Bringing Little Children To Jesus

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Luke 18:15-17
Psalters: 134, 425, 243, 359
Sacrament of Baptism
  1. The event.
    1. Parents are bringing their children to Jesus.
      1. Luke describes them as ?infants;? Matthew and Mark identify them as ?little? or ?young children.?
      2. These parents (not Pharisees) wanted Jesus to bless their children.
    2. The disciples saw only the parents and ?rebuked? (censured severely or sharply) them.
    3. Jesus saw the children and He rebuked the disciples.
      1. He emphatically told them to allow or permit the ?little children to come unto Me? (He saw the children).
      2. ?Forbid them not? adds emphasis.
  2. Jesus received the children of these parents.
    1. The reason they are to be allowed to come is because ?of such is the kingdom of God.?
      1. ?Of such? refers to the children of those who believing in Jesus want Him to bless their children.
      2. This signifies that the children of believers are usually (?of such?) within God?s kingdom.
    2. God gives children to believers precisely so they might be brought to Jesus.
    3. Mark tell us that Jesus took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them.
      1. He went beyond what the parents asked (to touch them) by embracing them.
      2. Jesus? blessing becomes a child?s in the way of parent?s godly instruction.
  3. The only possibility of our doing this is that we ?receive the kingdom of God as a little child.?
    1. ?Verily? declares this to be such a truth that it is an absolute rule.
      1. To ?enter? the kingdom is to be saved.
      2. To ?receive? it is to embrace favorably Jesus? rule and the benefits of His kingdom, having it first in our lives.
      3. ?As a little child? speaks of two characteristics of faith.
    2. The only way to enter the kingdom is through humble trust.
      1. Let us humbly admit our constant weakness and our constant need for forgiveness and righteousness.
      2. With child-like faith we believe His Word that we are forgiven and righteousness, and strive mightily to obey it.