Mark 10:13-16: Jesus and the Children

INTRODUCTION

And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. 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. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.”

This story brings back memories, doesn’t it?

Do you remember when your Sunday school teacher told you this story? You were sitting on little chairs in a circle. The teacher was holding up a picture of Jesus with the children. Or maybe the picture was on your Sunday school paper or one of the little colored cards they used to give out at Sunday school.

You see Jesus with his arms around the children, talking with them gently, loving them—and they are loving him. One is sitting on his lap. The children are happy. Their parents are standing around smiling. The disciples are in the background scowling.

I can imagine the little ones taking turns getting up into Jesus lap for their turn to be blessed.

I have wondered about the future lives of these little boys and girls who got to sit in Jesus’s lap and feel his hands upon their heads and hear the words of blessing from the Savior’s own lips.

Some of the older ones never forgot the experience. It changed their lives. That is what their mothers or fathers—or whoever brought them—intended.

Do you remember when you learned that verse: “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven”?

And your teacher explained that “Suffer the little children…” was just an old fashioned way of saying, “Let the little children come to me.”

And then you sang “Jesus loves me, this I know…” or “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.”

I. Let’s talk about this story and consider what was going on that day.

A. The first thing that strikes us is that Jesus’s disciples tried to shoo the children away.

Children weren’t valued in the ancient world as they are to us.

History books tell us that in the Greek and Roman world, children were considered non-persons. Unwanted children were often abandoned to die. Because so many children died in infancy or in the first few years, people avoided emotional attachment to their children. To love children too much was considered a sign of weakness.

The Jews had more respect for children. The Bible instructed them to teach their children and discipline them. But even the Jews didn’t have the sentimental idea we do of children’s sweetness and innocence.

Jesus’s disciples tried to shoo the children away because they were trying to protect Jesus from an embarrassing situation. They knew how busy Jesus was and how important his work was, and they just knew that he didn’t have time to waste with little children. That’s why they rebuked those who were bringing their children to him.

B. But Jesus had a different opinion. Children were important to him.

He was pleased that the mothers and fathers and grandparents—and whoever else might be bringing their children to him—wanted him to bless them.

Jesus was, we read, “indignant.” He was upset. He realized that his disciples had missed the point.

Children are not less important to Jesus than adults. Rather, children are especially important to Jesus. “And Jesus took them into his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.”

Maybe Jesus was especially busy that day, but he used this interruption to teach all who would trust in him that children were especially precious to Jesus.

It was a lesson the Christian community never forgot. Christians valued children. They were treasures. They were especially beloved of God.

That is why godly parents are so careful to teach their children that God loves them and to set an example that they can follow.

The story is told of St. Francis that one day he was especially busy. He told his companions that he was not to be, in any way, disturbed. If anyone should come to see him, they must be told to come back another time. And then, he paused and reflected a moment and added, “…still, if a little child should come, bring it to me.”

II. But there’s another, more important lesson than simply that Jesus especially loves children and we should too.

A. Jesus saw in this interruption a “teachable moment.”

Jesus says, “Let the children come to me…for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”

Many have commented on that statement and tried to explain what it means.

Some say that the kingdom of God belongs to people who are humble and innocent like little children. They romanticize children because they are so cute and loveable—at least, at their best, children are cute and loveable.

We have a new great granddaughter—our first great grandchild. Little Lydia is only four months old. She is adorable. I have never seen such a sweet child. She is friendly and affectionate and cheerful. We project upon her all the virtues of perfect childhood.

But Jesus wasn’t saying that the Kingdom belongs to childlike people because they are so innocent and good and sweet.

I’ve taught public school; I’ve taught Sunday school; and we’ve had children of our own—and I know that children can be selfish and rude and disobedient and quarrelsome and cruel.

I remember how we teachers would sit in the break room eating our lunches, and when the time came to go back to the classroom, someone would say, “Well, it’s time to go back to face the little monsters.”

Children can be adorable. They can also be dreadful.

Jesus isn’t idealizing children. He’s pointing to a childlike quality in children that they typically lose as they grow up.

Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

The quality that children have that we need to recover in order to come to Jesus is their weakness and dependence. Children know how weak and dependent they are on the kindness of their parents.

Children have no choice but to trust the grown ups for about everything in their lives—to keep them clean, to feed them, to tie their shoes, to keep them from danger, to care for them when they’re sick.

Like children, we need to know how weak we are and how much we depend on the kindness of our heavenly Father.

We enter the Kingdom of God like a little child when we realize that we don’t have to deserve God’s love, but that he loves us anyway.

We enter the Kingdom of God when we realize that we need God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

B. When we grew up, we lost some of those childlike qualities. We didn’t need our parents so much.

Maybe we thought we didn’t need God.

We were strong and knew stuff. We got jobs and earned money. We were happy and content as we made our way in the world. Maybe we thought God was lucky to have such fine persons as we were in his family!

But the time has come when we know again that we are weak and helpless and dependent. We are like God’s little children, weak and needing his help every step of the way.

Jesus loves me, this I know,

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to him belong.

They are weak, but he is strong.

Think of yourself as Jesus’s little child. Imagine yourself crawling up into his lap and letting him put his arms around you. Let him love you. Let him wipe away your tears. Let him tell you that all will be well.

I remember the bedtime prayer my parents taught me. Every night my mother came in and we knelt beside the bed, and I said this prayer. It’s a good prayer:

Jesus, tender shepherd, hear me

bless thy little lamb tonight.

Through the darkness be thou near me.

Keep me safe till morning light.

All this day thy hand hath led me

And I thank thee for thy care.

Thou has warmed me, clothed me, fed me.

Listen to my evening prayer.

Let my sins be all forgiven.

Bless the friends I love so well.

Take me, when I die, to heaven,

Happy there with thee to dwell. Amen.”

CONCLUSION

 Here is a third application of this story.

Like the grown ups in the story who brought their children to Jesus, we can bring our little ones to him.

When we share our faith with our children and grandchildren, we are doing what we can to bring them to Jesus.

When our grandchildren or great grandchildren visit us, we can let them know that Jesus loves them.

We can bring our children to Jesus in our prayers.

I hope you pray for your children and grandchildren and great grandchildren every day. Or if you don’t have children, pray for your nieces and nephews or children of your friends. That is your way of bringing them to Jesus.