13 November 2005
Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
CP Walker, Taegu South Korea
BIG IDEA: The hidden child in us all is to totally DEPEND on GOD’S GRACE in order to receive God’s kingdom.
REFERENCES: Exodus 20:14 – KJV (Thou shalt not commit adultery); Mark 10:1-12 KJV (Jesus’ Story of Marriage and Divorce); 1 Corinthians 13:11 KJV (When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things); Philippians 2:5 KJV - (Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus); Proverbs 22:6 KJV (Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it);
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Mark 10:13-16; Philippians 2:5
II. THE LARGER CONTEXT:
NOW, BEFORE WE BEGIN, ALLOW ME TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME HISTORICAL TRUES REGARDING THIS BOOK OF THE GOSPEL. For example, in The Book of Mark, we find the narrative of John Mark in scripted for believers that were being tortured (or martyr) and killed because of their faith and beliefs in Jesus Christ. In fact, during this particular time … Some Christians were being coated with tar, strung up and ignited as living torches in Rome.
Therefore Mark is writing (here) to fellow Believers … with the intent of giving them some spiritual support and guidance … in the midst of intense situational crisis.
Mark begins with narratives on both John the Baptist and the temptation of Jesus, in Mark 1:1-13, and he ends in Mark 16 with an account of both the Great Commission and Jesus’ Ascension.
III. THE SMALLER CONTEXT:
Now, while peeking through the eyes and ministry of John Mark, we find our Savior is now en route to Jerusalem, where He is to eventually be put to death.
But, prior to our scriptural reading for today, we are told in Mark 10:1-12 that Divorce reveals in public what has been going on in the privacy of a marriage: such as SELFISHNESS, STUBBORNESS, and ARROGANCE. In other words, ALTHOUGH there can be extenuating circumstances which requires and even mandate divorce; divorce (itself) for the most part in the Jewish Culture of the Bible (and in our American Culture today) is the result of a man or woman choosing not to be HUMBLE, SELFLESS, and MERCIFUL; or a man or woman choosing NOT TO BE FORGIVEN.
IV. READ THE PERICOPE: MARK 10:13-16; Philippians 2:5
V. READ THE TEXT: Mark 10: 14-15 (But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and
said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me,
and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the
kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein).
VI. PURPOSE: To motivate the HEARERS to display their dependence on the Father by coming to Jesus with EMPTY HANDS and TRUSTING hearts.
VII. SERMONIC THEME: “The Hidden Child In ALL of Us”
INTRODUCTION: After our scriptural reading for today, John Mark shares with us (in Chapter 10:17-31) the MEANING AND REQUIREMENT OF “true discipleship,” through the story of “The Rich Young Ruler”.
You may recall, In the Story of The Rich Young Ruler, we are all reminded that position, rank, authority, influence, and power CAN prevent us from being RECEPTIVE to receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior. Instead, money, influence, position and power can cause us to be ARROGANT, SELFISH, STUBBORN and UNFORGIVING.
Therefore, weaved in the middle of the previous two stories of Marriage/Divorce, and The Meaning of Discipleship is our text in Mark 10:13-16: Jesus “Blessing The Children.
Historical research of our text, informs us that all through Jesus’ years on earth, and even among His professed disciples, there have been stern rebukes directed at those who would dare bring “little children to Jesus”.
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MOVE 1: For the Bible says … And they Were Bringing Children to Him, … and the Disciples Rebuked Them.
a. In fact, if you allow your imaginations to work with you, this afternoon, you can even see the IMPATIENT BODY LANGUAGE being displayed by the HOLY 12.
b. Even their gestures indicated that the CHILDREN WERE BEING A NUDSANCE and their presence weren’t welcome.
c. As a result, I can’t help for wondering how those children might have felt – encouraged by their parents, or siblings to GO TO JESUS for various reasons;
d. Only to be strongly restricted and REBUKED by those 12 HOLY PEOPLE that was often seen in CHURCH with Jesus.
**********************TAKE 5 BEATS********************
MOVE 2: As children, how confusing they must have felt. In their mind, before this incident, they must have thought that the disciples were just like Jesus.
a. Now, with my sanctified imagination, I can see the emotionally sad facial expressions of the children - rolling their eyes with looks of despair.
b. But When Jesus Saw what the disciples had done, He Was Indignant. In other words, Jesus was ANGRY.
c. Someone once said that if you wish to know what things Jesus CARES DEEPLY about, one sure clue is to be found in the things that roused his indignation.
d. Here, Jesus is angry with His disciples because of their BLINDNESS TO HOW VALUABLE CHILDREN ARE TO GOD.
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MOVE 3: I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT STIRS HIS ANGER TODAY, AS HE WALKS WITH US AND LOOKS UP AND DOWN THE STREETS OF OUR WORLD TODAY …;
a. PARTICULARLY, IN THE ALLEYS of our homes and daycares.
b. I CAN’T HELP BUT WONDER HOW ANGRY THE LORD GETS WHEN HE SEES POTENTIAL BELIEVERS …
c. … who are children at heart and in spirit, being rejected and turned-away by the HOLY PEOPLE of our sanctuaries.
d. For don’t you remember, it was the Apostle Paul – himself - that say (in 1 Corinthians 13:11 - When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
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MOVE 4: FORTUNATELY for PAUL when he became spiritually matured – he GOT RID OF THE CHILDISH THINGS, such as DIS-OBEDIENCE, ARROGANCE, AND SELFISHNESS.
a. BUT HE NEVER LOST HIS CHILDLIKE HEART. Childlike and Childishness are NOT THE SAME.
b. THE CHILD-LIKE MIND IS TRUSTFUL, PURE, IMAGINATIVE, AND RECEPTIVE.
c. The Child-like heart is saying today, even as I speak, man I need to TRUST AND DEPEND ON GOD MORE.
d. I NEED TO TRUST THAT HE KNOWS WHAT BEST FOR ME. EVEN WHEN IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE IT TO ME.
e. I NEED TO STOP DEPENDING SO MUCH ON MY ABILITIES … MY JOB …
f. … MY GIFTS, MY TALENTS, AND THE INSTITUTION IN WHICH I’M APART OF … AND START DEPENDING ON JESUS.
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MOVE 5: FOR JESUS SAID: Let the Children Come to Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
a. Now, in the Revised Standard Version of The Bible, the WORD FORBID is translated HINDER.
b. For we can easily escape condemnation in that word “forbid”.
c. For who would forbid a child coming to Jesus?
d. NONE OF US.
e. I DON’T BELIEVE ANYONE IN THIS SERVICE TODAY WOULD STOP A CHILD FROM COMING TO JESUS.
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MOVE 6: The word FORBID is easily thrown-off.
a. However, the WORD HINDER isn’t easily thrown-off …
b. because hindering maybe unconscious.
c. It may come simply from neglect to take some positive action as in the STORY OF MARRIAGE /DIVORCE …
d. … and in the ACCOUNT OF THE RICH YOUNG RULER.
e. In our homes we may hinder CHILDREN from coming to CHRIST by making CHIRST UNATTRACTIVE by not setting a CHRIST-LIKE EXAMPLE.
f. IN OUR CHURCH WE MAY HINDER OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM BECOMING CHILD-LIKE … BY NOT DISPLAYING LOVE AND FORGIVINESS ….
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CELEBRATION:
Therefore, a CHILD-LIKE MIND is an essential condition for entry into the KINDGOM OF HEAVEN. In other words, THERE’S A HIDDEN CHILD IN ALL OF US that desires to BE CHIRST-LIKE.
In fact, it was the Apostle Paul who said it best in Philippians 2:5: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Unfortunately, some of us haven’t put AWAY THE CHILDISH THINGS of DIS-OBEDIENCE, ARROGANCE, AND SELFISHNESS.
Still, the Bible says (in Proverbs 8:13a – KJV) The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy …
The Hidden Child in All of us … desire to be more like Jesus …
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