Luke 18: Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” Jesus Loves the Little Children

What is it that makes a person acceptable to God?  The story of the Pharisee and the publican  Luke 18:9-14  Now Jesus gave a living demonstration  He took a few small children into His arms and sat them upon His lap, and He told everyone exactly what they must do to be acceptable to God  Parallel passages and context Matthew 19:13-15 Mark 10:13-16

Jesus Loves the Little Children! Children’s songs  “Jesus Loves Me” and “Jesus Loves the Little Children”  Those wonderful words are based on a biblical truth  Jesus does love little children, as this text from Luke teaches  The parents of these children wanted Jesus to touch them and bless them  Jesus was more than willing to meet that desire!

The Actions Of the Parents  The children were brought by their parents  It is not specifically said that the parents brought the children - but it was certainly their parents or grandparents  They were brought by parents who had already been blessed by Jesus, parents who had already heard Him and been touched by Him  They had been so deeply touched by Jesus that they wanted their children to be touched

The Actions Of the Parents  Parents need to know and believe the gospel  They need to be touched by Christ  They need to experience true repentance and salvation  Then they need to bring their children to Christ!

The Actions Of the Parents  Both Luke and Mark use the imperfect tense  “they were continuing to bring” - a continuing process and likely an extended period of time  When word spread that Jesus was in the area parents were drawn to Him  His love of children had become known throughout Palestine  Luke tells us “they were bringing even their babies” - 18:15  The Greek word used here is   Paidia = young children from infancy through toddler age

The Actions Of the Disciples  But the disciples resented the intrusion into their private time with Jesus  They rebuked the parents  “Rebuked” has the idea of threatening  As more and more parents brought their children to Jesus, the disciples continued to try to hold them back

The Actions Of the Disciples  The disciples made two serious errors in stopping children from coming to Jesus  They were determining who could and who could not be touched by Jesus No man has the right to dictate who can and cannot be touched by Jesus!  They just did not understand the importance of Jesus’ touch, even for little children Their understanding of the blessing and power of God was not complete No one should ever be stopped or discouraged from coming or from being brought to Jesus even for just a touch in their lives!

The Actions Of Jesus  Only a few days earlier Jesus had taken a young child in His arms in the disciples’ presence  The disciples were in the midst of a dispute about who was the greatest in the kingdom  Jesus had declared, “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven”  Countless other times the Disciples had seen Jesus’ tenderness and gentleness and His great patience with those who came to Him for help

The Actions Of Jesus  The Talmud taught Jewish parents to bring their children to rabbis for blessings and prayer  It was the custom for the father to bring his infant child to the synagogue and pray for the child himself  Then he would then hand the child to the elders, and they would each hold it and pray for God’s blessing on the child’s life  Today we follow the same pattern in the church by dedicating children to the Lord

The Motives Of the Parents  Because Jesus did not rebuke the parents or resist blessing their children, it shows that their motives were pure  They did not understand Jesus’ true greatness  But the parents did recognize Jesus as a genuine teacher from God who loved them and who cared for their little ones  They wanted Jesus to intercede with God for their children  They wanted their children to grow up strong in the Bible, faithful in marriage, and known by good works

The Motives Of the Parents  They brought their children to Jesus for Him to touch  The parents cared deeply for their children  They believed that their children needed the touch of Jesus  They believed that His touch would bring blessings to their children’s lives  But children are unable to come by themselves!  The children would not receive the touch of Jesus unless the parents brought them!  The touch of Jesus is powerful in our lives!

The Motives Of the Parents  I have noticed an amazing thing over the years  Many people stay away from the church until they have children  Then they often want their children to be in church, so they start coming to bring their children  Why? So the Lord can touch their lives!

The Motives Of Jesus  Jesus wanted to receive the little children and He called them to Him  Jesus was not naive about children  Jesus created them  He knew very well that they are born with a sinful nature Children have a certain innocence, but they are not sinless Jesus knew that children do not have to be taught to do wrong But He loved them!

The Motives Of Jesus  Jesus is an expression of God’s love  As God’s love He cares for all and died for the sins of all that will come to Him, no matter the size or age, abilities or capabilities  He loves and cares for every single person as He does for a child  We need to be just like Jesus!  We have the mind of Christ, so we also should have His concern and love for children  If you truly love the Lord, then you will love children, too!  If not, then you are focusing on yourself and not on God’s Kingdom!

The Response His Commandments  Jesus said to the Twelve, and still says to us today: “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me”  It is as if we are physically holding them back and keeping them from the Lord  The Lord is saying, “Let the children alone, beginning immediately, and stop hindering them, stop holding them back from coming to Me”

The Response His Anger  Mark 10:14 (ESV) 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.  The Disciples frequently frustrated and disappointed the Lord by their insensitivity and selfishness  But this is one of only 2 or 3 occasions on which He actually became angry with them

The Response His Anger  The Reasons  He was angry because He loved little children greatly! Jesus felt a special compassion for them because they are helpless in a sinful, painful, corrupt world He knew that children face evils that will only grow worse as they grow up  He was angry because He also loved the parents Jesus understands the longings and anxieties parents have for their children He realizes that loving little children was a way to their parents’ hearts

The Response His Anger  The Reasons  He was angry because no one, not even the tiniest infant, is outside the care and love of God  He was angry because the disciples persistently just did not get it! Spiritually they were dull and their heart were hard! We need to see this very clearly today!

The Response His Anger  The Reasons  He was angry because the disciples presumed they could determine who could and could not approach Him, the Christ and Son of God They had no authority or even ability to make such choices It was presumption for them to hinder anybody from coming to Jesus

The Response His Anger  The Reasons  He was angry because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these! 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” In a sense only children are in the Kingdom of Heaven! Our Lord Jesus used strong words about some persons not being able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven

The Response His Anger  The Reasons  He was angry because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these! 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” There is nothing, absolutely nothing that can get a person into the Kingdom of Heaven except receiving the kingdom like a little child There is no one in heaven except little children, people who have become children of God

The Blessing Mark 10:16 (ESV) 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them  Jesus Laid His Hands on the Children  Just as the parents requested, Jesus laid His hands on them and blessed them The Greek form behind “blessing” is intensive – there was a passionate fervency about it for our Lord Jesus! Jesus must have smiled with infinite kindness as He looked into the faces of those children He still does so today!

Key Words  5 key words help guide us as parents and Christian workers in leading children to Christ

Key Words Remember  Remember that every child is created by God and, in that sense, already belongs to Him  Psalm 139:13-14 (ESV) 13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.  Psalms 127:3 “children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward”  It is God’s plan and desire that every child be returned to Him for His use and for His glory!

Key Words Teach  Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go and even when he is old he will not depart from it”  Christian parents have the high calling of bringing up their children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” - Ephesians 6:4  That is God’s pattern for instruction of our children in His ways!

Key Words Model  Children not only need godly teaching but also godly models  Eli the priest was a negative example to his two sons and they were worse than he was! - 1 Samuel 2:12-25  King David failed to be a godly example to his sons and it tore apart the Kingdom  King Hezekiah disobeyed God’s instruction by showing the royal jewels to the king of Babylon, and his son Manasseh surpassed his father’s compromise and totally abandoned God’s law

Key Words Love  John 3:16 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life  Only parents and teachers who weep with their children, rejoice with them, hurt with them, show them genuine affection, and sacrifice for them will effectively influence them in the things of the Lord

Key Words Trust  Psalm 37:5 (ESV) 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act  After you have done everything humanly possible to raise your children in the way of the Lord, you must ultimately trust Him to act in their lives!  Only the Holy Spirit can reach into the human heart and give spiritual life, but one of the best tools He uses is a faithful, godly, and spirit filled parent!