A Crossroads at Christmas by Alan Wimbish
I am constantly amazed at how my children soak up knowledge. The brain of a young child is truly like a sponge. I have to be diligent at this time in their lives to make sure that I teach them the things of God or else they will never know Him. There are places in Scripture that reinforce our obligation to raise up the next generation to know God. In Genesis 4 we find the first example of child evangelism. In the previous chapter, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and cast the whole human race into sin. There is a shining moment in the end of Genesis 3 were God clothes Adam and Eve with skins. These skins had to come from an animal; an innocent animal. This was a preview of the coming Messiah who would clothe us with righteousness and make us acceptable to God. Then in Genesis 4 we read about the first two humans born on earth, Cain and Abel. The Bible says that that Cain was a farmer and Abel was a keeper of sheep. In the first few verses of Genesis 4 we read about Abel and Cain bringing sacrifices to God. Who taught these two men to do this? Their parents did. The Bible says that Adam lived for over 900 years. That was 900 years of wearing a skin that God prepared for Him when he disobeyed God in the Garden. Nine hundred years with a daily reminder of God’s grace wrapped around his body. As Adam’s sons grew into men, I like to think that he told those boys over and over of God’s grace and mercy to him and Eve. Adam probably told the boys about how God slaughtered that animal and took the skin and made the clothing. How the blood spilled from that innocent animal; an innocent life taken for a guilty soul. This hit home to at least one of their children; Abel. In Genesis 4:4, the Bible says that Abel brought of the “firstlings of his flock” to the Lord for a sacrifice. Where did Abel learn this? His parents. Cain, on the other hand, tried to do like his parents had done in the Garden of Eden, bringing to God a sacrifice that was insufficient. Abel was evangelized to know God and his testimony lives on in the Bible.
When Joshua led the children of Israel over the Jordan River into the promised land, God told him to pick one man from every tribe and have them take out a rock from the river. They were to take the rocks, put them into a pile on the opposite side of the river, so that, “…when your children ask you, ‘What do these rocks mean?’” the adults were to tell them about how God led the children of Israel out of death (the wilderness) and into life (the promised land). When God was ready to bring the nation of Israel out of Egypt, He gave them a prescribed way to kill the Passover Lamb and put the blood on the door post and lentil. Next God said, “…so when your children ask you, ‘What does this mean?’” the adults were supposed to tell them about how God led them out of Egypt and freed them from slavery (a picture of death).
Christmas is coming upon us shortly. What do we tell the children? Family traditions are important, elf on a shelf is ok, and Santa Clause means a lot to a lot of children. But when your children ask you, “Why do we celebrate Christmas?” tell them about the baby that was born to save the world from sin; to save them from their sin. Tell the children about how that baby was the promised Savior, the very God who created skins in the Garden for Adam and Eve, the very God who Abel sacrificed a lamb to, the very God who led the children out of Egypt and across the Jordan into the promised land. Tell them that we celebrate the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ. One of the saddest parts of the Bible to me is found in the book of Judges chapter two. Joshua dies and all his generation dies. Judges 2:10-11 says that after Joshua’s generation, there arose another generation that did not know God nor His works, “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served Baal.” Judges 2:11. Joshua’s generation failed to evangelize the generation that was coming up behind them. I don’t know if they forgot to tell the children or they just didn’t care to evangelize the children. Either way, we see the results in Judges 2:11. This is where we are today as a nation; a crossroads so to speak. There are children all around us that have no understanding of what the true meaning of Christmas is really about. Take this holiday to spend time with your family and friends. Enjoy your family traditions, the lights, the presents, and the delicious food. But please, don’t forget about Abel. He learned to love God and serve Him because his parents told him about God. The children of Israel did evil in the sight of God because their parents failed to tell them about God. My Christmas wish is to one day see a nation that calls out to God; a nation of Godly leaders. We are at a crossroads as a nation, which path do we take? It’s up to you and me to teach the children the right path.
Alan Wimbish
Child Evangelism Fellowship of New Mexico
505-881-9848
