Mark 10:13And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
The disciples did something that seems rather insignificant. There were lots of adults around, and in comes some children. They displayed the usual human nature when adults are talking and kids come in. They tried to hush them. Jesus was very displeased. I want you to seriously consider the absolute necessity shown here for entering into heaven. We must become a little child. God became one through Jesus Christ. We have a Savior who knows life from our perspective. If Jesus could become a child, so can we.
As we grow up we change. Time, life, and circumstances change us. We’re different now than we were just 20 years ago. Jesus let the disciples know children are important and had access to him. While we gain a lot in becoming adults, we lose a lot too. Those things are what we need in regards to the kingdom of God. The disciples rebuked the parents and children. This display was not what Jesus wanted. He rebuked their “adult-ness” and told them to clear the way for the children. He will clear the way for us too. He’ll make a path for us to get to him. No devil can stand in the way. Jesus didn’t give this as an option. It was a stern rebuke that said don’t you dare turn them away. Anybody can come to the Lord. God forbid that we ever get in another person’s way of coming to the Lord.
The whole event of Christmas is simple. The Lord didn’t come to earth in complex grandeur. He came in simple and natural ways that the simple minded could understand. Christmas is about a baby being born of a virgin, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. Angels went to give shepherds the news with a simple message that a Savior had been born. The directions on how to find him were clear, and when the shepherds searched for the baby, they found him just as the angels said. The wise men marveled at the simplicity of God working salvation through giving us his Son as a baby. Paul cautioned the Corinthians about adding to, taking away, and/or changing the things about salvation. Paul’s prayer was that they not be removed from the simplicity of the gospel.
Being a Christian is about being a child of God. The complexity of it belongs to God as the Father. Just like our natural fathers, He provides the needs of his children. Our parents provided for us; childhood was simple. We have good childhood memories because our parents bore the hardships. We didn’t realize it when they sacrificed for us. Jesus has done the same for us. Don’t try to be the grown up for God. Be his child. Jesus became a child and did what needed to be done to provide for us a household. A place is reserved around the table of God for us. Let’s not get too big for our britches and try to tell the Lord what to do. Let him have his place at the table and take our place as his children.
What people like most about us are our child-like qualities. We won’t be remembered for our intelligence, but our good nature, our laughter, our smile, and being easy going like a child will be remembered. If we want friends, the Bible tells us we must be friendly.
Jesus said whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. That scares me. Brains won’t get us to heaven. Achievements and ideas aren’t worth a hill of beans. Innocence and trust in the Lord, being obedient to the Father in faithfulness and humility—child-like trust is what it takes.
A child does what his parent says. He learns from his parents. Let’s be thankful for what we learned from our parents. Be doubly thankful for what we learn from God. Let’s be completely dependent on him as we were our parents. God doesn’t really need us, but we need him.
Verse 16 is a very tender verse. Jesus took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Right there is where we should seek to be—on God’s knee with his hand upon us in blessing. The only way we can have his precious hands bless us is to be in his will as a little child.
How childish are you? Strive to be all you can be for the Lord. Be the child he wants you to be.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 