Entrance to the Kingdom Part 1
The Book of Mark
Mark 10:13-16
I.Introduction:
A. There has been a lot of discussion about what it means to be a Christian since Barack Obama took office as president.
1. I think that is a good thing because it gets people talking about the most important issue in their lives.
2. At the same time it is very confusing because it sends mixed messages especially when people start defining salvation in unbiblical ways.
3. He has defined his faith a couple of times tying it with the issue of social justice is this right?
B. If you were to put a cross section of society in a room and ask them what salvation is you would get lots of different answers.
1. People might say:
a) You must be baptized.
b) You must keep the commandments.
c) You have to belong to a certain church.
d) You have to be active in charitable or community projects.
e) Your good must outweigh your bad.
2. All of these are good and noble answers but they don’t define the essence of salvation.
3. When you boil everything down there are really only two religions in the world.
a) Man made – based upon human accomplishment.
b) God provided – based upon God’s accomplishment as revealed in His word the bible.
c) The first one you have to work hard to obtain.
d) The other is a free gift for which we can do nothing.
C. Today we are going to talk about salvation in the context of what it takes to enter into God’s kingdom.
D. First we need to define what we mean by God’s kingdom.
1. The Kingdom of God or of heaven as it is called sometimes has two aspects.
a) A future, literal aspect known as the Millennial Kingdom which will take place after the Lord’s return Rev.20.
(1) This kingdom is primarily Jewish in context.
(2) God’s promised kingdom in which Jesus sits on the throne of David.
b) There is also a present spiritual aspect of the kingdom which exists today.
(1) The subjects of this aspect of the Kingdom are people who have received Christ as their savior.
(2) We enjoy the same blessings in the spiritual realm that those in the future will enjoy.
2. The sovereign in both the spiritual and literal kingdoms is the Lord Jesus. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
3. What Jesus is talking about in the text we are looking at is His Kingdom, His domain.
a) When He talks about entering the Kingdom it is His Kingdom He is talking about.
b) In essence then He is talking about salvation.
c) Receiving Him and becoming one of His subjects.
E. What then does it take to become a subject of the Kingdom of our Lord?
1. A childlike spirit.
2. Complete surrender.
II. A child like spirit vs.13-16.
A. Setting.
1. Jesus had just given a definitive statement on the sanctity of marriage and the family.
2. He was sitting in the house and people brought their young children to Him.
a) Luke used the word for infant Mark and Matt. use the word for small child.
b) The parents wanted Him to bless and pray for them.
(1) This was a popular practice in those days.
(2) Parents would bring their children to the leaders of the Synagogue and they would pronounce a benediction over them and pray for them.
(3) Jesus used this occasion to teach a very important truth.
3. The disciples were quite put out by this intrusion on the teacher.
a) Surely these people knew that He had no time for such things.
b) How quickly they had forgotten Mk.9:36-37.
c) The Lord sometimes does things like this.
(1) Presents a principle and then later gives us a practical example of that principle to see if we learned anything.
(2) The disciples were no different.
d) Their action brought about a very stern rebuke from the Lord vs.14.
(1) He became indignant with them.
(2) The Greek word is a very strong word of deep emotion according to Robertson.
B. Children and the Kingdom of God.
1. Jesus said don’t stop the children from coming to Me because they represent what it means to enter the kingdom.
2. He changes the whole issue from blessing the children to defining what it means to enter His kingdom.
3. In verse 15 He makes an astounding statement.
a) One cannot enter the kingdom of God unless he enters as a little child.
b) How can this be?
(1) Nicodemas asked that same question when Jesus said he must be born again in Jn3.
(2) So what is Jesus getting at here?
c) Children had a special place in the heart of Jesus.
(1) Mk.9:37 He used them as an illustration of servant hood.
(a) If you can’t serve a little child.
(b) You can’t really be a true servant.
(2) He called his disciples children
(a) Jn.13:33. Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you.
(b) Jn.21:5. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”
(3) Here in our passage today He again uses them as an illustration.
4. Is he talking about childlike characteristics?
a) Humility or lack of pride.
(1) This is a characteristic of a child.
(2) They have no concept of pride.
b) Teachableness
(1) Children are like sponges.
(2) They can pick up things and lean very easily.
c) Trusting.
(1) Children are very trusting.
(2) It doesn’t take much to get them on your side.
(3) They look up to their parents and other adults.
d) Dependance.
(1) Children are totally dependent upon others.
(2) Food, Clothing, shelter, protection.
(3) All of these have to be supplied by others and children accept it without question.
5. These would all make very good answers to the statement that Jesus makes but is that what He was referring to?
a) If I were to tell you that in order to become a Christian you had to emulate those characteristics I would be misleading you.
b) Because I would be encouraging you to work toward your entrance into the kingdom.
c) Jesus isn’t saying become teachable, or humble, or trusting, or dependent.
d) You see the culture of that day and in ours too was focused on “doing” things that they thought would result in righteousness.
e) Jesus by making this statement is pulling the legs out from under all of that.
6. If you were to ask a child why he or she loves their parents most likely the answer would be “because he or she is my parent”.
7. Children accept the relationship they have and the benefits they receive without any thought as to what they have to do to get them or deserve them
8. That is how one enters the kingdom of God.
a) By accepting what God has done on our behalf and having nothing to offer on our side.
b) As one commentator put it: This is a picture of how we come to the Father. We know we do not deserve the great gifts he has in store for us, but he loves us and desires to give us good things. Rather than saying, “I won’t take your gift until I can earn it,” we need to receive the gift of Christ’s redemption with joy and thanksgiving. The kingdom belongs to such as these. Therefore, not only are disciples to receive little children (9:36–37); they are to possess childlike qualities themselves.
9. Notice that Jesus says that there is no other method vs.15b
a) By No means
b) This is another strong statement a double negative.
c) Wuest translates this “will positively not enter into it.”
III. Conclusion:
A. So forget everything you may have heard about how to be saved.
B. Here is a clear unambiguous statement as to what it takes to gain eternal life.
C. If the Spirit of God is calling you respond to it with child like trust and obedience.
