Alright turn your Bibles to Ecclesiastes chapter 12 please. Ecclesiastes chapter 12. This sermon is going to be a little bit different today because it's really going to be, it's going to focus on children. And some of you say well I'm not a child. Well you are a child of God if you are saved and also some of these principles will apply to you. But I want to preach to the children here today. And it will help parents understand just what God expects from their children as well. And the title of the message is little children and their duty to God. Because I think sometimes we think that just because we have a child that they don't have any duty to God. And sometimes our children may grow up and think that well you know my parents guide me, they direct me, they do all these other things and they don't have a duty I don't have a duty to God. I just follow my parents with us But you know what you do as a child here today my children other children that are here. You have a duty to God There are things that God expects from you whether you're a child or whether you're adult he expects them from everyone. I And I want you to understand that because I think sometimes you can be in a church like this and you can kind of fly under the radar and you can kind of think, well, you know what? I'm going to be okay. And you can think in your mind and your heart that you're going to be okay just because of your parents' spirituality. That's not going to work. And I'm talking to you that are 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, all the way up. I'm talking to you. I am preaching at you today. So I want to be clear. I am preaching at you today. Others will benefit from it, but it is primarily for you to understand your duty before God, that you are not exempt. You are not exempt in your duty to God. Just because you're a child does not mean that God does not expect anything out of you. On the contrary, to whom much is given, much shall be required. And much has been given you if you are sitting in this church. Much, children, has been given to you. God has given you a lot. He's given you a lot of opportunity. So I want you children, not to color, not to do anything. I want you to look up here, and I want you to pay attention, and I want you to listen today, because this is for you. And I want God to stir your heart with the truth, and I want it to burn bright inside of you, and I want you to understand that you have a duty before God. You don't just, this isn't like Facebook, you don't just check in online and check in and check out. When you're here, you are here for the word of God. You are here to learn from the Bible, learn the truths of the scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, the Bible says. And God expects children to be saved, just like he does adults. And if you think God doesn't expect you to be saved, and God won't require your soul of you, you will die and go to a devil's hell for all of eternity. This is not a game. I know you come and you play with your friends and everything else and you have fellowship, and I understand that because we as adults do the same thing, but I want you to understand one thing. You're not here to play games and to fellowship and have fun like that. You're here for the Word of God to work in your heart, in your life, in your soul, and to change you and make you a new creature. God expects some things from you. You're not exempt because you're a child from God. You're not exempt. God expects some things from you. Whether you're 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, God expects some things from you. And I want to show you what He expects from you today. And I think it will convict others. I think it will convict the big kids, too, of their duty before God. Father, Lord, I pray you be with us now. Help us, dear God. In Jesus' name, amen. Ecclesiastes 12, 13 says, let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man in Genesis chapter 18 verse number 19 the Bible says this for I know him speaking of Abraham that he will command his children and his household after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he has spoken of him you know this may be a shocking statement to you but God expects them some things out of children If you're a child here today, God expects some things from you. You don't just get to skate on through this Christian life or skate on through church until you're old enough to be an adult and God's just going to put your spiritual life and your direction on hold until you're out on your own. No, no, no, no, no, no. If you think you're protected from the wrath of God, if you think you're protected from the judgment of God or from the duties of God because of your parents, you are sorely mistaken. The Bible nowhere says that you are protected anywhere because of your parents and their spirituality. You say you're trying to scare me. Well, I hope I'm trying to wake you up. I hope it does. I hope you see that this gospel is a personal gospel. You are saved with a personal Savior, Jesus Christ, by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is a personal gospel, and you personally will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. You personally will stand before God, and the books will be opened, and you will be judged out of those books. And if your name is not found written in the Lamb's book of life, you'll be cast in the lake of fire. I had one guy get mad at me one time. He said, you're scaring little kids preaching that. I said, good. Because you're dumbing them down, putting them in front of that idiot box, letting them watch that garbage all day. So, somebody's got to wake them up. If you won't do it, I will. Children, you may think that you're exempt from the commands of God, but I assure you, by the Word of God, God does not exclude you at all from His commands and His expectations. You don't get to just abide in a Christian home and then go off and live your own life one day. Oh, no, no, no. God expects things from you right now. You're not waiting on that. You're to be living it now. God expects it from you now. God holds you accountable now for what you do. So number one, What God expects from children is to fear God and keep his commandments. Ecclesiastes 12, 13 again says, let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Fear God. Yes, you child are to have a holy reverence and respect for God. You're to respect God. You're to have a reverence for Him. You're to fear Him and keep His commandments. One preacher said it this way, to bear an awful respect to the divine majesty, a reverential fear, and from this principle obey God in every part and point of duty. When you, if you're old enough to read this book, you are old enough to obey God. If you can read, then it is required of you that you obey what you read. Do you understand that? You think God's going to exempt you from your age? Oh, I can't get saved on 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Bible doesn't say that anywhere. That's not what the Bible says, and you've never heard me preach it either. I preach against false professions. I don't preach against children making professions. There's a difference. Understand that very clearly. Fear God and keep His commandments. Children, you are not free from this great command of God to fear Him, to reverence Him, and respect Him. This will show in every aspect of your life. You have a duty to fear God. You say, well, I'm not saved. And that may be true, but you're still not exempt from fearing God. God still commanded you to fear him, to respect him, and to give him glory. God has still commanded that from you. Do you think because you're a child that you're, and I'm not saved, that is an excuse? There is no excuse at the judgment, at the white throne judgment. There is no excuse before God. There is no excuse to disobey God. As a child or as an adult, there is no excuse to disobey God. You don't get to lie, cheat, steal, be mean to your brothers and sisters, disobey your parents. You don't get to act that way, be disrespectful and think, well, I'm not saved yet, so I can get away with it. Oh no, God still holds you to the same command. Fear God and keep his commandments. You know, this whole world is gonna be judged by that. Why do you think that you in a Christian home would not be? The whole world is gonna be judged by this. Did you fear God and keep his commandments? For all the inward worship of God, the reverence and love and trust and devotedness of heart to serve and please God, and you should have a loatheness, you should hate to offend God and an aptness to tremble at his word and judgments. The Bible talks about a heart that trembles at God's word. That trembles at God's word. Do you have a hard child that trembles at God's word? Think about it. If you're saved or lost, you should still hate that you disobey the God of the Bible. You say, but I can't make myself fear him. Well, then you better read his word and you better beg God to give you a respect and a fear for the one who created heaven and earth. The Bible says to fear him who is able to cast both body and soul into hell. That's the one you should respect. And it shows in your life. Don't tell me you respect God if you don't respect your parents. Don't tell me that you love God when you don't love your parents. You don't love God. If you don't love your parents, how can you love God whom you can't see and not love your brother who you do see? Saved or lost, you should hate to disobey God. All mankind has a duty to fear and reverence the God of the Bible, the creator of mankind, the one who breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Children, you are not here to squander your life until you're old enough to be an adult and to leave you are here to gain as much spiritual Strength and growth and power and and build yourself in your most holy faith all the way up This is the time of nurturing and building your faith Church is not a game to play You don't show up Just to play games and to have fun with your friends. You are here to to honor and respect and fear God and to keep his commandments and to grow in the Lord. Your parents correct you because of the fear of God. They instruct you because of the fear of God. They teach you the Bible because of the fear of God, because they respect his word. And you can fear God as a child as well by respecting His Word. How do I do that? Listen closely. Children, listen. By listening to His Word when it is preached and not allowing yourself to be distracted by other things or people or allowing your thoughts to drift into things they should not. When the Word of God is preached, you ought to be paying attention to it. You ought to be listening to it. as a child that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation why is it that we don't expect anything from our children think about it you fear god by keeping his commandments that's right the bible says to fear god and keep his commandments all the world children Is governed by laws you have laws in your home or rules that your parents teach you to obey? And hopefully those rules are based on the laws in god's word The two most important commandments that are in the scriptures Thou shalt love the lord thy god With all thy heart with all thy mind with all thy soul, right? And thou shalt love thy neighbors thyself The fear of god will cause you to keep his commandments Now you will find children that you will not be perfect and you will fail one day. You will see your need for Jesus to wash away your sins and to save your soul because you cannot keep his commandments perfectly. And God will bring you to a point as that law is a schoolmaster to bring you to Christ. But if you don't listen, don't tell me you respect God's word when you're not paying attention when the preaching is going on. When you're old enough to pay attention and listen. If you're old enough to learn a lesson in school, if you're old enough to read, if you're old enough to write, you're old enough to pay attention to the word of God being preached. It's not too long and it's not too much of a distraction. I could put a movie in front of you, you'd watch it for two hours. It's called discipline, that's what it's called. If you're old enough to read and write, you're old enough to pay attention. The fear of God will cause you to keep his commandments. What are his commandments? Very clear. We talk about the Ten Commandments. Don't, you know, thou shalt not steal, not bear false witness, not kill, not covet. But not just the outward conformity, children, because God knows your heart. Listen to me, and I'm talking to all of you. Whether you're my son at 12 years old, or whether you're 16 years old, or 15 years old, or 10 years old, listen to me very closely. You can have an outward conformity, but child, God sees your heart. You can be only obeying because you're forced to, or you can obey from the heart. Not just an outward conformity. But child, God will see your heart. You say, I never killed anyone. No, but have you hated anyone in your heart when they wronged you? Have you hated anyone in your heart? Because you are guilty of that murder already if you've had hate in your heart. I don't care if you're five or if you're 50. Doesn't matter. Still guilty before God. And God will not hold you blameless. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment. of the judgment, whosoever shall say to his brother Raka shall be in danger of the council. Whosoever shall say thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee. Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way. First be reconciled to thy brother, then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him, lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer. and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. You know, God doesn't judge the commandments by just outwardly. He judges it by your heart, whether you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you. You have heard that it was said of them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery, but I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman that lusts after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if I write, I offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. You know what? You may look at some child that has more than you do and you may want it. And you may be upset with them because you don't get what they have. That's called coveting. That's what that is. That's coveting. You know, big kids do it all the time, don't they? Don't we? Big kids do it all the time, don't we? Look at something that we think that we deserve, that God hasn't given us, and then we covet after it, and God says, you better be, you better off plucking your eyeballs out. Child, it's no different for you. You're not exempted from that. You think you could covet in your heart and be angry in your heart against your brother, and that God won't hold you accountable for that? Because you're a child? Oh, no. God will hold you just as accountable as He will your parents. Again, you have heard that has been said by them of old. Time thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But Isaiah, do you swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is his footstool, neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black, but let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. You have heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I say to you that you resist not evil. Whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. Whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to them that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn thou not away. You have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. For you make it the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and send it the rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more than others? Do not even the publicans? Be ye therefore perfect. Even as your father, which is in heaven, is perfect. You know what God desires? Perfectness. That's what Jesus was preaching the law to a bunch of Pharisees that knew how to outwardly conform and make everybody think they were holy. I've met them. They're on YouTube. They do a lot of videos. But they make broad their philacrates, right? They have nice big robes and nice long beards. Some of them don't. Some of them wear jeans and a t-shirt and make crazy videos. But they're all out there. Right? They make you think they're perfect outwardly. They don't let you see a flaw in them at all. Yeah, it's not hard to do. But friend, God looks on your heart. And child, God looks on your heart. Do you think you can hide from God the wickedness of your heart? Do you think that you can hide the wickedness of your heart, child, from God? Do you think God does not see the evil that lurks in your heart? The sin that lurks in your heart. See, I don't like this. This is uncomfortable. Good. It's supposed to be. It's called preaching. It's not supposed to be a cake walk. Although I do like cake. But now's not the time for cake. Listen, these things are all the things that will help you when you grow up to be productive in society. A nation cannot run well with no rule of law. You see, there has to be a fear of the law, a respect or reverence of the law. That's why many people don't do things that they could do. You know, before in this country, when there was a stronger respect for the law, and people, if they would go out and kill somebody, they would hang them high at noon, right? And then guess what? That kept others from doing that, but it didn't keep all from doing that. Right? Just like the law will not keep you from sinning. but the law will show you your sin." See, the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, to show us that we cannot keep it, that we cannot obey it perfectly, and we are guilty before God that every mouth may be stopped. And child, do you have a mouth? Then yours must be stopped, and you must be guilty before God before you can be saved. You want to know what I've seen with many children that grow up in churches like this? They think somehow their Baptist sins are more sanctified than other people's sins. And they think there's a self-righteousness to them. And child, God will throw you into hell for your wicked sin, just like he will the adulterer, the fornicator, and the homosexual out on the street. Your sins are not sanctified before God. God hates your sins, and he will judge you and cast you in the lake of fire for all of eternity. Which is the second death. The law is what can keep a man that is tempted to do some things that he won't do because the law is there. But however, it's not a perfect deterrent from evil. But the Bible says, nevertheless, to fear God and keep his commandments because it is the whole duty of man. If you never get saved, child, you will answer to God, who is a judge, and he will not exempt you if you know the difference in good and evil. and right and wrong. Children are required to fear God and keep his commandments. Keeping God's commandments will not save you. But God has righteous laws and you as children of his creation have a duty to obey it. Fear God and keep his commandments. If one respects God they will naturally obey what he has said. When someone says that they fear God, but they don't keep his commandments, and they have no desire to, it's because they don't fear God. In the final analysis, the fear of God and the love of God result in the same thing, obedience. Fearing God is a call that puts us in our place, and all other fears, hopes, and admirations in their place. Children, you are not exempt from the command to fear God and keep his commandments, because it is the whole duty of man If you get to the end of your life and you have not, then your soul will be required of you. You will answer the God of the Bible and the God that you had no fear for. God has no grandchildren, only children. Do you understand that? Do you understand that you are not saved because you were in a church like this? That you're not saved because of your parents' walk with God? that you must have faith in Christ. You must be born again. You are guilty before God. Psalm 110 verse number 10, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. A good understanding have all they that do his commandments. His praise endureth forever. When your soul sees that you cannot keep his commandments and you feel the burden of the law on your back and see the sin like a mountain come over you, then that law becomes a schoolmaster to teach you about Christ, the one who has fulfilled all righteousness, the one who did keep the law and fulfilled the law. But you have a duty before God. God has given you a book, child. to read and to learn about him and to grow by. And God has commanded that you keep his commandments and the only way that you can know his commands is to read his word. If you are old enough to read then God has commanded you to read his word. Parents are commanded to teach their children the statutes and commands of the Lord and raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. So then you as a child are required of God to get into his word and know it and learn it. And learn of him. You don't need to wait for your parents. You need to read God's word. You need to be in God's Word. You need to desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby. You as children, when you sit in church, should be following along in the Bible if you're old enough to read. You may not make it to the passages of Scripture in time, but you should be looking them up. Turn to 2 Timothy 3, verse number 15, please. Notice what it says, 2 Timothy 3.15, and that from a child. Who is a little child here? Raise your hand if you're a little child here, a child here. Let's see, how many children? There, there, okay, good, good. Okay, yep, the one in the back, got it, all right. It says, and that from a child. Thou hast known the holy scriptures You know them Do you read them? I don't mean on an assignment. I mean, do you read them? Do you open God's Word up and do you read them? Listen to me If you think that you can serve God without being in his book You're delusional Are you listening to me? If you think that you could serve God and not be in his book and learn, the Bible says, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. I've got to have God's word go into my heart, into my ears, listening, reading, studying, learning his word. It says here that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. The Holy Scriptures are able to make you wise. That's why the Bible says foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, and the rod of correction driveth it far from him. There's more than one rod. You understand that? This rod of correction will drive it far from them. More so than any other rod. Because this includes all correction. and instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. So don't tell me you love God when you don't even get in his word. Don't tell me that you're serving God when you're not in his word. Children, even if your parents do not fear God, you have a duty to fear God and keep his commandments. God's commands for children are to obey their parents. Turn to Ephesians chapter six, please. I'm gonna preach another sermon on this sometime. Ephesians chapter six, verse number one. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Obey your parents in the Lord that is a command of God Not when I think not when I want to But in the Lord Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right honor thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise That it may be well with thee that thou mayest live long on the earth to obey and honor. I I'll preach another message on this soon. But that's a duty that you had before God, children. You may not be saved, but you are still required by God, the God of the Bible, to obey first and to honor second, your father and mother, that thy days may be long upon the earth. That's right, God may not, God may cut your days off for being evil towards your parents and not obeying them as they guide you and direct you in the Lord. Notice that preface, in the Lord. Sometimes children get older and their parents don't want to follow the Lord. You still are required to follow the Lord. You obey them in the Lord, not above the Lord. Understand that. You, child, are not exempt from the commands of God, but God holds you to them, just as he holds your parents and every living man or woman, too. He will not let you slip by. There is no exemption for you. You are not allowed to disobey God's commands, but it will be required of you. God will judge you for your sin. Number two, as a child, you have a duty to praise God. Even as a child, you have a duty to praise the God of the Bible who created you and gave life unto you. Turn to Psalm 150, please. This does not mean just saved people. All men have a duty to praise God. Now whether that praise is accepted by God is another thing, but they still have a duty to praise God. Psalm 150 verse number six, let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. Do you have breath? Oh, you're still breathing and none of you are blue like a smurf. So you have breath. And it is required of you to praise God. Let me ask you, child, when is the last time you praised God? When is the last time you were actually thankful to God for what He's done for you? That's big kids and little ones. When's the last time you praised God and thanked Him for His goodness to you? Not to your parents, not thanked your parents for something they did, but when's the last time you thanked and praised God for His goodness? When? Think about that. Now, think about the last time you complained. Huh? Let me say that again to you. Think about the last time you praised God for what he's done for you, and that may take you a while to think of if you've been complaining. Now think about the last time you complained about something. Which one has been more frequent? Ouch. Right? We are all too quick to complain and not to praise God for His goodness. The most depressed people I ever meet in my life are the ones that are never praising God, but they're always complaining. And they're never happy. Well, you can't be happy when you're not praising God. Praising God will bring joy into your life and heart. Complaining breeds what? More complaining, and bitterness, and anger, and discontent. And then the judgment of God comes. So let me ask you, little child, when is the last time you praised God? You have breath in your lungs. When is the last time you praised God? Yeah, when's the last time you praised God for God giving you a home, and parents that love you, and raising you in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? Now when's the last time you complained about something they asked you to do? Huh? When's the last time you complained about something your parents asked you to do? God hates murmuring complaining. And he has commanded you to praise him. That praise means to do honor to, to display the excellence of, to extol in words or song, to magnify, to glorify an account of perfections or excellent works, to commend, to applaud, to express personal worth or actions. You have a duty before God to praise him, to sing praises to his name. You say, I'm not saved. That doesn't matter. God still requires you to praise him. Yeah? God still requires you to praise Him. I don't care if you're lost. You're going to stand before Him. That's right. His whole creation praises Him and gives Him glory. You think you're exempt from giving God glory and praising Him because you're not saved, you say? Come on. And how about your life? Let me ask you big kids here. When's the last time you praised God and thanked God for His goodness instead of complaining about something that's wrong with your life? or your wife, or your children, or your struggles, or your finances, or anything else. When's the last time you praised God and thanked Him for His goodness? Last time I checked, you're still breathing. You have a duty before God to praise Him. Psalm 33, verse 2. Praise the Lord with harp. Sing unto Him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. If you listen to music, it should be music that praises God, not that brings disgrace to His name and glorifies the flesh and the wicked world. If you complain about the lot you have in life and not praising God, complain because you're injured, complain because you don't feel good, complain because you have problems. Right? Amen. Complaining because you have back-breaking work. Well, maybe God will take the work away from you. Then you don't have anything to complain about. Yes, you do. You'll complain about that. Think about it. Or complain about stress. Complain about the situations and the trials that you have. We all do it. We all do it. We need to praise God. Praise him for his goodness. Psalm 50 verse number 23, whoso offers praise glorifies me and to him that ordered his conversation or right while I show the salvation of God. You know, God hates ingratitude. He hates murmuring and complaining and we are commanded to praise him and honor him for the perfection of his works. Psalm 106. Praise ye the Lord, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, and for his mercy endureth forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise? Psalm 107, verse 21. O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. That is all men, not just saved men. Child, when's the last time you praised God and thanked Him for what He's done for you instead of complained about the parents He's given you? Would you like God to take them away from you? Would you like to be an orphan on your own with no parents to love you and to care for you and to teach you and to guide you and direct you? Would you rather have wicked parents that didn't care about you or spend time with you or even try to direct you and guide you in the faith and try to work hard for you to make sure you're provided for? Would you rather have those parents Yeah, would you rather have parents that teach you into the world and teach you to bow down to idols and serve the world instead of serving God? And by the way, you may not voice it, but it shows in your actions when you're ungrateful. When you're murmuring, complaining, when you're not pleased, when you're discontent, it shows in your actions. And God sees your heart, child, and God knows that you're not well pleased with what he's given you. But God requires praise, even from children. All that hath breath. Psalm 117 verse 1. Oh praise the Lord all ye nations. Praise him all ye people. That's everybody. For his merciful kindness is great toward us and the truth of the Lord endureth forever. Praise ye the Lord. Matthew chapter 21 verse number 6. Turn there please. Matthew 21 6. And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea, have ye never heard out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? Child, that's you. Babes. Right? Children. Little children should praise God. Bible says even the rocks cry out. Does a rock give more praise than the children in this room and the people in this room and the saints of God? Does a rock in God's creation give more praise than what the people that have been given eternal life through Jesus Christ give to him? Good question. Little children, Jesus expects you to praise him. Praise the Father and the Son. Praise you the great three in one. Praise the Lord. Number three, your duty is to give him worship. It's to worship him and give him glory. As children, your life is to glorify God. What does that mean to glorify? It means distinguished honor or ornament, that which honors or makes renown, that of which one may boast in the glory of God. It means that you will honor God with your life and bring glory to him. So people will brag about God. God has commanded you to fear him and give him glory. Revelation chapter 14 verse number seven, please. Children in this room. Like I said, I don't care if you're five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, whatever, however old you are. These are requirements that God has for you. You say sometimes you may think this preaching is just for your parents. You're sorely mistaken. You're not exempt from what you hear. On the contrary, you'll be judged by what you hear. Every last word. You'll be judged by what you hear. Revelation chapter fourteen verse number seven saying with a loud voice fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment has come and Worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters Fear God and give him glory What a command, right? That is the angel that's crying out to all the inhabitants of the earth telling them to fear God and give him glory preaching that everlasting gospel to fear God and give him glory and and worship Him that made heaven and earth. Children, that is the God of the Bible. In Genesis chapter 1, we see how God created all things by the Word of His power. And He is worthy to be praised and worshipped. Let me ask you, child, when's the last time you praised God? When's the last time you worshipped God? When's the last time you gave Him glory with your life? When's the last time you looked at your life and said, I want my life to glorify God? Not, I want my life to make me happy. And by the way, that goes for big adults here in this room, is to look at your life and say, well, I want to be happy. I want my life to be happy. How about you want your life to glorify God? How about that's more important than your happiness? That you have a life that glorifies God and it is a life of sacrifice for the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not always a life of puppy dogs and rainbows. Your life is to honor God. Each person has a duty to live their lives to honor and glorify God. Whether you're saved or lost, but God really holds accountable those that are saved that are his children and he says to them that their life is to glorify God, not to make you happy. God doesn't exist for the happiness of man. That's humanism. And that's the gospel that is preached today. To make you happy. No, you were created to glorify God. Do you understand that, child? Listen to me. Every child, look up here that's old enough to understand what I'm saying, look up here and listen very closely. You were created to glorify God. That's why he made you. There was no other reason in this world for you to come. Your sole purpose in life is to glorify God. That is the purpose of your life. That is why you are here. That is why God allowed you to be born. That is why God brought you into this world, is to glorify God. Do you understand that? All of your actions, all of your thoughts, all of everything in your life is meant to glorify God. It's the reason you're here. You don't have to look up at the stars and say, God, why am I here? God already told you in his book why you're here. You are here to glorify God. That's why God allowed you to live. And that's why he allows you to breathe. That's why he allows you life. Now, let me ask you, child, are you glorifying God? I don't mean the outward conformity where everybody sees. I mean your heart. Your heart, does it glorify God? Does it? As God sees the heart, and he sees the thoughts of man, and he sees into your heart, is God glorified? Is your intent to serve him or is your intent just to abide until you can get the freedom that you want to go do what you want to do in your life? Because I promise you there isn't a man alive that can stop you. If you want to go be a devil when you get old enough, you'll go be a devil. And I can't stop you. Your parents can't stop you. Nobody can stop you. You'll go be a devil if that's what you want to be. but you won't do it without a constant sting in your conscience of a preacher that stood up and warned you and said to you, you were created to glorify God and a miserable existence are you if you don't do it. And you have the opportunity above anybody else in this room being a child that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation. You have no excuse. You have none. Turn ye, turn ye. For why will you die in your sins? My son will have no excuse. My children will have no excuse. Your children will have no excuse. They've been given the truth. Don't expect God to be somebody else that he isn't. Don't expect God to change. God will not change for you. Listen closely, children. God will not change for you. God will not change. He is immutable in his nature. The essence of God can never change. He is infinitely holy and righteous, and he will not change for you. You must repent. He is a rock that is immovable. You cannot move him. You cannot change him. And if you die in your sins, you die with your eyes wide open, knowing the truth. You should live your life so that it brings honor and glory to the God of heaven and earth. Even if you are not saved, you should not disgrace the one that created you by living like a devil and being wicked, but you should bring glory to his name. You should not be like those in Genesis 6 that disgraced God and grieved him at his heart or grieve your parents at their heart. You should not turn out wickedly so they lament the day that you were born. God Repented that he had made man on the earth and he grieved him at his heart Don't go don't grow up to grieve your parents at their heart Don't grow up to make them weep and howl and cry over your sin and Break their hearts because you've been given the truth You've been given all the truth that you'll ever get And if you grieve them at their heart You do it willingly with your eyes wide open. And if you grieve God because He created you and He loved you and He gave you life, if you grieve Him at His heart, you'll do it all the way down to the depths of hell. But you'll do it with your eyes wide open. Look, child, I can't turn you. I can't turn you to God. If I could, I would turn all of you. I would turn every man alive if I could turn you to God. I would do it if I could, but I can't. Only God's word can, and you must submit to God's word. You have to. We can't do it. Your parents can't save you. Oh, they'd like to, and I'd like to, but I can't save you. I can only bring you the words of life, and you must drop your foolish pride. And you must drop your rebellion against God. You must throw out the white flag of your heart, throw your hands up in the air and surrender to God and live a life that honors and glorifies Him. And be all in for God! And some of you adults who do the same thing, God's never gonna use you like He wants to until you're all in. And you give yourself totally to God. And you surrender yourself completely to God and stop holding back on God. You got certain areas of your life that you won't let God in. You're blocking him out. You don't want him in there. Because you don't want him to change you and take that out of your heart and life. You got to lay down that rebellion and throw the white flag of your heart up and throw your hands up and surrender. And say, Lord, I'm yours and I'm going to do whatever you want me to do. Come hell or high water, I'm going to do it. Plain and simple. Whatever it is you want me to do, I'll do it. Whatever it is. That's a life that glorifies God. That's a life that is well-pleasing to God. God sees the rebellion in your heart. You can't hide it whether you're honoring him. God knows your heart. Give glory and praise for the parents that you have and for the nation that you live in and for the brothers and sisters that you have and the good friends and family that he's given you. He is worthy to be praised and your life should not disgrace God or your parents. Imagine that after God has blessed you, putting you in a Christian home that you would grow up to blaspheme his name and your parents and blaspheme them by living like the devil. Imagine if that is in your heart already. What will you do with such a wicked thing in your heart? There's only one place for rebellion. Hell! That's it. You hold on to it and you're going there. That's how it works. Is that too straightforward? That's where rebellion takes you. The sin of witchcraft. Stubbornness is as what? Idolatry. The stubbornness of your heart to withhold your heart from God and withhold your life from God. It is idolatry. Whether you're big or little. You think because you're a child that God doesn't see the idolatry in your heart? That God doesn't see the sin in your heart? Who can clean that heart? Who can take that away from you? Who can make you whole again? Who can take that away, that rebellion out of your heart? Only God, only Christ. And you ought to beg for mercy that he would do it. Before rebellion consumes you. Listen. Every little Jeffrey Dahmer started in a room like this. Are you listening to me? Every little Jeffrey Dahmer, every little murderer, every little devil started in a room just like this. Alistair Crowley started in a room just like this, with preachers preaching the Bible. You think, child, that if you hold on to your rebellion, you won't become that same monster? On the contrary, you will. Better lay it down. Better repent. Better run to Christ for forgiveness of sins. Better get born again by the Spirit of God. Ask Christ to change you, make you a new creature, make you whole again. Take away that sick, twisted, wicked heart of rebellion and make you a new creature. Don't play games with God. Your rebellion's not funny to God. It's not a game of cat and mouse with God. You'll lose. You'll lose big. Sin will consume you. The Bible says the heavens declare the glory of God. Then shouldn't your life declare the glory of God? Shouldn't your life be a declaration of the glory of God? What does that mean? I could park there for a while, I might too. You know, here's the thing. My life is to be a declaration of the glory of God. Like we know what a declaration of independence is, right? We know what a declaration of trust is, right? We understand that's a declaration of something, right? It declares something. Your life should declare the glory of God. You know how it does that? When you get out of the driver's seat, you lock the keys in the trunk, and you let God lead your life. And there's no sacrifice too big to make for the God of the Bible. Nothing too big to make for the God of the Bible. You understand that? Your life should declare the glory of God. And that should be your only interest in this life, is to glorify God. Not make myself happy, not be rich, not be famous, not be comfortable, not have everything that I want in this life, not to please my flesh, but to declare the glory of God. Do you have any idea what God would do with the youth of this church, the young people of this church that surrendered in their hearts, were saved by the grace of God and declared that my life is going to honor and glorify God, it's gonna speak the glory of God when people see it, that's what it's gonna say. I'm gonna surrender my life to God and let him have it and do whatever he wants me to do. And that's not a one-time surrender. That is a lifelong, daily surrender. Because once we surrender, we always want to get up off that living sacrifice and pop up off that altar and go live our own way and do our own thing. And you know what? Some of you may have been doing that for a while now. You may have popped off that sacrifice, that living sacrifice, jumped off the altar and said, I'm going to do it my way, God. And that's why the discontent comes in. And that's why you can't be happy. And that's why when the struggles come, you can't get victory. You can't get victory because you don't want to glorify God. You're still living for yourself. And you've got to make that decision again, that you're not going to pop off the altar, but you're going to stay right where you are. You children have to make a decision that your life is going to glorify God. Or, you can choose the other way around. You can become rebellious. But it won't be without a warning. And you won't be comfortable in and around here. By God's grace, I will never allow you to be comfortable in rebellion. I will never allow you to be comfortable in sin. I will never preach that you are comfortable in anything like that or that I am. But I will hold us by God's grace as a pastor and a bishop to hold you accountable and hold us all accountable to this book. And that we never be comfortable in sin. That we never be acceptant of sin. That sin never become the normal in this assembly. and that our children see that sin is not acceptable with God, but he hates it and sent Christ on the cross to die for that sin, who was beaten and shed all of his blood because God hates the smallest of sins that man sees and thinks is little. Is it not a little one? Child, your sin is not little. When you rebel against God, your sin is not little. Do you think your sin is little when you disobey your parents, when you back talk to them, when you're disrespectful to them? Christ died for that sin. You think it's a little matter? You think it's a little one? It's not a little one. Psalm 29 verse 1 give unto the Lord. Oh you mighty give unto the Lord glory and strength give unto the Lord the glory do unto his name worship the Lord in the beauty of his holiness and the beauty of holiness God expects you to worship him because he is holy And if there were no other reason it would be that one that he is holy And that's why he is worthy to be praised and And lastly, for you to understand what God expects from you as a child, He has commanded you to repent. That's not just adults. There's no exemption for you. He has commanded you to repent. God holds children that know the difference between good and evil accountable for their sins. If you as a child know the difference between good and evil and understand the judgment of God, then you are accountable before God. Then you have a duty before God. And it is required of you to repent. I will show you what the Bible says about that. Turn to Deuteronomy chapter 1. Deuteronomy chapter 1. Pay attention, child. Listen closely. It's a matter of life and death. It's a matter of your soul being required of you. Deuteronomy chapter 1 verse number 39 Moreover your little ones which he said should be a prey and your children which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil They shall go and dither and unto them will I give it and they shall possess it These children went into the promised land. They didn't know between good and evil. They didn't understand Do you understand between good and evil? Do you understand the judgment of God upon sin? Do you understand that it is your sin? that put Christ on the cross. Do you understand that it is your sin that makes you guilty before God? It's not Adam's sin, it's your sin. You sinned against God. Do you realize that God sees your heart and knows the wicked lies that you tell the people? He knows the manipulation that you try to put on people. He knows when you're not telling the truth. He knows when you stole something that nobody else knows you stole. He knows when you lied to your parents and nobody else knows about it. He knows when you lied to somebody else. He knows if you cheated on your homework. He knows. the evil that you've done in your heart. He knows the malice and the anger that you've had in your heart. He knows the bad attitude and the wrong spirit that you've had. He knows when you're not paying attention to his word. God knows and he sees your heart. It's your sin. And if you know that you sin, and you know that you are guilty before God, and you understand that God has a righteous judgment on sin, and you deserve to go to hell, then guess what? You're accountable before God. You don't have to be 25 years old to get saved. You don't have to go live a life of hell and then get saved. And that from a child, thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, right? That from a child. Are you a child? Do you know you're guilty before God? Do you think God will exempt you from your sins? Do you think God's not going to hold you accountable for your sin because you're a child? Do you think that you can sin and do whatever you want to and then wait till you get older and make a decision for Christ? How do you know you'll get older? When does God promise you another day? When does God promise you any time but the time that's the present? God hath commanded all men everywhere to repent. Acts chapter 17 verse number 30 says, in the times of this ignorance God winked at. But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent, because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead. That word all men means all mankind. It means women too, right? It's all men. It's everyone. It's the race of Adam, right? The human race. That's you as a child. If you understand and know that you are a hell-bound wicked sinner and you deserve to die and go to hell, and you know the rebellion and sin in your heart is wicked before God, And it is you that He is speaking to. It is you that He is rebuking with the Scriptures. It is you that I am preaching to today. Jesus said in Mark chapter 10 verse number 13, turn there, Mark chapter 10 verse number 13, and they brought young children to him that he should touch them and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased and said to them, Suffer the little children that come unto me, and forbid them not, for such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, but his hands, and put his hands upon them and blessed them." What does that mean? It means that all people come the same way to the gospel as little children seeking the Savior. but it also shows that little children did come after him. Jesus wants you to repent and when you understand that you are guilty before God, he wants you to call unto him and he will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. If you will seek him, you will find him if you search for him with all your heart. And that's you. You are not exempt from going to hell. Do you understand that? You have to be serious and sober-minded about some things, and this is one of them, that God is a judge and has a judgment seat, and you will stand before it one day, and your parents will not be there to answer for you, but you, child, if you were to die right now, and you stand before God, and the books are open, And your name is not found written in the Lamb's book of life. There is no reset button. You don't get another chance. Your life is over. And you will die and go to hell for all of eternity. And God will not say, well, I'll make this exception for you. There is no exception. For all that ever came up some other way are thieves and robbers. And the Bible says, without are the dogs and the sorcerers. It says, but the fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderers, the whoremongers, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. And if Jesus Christ has not covered your sin and you've told one lie, then you are on your way to hell. Because you are a liar in the eyes of God. You are guilty before God. And there is no place for you to hide. There is no place for you to go. There is no other covering that you can have. There is no place to go. You know what? You cannot hide from God anywhere. David said, if I make my bed in hell, thou art there. He said, if I fly up, then thou art there. Like the wings of an eagle, if I fly, then thou art there. You cannot escape God. You cannot escape the judgment of God. There is no place for you to hide except in Christ. He is it. If your name is not written there, and God forbid that it would happen, but if you were to walk out of this place or go play on a playground or go get hit by a car or something happens some day to you, And you know, and you've been given the truth, and you have not repented and put your faith in Christ, that upon the authority of Scripture, you'll be cast in the lake of fire for all of eternity. And let me ask you, child, why would you want to live with a dirty, sinful heart all the time? Wouldn't you want God to make you new? Wouldn't you want your life to glorify Him? Don't you want to live a life that glorifies God? Not just that you don't go to hell, but don't you want to live a life that glorifies God? Don't you want your life to mean something for God? Why would you squander your life like the prodigal son in the world and live in the pig pen? Why would you want to waste your life? When God has given you a goodly heritage and given you an opportunity to be his son and to dwell with him for all of eternity, would you trade it in for a few years of pleasure on this earth that will lead to hell? Is a few years worth eternity? Why will you die in your sins? Why? What is worth more than God to you? The Bible says repent and believe the gospel. The gospel is found, turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. The gospel is very simple. Paul declared it here, didn't he? He said, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received and wherein you stand, by which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received. Here it is. How that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried And then he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. That's the gospel, friend. Do you believe it? This is the record that God hath given of his only begotten son. Do you believe it? The Bible says very clearly in Romans chapter 10, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus. What does that mean? To make a confession means I have to be guilty. Right, Brother Finney? If I go into the police station and they ask me, did you do this crime? I'm going in to confess. And I go in and I say, yep, I'm confessing. Right? Well, I need an advocate, don't I? Never recommend going to a police station to confess something or to do something without an advocate, right? Who's our advocate? Jesus Christ. But if I go to Jesus Christ and I say, Lord, I confess that you're right about me, I'm guilty before you. I have broken your righteous law and I deserve the punishment. I deserve the punishment of hell for all of eternity. I deserve it. I deserve it. We're not talking about anybody else but me Lord. I confess I deserve it But Jesus says an advocate is there and he stands in our place And he says I'll take the punishment for you I'll pay the price No one gets off free Jesus pays it Sin is paid for in hell for all of eternity or on the cross of Calvary Jesus Paid it all Jesus will stand up for you and be an advocate for you He will be a lawyer for you and he will stand up and he will say I will go I will pay I Will pay the price of his sin And he did that on the cross on but it is never done. Salvation is the only thing that you must admit your guilt for to be able to receive. You can't be innocent and go to the cross for forgiveness of sins. You have to be guilty. Do you understand that? The only way you can be saved is if you are guilty. If you go there in innocence and you go and stand before and say, I didn't do it, then you are turned away at the door, which is Christ, the door. And he turns you away and says, well, if you are innocent, then you have no need for me. For Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Salvation, you must be guilty. You must understand that you're a guilty sinner, but he already paid the price for that sin. Thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus. Lord Jesus, you're right. I'm guilty. And I need you to pay that sin debt for me. I don't want to pay it. I can't pay it. I can't change me and make me new. I don't want to be a wicked sinner. And you have to admit your guilt before God. And if you are proud, too proud to admit it, then you will die in your sins. Because he does not save the righteous, but he saves sinners. He came to save his people from their sins. If you don't need save from your sins, then you don't need the door. You cannot go through the door. and you will die in your sins on the outside of the door just like they did when they drowned in the flood. They didn't go through the door. Only those eight went through the door and were saved. You either go through the door or you don't go at all. You either confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and you believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead The Bible says thou shalt be saved for with the heart God sees your heart. Do you want him to change your heart? Do you want him to make you a new creature? Do you want him to take out that stony heart? That heart of stone and give you a heart of love and make you new? that you must believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead and now shall be saved for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness with the heart man believeth under righteousness and with the mouth confession is made into salvation what I believe in my heart I confess with my lips and the Bible says for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved that's the promise of God God has commanded all men everywhere to repent, and you are not excluded from that, child. When God shows you from his word that you are a lost, wicked, hell-bound sinner, you have a need greater than you realize right now to cry out to him for forgiveness of sins and cleansing from your unrighteousness. This is the only way your life will ever glorify God. You will never glorify God without Him changing you and making you a new creature. Without giving you salvation, without regenerating you and making you and giving you genes from above, you will never glorify God. There is no other way. All the good works you do are an outward conformity. You do all the kindness and everything else means nothing unless Jesus washes away your sins and changes you and makes you a new creature Children, you have a duty before God to repent and believe the gospel Jesus died for your sins So the question I'll ask you and I'll leave you with is this Will your life glorify evil? Or will you fear God and give him glory? For this is the whole duty of man. It's the reason you were created. There's only two spirits in this world and there's only two teams. If you are not saved, then you have the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, and that's Satan. Or, if you're saved by the grace of God, then you have a spirit in your heart, the Holy Spirit that cries out, Abba, Father, and it is the Spirit of God, and he makes you his son, and he will never leave you nor forsake you, and he will change you, and he will correct you, and he will make you a new creature, and he will guide you your whole life And you will never be sorry that you turned to Him and trusted Him by faith. You will never be sorry. For all of eternity you will sing the praises of God, for His mercy endureth forever. But I can't make the choice for you. You have to. Choose you this day whom you will serve. The choice is yours. If you think that you will find another way. If you think that time is on your side. The cries of those in hell would tell you you're wrong. Just like the rich man when he went to hell. Go tell my brothers not to come to this place. You know what Jesus said to him? You know what Abraham said to him? They got this. If they won't believe this book, then they won't believe the one come from the dead. Father, Lord, I pray for these children. I pray for everyone in the room, Lord, but I pray for these children, Lord. The devil wants them. He desires them, Lord. He wants to use them to hurt their family, to hurt their parents. And Lord, I just pray, Father, that you would please speak to their hearts, that you would please, Father, break their hearts in conviction and show them their dire need for you, Lord. Show them that they need to live a life that honors and glorifies you, and the only way they can do that is to be forgiven of their sins and cleanse of their unrighteousness. Dear God, show them their lost condition. Give them no rest, day nor night, until they repent and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. And Lord, I pray for those that are here today, Lord, that the adults that are here and those that need to surrender to you, Lord, that have been holding on to areas of their life and not giving them up for you. And Lord, you have a call, maybe a call on somebody's life or something you want them to do for you to serve you and to live for you, Lord, but they have not given in to your call. They have not given in. They have not surrendered. They count the cost and they think it's too great. And dear God, I pray You would break us all to show us that there is nothing too great that we can give for You for all that You've done for us. Dear God, please, I pray that You would put that Holy Ghost conviction upon everyone that heard this sermon and that hears it later, Lord, that You would convict them, that You would use this, Lord, to touch their hearts and their lives, Lord, that they would surrender to you, that some would be saved and some would be sanctified and set apart and meet for the Master's use. Dear God, may our lives which are so short on this earth glorify you. Dear God, may every day of our lives glorify you. May we hold nothing back in our service to you for this short time we are here, the only time we have to prove to you that you are worthy to be praised. Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul, for changing me 15 years ago and making me a new creature and putting me on that narrow path, Lord. And dear God, I pray for those that follow that they would live for you, they would serve you. Dear God, help us to repent of sin in our lives. Help us not to hold on to anything, Lord. Any sin in our lives, any discontent, any wrath, any malice, any anger, Lord, any bitterness in our hearts. Help us to let it go, Lord. Help us to forgive one another as Christ forgives us. Help us, Lord, to hold on to nothing. but to love one another and be used of you that our lives would declare the glory of God. Dear God, help our children. that their lives would declare the glory of God. Lord, break rebellion tonight. Break rebellion in the hearts of some people that need it broken, Lord, that are holding on to something in their hearts. Break the rebellion in our hearts, Lord, and bring us to repentance. Bring us, Lord, to that sanctifying, set-apart place for you to use us as a vessel of honor to you. Dear God, that all glory may be given to you for all that you do. In Jesus' holy name we pray. Amen.