“BRING YOUR KIDS TO CHRIST” Mark 10:13-16
FBCF – 5/22/22
Jon Daniels
INTRO – Talked to moms a couple of weeks ago. Talked to dads last week. Now I’m talking to both of you if both of you are here and both of you are in the picture. I know we have some single parents here, too. So whether you are in a nuclear family w/ a mom & a dad, or if you’re a single mom or dad, here’s the mandate for you:
BRING YOUR KIDS TO CHRIST!
I can promise you that we, as a church, are going to do our part to help in this process. Cindy & Michael both are very passionate about children & teenagers coming to know Jesus. Gospel is shared regularly in their ministry activities. Events are planned & scheduled & implemented w/ the main purpose being to present the Gospel to as many children & teenagers possible – VBS, kids camp, DNow, youth camps for middle schoolers & high schoolers. Provide resources for their volunteer leaders & for you as parents to help expose your children to the Gospel, whatever their age.
But it is YOUR job to BRING YOUR KIDS TO CHRIST!
EXPLANATION – Mark 10:13-16
C. Herbert Woolston wrote “Jesus Loves the Little Children” in late 1800’s.
Jesus loves the little children, All the children of the world
Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
Some versions of song say, “Every color, every race, all are covered by His grace.”
Don’t know a lot about this hymnwriter but we do know that the words of this old song are Scripturally accurate & true. Jesus absolutely does love all the children of the world.
- He loves your kids, most of whom are growing up in homes where all their needs & many of their wants are met.
- He also loves kids who are growing up in homes that are dangerous, homes that are in desperate need – where hunger is an ever-present reality; where abuse & neglect are prevalent; where perversion & evil is rampant.
- He loves kids whose parents are extremely successful & wealthy; whose parents are extremely poor, whether that poverty is the result of their own decisions or circumstances beyond their control.
- He loves kids who live in million-dollar mansions in the suburbs, kids who live in mud & thatch huts in remote villages & jungles around the world, kids who are homeless & live on the streets in the mega-cities of the world & in war-torn countries.
- He loves kids who are safe & kids who are not; kids who don’t live in fear & kids who live in fear all the time; kids who are innocent of the wickedness of our world & kids who are being trafficked in unimaginable ways to make money for some of the most depraved reprobates in the world.
When you look at Scripture – specifically the 4 Gospels – you see that Jesus DID love kids. Society didn’t – at least not in the way we do. We see them as sweet, cute, endearing, precious. Jewish culture in NT times did not see them that way. Most likely considered them to be a nuisance or a bothersome distraction.
But, by His actions & His teachings, Jesus made it clear that, when He said in John 3:16, “God so loved the world…”, that included children, too.
- He healed the royal official’s son (John 4)
- Cast demons out of a little girl (Mark 7) & a little boy (Mark 9)
- Raised a 12 yr-old girl from the dead (Luke 8)
- In our passage for today, Mark 10, & in Matthew 18 – Used children as examples in His teaching
Jesus loves your kids. This church loves your kids. You love your kids.
APPLICATION – Bringing your kids to Christ is one of the greatest privileges of being a parent.
When we consider our passage for today, we find these 4 insights:
BE INTENTIONAL WITH THEM – v. 13
These parents brought them – They didn’t send them
They had clear intentions – They wanted Jesus to touch them. They knew that lives were changed when Jesus touched them.
They came, even in spite of opposition – There will always be those who will disapprove of what you’re doing to get your kids to Jesus – always be those who will try to disrupt the work of the Gospel, who will try to keep you from doing what God has called you to do, who will even try to stop the church from doing Kingdom work. Don’t worry about them! Keep going anyway! Keep pressing on! Keep being intentional in your efforts to get your kids to Jesus! Jesus will take care of those who are opposing you & opposing His Church.
DON’T HINDER THEM – v. 14
Jesus was ticked – The Gk word for “indignant” means He was incensed, offended, irate. There were some things that definitely made Jesus’ mad in a righteous way.
- Angry b/c the Pharisees were so stubborn & hard-hearted & wouldn’t answer Him – (Mark 3:5)
- Angry at the way that the merchants & moneychangers had turned the house of God into a “den of robbers” (Mark 11:17)
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And now, He’s righteously mad again b/c His disciples were trying to keep the kids from coming to Him, & Jesus certainly wasn’t cool w/ that! Disciples thought Jesus was too important to be bothered w/ the kids. Jesus thought the kids were too important NOT to be brought to Him in these critical, tender years.
Jesus was clear – The way that the kids came to Him is the way that anyone comes into the K of G – totally dependent upon Jesus – contributing nothing – just receiving from Jesus.
We don’t need to do anything to hinder our children from coming to Jesus. More people are saved as children than at any other time in their lives.
LEARN FROM THEM – v. 15
They come w/ a simple of faith, w/ sincere desires, & w/ a spirit eagerness.
- They simply believe – They don’t clutter this step of faith w/ a bunch of complicated stuff. They just believe.
- They simply want to know Jesus – They don’t worry about the various nuances of eschatological viewpoints, or the implications of Jesus being consubstantial w/ humanity & consubstantial w/ God. They just desire to know Jesus.
- They simply come to Him eagerly w/ an excitement & joy that is real & deep.
Listen, I’m not saying that doing deeper, more substantial study of Jesus is not important. But what I am saying is that many of us adult have lost the childlike wonder & amazement about Jesus, God’s one & only, one-of-a-kind Son. Or maybe we’ve never had that wonder & amazement. It just seems too simple, too easy, too plain.
But Jesus said that no one will ever enter the K of G if they don’t receive it like a little child. What does a little child do w/ a gift they’ve been given? They clutch it to their chest. They smile as big as they can. They say thank you. And they run to show & tell all their friends.
I think we could learn something from them in that.
REMEMBER THAT JESUS LOVES THEM – v. 16
He hugged them big time & He blessed them big time. Gk word for “blessed” – blessed ardently, w/ intense emotion; blessed them passionately & fervently, w/ great conviction or zeal.
Don’t EVER forget this! Jesus loves your kids more than you do.
- When you’re wondering if your son/daughter is every going to receive Christ as Savior, remember that He loves them.
- When you’re afraid that your prodigal son/daughter is never going to come home, remember that He loves them.
- When you look at the condition of the world & find yourself anxious about the future for your son/daughter, remember that Jesus loves them.
CONCLUSION/TAKEAWAYS – So let’s conclude today by praying for our kids.
- If your kids are here today, gather them close to you & put your hands on them. If dad is here, I want you to voice a prayer for them right now.
- If your kids aren’t here today but your spouse is, take each other’s hand & pray for them.
- If you don’t have any kids, then pray for those who do.
- If your kid is lost, hasn’t trusted Christ yet, or is a prodigal & is not living for the Lord, & you need someone to pray w/ you about that, I’m here.
- And if you or your kid is ready to come to Christ today to be saved, then come on.
