Childlike Faith
Mark 10:13-16
Have you ever known someone who refused to grow up? Kind of like when Tom Hanks played a kid in the 1988 movie, “Big”? Except sometimes, it’s not so cute, when adults act childish. Sometimes adults forget those key lessons from kindergarten, like learning how to share and take turns and use good manners. Sometimes adults have temper tantrums and pity parties, and it’s not a pretty sight!
In today’s story, Jesus doesn’t call people to be childish, but he does call people to be childlike. In fact, he says you won’t get to heaven without becoming like a little child. So what does he mean? How can you and I be more childlike without being childish? And why is it so important to become like a little child that Jesus would make it a requirement to get to heaven?
This story appears in all three synoptic gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It was obviously a story for the disciples to remember. They thought they were doing Jesus a favor, by managing his schedule and keeping the little people away. What they didn’t know is that our Lord is for the little people of the world! In fact, Jesus was so upset that Mark describes him as “indignant.” Other English translations say he was “much displeased,” “incensed,” or even “angry.” In the original Greek, the word is “aganakteo.” Do you know it only appears in the New Testament seven times? It’s the word used to describe the rest of the disciples when they heard that James and John were trying to get the best seats in the new kingdom. They were indignant! It’s the word used to describe the Pharisees when Jesus kept healing on the Sabbath. And it’s used to describe the chief priests and teachers of the law when Jesus cleansed the Temple. And it’s used to describe the disciples when the lady used a whole bottle of expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet. But there’s only one time it’s used to describe Jesus, and it’s here in today’s story: Jesus is indignant that his disciples would keep away the little children!
And in this interaction, Jesus tells us three things that are absolutely required to enter heaven. They are there on your outline. First,
To enter the kingdom of God, you must:
1. Have faith like a little child
In verse 14, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” “Such as these.” You don’t have to be a little child to enter the kingdom of God, but you do need to be like a little child.
Let’s think for a minute what characteristics little children possess when it comes to faith. They are innocent and sincere. They’re eager to learn. They are teachable, humble, trusting, open, simple, and spontaneous. They are unpretentious. Look at these words listed on your outline, and do a little self-inventory. How much are you like a little child in these ways? Circle the ones that might apply to you and your relationship to God. Are you innocent and sincere and eager? Are you teachable? Are you humble? And so forth. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you approach God like a little child. Sometimes we make faith too hard, too difficult, too complex, too...adulterated! Sometimes, it’s just coming to God as we are, like a little child in need of a loving and good and powerful Heavenly Father.
I told you about my Veteran that told her Jewish friend, “I don’t understand everything about Jewish history, but all I know is that my Savior died for me on a cross. And he forgave my sins. And he helps me every day. I pray and say, “I’m feeling anxious; help me settle down!” And he does. I say, “I’m running late! Please help me find a parking spot quickly!” And he puts one right where I need it. I just know that he loves me!
Sometimes we just need to keep it simple. Become like a little child. Have faith like a little child.
And #2,
2. Become dependent like a little child.
Little children don’t have much to offer. Sure, they’re fun to look at and play with and dress up and hold and kiss. But they can’t earn a paycheck. They can’t cook a meal, or wash clothes. They can’t cut the grass. They can’t serve on a committee, or unload the dishwasher. Little children really are pretty useless when it comes to doing anything. Everything has to be done for them!
Little children are dependent upon others for their very survival. They have no autonomy. They have no self-security. They have no self-sufficiency. They really cannot make it on their own.
We must come before God with our insignificance, and our lack of ultimate security, and our total dependence upon him, and throw ourselves at his mercy. He is the potter and we are the clay. He is the creator and we are the created. He is the perfect one and we are the sinful ones. He is the forgiver and we are the ones in great need of forgiveness.
Right after today’s story in the gospel of Mark, the next story is about Jesus meeting a rich young man. This guy wanted to know what he had to do to enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus mentioned the commandments and they guy said, “Best I know, I’ve kept them all.” Jesus said, “You only lack one thing: you need to give all your money to the poor and follow me.” And the guy couldn’t do it. He walked away sad. More on this story next week. But the point is clear: you must be totally dependent upon God to enter his kingdom. The Reformation Study Bible says, “Small children model true believers who know they have nothing to bring and everything to receive.” And that brings us to the third and last point. To enter the kingdom of God, you must...
3. Receive the kingdom as a gift of God
In verse 15, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not RECEIVE the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” How does a little child receive? With nothing to give in return. And that’s the way we must receive the kingdom of heaven. We have absolutely nothing to give in return. It is a free gift.
It’s called “mercy.” It’s called “grace.” We cannot earn God’s love, because we already have it. We cannot earn God’s forgiveness, but God is more than ready to grant it. If you could buy your way to heaven with good deeds, what a lousy place heaven would be! It would be full of proud, pretentious people! No, the only way to heaven is to admit that you could never make it there without God’s grace, without God’s forgiveness, without God’s unmerited favor freely given, freely bestowed upon you.
Listen to these two verses:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
Karl Barth was one of the great theologians of the twentieth century. Towards the end of his life, Barth was asked for the greatest insight he had ever gained throughout his long years of study and scholarship. Everyone leaned in to listen to what pearl of wisdom he might share. His reply was beautifully simple: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” To finish the verse of the song, “Little ones to him belong, they are weak but he is strong.”
Become like a little child in God’s eyes. Climb up on Jesus’ lap. And receive a blessing of eternal life. Let us pray:
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your sense of priorities that sometimes turns ours upside down. When we might think a little child has very little worth or contribution, you give that as our very example to be. Because you know that, at our best, we are totally dependent upon the love and forgiveness of God for our salvation. Help us to accept that fully, knowing that we are deeply loved, deeply forgiven, valued for who we are—God’s children—and not what we have done. We rest on that love today, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, amen.
