Like A Child

We are continuing on our journey through the book of Mark. Last week Mike preached about divorce and as we’ve learned Mark likes to keep things moving. So today we’ll be looking at Mark 10:13–16.

There really isn’t any context surrounding this section. It doesn’t tell us what Jesus is doing, or where they are at. So let dive in and see what we can learn.

Mark 10:13–14 ESV

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

Mark 10:15–16 (ESV)

Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

In 1st century Jewish culture it was common for people to want the religious leaders to lay hands and bless their children. Again we don’t know what Jesus was doing, how uess that He was probably teaching to some extent given the fact that there was at least a small crowd, and by the disciples reaction to people bringing their children to Jesus. The disciples were not, in their own eyes, doing anything wrong. That brings up the question we ask here often,

Are you doing GOOD things or GOD things? All God things are good but not all good things are God’s will for us. They were just watching out for Jesus. This made Jesus, the verse says indignant, the word in the Greek is

ἀγανακτέω aganakteōbe and means,indignant, angry, or enraged

There are only four times scripture tells us Jesus was angry

The two times He clears the Temple

This was because people were taking advantage of others, getting rich off a law God had instituted.

When He healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath in Mark 3

The religious leaders were more worried about traditions rather than helping a person.

And here, as the Disciples were rebuking people for bringing their children to Jesus.

He got angry because the disciples were failing to see what was right before them. The most important thing and that is to come to Jesus.

Jesus makes a very bold statement. Not to hinder the kids from coming to Him, rather be more like these children to recieve the Kingdom of Heaven.

What does it mean to be ”child like”?

Jesus is pretty serious about this idea of being childlike. The writers of Matthew, Mark and Luke seem to think so anyway because all of them added this into their Gospel writings. Matthew records this in his again Mark and Luke also make mention of this

Matthew 18:1–6 (ESV)

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said,

“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Again, as we see so often, Jesus goes against the societal norms. What I mean by that is children were equal to servants in first century Jewish culture. As a matter of fact they used the same greek word for both. Scripture doesn’t tell us how the crowds reacted to these words of Jesus but we can guess they were probably shocked by these bold words. Between these 2 passages Jesus only identifies 1 trait of a child and that is Humility. However, i think we can look at scripture as a whole and what we already know about children to get a deeper meaning of what Jesus is saying here.

Let’s ask a few questions

What does the Bible say about entering into the Kingdom of God/ Heaven?

Mark 10:15 ESV

Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

John 3:5–16 (ESV)

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.

If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

We must be born again. Born of the Spirit, and that starts by a belief IN Jesus. Did you catch that? A belief IN Jesus not just of Jesus.

What traits can we see in young children that get lost over time?

Honesty- young children are completely honest until they learn that being dishonest in some cases can gain them something. Kids can say the funniest things and all they are doing it being honest. Like Mr. Dwayne your bellies big. Well yes, yes it is. We would shy away from a statement like that knowing it may hurt someone’s feelings.

Trust- Little ones trust grown up wholeheartedly. I have a somewhat embarrassing story. Story of Keyshawn

Humility- Kids without shame or feeling embarrassed will ask for help and ask questions when they don’t know something. Will be 100 percent reliant on a parent or adult. This is how we should be with our Father in Heaven.

I want to look at 2 stories, from 2 gardens, one near the beginning and one near the end that illustrate the right and wrong ways to live this out. Let's start at the beginning. God Created all things, including Adam and Eve, and placed them in the Garden and they were able to walk and talk with God.

We’ll pick up in

Genesis 3:1–8 (ESV)

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said,

‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate,

and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Notice the lack of the 3 traits we just talked about, the lack of trust in what God told them not to do. The lack of humility in wanting what the tree gained them, knowledge of good and evil, And then pointing blame and being dishonest about the situation. How many of us sit here and say i would never, but do these same things almost daily. This is sin and it may look different for each person, so many sins stem from this, lies either to God, other people or ourselves. Pride, the opposite of humility, which places ourselves, our wants and desires, our fears and anxieties above God’s will. And a lack of faith, a distrust in God.

Let’s move from the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve introduced sin to the world, to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was preparing to pay for that sin and everyone after that.

Luke 22:39–46 (ESV)

And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them,

“Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer,

he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

Jesus, in his agony and distress it say He prays more earnestly. 100 percent honest with His father. He completely reliant on the Father to deliver Him through this. And of course Jesus in full humily came to give himself for us. That should be our example of child likeness that Jesus is talking about.

Jesus wants us to come to the Kingdom as a child would. Come to Him full humility, thinking of ourselves less and of Him more. Come to Him in complete honesty, why do we try to hide from God in our shame, as if He doesn’t already know. Come to Him in complete Faith, trusting that God will provide and care for us in all our needs.

If you have never surrendered your life to Jesus and made Him the Lord of your life, we would love to talk to you and answer any questions you may have there will be a few of us in the back for that and if you need prayer for anything, come see us.