Sermon Tone Analysis
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*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.
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Nothing can warm the heart quite like a picture of Jesus surrounded by children.
Just imagine the scene that is described at the beginning and end of this passage.
“/And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them. . . .
And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them/” (vv.
13, 16).
The parents of these children have brought their little ones to Jesus hoping that he would touch them.
The desire for the touch of Jesus was much more than wanting a handshake or “high five” from a celebrity.
Six other times in Mark’s Gospel we read about Jesus touching someone and in every one of those instances his touch was associated with healing (1:41; 3:10; 5:27ff; 6:56; 8:22).
Laying hands on someone signified a blessing conveyed to them (Gen 48:14-18).
The touch of a rabbi was especially significant for that purpose.
So it is not surprising that parents wanted to have Jesus touch their children.
They wanted him to bless them.
But the disciples are trying to control the crowds and these young families are becoming a nuisance.
Jesus has too many other important things to do; too many other important places to be.
Remember that children in first century Judaism were not viewed in the same way we view them today.
While children were important, their value was derived from the expectation that they would continue the family name.
Childhood was only an unfortunate delay in the growth toward adulthood.
Pre-adolescent children were therefore very low on the social scale and were not to be a bother to adults, especially to such an important one as Jesus.
The rebuke of the disciples would have been viewed as appropriate as the rebuke of a Secret Service agent when approaching the President.
But Jesus insists on taking the time not only to touch these children but also to embrace them in his arms.
They are important to him.
While the disciples are quite sure that Jesus ought not waste his time on these kids, Jesus shows them that there is much to learn from these children.
!
MINISTRY TO CHILDREN
Perhaps we are not that much different in our attitude toward children today.
Perhaps our sentimentalism is only a cover-up for our inability to see what Jesus sees in the little ones among us.
Children’s ministry is one of the most underappreciated ministries in the church today.
Just about every church I’ve ever been a part of is continuously in need of more volunteers to serve.
It’s ironic that we think we are following Jesus by bowing out of children’s ministry because we don’t feel “called” to that work.
Maybe we have the mindset of the disciples toward children more than we would care to admit.
!! How children can help you
I must confess that is how I often feel.
I would much rather be up here every Sunday than to have to “miss worship” by ministering to our children.
I have never considered the truth that ministry to children can be just as much an act of worship than what I can do in the sanctuary.
And if I’m honest, I would have to admit that too often I would rather be up here with the adults where I am known than with the kids where I am not much appreciated.
This is precisely why Jesus says that children can help you in your pursuit of greatness in the kingdom of God.
You see, we are naturally bent toward seeking a name for ourselves.
Spending time with little children will not get you very far in that quest.
But Jesus taught us in Mark 9:35-37 that in order to be great in the kingdom of God we must be last of all and servant of all.
We have to take the position of the least among our peers.
The reason is because then we are mercifully led to take our eyes off of ourselves and our own kingdom.
Jesus then took a child into his arms and declared, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me” (Mark 9:37).
Yes, this is a shameless plug for volunteers to work in the children’s ministry at Crosstown.
But we are not trying to guilt you into it.
We are calling you to this work not primarily because /we/ need/ /it but primarily because /you /need it.
You need it so that you can be helped away from the self-centeredness of your depraved heart.
Ministry to children can help you take your eyes off of yourself.
Ministry to them out of sincere love will put your eyes on Jesus.
That’s one reason he encourages us to minister to children.
I remember growing up there was one lady who served every week in the church nursery.
And she had never married and never had any children herself.
Imagine 30 years of changing diapers and wearing the spit-up of hundreds of children that are not your own.
Few of us think that is fun.
Fewer still really believe it is valuable.
But Jesus says it is.
!! Do not hinder them
Ministry to children is not valuable only because of what it can do for you.
There are eternal issues at stake for them.
That’s why when Jesus saw what the disciples were doing, “he was indignant.”
Rarely do we read about such strong emotion coming from Jesus.
In Mark 3:5 we read that he became angry at the Pharisees for their heartlessness toward a man with a withered hand.
But this seems even more intense.
Jesus was not just angry.
He was outraged.
This is the only time this word is used in reference to Jesus.
Why is he so angry?
Isn’t he overreacting?
Can’t he just say, “Hey guys, it’s ok.
We can make time for these kids.
Let them come.”
Instead, you can see the redness in his face as he rebukes the disciples.
The disciples once again thought they were serving Jesus.
They were protecting him from the crowds and these bothersome, probably noisy, children.
But Jesus says they were /hindering /the children from coming to him.
The only other time we find this word in Mark is in Mark 9:38, in a context very similar to this one.
Remember the unknown exorcist?
Thinking they were doing the right thing by forbidding him to cast out demons in Jesus’ name, the disciples were surely surprised when Jesus said, “Do not stop [hinder] him.”
By trying to stop this man from practicing his faith in Jesus the disciples were in danger of causing him to lose what faith he had.
Jesus is furious because the disciples are a threat to the faith of these children.
The physical coming to Jesus was an illustration of the spiritual coming to Jesus.
It would be better for them if a millstone were hung around their neck than that they should be a barrier between these children and the Lord.
Instead of trying to /stop/ them from coming to Jesus, they should have been /facilitating/ the meeting.
This is what we are called to do for children.
Isn’t it sobering to think that we play this kind of role in the lives of little kids?
This is serious business.
And one that every parent should think about deeply.
And every church should think about it deeply, too.
You can tell how serious a church is about following Jesus by seeing how importantly they view their ministry to their children.
I’m not talking about how well we entertain them during church.
I’m talking about how well we disciple them in the church.
At Crosstown we believe the church’s job is to come alongside parents and help them bring their children to Jesus.
This is what children’s ministry at the church is for.
If you have a child in our children’s ministry you take home a worksheet with questions to discuss with your child.
We give out other materials to help you bring your children to Jesus.
I pray you use these resources.
If you don’t, I sure hope you use something else.
Do not hinder the children from coming to Jesus.
But we’ve been asking ourselves about our older kids, the ones who sit in the service with us.
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