ESSENTIAL KING JESUS: Childlike Faith
MARK 10:13-16
#kingjesus
USE AUDIO BIBLE: Mark Chapter 10:1-52 [6:51]
https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/Mark.10
INTRODUCTION… Gospel of Mark Review
The word ‘essential’ means ‘of the utmost importance.’ ‘Essential’ means ‘basic,’ ‘indispensable,’ and ‘necessary.’ We might say that air, food, and water are essential for life. Exercise and good nutrition are essential for good health. Gas is essential for a vehicle to continue working.
Today we are continuing our sermon series on the Gospel of Mark that I’ve themed ‘Essential King Jesus.’ We have been at it 10 weeks now… because we are in chapter 10… where each week we have looked at one passage in a chapter. First week, chapter 1. Second week, chapter 2. And so on.
My prayer has been and continues to be that as we make our way through the Gospel of Mark, that we will encounter the Essential King Jesus and bolster our faith or perhaps find it for the first time. And… each week I want to share with one essential truth that is important for us to believe and then also communicate to others about Jesus. We are focusing on the Essential King Jesus.
What have we found so far?
Mark 1: You cannot be part of the Kingdom of God without Jesus.
Mark 2: Jesus has all authority and all power to forgive sins.
Mark 3: Jesus came to do the will of God.
Mark 4: Jesus casts out fear.
Mark 5: Jesus breaks our chains.
Mark 6: Jesus can be rejected.
Mark 7: Jesus distastes hypocrisy.
Mark 8: Jesus is the Christ.
Mark 9: Jesus only.
CHAPTER 10
We now come to Mark 10 (out of 16 chapters). Mark 10 begins with a teaching about divorce that we are scared to talk about and scared to apply to ourselves because it does really mean what you think it means (verses 1-12) and it really does apply the way you think it applies. A rich young man comes to Jesus and questions Him about following Him and goes away sad “for he had great possessions” (10:22). Jesus then teaches about wealth and faith on the heels of this man walking away (verses 23-31). Jesus tells the disciples again that He will die and that His suffering and death is part of the plan (verses 32-34). Jesus also heals Bartimaeus outside of Jericho (verses 46-52).
In the middle of this passage, we have four verses (13-16) where Jesus interacts with some children and leads us to our Essential King Jesus thought for today.
READ MARK 10:13-16
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.
ESSENTIAL KING JESUS
Jesus is in a crowd and the disciples are shewing away the kids. Jesus is annoyed and angry with the disciples and chastises them and allows the kids to come around and He blesses them. This leads us to the Essential King Jesus for this passage: Jesus wants child-like faith in the Kingdom of God.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHILD-ISH AND CHILD-LIKE (merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/the-difference-between-childish-and-childlike)
As I was thinking about the words presented in Mark 10 and the way we usually think about this passage, the words child-ISH and child-LIKE sprang to mind. In my own mind the words child-LIKE and child-ISH are the same word, but childlike is positive and childish seems negative… especially when we eventually relate the words to faith. Childish and childlike are similar words, but have very different meanings.
Child-ISH means grouchiness, immaturity, being obnoxious, selfish, and peeing outside. Childish is the older term in English from before the 12th century. The original meaning of the word meant “of a child or typical of a child,” but soon a second more negative meaning came about. In the 1400s, “childish” became used to refer to the qualities of a child in a person who is no longer a child—and therefore should know better. The word became negative. These were seen as unpleasant qualities. For example: “another childish rant” or describing someone having “selfish and childish behavior.”
Child-LIKE means trust, joy, innocence, imagination, curiosity, wonder, forgiveness, and so on. Childlike entered the English language much later, in the mid-1500s. It, by contrast, usually means some positive quality such as innocence and trustfulness. For example: “a childlike delight in music” or “a sense of childlike wonder.”
Hopefully you can see the difference between the words and as we interpret what Jesus says in Mark 10:14-15 we are looking towards child-LIKE faith and not child-ISH faith. They are quite different and they are actually also both quite prevalent in the Church.
ILLUSTRATION… fulleryouthinstitute.org/blog/childish-faith-v-childlike-faith [adapted]
Childish faith says, “Good Christians don’t have pain and disappointments”.
Childlike faith realizes, “God uses our pain and disappointment to make us more like Him.”
Childish faith says, “God helps those who help themselves.”
Childlike faith admits, “God helps those who admit their own helplessness.”
Childish faith believes, “God always answers prayer.”
Childlike faith realizes, “Sometimes God answers with ‘No’ or ‘Wait’.”
Childish faith believes, “The closer we get to God, the more perfect we become.”
Childlike faith understands, “The closer we get to God, the more aware we become of our own sinfulness.”
Childish faith thinks, “Good Christians are always strong.”
Childlike faith grasps that “Our strength is found in admitting our weakness.”
Childish faith says, “I come to church to be fed, to worship the way I like, and to be encouraged.”
Childlike faith says, “Church isn’t about me, but about worshipping God.”
Childish faith believes, “I will learn all I need to about Jesus in Church.”
Childlike faith knows, “Faith in Jesus is a relationship I will invest in daily.”
Childish faith comments, “I’ve done my part now it’s time for someone else to serve.”
Childlike faith understands, “I’m done serving when God calls me home.”
Childish faith rants, “I won’t come to church if I have to wear a mask.”
Childlike faith quotes, “Look not only to our own interests, but to the interests of others.”
Childish faith complains, “I won’t come to Church if the service is in the gym.”
Childlike faith believes, “Wherever two or three are gathered in My Name.” [yeah I said it]
Childish faith acts, “That person offended me so I’m done with them.”
Childlike faith acts, “I will calm down and seek to make things right.”
Childish faith overall is faith that remains immature and self-centered.
Childlike faith overall is faith that grows, matures, and is God-centered and others-centered.
RE-READ MARK 10:14-15
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.”
ESSENTIAL KING JESUS: Jesus wants child-like faith in the Kingdom of God.
CHILD-LIKE CORE
I was doing some reading and meditating on what ‘childlike faith’ looks like and what the characteristics are for such faith. Jesus is pretty clear in verse 14. The Kingdom of God belongs to someone who has childlike faith. Jesus is pretty clear in verse 15. If we desire to enter into the Kingdom of God, we should receive Jesus with childlike faith.
So… what does that look like? How might we describe childlike faith?
I think there are 12 characteristics of what childlike faith looks like. These are ways that being a child are good and advantageous and that I can imaging relate well to the kind of faith Jesus is speaking about. I don’t think there is a way to rank what I came up with, so I listed them in alphabetical order. Again, this is me thinking about kids and faith and coming up with something that makes sense for us to consider.
This is the childlike faith core:
Ask open honest questions
Dream big dreams
Eager to learn new things
Expect miracles
Express honestly
Forgive easily and don’t hold grudges
Full of love for others
Imaginative and Creative
Innocent and Pure
Laugh often and full of joy
They aren’t full of doubt
Worry free and carefree
[repeat because this is important]
CHILDLIKE FAITH IN THE BIBLE
I honestly sat and sat and sat and prayed and thought about how to expand on this idea. I looked over my list and I think it is a fantastic list. If you want to know what I think childlike faith is… that is the perfect list! The qualities of childlike faith are there, but I made up that list. Me. That comes from me. Honestly, we are not here to hear what Troy thinks. We are here to listen to the Word of God and to soak into our hearts what HE has to say. It is only the Word of God that should direct us for it comes from our Father in Heaven Who loves us.
So… the question occurred to me… what does the rest of the Bible say about childlike faith? That’s where we need to spend our time! That’s what we need to pay attention to! What is expressed in other Scriptures? Who cares what I think ‘childlike faith looks like’… what does God think childlike faith looks like?! How does Jesus define childlike faith? What is the Holy Spirit doing in us when He is developing childlike faith? Let’s look at God’s Word. I don’t think these passages are in any particular order, but they do move our hearts towards what it means to have faith like a child… childlike faith… not childish faith.
CHILDLIKE FAITH IS GROWING
READ 1 PETER 2:1-3 (ESV)
“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
Childlike faith is growing. It makes sense from the Scriptures that childlike faith is faith that grows, puts away child-ish sinful attitudes, and craves to understand the Bible and theology. We should want to know what and why we believe what we do. Childlike faith seeks God and wants to be in a relationship with Jesus Christ and desperately wants to grow in the fruit of the Spirit.
* Are you growing in your faith?
* Are you better today with Jesus than you were last year at this time?
* Do you crave God’s Word?
A related verse on this same topic comes to us from the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:11.
READ 1 CORINTHIANS 13:11 (ESV)
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
Childlike faith is growing.
CHILDLIKE FAITH PERSEVERES
READ PROVERBS 22:6 ESV
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Childlike faith is one that perseveres. It makes sense from the Scriptures that placing faith in Jesus is not a one-time thing, but is a lifetime of choosing Jesus daily and pursuing Him on the narrow path. We learn and then we do. We encounter Christ and when we make a decision to follow Him we do so for our whole lives. Half-heartedly following Jesus is childish.
* Are you persevering in faith or just going through the motions and faking?
* Are you discipling people around you to follow the Lord?
* Are you daily seeking the Lord even when life is harder than it needs to be?
A related verse on this same topic comes to us in 2 Timothy 3:14-15.
READ 2 TIMOTHY 3:14-15 (ESV):
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Childlike faith is one that perseveres.
CHILDLIKE FAITH SEEKS STRENGTH IN GOD
READ PSALM 8:2 ESV
Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.
Childlike faith seeks strength in God. This verse from Psalm 8 is repeated by Jesus in Matthew 21:16. I read this verse and I notice that in life we have foes to deal with and enemies and even avengers. Life is chaos. Certainly when Jesus quotes this passage in Matthew 21 there is chaos. Strength in the midst of foes and enemies and chaos comes from faith in God. Strength in the midst of chaos comes from praising God… which is what Jesus says. Strength comes from wisely praising God in all situations.
* When bad things happen, do you get angry with God or praise Him?
* When life is more than you can bear, do you go to God first for strength or last?
* How often do you spend time praising God?
Childlike faith seeks strength in God.
CHILDLIKE FAITH IS HUMBLE
READ MATTHEW 18:4 ESV
“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Jesus pretty much says it… childlike faith is built on a bedrock of humbleness. It is quite possible for us to get quite full of ourselves and think we are spiritually all-that-with-a-bag-of-chips. It is childish to think of ourselves first when it comes to worship services, small groups, and our preferences in Church. Church is not about us. Church is about God. It is childlike and commended by Jesus Christ to be humble in our faith.
* Are you humble in your faith or does ‘well I think…’ come across your heart often?
* Do your preferences prevent you from worship?
* Do you want your rights and your way and God takes a back seat?
Childlike faith is built on a bedrock of humbleness.
CHILDLIKE FAITH ACCEPTS DISCIPLINE
READ PROVERBS 22:15 ESV
Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Childlike faith accepts discipline. Children are not in charge. Children accept direction. Children are prone to do things that are unwise and full of foolishness. It is the same with us and God. God is our Father in Heaven Who at times needs to discipline us because we are full of foolishness and go our own way. We must wisely accept discipline from God and move towards faithfulness.
* When bad things happen, do you get mad at God and stop coming to church?
* When God’s Word points out a sin in your life do you just ignore Him?
* Do you honestly and regularly confess your sinfulness to God?
Childlike faith accepts discipline.
A related verse on this topic is Isaiah 54:13. Isaiah 54:13 tells us that when we accept lessons from God that such lessons produce peace in us. Accepting the discipline from the Lord produces peace in our hearts.
READ ISAIAH 54:13 (ESV)
All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.
CHILDLIKE FAITH IMITATES GOD
READ EPHESIANS 5:1 (ESV)
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”
Childlike faith imitates God. There is so much to do and see and be a part of in our world. There are people to look up to and heroes to read about. There are coaches to listen to and many folks who hold influence and are experts on many topics. Being a child of God means we imitate God our Heavenly Father first before we emulate or listen to anyone else. All other influences go by the wayside, but God is always our example. His Word is our foundation. Jesus’ teachings are what guide us. The promptings of the Holy Spirit are Who we listen to.
Childlike faith imitates God.
SUMMARY
I found other passages like Romans 8:14; Galatians 3:26; 1 John 3:1 and 1 John 5:4 that give some input as to what childlike faith is like. There are plenty of passages which explain what that means.
ESSENTIAL KING JESUS: Jesus wants child-like faith in the Kingdom of God.
What does God consider to be childlike faith?
Childlike faith is growing.
Childlike faith perseveres.
Childlike faith seeks strength in God.
Childlike faith is humble.
Childlike faith accepts discipline from God.
Childlike faith imitates God.
Each of those is a description of the kind of faith Jesus is talking about as He admonishes the disciples to let the children come to Him and He blesses them. Jesus is pretty clear in verse 14. The Kingdom of God belongs to someone who has childlike faith. Jesus is pretty clear in verse 15. If we desire to enter into the Kingdom of God, we should receive Jesus with childlike faith.
Childlike faith is growing.
Childlike faith perseveres.
Childlike faith seeks strength in God.
Childlike faith is humble.
Childlike faith accepts discipline from God.
Childlike faith imitates God.
ONE MORE QUESTION TODAY: Is that you?
INVITATION
For our invitation today, I’d like to talk to those among us who have not yet accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. We gather to Help People Find and Follow Jesus. Maybe you are here and you have not found Him yet. I’d like to re-read a verse I mentioned earlier.
RE=READ 2 TIMOTHY 3:14-15 (ESV):
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
I would like to encourage you that if you aren’t sure Who Jesus is or what He is about… take a look in the ‘sacred writings’ which is the Bible and you will see why it is wise to accept Jesus and to have salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. If you are not a Christian, read about Jesus in the New Testament and then let’s talk!
PRAYER
