Introduction

How fitting that a story about children comes right after Jesus’ teaching about marriage.

Unlike many today, the Jews looked on children as a blessing and not a burden. They were viewed as a rich treasure from God.

It was far more disturbing then than it is now for a couple to be unable to have children.

In the Old Testament, we see Rachel who was barren crying out to her husband, “Give me children or I’ll die.” We see Hannah praying in the temple for a child.

However, outside of Israel, the rest of the world did not value children. Many times, girls were killed at birth because they had no value to their parents.

Herod slaughtered all baby boys in Bethlehem at the time of Christ’s birth.

B.B. Warfield said “Childhood owed as much to the Gospel of Christ as womanhood.” Just as the previous text gave dignity to women, this one gives dignity to children.

Persistent Parents

“And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them.” Mark 10:13

It was a custom of that time for mothers to have their children touched and blessed by a rabbi after their first birthday. It was a tradition. The proud parents would bring their baby to the rabbi, the rabbi would take the child in his arms, look to heaven, and pray a blessing on the child.

In Genesis 48, Joseph brought his two sons to Jacob to be blessed by him. He put his hands on them and blessed them.

We can imagine anxious moms with squirming and squealing kids are no doubt pushing for a place in line for Jesus to bless their children.

As we see this, we think of how it is of upmost importance that parents introduce their children to Jesus at a very young age. We should be diligent at teaching them the Gospel, having them in church, and around other believers.

Disgusted Disciples

“..and the disciples rebuked them.” verse 13.

While the parents are waiting in line, they are told to go back home. The disciples are running them off.

The disciples probably thought they were doing Jesus a favor by helping him get to his next speaking engagement.

They didn’t consider the children to be important. And they had missed the heart of their Master even though they have been with him for two years now hearing him teach and watching his interactions with people.

How easy it is for us to be around the things of God and miss His heart! How easy it is to get caught up in rules and regulations and not consider the heart of the matter. How easy it is for us to be busy in service for Christ and not having our hearts captured by Christ!

Angry Jesus

“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 10:14

Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Mark 10:15

This angered Jesus. He was indignant. You can tell alot about a person by what makes them angry. Sometimes anger reveals the good in a person but often it reveals something bad. With Jesus, it could only be good. What his anger reveals teaches us about His heart for children and about His kingdom.

Jesus loves children. Many of his miracles involved children. The healing of the nobleman’s son in John 4, the demon possessed child in Mark 9, Jairus’ daughter in Mark 5.

It only makes sense that those who follow Jesus will also love children.

Jesus was angry that the disciples were so slow to figure out his heart. Hadn’t he just said in Mark 9:37 that “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me?”

Jesus not only comes to the defense of the children, He says the only way to the Kingdom of God is to come as a little child.

If there was a text confirming that children can be saved, I think this is it. I was saved as a child - six years old. Sometimes, children are manipulated into a decision that is not their own, but it is not always manipulation. Sometimes, it is genuine.

A Gallup survey conducted by the Southern Baptist Convention once showed that 19 out of 20 people became Christians before the age of 25.

Mark—Jesus, Servant and Savior Our Lord’s Elevation of Children (v. 14)

Charles Spurgeon, soul-winner par excellence, said: “I will say broadly that I have more confidence in the spiritual life of the children that I have received into this church than I have in the spiritual condition of the adults thus received. I will go even further than that, and say that I have usually found a clearer knowledge of the gospel and a warmer love to Christ in the child-converts than in the man-converts. I will even astonish you still more by saying that I have sometimes met with a deeper spiritual experience in children of ten and twelve than I have in certain persons of fifty and sixty

D. L. Moody once returned from a meeting and reported two and a half conversions. “Two adults and a child, I suppose?” asked his host. “No,” said Moody, “two children and an adult. The children gave their whole lives. The adult had only half of his left to give.”

Children are trusting, often to a fault. They will believe what you say to them. They don’t mind being dependent on someone.

This is the way we must come to Christ - trusting Him by faith and depending on Him alone, and not ourselves. Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling; Naked, come to Thee for dress: Helpless, look to Thee for grace. Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.

Have you come to Christ like this? In total dependence? Knowing you have nothing to add? Have you trusted in Christ alone for salvation?

In a similar statement in Matthew 18:3, 4, Jesus 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.”

It is often a lack of humility, pride and self sufficiency, that keeps people from being saved.

Can you imagine offering a child a gift and the child declining and saying he has done nothing to earn it? No!

And neither should we as adults say that to Christ when He is offering us the gift of His Son, the gift of forgiveness, the gift of adoption, and the gift of Heaven!

We often tell children to behave like adults, but here Jesus tells the adults to model themselves after the children.

I believe Jesus still gets angry when we hinder children from coming to Him.

Loving Jesus

Jesus takes the children in his arms and blesses them fervently.

This is a picture of us when we get saved. All who come to Jesus for salvation, He will never cast out.

Do you want to be held in Christ’s arms? You can by simple trust in the Gospel. You will be adopted into God’s family and call God Abba Father as we read in Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6.

No one will ever be saved and enter the kingdom of God who doesn’t come with a helpless dependence and humility.