Jesus Loves the Little Children - This is the Remarkable Key to Childlike Faith

Introduction (5m)

Royal Kids Behaving Badly

Video: Royal Kids Behaving Badly - 2:00

Glad not yours! Good to know even RF have problems, sometimes.

Sadly, some people think children should only be in their presence if they are controlled by adults

Should be seen and not heard. Segregated from adults.

Complain if we are inconvenienced/interrupted by them.

But Jesus treats children differently

Doesn’t see them as inconvenience/interruption/distraction.

Not put off by them being kids being kids.

Doesn’t discourage them to come to him, but loves them as they are.

Allows them to interrupt his ministry, because he knows they are his ministry.

We are called to be like Jesus, and the children of today need us to look at this challenge again

Lack of care for children plagues society. Abused, discarded, discounted. Some enslaved to global economy, forced into prostitution.

Called to speak out against child labour, protect them from advertisers, e.g. vaping products, support our children as best we can, and pay our taxes to support vulnerable families.

Explanation (5m)

Jesus’ disciples are guilty of seeing the children as an interruption

Customary for people to bring children to rabbi for blessing

But disciples tried to stop them

Why? Protecting Jesus. Under pressure. Conflict - demons, religious authorities. So many needed him - healing, teaching. Crushing crowds. Children just one more drain.

Besides, they were “just” children.

In Jesus’ time, society patriarchal: men, women, children.

Adults key members of society, children seen not heard, needs secondary.

Jesus is indignant

Mark 10:14 NLT

When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.

Angry = aganakteo (agan-akateo) - indignant, angry at the injustice. Strong emotion!

Should pull us up short: The only place in the Gospels where Jesus is strongly angry with his disciples.

He rebukes disciples and welcomes the children.

It is clear throughout the gospels that Jesus loves children

He heals official’s son, the demonised only son of the man at the Mount of Transfiguration, Jairus’ daughter, amongst others.

He truly loved children.

He also recognised they had something to teach us

They have required attitude of true disciple.

Total dependence on parent for all they need mirrors what should be our total dependence on God

Total trust is the centre of a child’s existence, as it should be for Jesus’ disciples

We cannot earn God’s love, we don’t deserve it, we can’t make him love us, we can only accept it as his gift

We must welcome the children and become childlike in our own faith.

Application (5m)

Let’s recognise God’s work isn’t interrupted by children

Even when a child might disrupt us in worship, or burst in on our Growth Group, or interrupt a deep spiritual conversation, God is still working! He is not bothered!

God’s work is measured by love, not by efficiency reports.

So, let’s welcome them as Jesus welcomed them.

And then let’s learn childlike faith from them

Acknowledge our helpless dependence on God.

We can do/bring nothing. It is all down to God.

No! no! Nothing do I bring, But by faith I?m clinging To thy cross, O Lamb of God! Nothing but thy blood can save me. Richard Slater (1854-1939) Have you come to Jesus like this?

Is your attitude that you come to him for his grace with your nothingness?

Next Steps

SB 769 - Jesus, see me at thy feet

Jesus, see me at thy feet, Nothing but thy blood can save me; Thou alone my need canst meet, Nothing but thy blood can save me. No! no! Nothing do I bring, But by faith I?m clinging To thy cross, O Lamb of God! Nothing but thy blood can save me. 2 See my heart, Lord, torn with grief, Nothing but thy blood can save me; Me unpardoned do not leave, Nothing but thy blood can save me. 3 Dark, indeed, the past has been, Nothing but thy blood can save me; Yet in mercy take me in, Nothing but thy blood can save me. 4 As I am, O hear me pray, Nothing but thy blood can save me; I can come no other way, Nothing but thy blood can save me. 5 All that I can do is vain, Nothing but thy blood can save me; I can ne?er remove a stain, Nothing but thy blood can save me. 6 Lord, I cast myself on thee, Nothing but thy blood can save me; From my guilt, O set me free, Nothing but thy blood can save me. Richard Slater (1854-1939) Used By Permission. CCL Licence No. 135015 Copied from The Song Book of The Salvation Army Song Number 769