Go to:
Home Page
Worship
Nurture
Outreach
Colombia Project,
Sermons
Calendar
Committees
Links
Photo Albums,
What's New?
Questions/Comments
Last updated on
Aug. 6, 2005
Let the Children Come
Delivered June 5, 2005
by Pastor Werner De Jong
Text: Mark 10:13-16
Main Idea: Jesus loves and values children, and holds them up as an example for how to receive the kingdom of God. Jesus teaches that personal value is not based on greatness or achievements, but simply on one's identity as a person loved by God.
Purpose: To challenge the listeners to recognize the value in everyone, especially small children, even as Jesus did; to challenge the listeners to learn from the example of children. To encourage the listeners that this incident reveals the loving character of Jesus.
Introduction: One of the most memorable aspects of our delegation's visit to Colombia was the day we spent visiting six daycare facilities in the very poor southern section of Bogota, where the city is rapidly expanding up into the mountains. Each of these daycare facilities were very modest, especially the first one we visited. It consisted of one small room with a mud floor, a small table, and a few small chairs. It was located high up on the mountainside, where the wind was howling fiercely, as it often does, and we were cold. The daycare room was also cold, and you could feel the chilled air moving through it. It was surrounded by ramshackle buildings, in most directions almost as far as the eye could see. Thirteen or fourteen small children spend their days there. Many of them had runny noses on the day we visited. But as the daycare worker told us, most of the children look forward to coming, because the circumstances are better than in their homes, where they have little or no food, face even more crowded conditions, and are sometimes abused.
In a city of 8 or 9 million, these impoverished children are all but forgotten, living in slum-like conditions far from the eyes of the world. Many people would consider them insignificant, with no future and no chance to make something of their lives, and with nothing meaningful to contribute to the well-being of society. Why pay any attention to them, when there are more important matters to attend? Why invest your time in poor, runny-nosed children whose incessant demands are nothing but a nuisance and who can offer you nothing in return for your labour? But our sister church doesn't see the matter in this way. The church has assigned teachers to assist in these daycares, teachers who work for nothing in order to teach the children how to read and write, teachers who share Bible stories of God's love with the children, teachers who pay for school materials out of their own pockets. Why do they do it? They do it out of love for the children, and out of love for Jesus.
Today's Text: They are well aware of the teaching of Jesus in today's text: "Let the little children come to me." Others may think that small children are insignificant, but these teachers know better. If children matter to Jesus, they matter. Period. They are therefore doing everything they can to love these children with the love of Christ, who never treated children as if they were insignificant. But as we read in Mark's gospel, his disciples did.
Today we are going to have a child dedication, and the account in Mark is a wonderful story for us to think about. The story begins when a group of people, probably parents, bring their young children to Jesus in order for him to bless them. This was not unusual. Many Jewish parents wanted their children to be blessed by a great and distinguished rabbi, and the mothers especially would bring their children to such a person, often on their first birthday. On this occasion Jesus was approached in such a way, but his disciples rebuked those who brought the children. We don't know exactly what they said, but it was surely something like this: "Go away. Take your children with you. Can't you see we have more important things to do?" But when Jesus heard them, he became indignant, saying, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." And then he scooped the children up into his arms, put his hands on them, and blessed them.
Character of Jesus: This is one of the most memorable stories in the New Testament, and it gives us a fuller picture of Jesus. The great leaders of the world have many priorities, and many important things which occupy their time, but in their busyness how many give consideration to the youngest and most vulnerable members of society? Even among those who are not leaders, how many sometimes dismiss children as insignificant or unimportant? The busier we are the easier we may brush children aside with an attitude that says, "I have pressing matters to attend to, matters which need urgent attention." This makes Jesus' response to the children all the more outstanding, especially if we realize that this interruption came as he was making his way to Jerusalem to do his most important work–to offer up his life on the cross. His mind was surely occupied with many thoughts, but they could wait. The children had come to see him, and he was going to make sure they received his undivided attention. Mark evokes a beautiful visual image when he records how Jesus embraced the children in his arms and blessed them.
This says a lot about Jesus. It sounds a very warm, human note which says that Jesus is the kind of person who liked children, and whom children liked. This story is so popular because it provides us with this tender picture of God. It tells us that Jesus was not a stern, foreboding figure who never smiled. Rather, it is easy to imagine that he had a quick and an easy laugh, and a joyful spirit. For those are the characteristics of people who love children, and whom children love.
But above all Jesus' response says something about his humility. He didn't consider himself above the young, the weak and the vulnerable. He didn't consider himself too important to spend time with those who could do nothing to elevate his status in the eyes of others. Rather, as the Son of God, as the Almighty Son through whom all things were created, Jesus came to serve others. Especially those whom others considered insignificant or irrelevant. And is so doing Jesus was teaching his disciples, which includes all of us who seek to follow him today, about the values of God's kingdom. In God's kingdom, value is not placed on greatness as defined in human terms. Rather, it is placed on service, humility, welcoming the weak, and protecting the vulnerable.
The Disciples' Reaction: Jesus had been teaching these truths to his disciples, but it is obvious from their rebuke of the parents that they missed the point completely. They were still captured by the values of their society which considered children to be unimportant. They adopted the attitude that children are more or less a nuisance until such a time when they can potentially give something back to society. They undoubtedly believed children had potential value, but until that value was realized, why pay any attention to them? The daycare teachers in Bogota have the answer–because children matter to God. God does not value people based on their importance or their achievements. God values people because God is love, and God loves all people, and all people are made in God's image. There is therefore no hierarchy of importance in the kingdom of God. Or if there is one, it is the exact opposite of society's standard hierarchy. For later on in our chapter Jesus taught his disciples that "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mk. 10:43-45).
This is a hard lesson for us to learn. A society which does not know God, and which is in rebellion against God, teaches us that there is a hierarchy of importance among people. We easily internalize the belief that if we want to get ahead we need to spend time with the right people. We need to develop the right contacts and network with those who can best help to advance our cause. But how can children help us climb up the social ladder? Or how can the poor and the weak and the vulnerable help increase our status? They usually can't. But Jesus teaches that we are not to concern ourselves with climbing up the ladder. Rather, we are to climb down the ladder. We are not to be concerned about our status in the eyes of others; rather, we are called to serve others. All that ultimately matters is what God thinks of us, and if we want to be great in God's eyes, then we must adopt the values of God's kingdom, and become servants, especially to the least of these, like children.
George Macdonald, the great Christian author who inspired the likes of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, once wrote a very interesting line about our attitude toward children when he said that he didn't believe in a person's Christianity if children were never to be found playing around that person's door. He didn't think much of a person's profession of faith if children didn't find that person warm and approachable. Why? Because the followers of Jesus are to grow into the character of their Lord. And Jesus loved the children and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Jesus clearly teaches that children belong in the family of faith, and the family of faith is to welcome them warmly.
Bringing Children to Jesus: Jesus makes it very clear that children should never be discouraged or turned away from coming to him. Even more than that, the Bible teaches that we have a special responsibility to bring our children to Jesus. Just like the parents did in today's story, we are to take the initiative in this. Christian parents today have no greater responsibility than to bring their children to Jesus. We can no longer do it physically, of course, because Jesus ascended to his Father's side in heaven. But we are called to do so spiritually, to seek Christ in prayer and to ask him to bless our children. And we are also called to teach our children about Jesus, to do everything we can to prepare them to receive him. As the book of Deuteronomy instructs, we are to impress the commandments of God upon our children. We are to teach our children the truths about God when we sit at home and when we walk along the road, when we lie down and when we get up (Deut. 6:7).
Leading children to Jesus isn't only the role of parents. It is the role of the entire congregation. We are all to do our best to make children feel welcome in our midst, to love them and instruct them, to pray for them, and even simply to learn their names. As members of one body we all have a responsibility to care for another. In this regard let me speak a word of encouragement: as your pastor I believe this congregation is doing an excellent job in making our children feel special and welcome. You don't need any exhortation in this regard, simply encouragement to keep up the good work. For example, I was so happy to see the church's willingness to send and to help fund a youth representative as part of our delegation to Colombia. It sends the message that we value our young people, and that we are willing to invest in them. And Allie was an excellent youth representative from our church. She was a great ambassador on your behalf, and I know that like the rest of us she learned so much from this trip.
Learning from the Example of Children: If we return to our text, we see that Jesus doesn't only teach us to bring our children to him. He takes the teaching a step further, and holds children up as an example for adults to follow! "I tell you the truth," he said, "anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it" (v. 15). With these words Jesus both validates the faith of children and asks us to learn from them. According to Jesus children are examples for us of how to receive the kingdom of God. Can you think of a more important object lesson than that? If we want to receive the kingdom of God, which is the greatest value there is, then we must receive it like little children do. In this regard we must all learn from the children in our midst. We must look at them and learn what characteristics they have that so move the heart of God. Jesus invites us to ask ourselves this question: "What is it about children that makes them great examples for how to receive the kingdom?
How would you answer that? In what ways are children different from adults, different in a way that makes them, and not us, models for receiving the kingdom? What character traits of children does Jesus want us to learn from? In typical fashion Jesus leaves his disciples to ponder that question. He doesn't directly answer it, but simply throws it out there for our contemplation.
There are several things Jesus could have had in mind, and perhaps he had them all in mind. For starters, children can teach us a lot about how to receive gifts. As adults we are not nearly as good at receiving. When we are given a gift we often start to do some mental calculations saying to ourselves: "This gift is so expensive, how can I repay it?" or "now I have to remember that it is my turn to give the next gift" or "oh no! I forgot to give this person a gift, and they gave me one. How embarrassing!" Our delegation to Colombia struggled with the question of how to receive. We were given so much, and we brought very few gifts with us, as our delegation planners had instructed us. We soon began to say to one another, "We feel bad. We brought so little, if only we had brought more." That is a typical adult response. We forget that most people who give are giving simply because they want to bring us joy. Good givers don't give looking for something in return. If we are not good receivers, we rob the giver of joy. To our delegation's credit we received all the gifts presented us with thanksgiving, but it was hard. But children don't usually respond like that, do they? Have you ever given a child a gift and had them reply seriously to you, "Oh no, you shouldn't have?" No, most often their eyes light up and they simply say, "Thanks! Thanks so much!" And then off they go to enjoy their gift. The kingdom of God is like that. In response to the greatest of all gifts, the gift of Jesus which is the gift of the Kingdom, God simply wants us to say, "Thanks, thanks so much!" We don't have to earn God's gift of life in Christ, it is a gift that never be earned or repaid. It is a gift given out of love, a gift intended for our joy, for our eternal well-being, a gift which we can only receive with wide open arms like children, saying, "Thanks, thanks so much."
Secondly, little children are absolutely dependent on the caregivers in their lives. They cannot support themselves, but they expect and receive support from their parents. With simple trust they look to the adults in their lives to take care of their needs. Jesus calls us to the same childlike faith. On one occasion he said to the disciples, "Do not worry saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For...your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:31-33). Like little children we can fully trust our heavenly Father. If we acknowledge our dependence on God, and look to God to sustain us in all things, God will do just that.
And finally, little children teach us to approach God just as we are, with a spirit of expectation, and with the anticipation of a warm welcome. If you have ever observed young children, you know that they are eager to be taken up into the arms of others and hugged and embraced. For example, on the evening of our pizza party I saw Chloe running around to the older girls with a huge, joyful smile on her face, and her arms stretched out as far as they could go, expecting to receive a warm embrace from each one, and also eager to give a hug in return. And it worked. All of the girls were more than happy to receive her. God is like that. And God wants us to be like little children, who come to him without reservation, as we are, in the faith that we will always receive a warm welcome. Just like the prodigal son learned in the parable Jesus told. And just as Jesus said: "Whoever comes to me I will in no way turn aside."
Conclusion: In conclusion, therefore, since we have such a great, loving God, let us do all we can to lead our children to Jesus. And as we seek to do so let us also humble ourselves and be willing to learn from the children what it means to receive God's good gifts, what it means to depend on God with childlike faith, and what it means to approach God in eager anticipation of a warm welcome. For as we humble ourselves, whether by serving others or by learning from others, we show ourselves to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.