Tarry in Jerusalem

If you’ve grown up as a Christian in Kampala, Uganda, then you know how much Watoto Church has impacted you. In the Bible, Jesus said we’d make disciples of all nations starting from Jerusalem, then Judea, then Samaria and finally the utter ends of the world.

In other words, He meant, we’d start with the closest place to us and end with the furthest. While sharing with a friend, I realised this could also mean people.

Just think about it. Wouldn’t it be sad if Joel Osteen made the United States of America a disciple of Christ but failed to make his daughter Alexandria one?

The other aspect about this is getting our very own children to become Jesus’ disciples while they are still tender of age and haven’t yet been corrupted by the world’s cares.

Look at Disney! Many Millennials are still hooked by the classics such as Aladdin, Beauty & the Beast & Lion King. In Africa, cartoons were believed to be primarily for children. Twenty years later, we still find that people born within the 80s through the 90s, sing along any of the theme songs of those classics, because, well, it is believed we are all children in grown-up bodies.

There are stages to this; child, teenager, young adult, adult. Child could represent Jerusalem, teenager would represent Judea, young adult could represent Samaria and adult would represent utter ends of the world.

Witnessing Christ ‘first’ in Jerusalem means, we have to be witnessing him in our children in this case. When we do, they’ll grow fond of what we teach them and soon they won’t grow apart from it when they grow, but will consider it as the way of life.

When I was a child, I always believed there was a PLANET where I’d find these cartoons. Earth sucked y’all! I wanted to leave it to you and go marry a Snow White-looking girl. My heart shattered when I discovered they were humans but animated!

Still … I still love cartoons and animations. They teach morals or tell tales usual movies may not easily. In the same way I was obsessed with these cartoons. Children can get hooked to faith tales of Abraham, Joshua, Gideon and the like starting with Adam & Eve

God is introduced to them slowly by slowly while in Jerusalem, and as the child gets to Judea, he or she learns more about this animation of the Bible which is claimed to be true, and soon they’ll discover their place in this giant scheme of things.

Proverbs says, ‘Teach a child in the way he should go so that when he grows, he won’t depart from it.’

Jesus told the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem as they waited for the Holy Spirit. I believe this is an allegory (as my friend echoed) that while children are still between their 4s and 11s, most of the scriptures must be taught of them, so that they don’t depart from the scriptures when they grow.

I’m a witness, of this raising up. I never departed from the way. That’s why I believe Watoto still has many of our hearts since it ‘tarried in our Jerusalems’—our children years. And something was deposited in us. A sense of the good God in Heaven!

This same sense we see David impart in his son Solomon when he says,

“My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. (Proverbs 4:20)”

So…

Do you have a child? Tarry with them as you reach them what you can about God. It’s much easier for them to take in while still at that tender age. Don’t let them grow too big to start introducing God to them.

Teach them to pray now. Invite the Holy Spirit to come upon them now as they are still children, so that when they grow, they will grow in both stature, and wisdom, and in favor of both God and Man.

If they are teenagers already, waste no more time!!!!! Utter ends people may be hard to capture, but I didn’t say it was impossible. As you target them all, note where we were told to go to first and then where to go to next.

All in all—Get them while they are still so young!

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Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,