away of our sins through Jesus Christ. And therefore we are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. For when we are baptized in the name of the Father, God the Father witnesseth and sealeth unto us that he doth make an eternal covenant of grace with us and adopt us for his children and heirs, and therefore will provide us with every good thing and avert all evil or turn it to our profit. And when we are baptized in the name of the Son, the Son sealeth unto us that He doth wash us in His blood from all our sins, incorporating us into the fellowship of His death and resurrection, so that we are freed from all our sins and accounted righteous before God. In like manner, when we are baptized in the name of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost assures us by this holy sacrament that He will dwell in us and sanctify us to be members of Christ, applying unto us that which we have in Christ, namely the washing away of our sins and the daily renewing of our lives. till we shall finally be presented without spot or wrinkle among the assembly of the elect in life eternal. And thirdly, whereas in all covenants there are contained two parts. And therefore are we by God through baptism admonished of and obliged unto a new obedience, namely that we cleave to this one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that we trust in Him, love Him with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our mind, with all our strength, and that we forsake the world, crucify our old nature, and walk in a new and holy life. And if we sometimes, through weakness, fall into sin, we must not therefore despair of God's mercy, nor continue in sin. since baptism is a seal, an undoubted testimony that we have an eternal covenant of grace with God. And although our children, our young children do not understand these things, we may not therefore exclude them from baptism, for as they are without their knowledge partakers of the condemnation in Adam, so are they again received unto grace in Christ." As God speaketh unto Abraham, the father of all the faithful, and therefore unto us and our children, saying, I will establish My covenant between Me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in the generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. This also the Apostle Peter testifieth with these words, for the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And therefore God formally commanded them to be circumcised, which was a seal of the covenant and of the righteousness of faith. And therefore Christ also embraced them, laid His hands upon them, and blessed them. And since then baptism is coming to the place of circumcision, therefore infants are to be baptized as heirs of the kingdom of God and of His covenant. And parents are in duty bound further to instruct the children herein when they shall arrive to years of discretion." that therefore this holy ordinance of God may be administered to His glory, also to our comfort, and to the edification of His church, let us now call upon His holy name. Let us pray. and eternal God, Thou who hast according to Thy severe judgment punished the unbelieving and unrepentant world with the flood, and hast according to Thy great mercy saved and protected believing Noah and his family Thou who has drowned the obstinate Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, and has led Thy people Israel through the midst of the sea upon dry ground by which baptism was signified. We beseech Thee that Thou wilt be pleased of Thine infinite mercy, graciously to look upon these children and incorporate them by Thy Holy Spirit into Thy Son, Jesus Christ, that they may be buried with Him into His death and be raised with Him in newness of life. that they may daily follow Him, joyfully bearing their cross and cleave unto Him in true faith, firm hope and ardent love, that they may with a comfortable sense of Thy favor leave this life, which is nothing but a continual death. and that the last day may appear without terror before the judgment seat of Christ thy Son, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Ghost, one only God lives and reigns forever. Amen. May I ask you, Spirits, to stand and to answer. the questions which I will ask, and you have to answer before an all-knowing, holy God and His congregation. Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ. You have heard that baptism is an ordinance of God to seal unto us and to our seed His covenant. And therefore, it must be used for that end and not out of custom or superstition. That it may then be manifest that thou art disminded, you are to answer sincerely. the following questions. First, whether you acknowledge that although our children are conceived and born in sin, and therefore are subject to all miseries, yea, to condemnation itself. Yet they are sanctified in Christ, and therefore as members of His church are to be baptized. The second question, whether you acknowledge the doctrine which is contained in the Old and New Testaments and in the articles of the Christian faith, and which is taught here in this Christian church, to be the true and perfect doctrine of salvation. And thirdly, whether you promise and intend to see your child. And it comes to the use of discretion. Instructed and brought up in the foresaid doctrine or help or cause them to be instructed therein to the utmost of your power. What's your answer, Father Penning? Mother Penning, father from the Brownhurst, mother from the Brownhurst. Dear parents, that your yes word may cause you to come on your knees. You have promised such great things. And like we, by the end of that prayer we pray together, it speaks about the last day, that we might appear without terror before the judgment seat of Christ, Tyson, with our children. We have to raise our children, dear parents, in the sight of death. in the sight of the judgment seat of God. All the decisions we have to make in the upbringing of our children. One day we will stand with our children before Christ's judgment seat, and then He will be the judge. But dear parents, this morning, the same Christ shows us the way. In the sacrament of holy baptism, where the water pointed to His blood for the forgiveness of sin, and He signs and He seals that covenant of grace also at the forehead of your child. And may the Lord grant you wisdom and grant you grace. to teach your children these aspects, that they need to be washed, that they need to be cleansed, that their sins need to be forgiven. No, the water of baptism cannot wash away one single sin. It never does. But also that a triune God has done everything to save our lives. and that of our children, that He is a covenant-keeping God, and that He fulfills His own word, His own promises, that our children might be given that faith in their young lives to just rely on the covenant keeping God. May God bless you and also your parents and grandparents and family. And congregation, may I pray, may I ask you, remember these parents. Remember the children as children of the congregation and surround them with your prayers. Let's now sing together Psalter 425 verse 5, and after the administration of the sacrament we will sing Psalter 436 verse 3, and we will sing it standing after the administration of the sacrament, but now we will sing 425 verse 5. Amen. you. Belinda Martina van der Bruynhorst, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Eleanor Alaida Barandina Penning, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. you Praise ye the Lord, His name proclaim. Let's thank the Lord. Let's pray. O Almighty God and merciful Father, we thank Thee and praise Thee that Thou hast forgiven us and our children all our sins through the blood of Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and received us through Thy Holy Spirit as members of Thine only begotten Son, and adopted us to be thy children, and sealed and confirmed the same unto us by holy baptism. We beseech thee, through the same Son of thy love, that thou wilt be pleased always to govern these baptized children by thy Holy Spirit, that they may be piously and religiously educated, increase and grow up in the Lord Jesus Christ. and that they then may acknowledge Thy fatherly goodness and mercy, which Thou hast shown to them and us, and live in all righteousness under our only Teacher, King and High Priest, Jesus Christ. And manfully fight against and overcome sin. the devil and his whole dominion, to the end, that they may eternally praise and magnify Thee and Thy Son, Jesus Christ, together with the Holy Ghost, the one only true God. Amen. Let's now sing congregation from Psalter 426, tenses 1, 5, and 9. 1, 5, and 9 from Psalter 426 and in between there will be the collections and may God give, bless you and also your offerings. Here's my voice, my cry. Thy praise forever, evermore. Congregation, I would like to preach the gospel this morning from that what you can find in 1 Samuel chapter 1. verses 27 and 28. 1 Samuel chapter 1, verses 27 and 28, where Hannah says, "'For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition, which I asked of him. And therefore also I have lent him to the Lord, as long as he liveth. He shall be lent to the Lord. and he worshipped the Lord there. As a theme above my sermon, I have written, Samuel, a child of the praying Hannah. Samuel, the child of a praying Hannah. And we will see first, Samuel as a child asked from the Lord. Secondly, a child dedicated to the Lord. And thirdly, a child praying to the Lord. Samuel, child of the praying Hannah, he was first of all asked from the Lord. Secondly, dedicated to the Lord. And thirdly, praying to the Lord. Children, this is a very well-known story about Hannah, isn't it? Hannah who didn't have children, but the other wife of Elkanah, Peninnah, she has several children. And she will often was, they were fighting and she was fighting and it was so painful for Hannah to hear all these provoking words. But we know on a certain day, with all the needs, Hannah went to the temple, to the tabernacle. And like she confessed in that verse 27, she is actually calling back that what happened years before, when she said, for this child I prayed. And we read it together, how she went to the temple and she cried out all her needs. And she was in bitterness of soul, it says in verse 10, and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore and she vowed to vow and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid. And so she went on and on in crying and begging and beseeching for the fulfillment that God would give her also a child. And when God would answer her prayer, she was willing to give her child, her son, back to God. But we also know the response of Eli the high priest who thought she was drunk. Eli, a man of God, an office bearer who was actually not able to make, to see a difference between a drunk woman and a praying child of God. But after he had asked her, and when Hannah says, oh no, my Lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drunk, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. After that, the real priest in Eli was there again, and he spoke these words, go in peace, and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. O congregation, this son was asked from the Lord." What a message, isn't it, right? A message for young families. Oh, to pray like Isaac did in the presence of his wife, to pray for children. They are a blessing from God. Oh, Hannah, she had a place on the feet of God. And she poured out her whole heart. Do you know that life, congregation? This is the life of a Christian. You see, that's a life in communion with God. That's praying. That's to pour out your whole soul, not to keep back one thing. Oh no, you have not to hide your sin, you have not to hide, you have not to try to make your own way straight, oh no. God knows everything, and just pouring out your soul before Him, before an all-knowing God, before an all-knowing Savior. That's the best place for parents, in the upbringing of your children. Oh, you have all kind of books today, and they can give you all kind of advice. How to raise children and how to raise children even in a Christian way, and you can't read them all, and I don't say don't do that, but don't start there. If it would be possible that we can make it. No, we have confessed that our children are born in sin because of you and because of me. And God need to intervene. And so Hannah was aware of it. And she prayed over the blessed children with praying parents. And then God answered the prayer like Elijah has spoken. And Hannah received a son. And she called him Samuel. Why? Because, like she said, I have asked him from the Lord. And God has answered that prayer, like you can find in verse 20. That was his name, Samuel. My child was asked from the Lord and God has answered my prayer, Hannah says, and therefore he shall bear the name as a witness of an answering God. And we know how Hannah was feeding her child after these years, and she also, when Alcana and Peninnah went year after year to Shiloh to go to the tabernacle to worship there, Hannah stood at home, but, and maybe Samuel was four years old, maybe five years old. Then also Hannah went, went back, went back to that place where she poured out her soul. Oh, can you imagine? I think congregation is just in my mind, it's not in the Bible. But when she would enter again in Shiloh, then she would remember that place where God had given her that prayer, where she could open her heart and where she could put out her whole soul before God in faith. And there she came. And they took them along with them and all kind of sacrifices like you can find in 24. three bollocks and ephah and of flour and a bottle of wine and they brought it into the house of the Lord and they slew a bollock. They made a sacrifice. And then it says in verse 25, and brought the child to Eli. Our congregation, this is quite a thing. Isn't it? You as a mother who has prayed for a child, waited for a child so long, so much pain connected with not having children. There's also today congregation, please let us not forget parents without children, how painful that is. It's a painful thing their whole life long. They never can go to bring their children to school. They never will see their children married. They will never see grandchildren baptized. And when they die, there will not be children around their deathbed. And then Hannah got a child, and God answered her prayer. Now God does not always die, also not today. But in the life of Hannah, he did. And after four years, Hannah was willing to bring her child to Shiloh, to give it to the Lord. and to leave it there, and to go back to Ram? Do you see congregation, this is just, this is a matter of faith. This is not her own power, but the power of the Holy Spirit, and that is a stronger love, the love towards God, than natural love. And where did she bring it? Where did she bring Samuel? She brought him to the tabernacle, to Eli the high priest, and to his sons the priests. But children, what was it for? What kind of place it was in that time? Oh, it was a bad place. It was a very bad place. That church, that tabernacle was filled with sin. And even the priests, those two sons, you can read about them in chapter 2, verse 17, it says, therefore the sin of the young man, the two sons of Eli, was very great before the Lord, for man abhorred the offering of the Lord. And Eli, he was such a weak man. Oh, who wants to bring their own child, their only one born child to such a place? Today we would ask, is it responsible to do that? Can you do that? Can you bring your child to such a place? She did. She did. And maybe, maybe you can say, oh yes, but still there was Eli, and we still believe Eli was a God-fearing man, although he was weak. But, but he was an old man, and maybe he would die tomorrow, or the next week, or the next year. And then, and you as a mother, you're far away, and as a little boy, he's growing up so far away from you in an environment which is against God. congregation in the first glance it seems completely not correct, but Hannah is very aware of what she is doing. And therefore we need to read the text again, verse 28. It says, therefore also I have lent, I have entrusted him, not to Eli, not even to the priests, but to the Lord. As long as he liveth, he shall be," it's a passivum, so it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's Hanna who says, he, as he, as long as he liveth, he shall be lent to the Lord. Not to Eli. not to the priesthood of the time, but to the Lord." Oh, congregation, that's a wonderful thought. She says, the Lord. And when you read it in your Bible, you find it in capitals, right? So it means the covenant God, the covenant keeping God. And Hannah could only do one thing and that's to entrust her child unto a covenant keeping God. And she called that God, in her prayer, the Lord of hosts. Oh, Hannah had such a huge expectation from a covenant-keeping, powerful God. Oh, she knew in the hands of this God, my child will be saved. not in the hands of Eli, neither in the hands of his sons, but in the hand of my Lord, my child will be saved." It's very applicable today, isn't it? are responsible for the upbringing of our children. And as parents, how we can be busy with how our children are doing at school, are doing the music class, or are we busy with their souls, parents? Are we like Hannah busy with the souls of our children? And surrender our children in prayer like Hannah did to God. Is it your deepest desire that your child, your children, might be know the Lord Jesus Christ as their own savior? Are you busy with that? And do your children know that when you pray at a table out loud? Do your children hear, here's my father, he's crying for my salvation. Here's my mother, weeping tears for my soul. or congregation, Hannah entrusted her child to the Lord. And yes, we are responsible as parents, I know. And in the upbringing we are trying, and you have confirmed that with your yes word as parents, that you would raise them, and you would teach them, and you would send them to school, or whatever, and you would have to bring them to the right education. And to bring them in the right environment, right? And that's important, but... How many parents think when we send our children to the right school, and when we send our children to catechism and to Sunday school class, they will take care of the religious part of the upbringing. I just have to bring my children in the right environment. without first surrendering them in faith to the Lord. Oh yes, it's important that our children are raised, and how. But my dear parents, if you ever, have you ever surrendered your child, your children in faith to God? Oh yes, then they can be even on such a worse place as Samuel had been. because he was upheld by the prayers of his mother. He was surrendered to the Lord, and therefore God would take care of him. And isn't that the secret of all parenting congregation? Surrendering our children, all our children, day after day. to the Lord, the covenant-keeping God who has signed and sealed all His promises of salvation in holy baptism, wherever they are, wherever they go, wherever they be, every day again, I have lent, I have entrusted Him to the Lord. And actually that's what happened this morning as well in baptism, right? In baptism here, when you as a parent has given your yes word in faith, and that makes a difference. No, not out of custom. But when, as a parent, we might give our yes word in faith, what we are doing, we say, Lord, here's my child. Here's my child. It's not mine. It's Thine. Oh Lord, I'm just a steward. I'm called to raise my child, but Lord, I can't. And I'm just surrendering my child to a covenant-keeping God, isn't it? I surrendered my childhood to Him. God is asking that from us. Oh parents, so often we think it are our children, it are my children. They are not. The children we are given They are just given from God to raise our children before Him. And why God is asking that? Why He requires that? All congregation and I have to be brief on all these things, but God has given His own child, didn't He? He has given his own child. He has surrendered his own child. Not even to such a worse place as Samuel was given. Oh no, God has surrendered his only begotten son in the hands of murderers. And God did. He has given his dear son to be killed by human beings. To shed his blood. for sinners, and Christ was willing to go. Oh God has given His only begotten Son. And oh parents, teach your children. Teach your children. And I'm sure, I'm so sure, when we know the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives, and when by that mighty, wonderful work of the Holy Spirit, That given grace, we are given to surrender our whole salvation into Christ alone, and to rely on Him for salvation alone. Oh, we will also surrender our children. We will. There is no other place to go, right? And then finally, we read in the text, and he worshiped the Lord. Who's that he, children? That's the little Samuel, five years old boy. And what he does in front of the tabernacle, he kneels down and there he prays in front of everyone, the little boy calling upon the name of his covenant keeping God. He surrenders himself to the Lord. That's praying. Congregation prayer is surrendering. Prayer is not to have a nice story of words and all these things, it's not praying. But praying is just surrendering unto God and to his communion, right? And here you see children this morning, how old Samuel was, maybe four or five years old, and he was praying. Are you praying, children? Did you pray this morning? Are you praying when you are alone? Kneeling down before God, before your bed probably, and pray, pray, and call upon God's name, seeking communion with God. Tell God everything what's in your heart, everything, all your needs, all your longings, and to pray. To pray for what? Oh, that you might know the Lord Jesus Christ in your life, children. That's what is necessary. also in your life, that your sins will be forgiven. That's what you have to pray for. I quite often have told at your congregation, we will say to our children, yes, you have to pray that God will give you a new heart. And that's in itself correct, but our children have a kind of an idea about that, what is the meaning of that. But let us teach our children the doctrines of Scripture. Their sins need to be forgiven. And also our children need to come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ personally. And you have to teach it parents. You have to teach them. Oh go with them on their knees together and pray with them and teach them. but also explain to them the Scriptures, that God is a covenant-keeping God, willing that He has sealed and signed in holy baptism all the promises of forgiveness. Oh, He is more ready and willing to forgive than I am willing to pray." Oh, what the lessons are in this story, isn't it? The upbringing of our children is, first of all, surrendering our children to God. And do we expect parents? Let it be an honest question. Do you expect that God converts your children in their youth? Or do you still think, I'm praying for that, but hopefully when you're 16, 17, maybe God will do it? Or are you expecting that God, your two years old boy, is able to convert right now? Oh yes, they will talk like a child. They will speak like a child, oh yes. but also children of two years old, by the grace of God and the work of the Spirit are able to trust the Lord Jesus Christ, to believe in Him. God works in the hearts and lives of children. And maybe this is the thing congregation, when it comes to these matters. then quite often we have to say holy baptism actually doesn't function in our upbringing. Quite often when it comes to salvation we think more from the perspective of God's election. And yes, that's true, we have seen it last week, right? In the life of Abraham it was God's election. It was God's predestination. Oh yes, God is always the first. But this story teaches us Herod did not deal with God according to his election. He called upon the name of God as a covenant-keeping God. And when it comes to the salvation of our children, so often we will, yeah, we think that we should leave that salvation to God's hidden counsel of His election. But my dear congregation, listen carefully what I'm saying now. This morning, God did not play a game. How many of us think that God is just playing games in baptism? And you say, yes, it's beautiful, it's nice, and that's why so many people when they have the baptismal service, it's a nice service, you know, children in church, and we go home and we have coffee and it's very nice and gezellig, and that's all. But my dear congregation, what happens this morning is an eternal triune God, in His holy sacrament given by Himself, has signed and sealed a complete salvation to a complete sinner. God doesn't play games in church. When He speaks these words, He is faithful. He is trustworthy. And oh parents, When I see that, and I see my own unbelief, and I try to make everything logic, right? And we try to find our ways to think, to blame it actually on God. But oh, when I realize the reality that God signs and seals. It's not me. It's not a pastor. Come on. I'm just a servant. But it is Jesus Christ Himself this morning who has signed and sealed in a sacrament the promises of grace. Have you read it from the forum? And that's such a strong reality that even our fathers in faith, what were they praying? O congregation, I know people are trying to change all these things, but they don't understand actually what is the mighty wonder of it. But we are thanking God, Almighty God and Merciful Father, we thank and praise Thee that Thou hast forgiven us and our children our sins. We don't thank God that God maybe will forgive their sins in the future. Faith believes that God acts right now. That's a matter of faith, not of conclusion. That's the problem of many people today. They make it all logic and they say baptism, yes they are baptized and the sins are forgiven. That's a lie. Don't trust those sermons. But faith, that true saving faith congregation can only rely on a promising God, isn't it? And that faith will say, Lord, although I am not worthy of it, Lord, although I am sinful and my child is my flesh, Lord. But it is thy word, and thy promises, O God, and I dare not to not to believe thee. And here I surrender my children, all my children, unto thee. And I expect, Lord, that thou wilt save all my children. And so often in the life of a Christian, right, the reality seems to be the opposite when children are wandering away. And the devil will come to your soul and will ask you, where is your faith? And where is your God? And where is the covenant God? But oh my dear, my dear people, There's only one way, that's the way of Hannah, and that's to go on your knees again and pour out your soul for all your children and still trust Him that God shall fulfill His word in the lives of all your children. And don't, don't listen to Satan who will say, ah, but you never know, maybe they are baptized, but they are not maybe in the elect. And I could only call and surrender Samuel to a covenant-keeping God in a way of faith. And so you see, congregation, faith is never a conclusion. Faith is surrendering. First of all, myself. And dear parents, don't forget it. That's the most important thing, and if you are not saved, and if your sins are not forgiven, you just lied in front of church, before a holy God, you did. But even if we lied, God is a covenant-keeping God, and He is faithful to His word. And He points you personally this morning to the blood of Jesus Christ, which washes away all our sins. And He shows you, and He has confirmed it in your own life. That's the first thing that needs to be done in our lives. Oh, my dear congregation, our sins need to be forgiven, need to be washed away. And God has given that promise in holy baptism. But oh, when this is our life, you know, and we just can live out of the finished work of Jesus Christ, then you might surrender your child every day. to that blessed Savior in faith. Yes, keep going. He is a covenant-keeping Lord. To expect it just from Him, from Him alone, for all your children, for all your grandchildren. He is a God of generations. He is a God of families. That's how He reveals Himself in Scripture, isn't He? And that's why Hannah can say, for this child I prayed, and the Lord, the covenant-keeping God, has given me my petition which I asked of him. And therefore, also, I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he liveth, he shall be lend to the Lord. And he worshiped the Lord there. To lend our children to God. To give our children to God. Are you willing to do that? You say, Lord, they are Thine, not mine. Thy will be done. Thou callest my children to serve Thee on the other side of the ocean, on the other side of the world. They are Thine, Lord. They are Thine. Here they are. They are not mine. Lord, take them. Take their lives before Thee. that they might serve Thee in this life and forever. Amen. Let's pray. Oh, oh covenant-keeping God, Thou who art fulfilling thy predestination in the way of thy covenant, like we have heard this morning. Oh, we pray that we might expect, but also might see, Lord, thy work in the hearts and lives of our children. O Lord, there is no worthiness in ourselves, but that's who thou art. Thou art not seeking for any reason in us. It's just a covenant of grace, free grace, paid grace by the blood of Christ. So, we pray, bless the parents, Lord, and bless the congregation, and bless the preaching of thy word. Lord, when we will have Sunday school classes and catechism class after the service, be thou with the students, with the teachers, make everything well, and bring us all safely back in this evening service again, we pray. For Jesus' sake, amen. In closing we will sing Psalter 172, 172. And we will sing the first stanza, Psalter 172, verse 1. May the Lord be with us now. you Be congregation, go in peace, lift up your heights and receive the blessing of our Lord. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the comforting communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen.