Interruptions with Two Little Feet

Background to passage: Jesus is in Capernaum, Galilee teaching

Mark 10:13–16 ESV

13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 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. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

Opening illustration: “The more desperate challenge, the lack of care for children, continues to plague societies. Children continue to be abused, discarded, and discounted. Young children are enslaved to work in the global economy or are forced into prostitution and have less international protection than endangered species. Christians today must not buy products produced from child labor, must speak out against it, and must use all their political might to stamp it out. In our own culture, we allow advertisers to pose children in sexually suggestive ads for clothing across the page from a story about child molestation. We permit the media to glamorize violence, sex, and drugs in programming targeted for children and adolescents. We allow industries to conduct psychological studies on how to entice children to buy products that have been demonstrated to be addictive and harmful to health. Protecting profit margins is apparently more important than protecting children. We allow parents to skip out on the responsibility of providing financial support for children that they brought into the world, so that the child must cope with poverty as well as the absence of a parent. We have been silent about the sexual and physical abuse of children that occurs in poor, middle-class, rich, and even in Christian homes. We cut programs designed to give impoverished children a chance in an increasingly competitive world so that we can save on taxes...

Main thought: Do we view children and act toward them according to Jesus words and actions?

1) Esteem Them Highly (v. 14)

Mark 10:14 ESV

14 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.

1) Esteem Them Highly (v. 14)

Explanation: Only time Jesus is said to be indignant. When the culture saw them as relatively insignificant, Jesus saw them as important. When the culture saw them as inconvenient, he saw them as celebration. When the culture wanted to prohibit access, Jesus wanted them to have first place. When the culture wanted them not seen or heard, Jesus wanted both.

Not just the teaching, but the demonstration was powerful. The disciples had been with Jesus for about two years and had not picked up on this aspect of their rabbi’s theology and practice, so a good question might be, “did they get it now?” This applies to any teaching or sermon, we may believe that it was a great lesson or sermon, but does it change us?

Psalm 127:3–5 ESV

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. 5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Proverbs 17:6 ESV

6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

Illustration: how many teachers and former teachers we have here? Can you tell the parents that hold their children in high regard? How many times have you had to intervene? 15.5 million students are in homes with domestic violence, another 4.7 million deal with neglect, another 7.5 million students are abused.

Application: We must truly think about our worldview toward children. Are they a blessing or are they not? What do we think when we see a family with lots of children? Do we look indignant when they cry in a worship service or do we rejoice? What if I stopped a sermon during a babies cry and let us listen to the sound for a minute, what would happen?

Do we consider adopting or fostering unwanted children? Wellroot Family and Children Services used to be here and their job was to find Troup Co families to foster Troup Co children because there weren’t enough. We have lots of excuses/reasons, but Jesus had a busy ministry schedule...

2) Ensure Them Priority (v. 14-15)

Mark 10:14–15 ESV

14 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. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

2) Ensure Them Priority (v. 14-15)

Explanation: In this instance, Jesus parted the Red Sea so to speak and let the children come to the front of the line. He relieved the bouncers of their job, put their names on the VIP list, and gave them a box seat. He stopped what he was doing. Healing can wait, I mean if they die… Blindness can wait. Theological teaching took a back seat. The demons needed a witness to the priority of children, he’ll cast them out in a minute. The religious leaders and their hypocrisy will be dealt with later. Ministry, counseling, training, even eating was set aside.

Argumentation:

Illustration: “Few churches offer ministries that try to reach out to children whose parents are not members of the church. These children are at risk, and many have never known unconditional love and acceptance from caring adults. Teenagers are left alone to raise themselves, and the resulting rise in teenage pregnancy that only perpetuates the cycle should not surprise. If, as James Garbarino argues, children are like the canaries in the mine shaft, their plight warns us that we and they live in a toxic environment that desperately needs to be cleaned up. Jesus commits children to our loving protection, and the church must be at the forefront of helping to care for children and helping parents to care for children. Some today may consider children to be liabilities, but the church recognizes that Christ is revealed to us through the child in our midst.” -David Garland

Application: Make this first a worldview issue, then an action item. Make it a heart issue, then make it tangible. Make it invisible inside, then visible and effective. Believe that Jesus loves all the children of the world, then go volunteer in the nursery, make crafts at Backyard Bible Clubs, sing songs or fish with the kids at Camp Viola (stay the night). Believe that fatherhood is crucial and volunteer with TIN (and be a father to your own children). Believe that Operation Christmas Child is doing a great work, then pack a box and go to the distribution center. Believe the most recent estimates show about 4.8 million children under five die each year. Pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, preterm birth complications, birth asphyxia/trauma, and congenital anomalies are the primary causes according to the World Health Organization (WHO), then go to them, take them in your arms, provide blessing and the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Closing illustration: Pray for my family that they don’t spend all our money on dr...food… Or another story about children with needs, possibly the story of the missionary picking up the child during the picture,

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 25: Mark Children: The Stigma of Smallness

Children who know they are loved will return the love. Early one morning, in a Cambodian refugee camp, my wife and I picked our way through the mud and among hunkering people who had waited through the night for the bus that would take them back to their homeland, even though returning meant starvation and violent death. We came to a clearing where our guide suggested that we take a picture with our students who were serving food to the people. Lining up for a typical camera shot, we noticed that two Cambodian children had followed us into the center of the circle. I stopped the picture and beckoned to the little brown boy, asking that he come and pose with me. At first he hesitated; then, looking at his sister for approval, he took half-steps toward me. I went over and scooped him up with my hand under his buttocks. Bare bones protruded through the flesh into my hands as I felt starvation for the first time. Emotions that I had known only at the dedication of my own children engulfed me as I folded that boy into my arms. Then, just before the shutter clicked, he snuggled his head into the crook of my neck in a show of love that I will feel through eternity. At that moment, our love was perfect and our trust was complete. I would have walked a continent with him in my arms in order to claim him as my son or I would have taken his place in a Cambodian hut if I could have been assured of his future. Neither of these choices was mine, but the meaning of the moment can never be taken away from me. Heaven will be complete when I take him in my arms again. For the present, I am content to know that I have had the privilege of entering into the spirit of Jesus Christ when He folded the children into His arms and they snuggled their heads into the crook of His neck. -David McKenna

Recap