1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,840 Let's turn in God's word. Our Bible reading tonight is 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:08,440 taken from Matthew chapter 18 and we want to read together the 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:17,520 1st 11 verses. Matthew chapter 18 verses 1 to 4 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:22,920 11. Let's hear the word of God for 5 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:24,480 those online. The words will come up on 6 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:26,960 screen. As I've said many times, we 7 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:28,960 encourage you to get a copy of the Bible. 8 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:33,600 Read it for yourself so you not only see it but you hear it. 9 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:38,080 And if you want a Bible, please feel free to contact us and 10 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:40,560 we'll supply you one free of charge. 11 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:46,520 Matthew chapter 18, verse one. At the same time came the 12 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:52,680 disciples unto Jesus saying, who is the greatest in the Kingdom 13 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:57,360 of heaven? And Jesus called a little child 14 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:04,160 unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily 15 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:09,600 I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little 16 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,480 children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. 17 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:19,520 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child the 18 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:24,880 same is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven, and whoso 19 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:30,260 shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 20 00:01:31,300 --> 00:01:35,180 But whose social offend one of these little ones which believe 21 00:01:35,180 --> 00:01:39,860 in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged 22 00:01:39,860 --> 00:01:44,300 about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 23 00:01:45,380 --> 00:01:51,180 Woe 1 to the world because of offences, For it must needs be 24 00:01:51,180 --> 00:01:56,380 that offences come, but woe to that man by whom the offence 25 00:01:56,380 --> 00:01:59,490 cometh. Wherefore, if thy hand or thy 26 00:01:59,490 --> 00:02:04,410 foot offend thee, cut them off and cast them from thee. 27 00:02:05,050 --> 00:02:09,250 It is better for thee to enter into life, halt or maimed, 28 00:02:10,210 --> 00:02:14,370 rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into 29 00:02:14,370 --> 00:02:18,170 everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, 30 00:02:18,170 --> 00:02:21,010 pluck it out and cast it from thee. 31 00:02:21,690 --> 00:02:25,970 It is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather 32 00:02:25,970 --> 00:02:30,280 than having two eyes to be cast into Hellfire. 33 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,840 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones. 34 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:42,080 For I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always 35 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:46,040 behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. 36 00:02:46,920 --> 00:02:53,280 For the Son of Man has come to see if that which was lost, 37 00:02:53,590 --> 00:02:55,390 Amen, will end the reading there at verse 11. 38 00:02:55,390 --> 00:02:58,190 And we pray the Lord will stamp with his own approval and 39 00:02:58,190 --> 00:02:59,950 blessing. That's reading of his own 40 00:02:59,950 --> 00:03:04,870 precious and infallible word. Now my text tonight is taken 41 00:03:04,870 --> 00:03:10,430 from Matthew, chapter 18 versus 6 and seven. 42 00:03:11,430 --> 00:03:14,470 It reads as follows. But who so shall offend one of 43 00:03:14,470 --> 00:03:16,510 these little ones, which believe in me? 44 00:03:16,990 --> 00:03:19,670 It were better for him than a millstone were hanged about his 45 00:03:19,670 --> 00:03:22,710 neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 46 00:03:23,290 --> 00:03:27,130 Woe on to the world because of offences, for it must needs be 47 00:03:27,130 --> 00:03:31,610 that offences come but woe to that man by whom the offence 48 00:03:31,610 --> 00:03:34,290 cometh. And I've entitled this message 49 00:03:34,290 --> 00:03:40,290 tonight, the sentence of the millstone necklace. 50 00:03:41,210 --> 00:03:45,450 Now the Lord Jesus Christ is dealing with the subject of the 51 00:03:45,450 --> 00:03:52,310 importance and value of little children who believe in him, and 52 00:03:52,310 --> 00:03:57,710 he's emphasising to his disciples the dreadful sentence 53 00:03:57,950 --> 00:04:04,510 that will befall anyone who harms or offends one of these 54 00:04:04,510 --> 00:04:07,990 little ones. Now I want you to think of four 55 00:04:07,990 --> 00:04:10,990 things tonight. First of all, think of the 56 00:04:10,990 --> 00:04:16,070 seriousness of this message. You see, it's obvious from the 57 00:04:16,070 --> 00:04:18,390 context the Lord Jesus is speaking. 58 00:04:18,630 --> 00:04:20,510 Look at Matthew chapter 18 verse one. 59 00:04:21,380 --> 00:04:24,140 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus saying, Who 60 00:04:24,140 --> 00:04:26,740 is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven? 61 00:04:27,820 --> 00:04:32,100 That's a great question. I want you to notice that the 62 00:04:32,100 --> 00:04:36,020 Lord Jesus could have answered it and answered it directly, but 63 00:04:36,020 --> 00:04:38,020 he doesn't answer it directively. 64 00:04:38,580 --> 00:04:41,700 He he, He answers it with an object lesson. 65 00:04:42,430 --> 00:04:45,870 He calls a little child. Do you think of him calling a 66 00:04:45,870 --> 00:04:48,190 child to himself? That's what verse two says. 67 00:04:48,350 --> 00:04:51,630 And Jesus called a little child unto him and set him in the 68 00:04:51,630 --> 00:04:53,990 midst of there. So you've got to think of this 69 00:04:53,990 --> 00:04:57,790 little boy coming into the midst of the disables. 70 00:04:57,910 --> 00:05:01,350 You see, the Lord Jesus loves the children. 71 00:05:02,150 --> 00:05:06,790 The Lord Jesus has a special place, I believe, for what we 72 00:05:06,790 --> 00:05:10,160 call. And the Bible calls the lambs of 73 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:12,960 the flock. She sets this little boy in the 74 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:14,520 medst. And this is what he said. 75 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:19,400 Listen to chapter 18, verse 3. Verily I say unto you, Except 76 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,200 you be converted and become as little children, you shall not 77 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:23,760 enter into the Kingdom of heaven. 78 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,080 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself with this little child, 79 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:29,720 the same is greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. 80 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:33,120 And who shall shall receive one such little child in my name 81 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:37,880 receiveth me. You see, there's a tremendous 82 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:42,260 lot here, except you be converted and become as little 83 00:05:42,260 --> 00:05:44,020 children. You shall not enter into the 84 00:05:44,020 --> 00:05:46,380 Kingdom of heaven. Preach a whole sermon or not. 85 00:05:46,820 --> 00:05:48,900 But there's a lesson here of true humility. 86 00:05:49,820 --> 00:05:53,740 Humbling yourself even though you're an adult as a little 87 00:05:53,740 --> 00:05:58,180 child. Owning your sinnership, coming 88 00:05:58,180 --> 00:06:01,500 before God, saying God be merciful to me, the Sinner. 89 00:06:02,340 --> 00:06:05,830 Acknowledging the fact that you've got a soul that you need 90 00:06:05,830 --> 00:06:09,310 to be saved and that only Jesus Christ can see if you cause 91 00:06:09,310 --> 00:06:12,310 salvation is not in the church, it's in Christ. 92 00:06:12,310 --> 00:06:14,710 Neither's are salvation in any other, for there's no other name 93 00:06:14,750 --> 00:06:18,310 under heaven given among men whereby you must be saved. 94 00:06:18,310 --> 00:06:21,790 In fact the Lord Jesus said in the context here, for the Son of 95 00:06:21,790 --> 00:06:25,390 Man has come to sieve that which was lost. 96 00:06:25,710 --> 00:06:29,070 And if sinners confess that they're lost without the 97 00:06:29,070 --> 00:06:31,790 Saviour, and call upon them, Whosoever shall call upon the 98 00:06:31,790 --> 00:06:35,340 name of the Lord shall be saved, then I ask tonight, is that your 99 00:06:35,340 --> 00:06:37,340 testimony? Is that your experience? 100 00:06:37,460 --> 00:06:39,780 There was a time in your life when you came before the Lord 101 00:06:39,780 --> 00:06:42,300 and said, I am nothing, and I have nothing, and I can do 102 00:06:42,300 --> 00:06:43,980 nothing to recommend myself to you. 103 00:06:44,220 --> 00:06:46,700 In other words, you've humbled yourself before the Lord. 104 00:06:48,540 --> 00:06:51,340 There's also a lesson here, not in true humility, but a lesson 105 00:06:51,340 --> 00:06:56,020 in true certainty. Whose social received one such 106 00:06:56,380 --> 00:07:03,460 little child in my name, receive with me we could open up. 107 00:07:03,580 --> 00:07:05,580 That's another aspect to the sermon. 108 00:07:05,860 --> 00:07:12,020 But look with me at verse 6. But who so shall offend one of 109 00:07:12,020 --> 00:07:14,940 these little ones, which believe in me, were better for him than 110 00:07:14,940 --> 00:07:17,860 a millstone were hanged about his neck, and they were drowned 111 00:07:18,180 --> 00:07:23,900 in the depth of the sea. You see, the message that's 112 00:07:23,900 --> 00:07:28,980 found here is a very serious message. 113 00:07:29,630 --> 00:07:32,590 Do you know that? It's also found in Mark Chapter 114 00:07:32,590 --> 00:07:36,630 9 and verse 42. Listen to the word of God in 115 00:07:36,630 --> 00:07:41,030 Mark Chapter 9, verse 42. This is what it says. 116 00:07:43,590 --> 00:07:46,430 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that 117 00:07:46,430 --> 00:07:50,150 believe in thee, it is better for him that a millstone were 118 00:07:50,150 --> 00:07:55,430 hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea and over 119 00:07:55,430 --> 00:07:59,570 there. And look chapter 17. 120 00:07:59,610 --> 00:08:02,930 And in the verse two we read similar words. 121 00:08:03,610 --> 00:08:06,250 It were better for him than a millstone were hanged about his 122 00:08:06,250 --> 00:08:10,890 neck, and he cast into the sea than that he should have found 123 00:08:11,290 --> 00:08:16,010 one of these little ones. And remember, this has been 124 00:08:16,050 --> 00:08:19,650 established in the mouth of two or three witnesses, because the 125 00:08:19,650 --> 00:08:25,390 Bible says, But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee 126 00:08:25,390 --> 00:08:27,910 one or two more. That in the mouth of two or 127 00:08:27,910 --> 00:08:30,750 three witnesses every word may be established. 128 00:08:31,550 --> 00:08:35,630 So this is a powerful message. It was witness to by Matthew, 129 00:08:35,950 --> 00:08:38,950 witness to by Mark, witness to by Luke. 130 00:08:40,030 --> 00:08:43,549 In fact, it's a message that we must take seriously. 131 00:08:43,990 --> 00:08:47,030 It's a message that we must contemplate and ponder 132 00:08:47,030 --> 00:08:49,560 carefully. We're not to come to this 133 00:08:49,560 --> 00:08:52,160 message glibly. We're not to treat it in a light 134 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:55,800 hearted fashion. The Lord Jesus is setting before 135 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:59,040 us the seriousness of the subject. 136 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,040 You see, there's a warning here. If you look at Matthew, chapter 137 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:06,720 18, verse 10, take heed that you despise not one of these little 138 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:11,200 ones. This is a take heed message. 139 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:15,240 You see, what he's saying is this. 140 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:20,960 If you're found guilty of this most serious sin of harming a 141 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:26,520 child, then the consequence of your actions, the consequence of 142 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:31,720 your sinful behaviour, are far reaching, so far reaching that 143 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:35,720 it has eternal consequences. And it were better for you to 144 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:39,040 have a millstone placed around your neck and you drowned in the 145 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,920 depth of the sea than to come before me in the judgment. 146 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,320 Look at chapter 18, verse 7. Woe onto the world because of 147 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:51,240 offenses where it must need be. That offenses come with woe to 148 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:55,160 that man by whom the offense come within. 149 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,000 The word woe here means judgment. 150 00:09:58,680 --> 00:10:00,880 So I want to ask tonight this question. 151 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:06,800 What value do we put on the children? 152 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:11,440 Do we pay lip service to children's ministry? 153 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:14,920 You think of the Little Tots, think of the children's 154 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:18,680 meetings. The Sunday School will go as far 155 00:10:18,680 --> 00:10:20,280 as the young people's fellowship. 156 00:10:20,680 --> 00:10:24,200 You see, the reality is that many in the Church of Jesus 157 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,120 Christ have a tendency to look down in the children. 158 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:31,160 Other only children, they don't matter, and to hold them in a 159 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:35,240 spirit of contempt and and and treat them in a disdainful 160 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:37,520 fashion. What the children know. 161 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:41,560 What do the children? Well, we know better than them. 162 00:10:43,350 --> 00:10:48,030 You see, here's the Lord Jesus and he has a high view and 163 00:10:48,030 --> 00:10:52,150 greatly values the children. He has a tremendous interest in 164 00:10:52,150 --> 00:10:55,670 the children. Listen to what the word of God 165 00:10:55,670 --> 00:11:01,030 says in Sam 127, verse 3. Low Children are in heritage of 166 00:11:01,030 --> 00:11:04,030 the Lord and the fruit of their womb as His reward. 167 00:11:05,270 --> 00:11:10,580 In fact, we read in Sam. 139 these words, verse 13. 168 00:11:10,580 --> 00:11:12,180 For thou hast possessed my reigns. 169 00:11:12,180 --> 00:11:14,060 Thou was covered me in my mother's womb. 170 00:11:14,260 --> 00:11:17,060 I will praise thee, for I'm fearfully and wonderfully made 171 00:11:17,220 --> 00:11:19,940 marvellous of thy works, and not my soul know with right. 172 00:11:19,940 --> 00:11:23,340 Well my substance was not hid from thee when I was made in 173 00:11:23,340 --> 00:11:26,740 secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 174 00:11:27,020 --> 00:11:29,980 Verse 16. Thine eyes to see my substance, 175 00:11:30,220 --> 00:11:33,900 yet being unperfect. And then thy book all my members 176 00:11:33,900 --> 00:11:38,400 are written, which in continuance were fashioned, and 177 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:42,680 as yet there was none of them. How precious are thy thoughts? 178 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:45,560 You see? Remember when the disciples came 179 00:11:45,560 --> 00:11:51,480 to the Lord Jesus, and they rebuked the parents for bringing 180 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,480 the children to the Lord Jesus? How did he react? 181 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:57,280 We read in March, chapter 10, verse 14. 182 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:00,440 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto 183 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:03,600 them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them 184 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:05,960 not, for a such is the Kingdom of God. 185 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:08,520 Verily I say unto you, Whoever shall not receive the Kingdom of 186 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:11,600 God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 187 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:15,320 And he took them up on his arms, put his hands upon them, and 188 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:17,960 blessed. And remember, after Peter was 189 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:22,720 restored at the sea of Tiberius, and brought back into fellowship 190 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:26,080 with Christ, and Christ asked him, Love us thy me more than 191 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:28,960 these Peter. And Peter said, Yes, I do. 192 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:32,960 To the first question, What did the Lord Jesus tell him today? 193 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:37,280 Feed my lambs. That's a reference to the 194 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:39,840 children. John 21, verse 15. 195 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:43,840 And when we read the epistles, here's the emphasis the apostle 196 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:47,200 Paul put in the children. He he included the children, and 197 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:49,600 he feeds in six children. Obey your parents and the Lord, 198 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:52,240 for this is right, he said to them, Honour thy father and 199 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:54,440 mother, which is the first commandment with promise that it 200 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:56,920 may be well with thee. And they mayst live long in the 201 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:00,240 earth. And also in Colossians chapter 3 202 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:04,750 and in the verse 20. We haven't got to Colossians 3 203 00:13:04,750 --> 00:13:07,190 verse 20 in our studies yet, but it's coming. 204 00:13:07,510 --> 00:13:10,430 Listen to the word of God. Children obey our parents and 205 00:13:10,470 --> 00:13:13,430 all for things. But this is well pleasing unto 206 00:13:13,430 --> 00:13:15,270 the Lord. It's in the context of living 207 00:13:15,310 --> 00:13:17,150 out the Christian life in the home. 208 00:13:17,910 --> 00:13:22,630 And if the Lord Jesus used a boy's lunch to he at the feeding 209 00:13:22,630 --> 00:13:28,950 of 5000 men and women and children, here he is again using 210 00:13:28,990 --> 00:13:33,570 a child to teach a lesson through humility and a lesson of 211 00:13:33,570 --> 00:13:36,490 true certainty and a lesson of testimony. 212 00:13:36,570 --> 00:13:39,330 And all of these things that I've mentioned under score 1 213 00:13:39,330 --> 00:13:40,970 fact the importance of the children. 214 00:13:42,450 --> 00:13:45,410 And I believe that we as a church, not only this 215 00:13:45,410 --> 00:13:48,850 congregation, but every free Presbyterian congregation and 216 00:13:48,850 --> 00:13:51,410 all those who are part of the Church of the first board in 217 00:13:51,730 --> 00:13:54,370 Northern Ireland and beyond. We should be doing all that we 218 00:13:54,370 --> 00:13:59,450 can to assist and help the children's ministry grow and 219 00:13:59,450 --> 00:14:02,710 expand. The first point, the seriousness 220 00:14:02,710 --> 00:14:06,030 of this message. Think secondly the substance of 221 00:14:06,030 --> 00:14:08,190 this message. Now I want you to notice if you 222 00:14:08,190 --> 00:14:13,790 look at our text, you've got the offence that is caused. 223 00:14:14,790 --> 00:14:17,790 It says in our text, but who so shall offend? 224 00:14:18,110 --> 00:14:21,470 So we'll pause there. What does the word offend mean? 225 00:14:21,910 --> 00:14:25,990 Well, the word offend means to stumble or or to ensnare. 226 00:14:25,990 --> 00:14:30,030 The the idea is to cause or aid the little child to sin. 227 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:35,560 You see, the root meaning of the word is scandalous, which from 228 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:37,720 which we get the word scandalous. 229 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:43,640 You think of a little child being caused to sin, to draw 230 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:47,520 that little child away from the one that they're following, the 231 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:49,600 one that they believe and the one that they trust. 232 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:51,240 And, and that's the context here. 233 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:54,600 Take heed. Unless you be guilty of drawing 234 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:59,870 a child away from Christ and so cause them to stumble and cause 235 00:14:59,870 --> 00:15:03,350 them to become ensnared so much that they're in the grip and 236 00:15:03,350 --> 00:15:06,870 face of sin. That's the offense that's being 237 00:15:06,870 --> 00:15:10,150 caused. Notice the object that is 238 00:15:10,150 --> 00:15:12,790 considered if you look at the text. 239 00:15:12,790 --> 00:15:15,190 But whose social offend? One of these little ones 240 00:15:15,230 --> 00:15:18,710 underline that you see? What does that mean, One of 241 00:15:18,710 --> 00:15:20,750 these little ones? When I'm going to broaden it 242 00:15:20,750 --> 00:15:23,350 out, listen to me carefully. You've got to think of the 243 00:15:23,350 --> 00:15:27,170 babies that are born. You've got to think of small 244 00:15:27,170 --> 00:15:30,690 children who are toddlers 2 and three. 245 00:15:31,410 --> 00:15:35,650 You've got to think of children that are moving on from being a 246 00:15:35,650 --> 00:15:38,410 toddler. They're becoming 4:00 and 5:00 247 00:15:38,410 --> 00:15:42,130 and 6:00 and 7:00. I believe it even includes those 248 00:15:42,130 --> 00:15:46,730 that are 7 right up to 12. And these words, in the wider 249 00:15:46,730 --> 00:15:50,530 context, can be used to bring in the young convert. 250 00:15:51,250 --> 00:15:55,560 It includes those who are young in the faith and the individual, 251 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:59,400 the man or woman that causes one of these little ones to stumble. 252 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:03,280 That's the context. Can you get the picture? 253 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:09,120 The little ones, from the babies to those that are 12 and those 254 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:13,560 who are young converts. In the wider context, that's the 255 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:17,760 object that is being considered. I want you to notice something 256 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:22,810 else. The offender that is cursed, the 257 00:16:22,810 --> 00:16:26,250 man or woman that offends, harms, hinders. 258 00:16:26,250 --> 00:16:30,650 One such little one. The Lord Jesus says it were 259 00:16:30,650 --> 00:16:35,050 better that a millstone were put around their neck and they were 260 00:16:35,050 --> 00:16:36,730 drowned in the depths of the sea. 261 00:16:38,050 --> 00:16:44,170 Woe unto the man by whom the offense cometh, and that woe 262 00:16:44,170 --> 00:16:48,530 means judgment. And remember, the Bible talks 263 00:16:48,530 --> 00:16:50,370 here. Then everyone of us shall give 264 00:16:50,370 --> 00:16:56,190 an account of himself to God. Because I believe that that 265 00:16:56,190 --> 00:17:00,990 individual, there's none to help, there's none to rescue. 266 00:17:01,630 --> 00:17:05,950 There's no mercy going to be shown for that individual that 267 00:17:05,950 --> 00:17:07,869 harms our hinders. A little child. 268 00:17:07,869 --> 00:17:12,349 There's a place we'd call it the lowest hell that's reserved for 269 00:17:12,349 --> 00:17:17,390 them, the Lord Jesus. In the context, it talks here 270 00:17:17,630 --> 00:17:23,310 about being cast into Hellfire. He talks here being cast into 271 00:17:23,750 --> 00:17:29,190 everlasting fire. That's why he says woo to that 272 00:17:29,190 --> 00:17:31,990 man or that person by whom the offense cometh. 273 00:17:33,310 --> 00:17:35,390 That's the substance of the message. 274 00:17:35,750 --> 00:17:40,230 There's an offense that is caused to draw the little 275 00:17:40,230 --> 00:17:45,430 children away from Christ, that they might sin and stumble, the 276 00:17:45,430 --> 00:17:51,040 little ones babies up to 12 and beyond, and the offender that's 277 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:54,760 cursed. Now you now think also here the 278 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:59,440 solemnity of this message. It says this. 279 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:03,360 But who so shall offend one of these little ones, which believe 280 00:18:03,360 --> 00:18:05,920 in me, were better for him than a milled stone were hanged about 281 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,840 his neck. Think of the ways that adults 282 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:17,180 can offend little children. Think of ways that adults have, 283 00:18:17,180 --> 00:18:20,300 of harming the children and not helping them. 284 00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:26,380 Think of ways that adults have of abusing children and not 285 00:18:26,380 --> 00:18:30,980 adoring the children. You see, one of the ways that 286 00:18:31,380 --> 00:18:36,460 adults have of causing offence to these little ones and 287 00:18:36,460 --> 00:18:40,820 bringing this curse upon themselves is by abusing 288 00:18:41,940 --> 00:18:45,160 children. Listen to me carefully tonight. 289 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:49,400 I believe that one of the most heinous crimes that can be 290 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:53,520 committed is a crime against the children. 291 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:58,280 I believe tonight that there's no greater crime than to hurt 292 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:02,080 the child. Now, of course we can go back 293 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:07,520 not only recently in the news, but in the distant past. 294 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:13,010 The news media have reported on sexual abuse cases found within, 295 00:19:13,010 --> 00:19:16,210 for example, the Roman Catholic institution. 296 00:19:17,690 --> 00:19:21,290 Now, I'm not just going to pick on the Roman Catholic Church 297 00:19:21,290 --> 00:19:25,730 tonight. We denounce and it's dogmas and 298 00:19:25,730 --> 00:19:28,530 doctrine, but we have a love for its people. 299 00:19:29,090 --> 00:19:32,930 Pray for the Roman Catholic community, but you're well aware 300 00:19:32,930 --> 00:19:36,330 of many. We'll call them infamous cases. 301 00:19:37,550 --> 00:19:39,710 Think, for example, of Brendan Smith. 302 00:19:41,430 --> 00:19:45,870 Over a 40 year period, 100 children that we know of were 303 00:19:45,870 --> 00:19:53,430 abused. When that Rebus was reported, he 304 00:19:53,430 --> 00:19:55,430 was moved from one parish to another. 305 00:19:55,550 --> 00:20:01,870 Parish bishops knew, archbishops knew, but nothing was done. 306 00:20:01,870 --> 00:20:12,950 Let me tell you this in a recent report. 216,000 children in 307 00:20:12,950 --> 00:20:17,550 France were abused between 1950 and 2020. 308 00:20:22,390 --> 00:20:26,350 Many of them were abused by so-called Roman Catholic 309 00:20:26,350 --> 00:20:30,470 priests. If we add in to the other 310 00:20:30,470 --> 00:20:40,920 employees, total rises to 330,080% of the victims were 311 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:44,160 boys. Physical, psychological and 312 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:46,480 sexual abuse. You see, this is not a minor 313 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,240 issue. This is something that's major, 314 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:53,040 this is something that's global. We could talk about Australia 315 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:57,960 tonight and in towns in the rural Outback we could mention 316 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,710 the name of George Pele. We, we we we we could, we could 317 00:21:01,710 --> 00:21:06,150 come to schools and colleges and and and and and and parishes in 318 00:21:06,150 --> 00:21:09,910 the Republic of Ireland. And we can write it across 319 00:21:09,910 --> 00:21:13,670 America and Canada. We can come to the UK, 320 00:21:14,070 --> 00:21:18,350 Argentina, Austria, Mexico. I want to tell you, there's an 321 00:21:18,350 --> 00:21:24,030 avalanche of child abuse cases that have all been reported and 322 00:21:24,030 --> 00:21:29,420 accusations have been made against the church to which 323 00:21:29,420 --> 00:21:33,540 these children belonged. And how did the church respond? 324 00:21:34,740 --> 00:21:38,060 Well, they covered it up. They didn't do enough. 325 00:21:39,020 --> 00:21:41,260 They sought to hinder the truth coming out. 326 00:21:41,420 --> 00:21:42,780 They lay the blame in the children. 327 00:21:42,860 --> 00:21:46,540 And when they brought children in to report these cases, the, 328 00:21:46,740 --> 00:21:48,660 the, the, the offender was there. 329 00:21:49,420 --> 00:21:52,820 And the children have to be many of them, saying disclosure, 330 00:21:52,820 --> 00:21:56,940 nondisclosure letters and inquiry after inquiry. 331 00:21:56,940 --> 00:22:01,500 In the US founded 4000 United States of America, Roman 332 00:22:01,500 --> 00:22:06,100 Catholic priests abused something like 10,000 boys. 333 00:22:07,260 --> 00:22:10,380 And I got that information from a Spotlight program in BBC as 334 00:22:10,380 --> 00:22:15,020 far back as 2015. Do you know that in Rotterdam? 335 00:22:16,420 --> 00:22:18,140 Oh, we're not thinking of Europe, by the way. 336 00:22:18,140 --> 00:22:19,820 We're we're thinking of South Yorkshire. 337 00:22:21,770 --> 00:22:26,010 They found a child sexual exploitation ring that operated 338 00:22:26,010 --> 00:22:33,170 from 1997 to 2013 that involves some 1400 children. 339 00:22:34,770 --> 00:22:39,450 In the BBC, child abuse cases have been reported. 340 00:22:41,850 --> 00:22:45,170 Sadly, those guilty were BBC employees. 341 00:22:45,370 --> 00:22:48,850 You only have to think of one name in particular, Jimmy 342 00:22:48,850 --> 00:22:51,550 Savile. We could add other names but 343 00:22:51,670 --> 00:22:52,870 will not. But you know who they are. 344 00:22:54,190 --> 00:22:59,070 Those working with children and tea in the 23% of all 10 to 17 345 00:22:59,070 --> 00:23:02,310 year olds are exposed to pornography and vulnerable to 346 00:23:02,350 --> 00:23:05,030 exploitation. Think of the crime of grooming a 347 00:23:05,030 --> 00:23:09,190 child. Do you know that there's 110,000 348 00:23:09,550 --> 00:23:13,750 proven sex offenders in the United Kingdom? 349 00:23:14,790 --> 00:23:22,900 And that is the 23rd of July 2000. 110,000 proven sex 350 00:23:22,900 --> 00:23:25,060 offenders. You you add into that the murder 351 00:23:25,060 --> 00:23:28,420 of the children. You you you add into that there 352 00:23:28,420 --> 00:23:31,500 that children are more at risk today than than ever they were 353 00:23:31,660 --> 00:23:34,500 you you think of of child human trafficking. 354 00:23:35,180 --> 00:23:37,700 Do you know I've got a report last week sent to me in a film 355 00:23:37,700 --> 00:23:41,540 called Sound of Freedom and it exposes the world of child 356 00:23:41,540 --> 00:23:47,980 trafficking. A former CIA operative went so 357 00:23:47,980 --> 00:23:52,960 low as a private citizen to rescue 120 women and children in 358 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:56,600 October 2014. That's what that film Sound of 359 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:59,160 freedom's about. They haven't heard of it in the 360 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:02,160 local media. It's not in mainstream news. 361 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:04,600 Why? Sure, we thought the safety of 362 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,640 the children was paramount. Surely the safety of the 363 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:09,720 children is not meant to be divisive. 364 00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:12,920 But the mainstream media is ignoring this film. 365 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:16,880 The Hollywood elite are up in the arms against this film. 366 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:20,470 Why? Because thus felons exposing the 367 00:24:20,470 --> 00:24:24,430 world of human trafficking and there's no celebrity endorsement 368 00:24:26,510 --> 00:24:29,350 and there's a a media blackout. It's being ignored. 369 00:24:30,870 --> 00:24:33,550 Here's another way children are abused. 370 00:24:33,670 --> 00:24:36,790 Think of this RSE that's coming into our school system 371 00:24:37,230 --> 00:24:40,790 relationship and Sexual Education Northern Ireland. 372 00:24:41,230 --> 00:24:45,350 It's been approved by Parliament Wednesday the 28th of June 2023. 373 00:24:45,730 --> 00:24:48,050 It was introduced by the Secretary of State, Chris Eaton 374 00:24:48,050 --> 00:24:50,530 Harris. It's the will of government to 375 00:24:50,530 --> 00:24:53,370 deliver, he says, statutory obligations. 376 00:24:53,490 --> 00:24:56,130 And when you want to examine what they're going to teach the 377 00:24:56,130 --> 00:24:59,810 children come September and tell your parents need to be alarmed. 378 00:25:00,330 --> 00:25:04,050 Teachers need to be alarmed, heads of schools need to be 379 00:25:04,050 --> 00:25:06,290 alarmed, Boards of governors need to be alarmed. 380 00:25:06,290 --> 00:25:08,810 Why? What are they teaching? 381 00:25:09,210 --> 00:25:11,090 Cause what they're going to teach is wicked. 382 00:25:11,490 --> 00:25:14,890 It's sinful, it's evil and it's heart. 383 00:25:15,490 --> 00:25:17,570 It's not about the education of the children. 384 00:25:18,250 --> 00:25:19,970 It's not for the children's betterment. 385 00:25:20,890 --> 00:25:23,450 It's about the exploitation of the children. 386 00:25:23,530 --> 00:25:28,210 Remember what I told you about the parade in New York, the 387 00:25:28,210 --> 00:25:31,050 recent Pride parade? We're here, we're queer and 388 00:25:31,050 --> 00:25:34,650 we're coming for your children. Why did they say that? 389 00:25:35,050 --> 00:25:37,290 They said it was a joke, but I don't believe it was. 390 00:25:38,010 --> 00:25:43,130 I believe that it's part of a program and at the back of it, 391 00:25:43,130 --> 00:25:48,970 the United Nations have approved this so-called relationship, 392 00:25:49,650 --> 00:25:53,930 sexualised education of the children, because they want to 393 00:25:54,050 --> 00:25:57,690 introduce them to this alternative lifestyle. 394 00:25:59,290 --> 00:26:01,730 Even the Northern Ireland Commissioner approves. 395 00:26:02,450 --> 00:26:04,410 I want to tell you now listen to me carefully. 396 00:26:05,010 --> 00:26:07,730 This will have a physical. This will have a mental. 397 00:26:08,370 --> 00:26:11,490 This will have a spiritual impact on the children. 398 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:15,600 The children are going to be asked to draw things. 399 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,120 The children are going to be showing things. 400 00:26:18,360 --> 00:26:22,080 The children are going to be sent home with questions to ask 401 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:24,680 their parents. I want to tell you this is 402 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:27,880 primary school children, four and five and upwards, and it's a 403 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:32,480 form of child abuse. There was a furor recently about 404 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:36,520 a drag show on Saturday night, passed the Mac building, 405 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:38,160 cancelled it. Why? 406 00:26:39,630 --> 00:26:43,470 Because someone wanted to have the children present a show for 407 00:26:43,710 --> 00:26:50,270 18 Plus that's vile and disgusting and degrading, and 408 00:26:50,270 --> 00:26:53,910 they wanted to have the children present along with a consenting 409 00:26:53,910 --> 00:26:56,910 adult. Where's the safeguard? 410 00:26:57,670 --> 00:26:59,870 Where's the move to protect the children? 411 00:27:01,510 --> 00:27:04,830 I haven't got to the bottom of why it was cancelled, but I'm 412 00:27:04,830 --> 00:27:08,230 thankful for those that contacted Belfast City Council 413 00:27:08,230 --> 00:27:10,520 and and beyond. Here's one of the ways the 414 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:13,400 children are being harmed by abusing the children. 415 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:16,760 Also by the maltreatment of children. 416 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:19,960 Gee, many children are exposed to severe maltreatment and 417 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:23,280 abuse, not only at school but at home. 418 00:27:24,360 --> 00:27:26,000 There's many broken hearted children. 419 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:30,200 Children can hardly talk about the abuse that they received. 420 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:34,120 It's physical, it's psychological, it's personal and 421 00:27:34,120 --> 00:27:38,200 our hearts need to go out to them and and do you think of 422 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:40,320 another way? And it's by neglect. 423 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:43,200 And there's many children neglected, especially in many 424 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:47,240 homes in Northern Ireland. And the NHPCC talks about the 425 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,920 highest levels of neglect ever recorded. 426 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:54,000 If we check with the PCNI figures, they'll tell you the 427 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,960 same thing. Children being neglected by 428 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:00,200 their parents, not providing for them for their physical and 429 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:02,240 temporal needs. Children going to school. 430 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:08,300 Hungry children going to bed. Hungry children not provided for 431 00:28:08,300 --> 00:28:10,540 dress. They're cleansing. 432 00:28:12,780 --> 00:28:14,620 Children can be neglected by the teacher. 433 00:28:15,700 --> 00:28:18,300 Do you know that children could even be neglected by the church? 434 00:28:19,460 --> 00:28:22,620 You see, I believe tonight children are special. 435 00:28:23,140 --> 00:28:26,180 You believe that? I believe the children must be 436 00:28:26,180 --> 00:28:29,180 supported. I believe the children must be 437 00:28:29,180 --> 00:28:31,380 safeguarded. I believe tonight the children 438 00:28:31,380 --> 00:28:35,360 must be saved, because Jesus said, suffer the little children 439 00:28:35,360 --> 00:28:38,840 to come unto me, and forbid them not, for as such as the Kingdom 440 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:41,280 of heaven we sang in that lovely hen. 441 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:44,840 Suffer the children, Oh, hear his voice, let every heart leap 442 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:47,600 forth and rejoice, and let us freely make him our choice. 443 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:51,640 Do not delay, but come. And you see, one of the ways 444 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:55,160 that children are neglected today is this, not just their 445 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:58,320 temporal and material and physical need, but their 446 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:03,290 spiritual need, primarily parents stopping their children 447 00:29:03,290 --> 00:29:04,930 coming to Christ. Let me illustrate. 448 00:29:05,330 --> 00:29:08,690 Here's a young girl, lovely young girl, just coming to one 449 00:29:08,690 --> 00:29:10,930 of our young people's fellowships here in Northern 450 00:29:10,970 --> 00:29:13,650 Ireland for a time. And she's enjoying the meeting 451 00:29:13,650 --> 00:29:15,410 and just talking about getting saved. 452 00:29:15,730 --> 00:29:17,570 And you would think, well, that would throw the heart of mummy 453 00:29:17,570 --> 00:29:18,970 and daddy and granny and Grandda. 454 00:29:19,410 --> 00:29:22,250 Well, not in this home. Once the mother heard of it that 455 00:29:22,250 --> 00:29:25,650 her daughter was thinking of getting saved, she said to her, 456 00:29:26,170 --> 00:29:28,250 I don't want you to go to the Young People's Fellowship on a 457 00:29:28,250 --> 00:29:29,610 Friday night. I want you to go to the 458 00:29:29,610 --> 00:29:33,370 nightclub and in fact I'm going to give you the money to get in. 459 00:29:34,130 --> 00:29:37,490 And here's how I want you to dress and I'm going to drive you 460 00:29:37,490 --> 00:29:39,050 there and I'm going to pick you up. 461 00:29:39,450 --> 00:29:42,090 Why? All because she didn't want her 462 00:29:42,090 --> 00:29:46,890 to come to Christ and that mother was only bringing upon 463 00:29:46,890 --> 00:29:51,090 herself the millstone necklace and she didn't know it and 464 00:29:51,090 --> 00:29:56,530 didn't realise it. How many parents and adults 465 00:29:56,970 --> 00:29:59,530 refused to encourage their children to come to the 466 00:29:59,530 --> 00:30:04,520 children's meeting or to the Sunday school or to the youth 467 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:07,400 camps? We go to the doors and we ask 468 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:10,040 them and they say to the children, do you want to go? 469 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,000 There's no encouragement. They don't say do you want to go 470 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:14,720 to school? Well, of course some of them do 471 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,240 because that's part of the maltreatment and the abuse. 472 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:23,720 They're not at school now, such as the state of homes, many in 473 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:27,880 loyalist areas, many tonight in Roman Catholic areas, and 474 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:30,360 drunkenness and drug addiction and abuse. 475 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:35,720 It's widespread. And of course, you see, there's 476 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:39,720 no prayer for the children and there's no prayer with the 477 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:41,080 children. And maybe I'll throw out the 478 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:44,320 challenge tonight to all of us to have a family altar. 479 00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:49,320 Let the children know that you love Christ, gather them around 480 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:52,640 the word of God, read abortion, pray with them, pray for them. 481 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:57,360 And I know that we all struggle with wayward children, children 482 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:01,200 who will rebel and children will rebel because that's the nature 483 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,840 of the child do a sin. They forget the Lord they 484 00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:08,160 forsake as law, but they have a responsibility to try and reach 485 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:10,720 them. Let's not be responsible for 486 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:14,160 having a bad example. Let's not play the hypocrite. 487 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:17,960 You see, the father and mother role in the home is a powerful 488 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:21,440 role. It's influential and and it's 489 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,840 important because the children, they they follow in the 490 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:28,100 footsteps of mum and dad and if there's a home where there's 491 00:31:28,140 --> 00:31:31,900 angry, aggressive behavior, where there's arguments, it's 492 00:31:31,900 --> 00:31:36,260 kind of a detrimental impact upon the children, especially 493 00:31:36,260 --> 00:31:42,420 breakups. Here's ways that children are 494 00:31:42,420 --> 00:31:46,620 being treated today. They're being abused, they're 495 00:31:46,620 --> 00:31:50,660 being murdered, they're being maltreated, they're being 496 00:31:50,660 --> 00:31:54,380 neglected. Let's not neglect the children 497 00:31:54,700 --> 00:32:00,600 spiritually tonight. Let's try our best, with the 498 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:03,720 help and grace of God, to save them for Christ. 499 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:08,440 Think about this as we finish not only the seriousness of this 500 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:14,400 message and the substance of this message, but also think 501 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:18,880 tonight of something else that's very important, the solemnity of 502 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:21,520 this message. But let's think also of the 503 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:26,260 sentence of this message. If you go back to our text, it 504 00:32:26,260 --> 00:32:28,860 says it were better for him than a millstone were hanged about 505 00:32:28,860 --> 00:32:31,860 his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 506 00:32:32,660 --> 00:32:34,380 You see there's two kinds of millstone. 507 00:32:35,540 --> 00:32:39,540 There was a domestic 1A small one that woman used at home to 508 00:32:39,540 --> 00:32:42,580 grin core. He turned it with a wee wheel 509 00:32:42,580 --> 00:32:45,860 and it went very easily. But there was another one, a 510 00:32:46,020 --> 00:32:51,500 larger 1A giant one, and it's known as an industrial 511 00:32:51,900 --> 00:32:57,150 millstone. And it took a donkey to move it, 512 00:32:58,990 --> 00:33:05,190 a giant millstone. And the Lord Jesus is telling us 513 00:33:05,550 --> 00:33:09,230 that it were better for him that a millstone were hanging about 514 00:33:09,230 --> 00:33:10,470 his day. And he's thinking about the 515 00:33:10,470 --> 00:33:14,750 larger one, the one that's so large it required a donkey. 516 00:33:15,870 --> 00:33:22,480 And he's saying to us it was better for that individual who 517 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:25,760 harmed one of these little ones in this way that I've described, 518 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:31,560 to have a millstone necklace put around his neck and be drowned 519 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:35,160 in the depth of the sea. Think of the kind of death that 520 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:38,800 would be. There's no hope for you if 521 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:43,880 you're thrown into the sea with a a, a large millstone necklace 522 00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:46,840 around your neck. You're not going to be saved. 523 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:52,060 You're going to die by drowning you. 524 00:33:52,060 --> 00:33:54,780 You're not coming back up with that weight around your neck. 525 00:33:54,940 --> 00:33:57,940 And even if somebody jumped in to rescue you and thought I'll 526 00:33:57,940 --> 00:34:01,500 save you, by the time they would get the millstone necklace off 527 00:34:01,500 --> 00:34:05,500 your neck, you'd be drowned and they'd be drowned with you. 528 00:34:07,180 --> 00:34:08,900 In other words, you're not going to be rescued. 529 00:34:10,540 --> 00:34:16,020 There's no hope for you. The point is this. 530 00:34:16,020 --> 00:34:22,020 If you hurt a child and hinder that child coming to Christ, or 531 00:34:22,020 --> 00:34:26,699 hinder that child who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, then 532 00:34:26,699 --> 00:34:32,380 there's a place called the lowest hell that's reserved for 533 00:34:32,380 --> 00:34:38,780 you for all eternity unless you repent, unless you receive 534 00:34:38,780 --> 00:34:43,380 Christ as Lord and Savior. You see, here's awful crimes 535 00:34:43,380 --> 00:34:47,179 that we could talk about, and I haven't really been explicit. 536 00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:51,440 I haven't really named a whole pile of individual names. 537 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:54,920 And while, yes, we look at the Roman Catholic Church, we could 538 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:58,480 look at the Anglican church, we could look at pastors and 539 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:01,560 so-called Protestant churches. We can think about the actions 540 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:04,880 of elders and Sunday school teachers and youth workers and 541 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:08,240 child workers. But I want to say this, 542 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:13,320 regardless of who it is as an individual, woe to that man by 543 00:35:13,320 --> 00:35:18,040 whom the offence cometh, because this is very strong language. 544 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:22,680 This language is reserved for those who are guilty of child 545 00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:26,560 abuse, guilty of maltreatment of the children, guilty of 546 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:30,440 neglecting the children. And it's the Lord Jesus who's 547 00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:33,440 saying this. It's not David McLaughlin, it's 548 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:36,640 not the Free Presbyterian Church, it's not the press for 549 00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:38,760 the of Ulster, It's not even the government and morals committee. 550 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:42,040 It's the Lord Jesus that said this, and he said it three 551 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:46,980 times. You know, it's a privilege to 552 00:35:46,980 --> 00:35:49,900 try and reach the children for Christ. 553 00:35:50,500 --> 00:35:53,540 It's a privilege to tell them about Jesus the mighty, to see 554 00:35:53,540 --> 00:35:57,220 if and if I finish with this, I finish with this. 555 00:35:57,220 --> 00:36:00,740 Tonight in the Word of God it's written. 556 00:36:01,980 --> 00:36:04,820 For God so loved the world, that he gave us only begotten Son, 557 00:36:04,820 --> 00:36:08,700 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have 558 00:36:08,700 --> 00:36:11,490 everlasting life. And what do we teach the 559 00:36:11,490 --> 00:36:13,210 children when we get the hold of them? 560 00:36:14,130 --> 00:36:19,490 We teach them this truth, that Jesus loves them, that Jesus 561 00:36:19,610 --> 00:36:22,970 died to save them. And Jesus calls the little 562 00:36:23,010 --> 00:36:25,410 children, suffer the little children to come unto me and 563 00:36:25,410 --> 00:36:27,770 forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of heaven. 564 00:36:28,850 --> 00:36:31,530 And we tell those little children that if they call in 565 00:36:31,530 --> 00:36:36,410 Christ and believe in Him to the saving of their soul, they can 566 00:36:36,410 --> 00:36:38,250 be gloriously and wonderfully saved. 567 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:41,960 And that's a lesson of true humility, That's a lesson of 568 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:46,960 real certainty because Jesus said, who so receiveth one such 569 00:36:46,960 --> 00:36:49,400 little child in my name, receiveth me. 570 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:54,640 And it's a wonder that a child is saved early in life, and not 571 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:58,160 only is the soul see, but the life is saved from a life of sin 572 00:36:58,160 --> 00:37:00,920 to serve God. And we could think of many who 573 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:03,880 could save this children, and we'd only become mighty leaders 574 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:08,830 in the work of God. A real true testimony. 575 00:37:09,950 --> 00:37:14,510 They bore that testimony to the saving and keeping power of 576 00:37:14,510 --> 00:37:19,910 Christ. Here's the sentence of the 577 00:37:19,910 --> 00:37:24,510 millstone necklace I tell you tonight as we finish This is a 578 00:37:24,510 --> 00:37:28,830 serious message and the substance of it. 579 00:37:28,830 --> 00:37:35,350 There's an offence here that's being caused and the object has 580 00:37:35,350 --> 00:37:37,390 to be considered the little ones. 581 00:37:39,190 --> 00:37:41,070 And there's an offender that's cursed. 582 00:37:41,390 --> 00:37:44,070 There's reserved for hen the millstone and it's a solemn 583 00:37:44,070 --> 00:37:49,470 message and I have never preached on it before. 584 00:37:50,270 --> 00:37:54,910 I say that to my Shia, I haven't heard anyone else preach on it. 585 00:37:57,670 --> 00:38:01,270 You've got to think of this sentence, of this message. 586 00:38:02,150 --> 00:38:07,520 Imagine standing face to face with the Lord and you're in your 587 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:10,440 sin. For the Bible says if you die in 588 00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:13,400 your sins where Jesus says you'll never be, you're given a 589 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:18,000 count of yourself to God, and he brings up the harm and the 590 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:19,880 hindrance that you did to the children. 591 00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:24,600 And then he tells you to part for me, curse it, and 592 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:29,600 everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.