Jesus loved children. He still loves children.
William Barclay commented that we become more like Jesus when we love children
with a deep passion and love. We read in Mark 10: "People were bringing little
children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciple rebuked them. 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.
I tell you the truth; anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a
little child will never enter it.’ And he took the children in his arms, and put
his hands on them and blessed them” (Mark 10:13-16).
In the ancient world, children had no status. Back then a person could literally throw children away by exposing unwanted infants at birth. There is a famous letter written in 1 B.C. by a poor laborer to his pregnant wife in Alexandria, advising her to keep the child if it was boy and to cast it out if it was a girl. This still happens in India today. The unscrupulous would collect exposed children and raise them to be gladiators or prostitutes and even disfigure them to enhance their value as beggars. Such was the world that Jesus lived in—a world that didn’t have time for children.
We may think that we are much different than the disciples (who tried to keep the children away from Jesus), but maybe more of us resemble them than we would like to admit. Sometimes we hinder children from coming to Jesus by our attitude—“Children are a bother”. Jesus values children just as much as adults.
It is recorded in Mark 10 that “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them” (v. 13 a). Notice that it does not say “parents” were bringing them to Jesus. It is likely that most of these people were parents, but probably some were not. Bringing children to Jesus is for everyone, not just parents. Some of the greatest ministers to children are those who never had children. “But the disciples rebuked them” (v. 13 b). “Them” refers to the people bringing the children to Jesus. We are not certain why this is so. Perhaps they thought Jesus was too busy or too tired to be bothered with children.
In the ancient world, children had no status. Back then a person could literally throw children away by exposing unwanted infants at birth. There is a famous letter written in 1 B.C. by a poor laborer to his pregnant wife in Alexandria, advising her to keep the child if it was boy and to cast it out if it was a girl. This still happens in India today. The unscrupulous would collect exposed children and raise them to be gladiators or prostitutes and even disfigure them to enhance their value as beggars. Such was the world that Jesus lived in—a world that didn’t have time for children.
We may think that we are much different than the disciples (who tried to keep the children away from Jesus), but maybe more of us resemble them than we would like to admit. Sometimes we hinder children from coming to Jesus by our attitude—“Children are a bother”. Jesus values children just as much as adults.
It is recorded in Mark 10 that “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them” (v. 13 a). Notice that it does not say “parents” were bringing them to Jesus. It is likely that most of these people were parents, but probably some were not. Bringing children to Jesus is for everyone, not just parents. Some of the greatest ministers to children are those who never had children. “But the disciples rebuked them” (v. 13 b). “Them” refers to the people bringing the children to Jesus. We are not certain why this is so. Perhaps they thought Jesus was too busy or too tired to be bothered with children.
“When Jesus saw this, he was indignant” (v. 14 a).
In other words, he was “angry or annoyed at the unfairness of unreasonableness
of somebody or something”. The King James Version says “he was much displeased.”
Jesus was not just a little upset; He was very angry (in a good way).
Jesus indignant because He loves the little children. To Him, they are not a bother, they are not unimportant, and they are not a waste of time. Jesus wants to bless the little children. How old were these children? Here we read that they were “little children.” Some of them were small enough for Jesus to pick them up in His arms. Luke wrote in His Gospel that some of them were “babies” (Luke 18:15).
It is still true today that Jesus invites children to come to Him. In fact, children are more likely to come to Jesus. In Luke 14:23 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me.”
Surveys conducted by the Barna Research Group of Ventura, California, have determined that if a person does not accept Jesus Christ as Savior before the age of 14, the likelihood of every doing become increasingly slim. Based on a nationwide (U.S.) representative sampling of more than 4200 young people and adults, the survey results show that people from ages 5 through 13 have a 32% probability of accepting Christ as their Savior. Young people from the ages of 14 through 18 have just a 4% likelihood of doing so, while adults (ages 19 through death) have only a 6% probability of making that choice (Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes, pp. 99-100). The older a person gets without becoming a Christian, the less likely they are to ever do so. [I head that 83% of those who come to Christ do so before the age of 18.]
One of our main strategies as a church should be to reach young people for Christ. Children have their whole lives to live for Jesus.
Jesus indignant because He loves the little children. To Him, they are not a bother, they are not unimportant, and they are not a waste of time. Jesus wants to bless the little children. How old were these children? Here we read that they were “little children.” Some of them were small enough for Jesus to pick them up in His arms. Luke wrote in His Gospel that some of them were “babies” (Luke 18:15).
It is still true today that Jesus invites children to come to Him. In fact, children are more likely to come to Jesus. In Luke 14:23 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me.”
Surveys conducted by the Barna Research Group of Ventura, California, have determined that if a person does not accept Jesus Christ as Savior before the age of 14, the likelihood of every doing become increasingly slim. Based on a nationwide (U.S.) representative sampling of more than 4200 young people and adults, the survey results show that people from ages 5 through 13 have a 32% probability of accepting Christ as their Savior. Young people from the ages of 14 through 18 have just a 4% likelihood of doing so, while adults (ages 19 through death) have only a 6% probability of making that choice (Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes, pp. 99-100). The older a person gets without becoming a Christian, the less likely they are to ever do so. [I head that 83% of those who come to Christ do so before the age of 18.]
One of our main strategies as a church should be to reach young people for Christ. Children have their whole lives to live for Jesus.
In Christ,
Brown
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