Sermon Tone Analysis

*Mark 10:13-16…* Now people were bringing little children to Jesus for him to touch, but the disciples scolded them.

14 So when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

15 I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

16 After he took the children in his arms, he placed his hands on them and blessed them.

*Commentary*

As Jesus traveled towards Jerusalem the crowds of people brought their children to him.

It was customary then for mothers to bring their children to notable rabbis by their first birthday.

Jesus, though hated by some, must have had a demeanor about him that people naturally trusted and loved about him because mothers didn’t bring their children to just anyone.

They wanted Jesus to touch their children, for this was the visible means of symbolically conveying God’s grace on them to bless their present and future lives.

It was a child dedication of sorts.

The disciples, however, weren’t as receptive to children as Jesus.

They would have been the last people a mother would bring her children to for blessing, for they were clearly annoyed at the presence of children – considered to be insignificant in the culture (especially little girls).

Now their annoyance at the children, along with their attempts to keep them from Jesus, angered him in v. 14.

Jesus was said to have been “indignant” with the disciples for their behavior.

Jesus’ indignation seems out of character for him, but he wanted to make it crystal clear that the attitude of the disciples was reprehensible.

If Jesus had been passive about their behavior the crowd might have associated him with the annoyance of the disciples, and he wanted nothing of that.

Jesus clearly loved children, and he didn’t mind blessing them.

But he didn’t just do so simply as a routine ritual.

In the midst of a generation who admired and followed the rich and famous, Jesus used a lowly child to illustrate those who enter God’s Kingdom.

He saw so much in the eyes of the children, and one can’t help but to see him smiling ear to ear as he blessed them.

This entire scene reflects back to the situation in Mark 9:36 where he held a child in his arms and used him as an example of all his “little ones.”

There are at least three reasons why Jesus used children to illustrate those who will enter God’s kingdom.

First, children are humble.

Unlike adults they have no aspirations to greatness.

Second, children lack pride, and this allows them to accept gifts without insisting on paying the giver back(adults tend to insist on paying the giver back).

Third, children have simple faith.

They believe what they’re told.

And those who wish to enter God’s kingdom must be willing to think outside of their logic box as it were.

In v. 15 Jesus warns that those who won’t receive the kingdom as a child won’t enter at all.

Those who recognize how insignificant and small they are, however, /will/ enter the kingdom.

This is what will ultimately prevent the rich man in Mark 10:17-31 from entering, for he refused to part with his riches which made him feel important.

Consequently, he lost the kingdom.

*Food for Thought*

Those who do come to Christ “as little children” are held in his arms and blessed, for he loves them intensely.

God’s love for all people is one of action as evidenced at the cross, but His particular love for His chosen ones, those who come to Him in faith, is especially intense – like that of a mother to her children.

Childlike faith is what distinguishes God’s children from the rest of the world.

We may not understand all that God does or has done, but a true child of God knows that God knows best; that He is sovereign and in control – the same way a child goes to sleep at night knowing that his mom and dad are protecting him.

Christ holds those with that kind of faith close to his heart.

He loves his children – those whose faith overcomes the world.

Introduction:

·    A logical sequence: first marriage~/divorce~/remarriage, then children

·    Moody quote on page 68 of /1,100 Illustrations/

·    Children are impressionable, and you can tell them anything.

It better be Truth!

I)            Exegetical: CHILDLIKE FAITH IS TRUE FAITH (and God loves this; it pleases Him)

A)    *V.

13:* Jesus taught disciples to receive & not hinder children – His “little ones”

1)      NOT teaching akin to BAD teaching

2)      Danger of making church attendance and Bible reading optional

B)    *V.

14:* Jesus’ emotions: was incensed by those who scorned children

1)      His anger was to separate himself from the disciples

2)      1:41 – moved w~/compassion

3)      1:43 – sternly warned the disciples

4)      3:5 – Looked around at them in anger and grieved at their hardness of heart

5)      7:34 – sighed deeply

C)    *V.

15:* God loves childlike (not childish) behavior

1)      They accept their lot; trust others to care for them.

2)      Innocent though not sinless

3)      Open & trustful – simple & dependent – no pretension or hypocrisy.

4)      Where does a child go when hurting? mom and~/or dad

5)      They accept gifts w~/o insisting on paying the giver back

D)    *V.

16:* Jesus holds His children in his arms

1)      They sought a “touch” (bleeding woman); he held AND blessed.

2)      Jesus willing to work in children’s ministry!

3)      Loved the lowly (same thing with the widow in Matt.

12:42)

II)         Theological: GOD LOVES CHILDREN

A)    He’s called “Father”

B)    He adopts all of His children (Eph.

1:5)

C)    Particular love vs. general love (1 Tim.

4:10)

D)    All children going to heaven?

III)      Homiletical: RAISE CHILDREN TO LOVE JESUS, MODELING /THEIR/ FAITH

A)    All parents must rear children “in the discipline & instruction of the Lord” (Eph.

6:4).

1)      Example of Timothy in 2 Tim.

3:5 (and Prov.

22:6)

2)      Deut.

6:4-9

B)    Dedicate your child(ren) to the Lord

C)    Look down on NO one – all are God’s creation

D)    Future reformation hinges on child rearing

E)     Proposal: more missions money for children

 

*Conclusion:*

D.L. Moody: “It is a masterpiece of the devil to make us believe that children cannot understand [Christ].

Would Jesus have made a child the standard of faith if he had known that it was not capable of understanding his words?

It is far easier for children to love and trust than for grown-up persons, and so we should set Christ before them as the supreme object of their choice.”

*Mark 10:13-16*

* *

*Verse 13:* Now people were bringing little children to him for him to touch, but the disciples scolded them.

·         The word for “children” includes ages up to 12 years.

They desired God’s blessing as in a child dedication.

This can be public and~/or private, but it should be done.

·         Some were infants (Luke 18:15) while others were full-grown children.

·         They became annoyed with the presence of children, and they might illustrate how we all treat those we look down on.

Jesus didn’t look down on them however.

·         Particular love vs. general love… But he has a special love for those who come to him in childlike faith.

He holds them, “For Christ is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe” (1 Tim.

4:10).

·         The kingdom of God is essentially something that God gives and man receives.

There is no work to be done on the part of man any more so than a child could attain greatness.

*Verse 14: *So when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

·         Literally, the expression is this: “Let them alone right now! Stop hindering them from coming to me.”