The Kids of the Kingdom: Mark 10:13-16

Introduce

You can tell a lot about people by how they view and treat children. You can tell a lot about a culture by how it views and treats children. You can tell a lot about a church by how it views and treats children. Though children are far from perfect, they still have certain traits that are admirable. In the text we just read, we see a contrast between how Jesus and his disciples treat children. Jesus also draws out a trait of children that should be imitated by His people and all who desire to be a part of His people. The question the text answers is as follows: How do we enter the Kingdom of God?

The Kingdom of God is the place in which God’s reign is recognized and all who belong to it have eternal life. Thus, you would be foolish if you did not want to enter it. The answer will shine brighter than the sun as we go through the story. Let’s turn our attention to it now.

Retell

To start, behold how the kids are brought to Jesus: 13a

There is no reference to where this event takes place . There is no indication of how much time has passed between this event and the one we discussed last week. Mark plunges us write into a somewhat chaotic event.

A group of people brought children to Jesus. Luke informs us that these children were very young, maybe even infants. Though the text doesn’t say it explicitly, it is likely those that brought the children are their parents. We are told the their motivation. They wanted Jesus “to touch them.” Matthew adds that they wanted Jesus not only “to touch them,” but also to “pray.” We might infer, as verse 16 indicates, they wanted Him to bless their children.

In their eyes, Jesus was a wonderful and mysterious miracle worker and teacher of God’s Word. Jesus is the conduit of God’s power. It radiates from Him and blesses all who come in contact with Him in good faith. Jesus’ touch and blessing would undoubtably benefit their children.

You have beheld how the kids are brought to Jesus.

Now, behold how the kids are barred from Jesus: 13b

Look at the end of verse 13: “And the disciples rebuked them.” The them undoubtably means the parent and not the children. This is not uncharacteristic Jesus’ disciples. Though they followed the Lord, as Mark shows many times over, they are fearful, confused, and arrogant men. This would eventually change, but that has not happened yet.

In our text, they don’t want to be bothered, nor do they want their Master to be bothered by such loud, messy, and need creatures like children.

I’ve been where the disciples are. I’m sure many of you have too. After a hard days work that taxes me mentally, emotionally, and physically, the last thing I want to do is play tag or dress up with my toddler before dinner. It is tempting to say no and sometimes I do. As the night goes on, and we are nearing bath time, it is tempting to forego family worship and sometimes I do.

Thank God, Jesus never says no to those that come to Him seeking help.

The disciples should have known better. Jesus was not one perturbed by interruptions of needy people. He was a compassionate and tender shepherd always ready help and teach all that came to Him.

You have beheld how the Kids are brought to and barred from Jesus.

Finally, behold how the Kids are blessed by Jesus: 14-16

When our Lord looked upon His calloused disciples rebuking the parents coming with their children, He became angry and offers correction and reproof. Look at verses 14: “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”

The disciples are commanded to not stop the parents from bringing their children to the Lord. His reason is that the children illustrate those to who are given admission to God’s Kingdom. He does not say the Kingdom belongs to these particular children, “to such”—that is those who are like them in some way.

What characteristic do children have that warrants them being an illustration of the people of God’s Kingdom? It is there dependent and humble trustfulness. There is something admirable in a child when they acknowledge they need help and entrust themselves to your care.

Jojo knows that when I throw her up into the air, I will catch her. When Leah’s eyes meet mine, almost without fail she gives a toothless grin. Why? They both trust and depend on me. A day will come when I will fail them. The same is not true for those who come to Jesus for salvation, or entry into the Kingdom as Jesus says here. Have you come to Him? Will you come today?

Read verse 15: “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom like a child shall not enter it.” Jesus the bringer of God’s benevolent reign. He is the way into the kingdom. One must receive Him like a child with humble dependance on and trust in Him for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Have you dependent on Him? Have you trusted in Him? Have you recieved Him? Will you today?

The apostles would become the founding stones on which Jesus would build the church. They mustn’t turn away the children, for what if they turn away those like the children who come to them to partake of Christ and His salvation. Professing members of God’s Kingdom in Christ, shall bar no one who comes to Christ for help and salvation! The disciples failed to see this. Thank God Jesus is the savior and not His disciples.

Look at the tender grace and compassion of the Good Shepherd in verse 16: “And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hand on them.” Jesus goes beyond the custom of laying on hands. He took the children in his arms. This is God the Son incarnate, taking time to not only bless the babies but to embrace them in tender love, grace, and compassion. He does the same for those who come to Him for salvation from sin, satan, and death!

Transition

Vista Baptist Church and all who have gathered with us this morning, you have beheld how the kids were brought to, barred from, and blessed by Jesus. Now I want us to reconsider the question I asked at the beginning. How do you enter God’s Kingdom?

Jesus answered the question in verse 15. Look there again: “Truly, I say to you whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” To enter the kingdom and have the rights and privileges of a citizen, you must humbly depend on and trust in the bringer of the God’s Kingdom, the King. You must humbly depend on and trust in Jesus. Put differently, receive Jesus by faith to enter the Kingdom. This is the big idea and charge of this mornings sermon. Receive Jesus by faith. That said, lets consider what this means for you and two implications that stem from it.

Doctrine/Apply

Receive Jesus by faith

What is faith in Jesus Christ? This question is answered in part by our text. Faith is to humbly depend on and trust in Him for salvation.

The Second London Baptist Confession I have referred to the last two weeks at the end of paragraph 4 in chapter 14 says “the principal acts of saving faith have immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, and resting upon him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.” (John 1:12; Acts 16:31; Galatians 2:20; Acts 15:11; see also Hebrews 10:39; Isaiah 26:3-5; Philippians 4:9; Galatians 2:16).

Justification is where God pardons all our sins and access us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and recieved by faith alone (Baptist Catechism Q36).

Sanctification is where God renewed the whole man after the image of God, and enables us more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness (Baptist Catechism Q38).

Eternal life is exactly what it sounds like. It is life without end. Thus it is life with out death and sin and communion with the Triune God and His people (Baptist Catechism Q40-41).

The Covenant of Grace is a covenant between God and the elect in Christ in which the elect receive the promised blessings of salvation by faith in Christ’s active and passive obedience to the covenant of redemption and not by their own perfect obedience.

Jesus active obedience is his perfect keeping of God’s Law.

Jesus’ passive obedience is his willingly taking upon himself the punishment due the sins of His people on the cross.

In short: to enter the Kingdom you must receive Jesus by faith, as Scripture teaches and the Second London Baptist Confession summarizes. So faith and the benefits of it have been defined. There is a question I must ask all of you before moving on to the two implications of the text and big idea.

Have you recieved Jesus by faith?

Have you accepted, received, and rested upon him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life?

Unbeliever, you will not enter God’s Kingdom if you do not receive Jesus. You will die and face judgment. Your eternity will be spent in the lake that has smoke that goes up forever and ever from a fire unquenchable. You will weep and gnash your teeth forever. You will have no peace, but only pain. Your works, riches, and the faith of your relatives cannot save you.

Hypocrite who professes Jesus in name only. You who claim God as Father, but your works show that your true Father is Satan. Does the fury of God’s judgment not startle you? It should. For even the true Christian has a healthy fear of judgement and an abiding gratitude to Jesus for taking it upon Himself in their stead. Shed off your false religion. Come to Christ. Receive Him for salvation before it is too late. Jump into his arms as a child jumps the arms of their loving father. He will catch you. His embrace alone can shield you from the flames of judgment.

Christian, first and foremost, keep your faith firmly placed in Jesus Christ. When you are in the arms of the Savior nothing can take you from them, not even sin, death, and Satan. That said, we may infer two necessary implications from our text.

1. Receive Jesus by faith, and hinder no one

Jesus’ disciples did just this. They hindered the parents from bringing their children to the Savior. You shall do no such thing. Let not your ungodly behavior turn someone from Christ. Let not your self-righteous tribalism bar someone from Christ who different than you. You are saved completely of grace. You should know Jesus turns no one away who comes to Him by faith for help and salvation.

Church, we are called to be a light on hill signalling all to come where they might see and be saved by the Lord. We are not place unnecessary barriers between Jesus and sinners who come to Him. This means we must be up front with what we believe and consistently live out those beliefs.

One of the things we tend to do well is not merely tolerate children with all their distractions but embrace and celebrate their presence among us. I commend you for this. Keep doing it. For if we cannot welcome even our own children into our midst, what sinner seeking salvation would we welcome?

Receive Jesus by faith, and hinder no one.

2. Receive Jesus by faith, and bring everyone

The parents in the story serve as a good example. They brought their children to Jesus. We would be wise to do likewise, but expand our scope to not only include our children but everyone.

Parents, bring your children to Jesus. Do this by praying for them and their salvation, practicing family worship in you homes, sharing the gospel with them, calling upon them to believe it, and bringing them to gather with the people of God for corporate worship.

Parents with adult children, perhaps you didn’t do the things that I just said. Maybe your adult kids have gone far from Christ. You no longer have the authority to make them gather with the saints or do family worship with them. You can, however, still pray for them and their salvation. You can be sensitive to opportunities to share the gospel with them. You can invite them to church gatherings.

Christian, pray that God would give you zeal for his glory and love for the lost. Pray that He we would give you opportunities to bring others to the Lord Jesus. Pray that He would give you sensitivity to see and boldness to take opportunities to bring someone to Christ. Moreover, pray for those you know who are lost and look diligently for any opportunity to point them to Jesus.

Church, we, not only me, are called by Jesus to make disciples. Let’s give ourselves to this task by confessing sound words, preaching Christ, assembling together, and coming under the ordinary means of grace the Word, prayer, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. Let us be a church that is truly Committed to the Christ, the Church, and the Commission.

Conclude

You can indeed tell a lot about a person, culture, and church by how they view and treat children. You beheld Jesus blessed the children who were brought Him by their parents and barred from Him by His disciples. Jesus used children as an illustration of what one must be like to enter His Kingdom. He answered the question I asked earlier. How do you enter God’s Kingdom? The answer is receive Jesus by faith. I charged you also to hinder no one from and bring every to Jesus.

Jesus is tender, loving, and compassionate Great Shepherd who takes babies into His arms and blesses them. He does the same to sinners who come to Him for help and salvation! Come to Him!

May God give you the grace of saving faith in Him. Let’s pray.