Jesus, Children, and The Kingdom of God
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We have just finished studying in the Gospel according to Mark where Jesus warned about the torments of Hell to those who would lead “little ones” to stumble, and then He taught the Pharisees about the sanctity of marriage and the importance of the family, now by divine appointment on the road to Jerusalem, Jesus will teach us about Children and the Kingdom of God.
Text; Mark 10:13-16
13 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
16 And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.
1. Children and Jesus; 13
1. Children and Jesus; 13
Parents were bringing their young children and infants to Jesus that He would touch them. Wow, what a novel idea!
Touch means to bless. The parents had seen the mighty works and heard the powerful words of Jesus and they knew how He loved children and they wanted their child blessed by God, their Creator.
13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
Who wouldn’t want God to bless the children? Disciples
The disciples thought that Jesus was to busy and too important to be bothered with little children, so the rebuked [hindered, hold back] the people, stopping them from bringing the kids to Jesus! Poor Judgment!
The poor judgment and pure ignorance of the disciples is being played out in our society today! It should be the top priority of parents to bring their child to Jesus.
America is one of the most violent countries in the world against its children. Not only do we kill a million and a half pre-born children a year, but 22% of the children in America live in poverty; one out of every four girls under eighteen has probably been sexually abused by someone close to her; possibly as high as 30% of all mental retardation may be owing to fetal alcohol syndrome; one study of 36 hospitals showed that in 10% of the pregnancies mothers used illegal drugs during pregnancy; and 89% of school teachers surveyed report that abuse and neglect of children are a problem in their education. The American home is increasingly an unsafe place for children to be. And there is no better place. The family is God’s will. (Piper, “Receiving Children”)
Akin, D. L. (2014). Exalting jesus in mark. (D. L. Akin, D. Platt, & T. Merida, Eds.) (Mk 10:13–16). Nashville, TN: Holman Reference.
When you as a “Christian” parent keep your child from being involved Sunday School, ministries for kids/youth, but you let them be involved in extra-curricular activities [nothing wrong with them in themselves], and you get them to school and these activities on time, but yet you can’t make it to church, that’s POOR JUDGMENT on your part!
2. Jesus’ Anger; 14
2. Jesus’ Anger; 14
Greatly displeased- anger, indignation, enraged
Jesus had a “righteous anger” towards the disciples and rightly so. Let me give you an illustration of Jesus’ anger.
15 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple.
17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”
James Edwards says, “The object of a person’s indignation reveals a great deal about the person. Jesus’ displeasure here reveals his compassion and defense of the helpless, vulnerable, and powerless.” Jesus compared His love for children with that of prayer in the house of God!
Let them Come/Do not Forbid- We should never hinder any child from coming to Jesus. The sooner they know about Him the better the chances are they will trust Him as Savior!
Whether you want to believe this or not, children are sinners who need to be saved! So we need to get them to Jesus as early as possible.
According to a survey the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE, 2018) found that 63% of individuals become a Christian between the age of 4-14, with the median age being 11. The same survey also found that 34% of individuals become a Christian between the age of 15-29. According to this study, 97% of individuals become a Christian before the age of 30.
In case that didn’t register, that is 97%! That means, if you asked 100 people when they became a Christian, 63 became a Christian between the age of 4-14, 34 between the age of 15-29, and only 3 out of 100 after the age of 30.
Now you know why Jesus was angry!! If we won’t influence their little minds with Jesus now, the world will influence them with evil.
On Oct. 28, 2021, Sarah Leonardi, a school board member from Broward County, Fl. was “so honored” that she got to chaperone Wilton Manor Elementary School children on a field trip to Rosies Bar and Grill to show them the diversity of their community. It’s a gay bar. [FOX News, search Sarah Leonardi]
[Show picture of what Jaden Penonne drew this last week in school]
Children today are being driven away from the things of God and the person of Jesus and we better get as angry as Jesus!
3. The Kingdom of God; 14c-15
3. The Kingdom of God; 14c-15
Kingdom of God- the reign and rule of God over His creation, but more specifically, in those who have come to faith in Him through Jesus Christ. The term ‘Kingdom of God’ only occurs in the NT as identified by Jesus in His public ministry.
Jesus states the “kingdom of God” [salvation by faith] must be accepted as a little child or you can’t enter it!
Children are Trusting- Just as a child trusts his parents to provide for his needs, we must be the same in trusting Jesus in salvation.
Children really don’t have an understanding of how a parent takes care of and provides for them, they just trust that they will. [Checkbook = money]
I don’t completely understand the the mystery of salvation [substitute = Jesus] I just trust it!
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
Children are Submissive- Children aren’t looking for prestige and power but for help. They recognize their dependency upon their parents therefore they submit to their authority.
Warren Wiersbe wrote, “We enter God’s kingdom by faith, like little children: helpless, unable to save ourselves, totally dependent on the mercy and grace of God.”
R. Kent Hughes wrote, “Every single child in the world is absolutely, completely, totally, objectively, subjectively, existentially helpless! And so it is with every child who is born into the Kingdom of God. Children of the Kingdom enter it helpless, ones for whom everything must be done.”
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Children are obedient/learning- Children have a curious desire to learn and grow up. Therefore they listen, watch and learn. They are like sponges soaking up everything they hear or see, whether good or bad. We must be as curious to be obedient and learning, soaking up everything concerning Christ, just as a child does learning from his parents/others.
9 “Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts?
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”
Children have short memories- they haven’t learned to bear grudges or harbor bitterness like adults do. They can fight with friends in the morning and be playing with them in the afternoon.
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
“We tell children to behave like adults, but Jesus tells the adults to model themselves after the children” (Wiersbe, Be Diligent, 99)
4. Jesus Blessed the Children; 16
4. Jesus Blessed the Children; 16
Jesus blessed these children with His love, care, maybe even a spoken word over them for future service in the kingdom. Jesus put a high value on the lives of these little ones!
I have this picture of parents standing in line bringing their kids to get a picture with Santa Claus. And what usually happens with that situation is that the kids are screaming and crying because of this old fat man in a red suit with a beard is asking them what they want for Christmas!
Here Jesus is loving on these children and we don’t see kicking, crying and screaming, but calm , peace and blessings! How do I know this?
14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.
15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant
16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”
Kids know when their being told a lie or dealing with a fake and they don’t like it. But when they are introduced to the One who loves them and tells them the truth, they are just fine because they are comforted in Him!
Jesus loves me this I know, For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong, They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
The Bible tells me so.
(Anna B. Warner and William B. Bradbury, “Jesus Loves Me,” 1862)
Close;
There is no greater blessing than for a child to be saved and for them to live their whole lives for Jesus. But for that to happen, it is our responsibility as parents, grandparents, pastors, teachers and workers or friends to lead them to the Lord so He can save them!
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.”