Learning from little children

Introduction

Opening gambit: Special Occasion

This morning at Westgate Chapel is a rather special morning because we’re giving thanks to God for little Margot Miles – and in a little while, we’ll also be baptising Penny Miles.

So, what I want to do over the next twenty minutes or so. Is to connect these two events. To learn from little Margot about what it means to have faith, and hopefully to explain a little bit about what it means for Penny to be baptised as a Christian this morning.

Link to Passage

And to do that – we’re going to look together at a passage in one of the Gospels. In one of the four, true accounts of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection that we have in the Bible. And we’re going to begin by reading together from Mark’s Gospel and Mark chapter ten and verses thirteen to thirty-one.

Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with the Bible, as I read, the words should come up on to the screen. I just want you to be able to take a few moments, to listen to Jesus, and as we’ll learn together what it means to be a Christian who follows Jesus.

1. Come to God like little children v.13-16

Firstly, then this morning, we’re going to hear Jesus tells us that we should, come to God like little children, and we see this in v.13-16.

Disciples Preventing Jesus from blessing the children

In the gospels, where Jesus went. Vast crowds followed. And in our passage this morning we see parents bringing their children to Jesus to be blessed by him. Like this morning, when we had Jon and Penny and little Margot up the front here. People were bringing their children to Jesus, so that he could pray for them, and he could bless them.

Unfortunately, Jesus’ disciples – his twelve closest followers – aren’t enjoying this. They think that Jesus is being too family friendly. He’s being distracted by all these kids. And so they take it upon themselves – to go and tell the parents off, and to tell them to stop bothering Jesus with their kids.

It’s not entirely clear from Mark – why the disciples were stopping the parents with their children.

I’d like to imagine it’s because the children had horrendously snotty noses, or really sticky fingers, or were just making a HUGE amount of noise. That the disciples were keeping them back…

…But it’s probably more to do with the fact that children, just weren’t important in Israel, two thousand years ago. Children were sadly not regarded with the same love and affection that they are today. For one thing child mortality rates were high, and they placed a burden on the family as another mouth to feed, until they turned thirteen and became legal adults, fully able to pull their weight. The children wouldn’t have seemed important to the disciples.

Jesus is indignant

When Jesus realises what’s going on: he’s outraged. He’s absolutely livid that the disciples would act in this way, and he takes it as an opportunity to teach the disciples about what it means to follow him.

Jesus said, in v.14:

Mark 10:14–15 NIV 2011

When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’

And then taking the children from the parents, he takes them into his arms, places his hands on the little ones, and blesses them.

Come to God like little children

Jesus says that if we want to enter the Kingdom of God – which is one of Jesus’ ways of saying, if you want to be a Christian, if you want to be one of Jesus’ followers, like Penny, like so many of us here this morning. Then you need to come to Jesus it like a little child.

Being like a little child – doesn’t mean being innocent and pure – just ask any parent! Children aren’t all sweetness and innocence, because like all of us they know how to cause trouble, no one ever has to teach a toddler how to be selfish or mean.

No being like a little child, is about being helpless and dependent.

Illustration: Doing Everything for Children - Margot

Little children are totally dependent on their parents.

Just think of little Margot. I popped round to Jon and Penny’s a few weeks ago to talk about this morning’s service. And when I got there Margot was having a nap.

I suspect with my loud talking, I woke her up. Because very quickly Jon and Penny had to go and get her out of her cot and bring her into the living room. Now Margot can’t just get herself out of bed. She can’t bring herself into the living room. For a starter she’s a bit wobbly when she stands up – and I don’t think she can walk yet.

And then, well, she did what babies do and filled her nappy. But Margot can’t sort that out, she needed Jon to go and change her. And after devouring a Welsh Cake, she’d made a tremendous mess on the floor. But she can’t go and get the vacuum cleaner, or the brush and dust pan. She needed Penny to clear it up.

Margot is totally dependent on her Mum and Dad. In fact, all babies, all little children. Wholeheartedly depend on their parents for everything. And they don’t hedge their bets either, they’re not looking to see if their parents can provide for them one week, and a different set the next. No they depend wholeheartedly on their parents.

Application: Come to God Wholeheartedly

That’s the attitude that we’re to have if we want to Christians, and we want to know God.

We’re to come to him just as we are: with all our sin and failings. We mustn’t come to God pretending that we have some good that we can contribute. We must come to Jesus, totally, wholeheartedly, dependent on him like little children.

Because as Jesus shows us again and again in the gospels – we have hearts that are broken, and sinful. Sin has taken over our hearts and it corrupts everything good that we try to do. It is out of our heart that comes all sorts of evil, as Jesus says in chapter seven: from murder to greed to deceit to envy to slander to arrogance.

We need to realise this. We cannot enter God’s Kingdom on our own.

We need help. Which, is why, we must come to Jesus with the same attitude as those children. Knowing that we must depend on Jesus for all that we are.

This morning, you too can come to Jesus, like a little child. You can come to him, and say to him, “Jesus, forgive me for how I’ve lived. Help me to depend on you and your death for me.” And Jesus will welcome you into God’s Kingdom, you’ll be forgiven your sin, and adopted as one of God’s children forever.

If that’s something that you think you need to do – or you’re curious to know more. Then I’d love to chat to you after the service. Just grab me afterwards.

Because if we’re going to enter God’s Kingdom, if we’re going to be saved, if we’re ever going to be true Christians, true followers of Jesus – then we must approach Jesus like those little children – with all that we are.

Come to God like little children.

2. Don’t come to God relying on yourself v.17-23

Secondly, then this morning, don’t come to God relying on yourself this is in v.17-23.

Re-telling the story

After Jesus has finished blessing the little children, Jesus walks on and a man – often referred to as the rich young ruler from the other accounts in Matthew and Luke – runs up to Jesus and falls on his knees before Jesus.

“Good teacher! What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

What a question! This man wants to know what he needs to do to enter God’s Kingdom. How can he become a follower of Jesus?

Jesus replies:

“Why do you call me good? No one is good – except God alone.”

And then Jesus does something really interesting he repeats five of the ten commandments, plus another law about not defrauding the poor.

“You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, your shall not give false testimony – that is to lie – you shall not defraud, honour your father and mother.”

The young man replies – “Teacher, all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

The young man comes to Jesus half-heartedly

But. There’s something missing. Jesus has left out the first part of the ten commandments, and all the commandments about God – you see this rich man is coming to Jesus, and he is relying on himself. He hears those commandments, and he says to himself, “Yup. I’ve kept those. I’ve nailed it.”

He’s not coming to Jesus, like the little children, fully dependent on Jesus because he has no other hope. No. He’s hedging his bets. He’s relying on himself.

Which is why v.21 says:

Mark 10:21 NIV 2011

Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’

Lesson – The Half-Hearted Don’t Enter the Kingdom

Jesus’ command here – isn’t a general command for everyone to go and sell all their possessions, in order to be a Christian. But here Jesus is homing in on this man’s wealth, because the rich young ruler, doesn’t just worship God, he worships his wealth too.

In fact, we know in v.22 that he in fact loves his money more than the God who’s laws he strives so hard to keep:

Mark 10:22 NIV 2011

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

His love of money, means that he is breaking the other four commands. He’s failing to love the Lord his God with all his heart, mind and body – because he loves money too. He’s making an idol out of money and worshipping it alongside God. He’s bringing God’s name into disrepute by valuing money more than the Creator God.

When it comes to spiritual matters. When the young man wants to know if he will have eternal life, he’s relying on himself.

looks around, to make sure his disciples catch what’s happened, and exclaims: “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Application: Where are we tempted to be half-hearted?

When it comes to following Jesus, to being a Christian, what are you tempted to rely on instead of Jesus and Jesus alone?

Riches – Just like with the rich young man, the biggest idol of our society must still be money. Everything in our society is geared towards us getting more. Whether we’re at the bottom of the pile, or at the very top. Everything is about getting more. More of this. More of that. And then you’ll be satisfied.

The idols we can be tempted to rely upon aren’t just financial – they’re as varied and different as each person is:

From relationships – and living to please other people, constantly afraid of what others will think of you…

to pride – seeking to make ourselves look good, revelling in our achievements and the great charity work that we’ve done, and “oh – don’t you know I might be getting an OBE”?

to the love of comfort, never wanting to rock the boat, always booking the next holiday, popping out to the shops, never doing anything that costs, anything hard, anything that looks like sacrifice.

What tugs at your heart strings, and if Jesus told you to give it up to follow him, would make you very, very, sad?

Whatever it is… Jesus says to you this morning to give it up. Because if you want to be in God’s Kingdom then you must be rely wholeheartedly for God. Wholeheartedly following him, over everything else.

Don’t come to God relying on yourself.

3. God does the impossible for his children v.24-31

But – as we see time and time and time again – Jesus is merciful and compassionate. After all – don’t we read that Jesus loved that rich young man. Even though he was half-hearted. Even though he went away sad. Jesus loved him.

And Jesus loves us. Which is why, we’ll see thirdly this morning, that God does the impossible for his childrenin v.24-31.

Jesus is alone with the disciples once more

As the rich young man disappears from view, Jesus is alone with the disciples once more. And he repeats himself for emphasis in v.24:

Jesus says, “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!”

And then to make sure no one misses the point, he uses one of his most famous illustrations.

Camels + Eyes of the Needle

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Jesus is saying it is easier for the largest – and let’s not forget, most slobbery and stubborn – animals of the Middle East, to go through the loop of a sewing needle; than it is for someone who is rich, and the implication is here, for not just someone who is rich, but for someone who loves money, it is easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than for them to follow Jesus, for them to become a Christian.

It’s impossible.

Weirdly, people often try to explain away Jesus’ image. They explain that needles were really big, or that the camel was actually a camel hair rope. Just to make it easier for a rich person to get into heaven.

But Jesus’ point is that it is impossible – absolutely impossible, never going to happen in a million years, totally and utterly unthinkable – that a rich man should enter God’s kingdom.

Disciples Reaction

The disciples look at each other – and say in v.26, “Who then can be saved?”

Quite. No-one. No-one can be saved. No-one can claim to be wholeheartedly for God, wholeheartedly relying on God alone. No-one cannot say that they don’t love money, or relationships, or their comfort, or a million other things, alongside God. None of us are quite like little children when it comes to our relationship with God.

Mercy in Jesus

But with Jesus there is always, always, mercy. God knows what is within each and every one of us. He knows that we are a horrendous mixture of conflicting loyalties and sin. Often trying to do good, but so often with an eye towards wealth, a hand stretching out to grasp some other idol.

Which is why Jesus says, in v. 27,

Mark 10:27 NIV 2011

Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.’

Jesus doesn’t expand on the how or the whys here. He’s just leaving a hint of the marvellous things that are yet to happen as he heads towards Jerusalem and his death on a cross.

Jesus came to do the impossible. To make it possible for the half-hearted to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact the Bible calls Christians, children of God, and so Jesus came to do spiritual heart surgery on every Christian who chooses to follow him, Jesus came to give those who seek his forgiveness, who depend on him like little children… new hearts. Hearts which are able to love God, that seek to put him first.

But hearts which will – by God’s mercy, with God’s help – be wholeheartedly His. Wholeheartedly depending on God.

It might seem impossible for us to wholeheartedly follow Jesus. And it is. But in his great love, God does the impossible for us.

Gospel Reward

The outstanding generosity of God towards the half-hearted, isn’t limited to fixing our hearts, but involves reward too. Just look at v.28-30:

Peter speaks up. And points out how the disciples have left everything to follow Jesus – Peter particularly gave up his fishing business, his livelihood – to follow Jesus. “We have left everything up to you!”

To which Jesus says: “Truly I tell you, no one who has left home or brothers of sisters or mother or father or children of fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: home, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields – along with persecutions – and in the age to come eternal life.”

Jesus promises that there is both reward in this life, and ultimately eternal life to come – for following Jesus wholeheartedly. The first of those rewards is what we see around us this morning: church. When we give up everything to follow Jesus, we gain a new family in our church. Supernaturally our family expands.

It won’t always be smooth sailing in this life – note that Jesus mentions persecutions, and sometimes even a bit of family trouble too as our families wonder why on earth we would want to be Christians – but ultimately, giving up everything, not being half-hearted and worshipping wealth alongside God, but wholeheartedly giving up everything to follow Jesus… will lead to eternal life.

In being wholehearted for Jesus. In coming to God wholeheartedly – by his grace – there is immense reward. A new family on earth in the church. And eternal life that will last forever and ever and ever.

And that’s one of the things that Penny is signalling this morning as she comes to be baptised. When someone is baptised they are obeying Jesus’ commands, but more than that they’re publicly recognising that they’re now one of God’s children, they’re now a Christian, and they want to live for Jesus.

Conclusion

Through Jesus God does the impossible. We need to come to God like the little children, and then we’ll find the topsy turvy way that God kingdom works as Jesus says in v.31: “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

This morning – if you’re here and you’re not a Christian. I’m so pleased that you are. You’re incredibly welcome, and I’d urge you to think about these things more deeply for yourself. In fact, if you want to find out more, or you’re curious, then I would love to take you out for a coffee to talk some more about this.

But this morning, if you’re here and you are a Christian. Then keep depending on Jesus like a little child – and he will never let you go.

Let’s pray together.