Childish Things To Put Away And To Keep

  1. INTRODUCTION:

    1. SCRIPTURE READING: I Corinthians 13:11 = "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."
    2. A CHILD DOES NOT ACT OR CONDUCT HIMSELF AS ADULT.
    3. AN ADULT WITH MATURITY AND WISDOM SHOULD NOT ACT AS A CHILD.
    4. YET THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD AND BAD IN THE CONDUCT OF A CHILD AND THESE I WANT TO DISCUSS WITH YOU.

  2. DISCUSSION:

    1. SOME TRAITS OF A CHILD THAT SHOULD BE PUT AWAY.
      1. Tattling on others – which is called gossip in adults.

        2. Leviticus 19:16 = "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD."

        1 Timothy 5:13 = "And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not."

      2. Desire, or demand, attention.
        1. If they cannot get attention by being good, they will try being bad.
        2. Adults do the same. 1 Peter 5:6 = "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:"
      3. Envious and jealous.
        1. A child may step on another child’s new shoes, or put a mark on another’s neat work done.
        2. Adults are envious of another’s success: Business, accomplishments, or recognition received.

        Proverbs 14:30 = "A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones."

        Matthew 27:18 = "For he knew that for envy they had delivered him."

      4. Require to be amused or entertained.
        1. A child craves and demands to be entertained.
        2. Adults had rather play and seek entertainment than to study, seek to improve themselves, or helping others.

        2 Timothy 3:4 = "Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;"

        James 5:5 = "Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter."

      5. Want to always play and have a good time.

        6. II Thessalonians 3:10 = "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."

        Philippians 2:12 = "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

      6. Unreliable, not dependable.
        1. A child is difficult to keep at work and finish a job.
        2. Some adults fall into this same category.

        1 Corinthians 15:58 = "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

        1 Corinthians 16:13 = "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."

      7. Fussy.
        1. A child will argue at just about anything.
        2. Some adults are guilty of doing the same thing.

        Comment: A husband was heard telling his wife: "Let’s not fuss tonight. I fee so bad. Let’s wait until I get to felling better so I can enjoy it"

        Matthew 5:8 = "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

        Romans 14:19 = "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."

      8. Discourteous in conduct and speech.
        1. A child can be hurtful and cruel in what they do and say.
          1. Johnny is a sissy.
          2. Mary’s hair looks like a horse tail.
        2. Some adults do things of a like nature.

        1 Peter 3:8 = "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:"

      9. Pout.
        1. A child will manifest signs of displeasure and look sullen and gloomy if things do go their way, or feel they have been mistreated.
          1. Comment: When a person pouts, have you ever noticed how their lips seem to protrude or swell out. This is why some fresh water catfish are called pouts as the horned pout, or bull head pout.
        2. Adults act much the same way.

      1 Corinthians 13:11 = "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

    2. THERE ARE SOME TRAITS OF A CHILD THAT WE SHOULD NOT PUT AWAY.

      3. Matthew 18:3-4 = "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

      1. Innocence.
        1. A child is innocent free of guilt, or sin, unacquainted with evil and pure of blame.
        2. Adults know right from wrong and should seek to be once again in this state of life that is acceptable to God.
          1. The need to become as children is stated by our Lord in Matthew 18:3 = "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
          2. The beginning of the guilty state is after childhood when we know the difference. Notice the wording of this passage in Genesis 8:21 = "And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done."
      2. Simple faith and trust.
        1. The trust of a child is one of the grandest things in the world.

          2. Comment: A team of horses hitch to a wagon bolted and started running. A child in the wagon was asked if he was scared, and he said: "I wasn’t afraid because my daddy was with me."

        2. The adult should have the same trust in his Heavenly Father.

        Isaiah 12:2 = "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation."

        Hebrews 11:24-26 = "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward."

      3. Sympathy.
        1. A child manifests this toward a crippled bird, or stray animal.
        2. The adult should have the same sympathy. [See Matthew 25:34-40]

        Romans 12:15 = "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."

        Ephesians 4:32 = "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

      4. Forgiving.
        1. A child can fuss and fight and be back playing together in thirty minutes.
        2. Adults have the tendency to continue to be unforgiving which must change.
          1. Colossians 3:13 = "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

  3. CONCLUSION:

    1. WOULDN’T THIS WORLD BE A MUCH BETTER PLACE IF ADULTS COULD: "…PUT AWAY CHILDISH THINGS." [I Corinthians 13:11]?
      1. Put away:
        1. Tattling and gossip
        2. Desire and demand for attention and recognition.
        3. Being envious and jealous.
        4. Requiring to be amused or entertained.
        5. Wanting to always play and have a good time.
        6. Being unreliable and undependable.
        7. Fussy.
        8. Discourteous in both conduct and speech.
        9. Pouting.
      2. Holding on to:
        1. The freedom of guilt from sin as a child.
        2. The simple faith and trust of a child.
        3. Sympathy.
        4. Forgiving.
    2. HOW ARE YOU DOING IN PUTTING AWAY THE EVIL AND HOLDING ON TO THE GOOD?
    3. HAVE YOU EVEN BEGUN?
    4. WHY NOT BEGIN TO DAY TO HAVE SIMPLE TRUSTING FAITH IN THE LORD AND OBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL. AND MANIFEST THE TRAITS OF A GOD FEARING ADULT.

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