2. Jesus Christ:
Friend of
Children

3. welcome me, but also the One who sent me.”
Mark 9:36-37
36  “ [Jesus] took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, 
he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not only
welcome me, but also the One who sent me.”

4. but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus
Mark 10: 13-16
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them,
but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus
saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not welcome the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 
16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

5. Matthew 18: 1-6 Childlike humility is needed in the Kingdom of God
Welcoming a child in Jesus’ Name
A Warning about misleading children

6. Matthew 18: 10-14 “Parable of The Lost Sheep”
Emphasis in this version is on Jesus’ desire that none of the children become “lost.”

7. Jesus showed particular concern for children because He wanted
His followers to
be particularly attentive
to the poor and
the defenseless.
What is done for them will be accepted as
a sacrificial gift to Him (Matthew 25:40).

8. Children cannot live without trusting those around them.
A child trusts
without thinking.
Children cannot live without trusting
those around them.
To encounter God, the best thing we have is a child-like (not childish) heart
that is trusting and open,
that simply dares to ask and rests in being loved.

9. “Welcome the Kingdom of God like how you welcome a child.”
Jesus could also mean:
“Welcome the Kingdom of God
like how you welcome a child.”
Welcoming a child means welcoming
a promise. A child grows and develops.
In the same way, the Kingdom of God on Earth is never a finished reality but rather a promise. Children are unpredictable…but Jesus insists that they must be welcomed because they are there. In the same way, we are called
to welcome God’s presence when He reveals Himself, whether it is convenient or not.

10. “Letting Children Come to Jesus” in Ministry at NBFMC:
1.) Strive for unconditional love with necessary discipline.
2.) Don’t “exasperate” them.
3.) Learn their name & “story.”
4.) Give opportunities
to serve and to lead.
5.) Praise attempts at growth.

11. When we accept that Jesus sees us all as “little ones” under His care,
our pride gets put in check and we can better reach out in child-like faith together!