Let The Children Come
Mark 10:13–16
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
Let The Children Come
14…Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not:
It is incredible how strong the tendency is to turn away children from God.
The idea that gets passed around to “let them find their own way”.
The idea that parents ought not work to influence their children.
And yet there is, and has been for ages past, conscious and active efforts to “influence” the children away from Jesus.
If the Bible is true, then we ought to expect Satan deceive the world against Christ. His is a multi-front attack, Against the Church, Against Pastors, Against Families, Against Men and Against Children.
It is the Children he knows are the leaders of the next generation and every evil dictator of history work diligently through Children.
Whether that be the ancient Greeks and Romans, all the way through to Mao Zedong’s Communist China, who referred to Children as “The morning sunlight” of his “Cultural Revolution”, to the Hitler Youth.
It would be the CHILDREN that this sin rent world will refuse to come to Christ.
14…Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not:
Today Satan still employs a MULTI-Front attack, and while he does so broadly he also does so particularly.
Children are effectively “forbidden” to come to Christ in so many areas of the culture:
- MUSIC is a huge one,
- Movies is another,
- entertainments and social media is without doubt,
- but the primary means to turn Children away from their parents and from Christ has been through the education system.
THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
Through the institution parents are encouraged to TRUST with their own Children, the godless of the world are ACTIVELY and now OPENLY CORRUPTING!
While our Lord clearly stated;
14…Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not:
We have a system that we expose our children to on a daily basis that consciously forbids “the little children to come unto” Jesus.
John Dewey is the father of the modern education system. Born in 1859, an atheist, he became the most prominent Educational reformer of history.
He saw public school education as a means of “reformation” rather “learning”, and this was understood by early Christians who largely homeschooled their Children and always worked to teach them of Christ, to LET THE CHILDREN COME to Jesus.
As early as the 16th Century, Martin Luther wrote saying;
“I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth.”
Dr Archibald Alexander Hodge, who was the Dean of Princeton Seminary between 1878-1886 wrote;
“I am as sure as I am of the fact of Christ’s reign that a comprehensive and centralized system of national education, separated from religion, as is now commonly proposed, will prove the most appalling enginery for the propagation of antiChristian and atheistic unbelief and of antisocial nihilistic ethics, social and political, which this sinrent world has ever seen.”
Mark 10:13–16
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not:
Well, forbid them they did.
John Dewey wrote of his intentions through a new education system in his article titled “My Pedagogic Creed” in 1897, saying.
“Education is the fundamental method of social progress and reform”
“Education is a regulation of the process of coming to share in the social consciousness: and the adjustment of individual activity on the basis of this social consciousness is the only sure method of social re construction”
John Dewey was not a believer, his atheism shines through in his writings; and yet his writings seem to have a large theological bent to them.
He wrote of school teachers in place of preachers saying;
“Every teacher should realise the dignity of his calling: that he is the social servant set apart for the maintenance of proper social order and the securing of the right social growth. In this way the teacher always is the prophet of the true God and the usherer in of the true kingdom of God”
Whether teachers are aware of it or not, these are the guiding principals of secular education in the west. And ONLY this understanding of a goal to SOCIAL RE-CONSTRUCTION, explains the madness we see today.
John Dewey was one of the original 34 signatory to the Humanist Manifesto in 1933.
A document specifically rejecting the Bible and Christ, created to turn people away from the Lord, to “forbid..the little children to come unto” Christ”.
Commenting on the Humanist Manifesto, John Dewey wrote a short 100 page book titled, again ‘Theologically’, “A Common Faith“.
He did so one year after publication of the Humanist Manifesto.
In “A Common Faith”, he writes of the religion of Secular Humanism, saying;
“Here are all the elements for a religious faith that shall not be confined to sect, class or race. Such a faith has always been implicitly the common faith of mankind. It remains to make it explicit and militant”
Charles Francis Potter, another signatory to the Humanist Manifesto, in a prior article in 1930 titled “Humanism: A New Religion“, wrote;
“Humanism is a new type of religion altogether”
“Education is the most powerful ally of humanism, and every American public school is a school of humanism”
And just in case you thought that was quite a devious statement of intent, to turn Children away from Christ, to actively and consciously “FORBID” them from coming to Christ, Potter makes it absolutely clear in this same volume saying;
“What can the theistic Sunday- schools, meeting for an hour once a week, and teaching only a fraction of the children, do to stem the tide of a five-day program of humanistic teaching?”
Keep in mind that the Scopes “Monkey Trial” that would eventually replace Biblical Creation with the paganistic Monkey to Man evolutionary theory of Darwin and he predecessors, occurred only 5 years earier in 1925. It KICKED OPEN the DOOR this this new “Religion” and system of education.
As to the progress and purpose; that final quote by Charles Francis Potter may help us understand why the education system has so largely failed what we believed its purpose was.
It is stated by Paul Beecher Blanshard in his 1976 book The Humanist; he states;
“It think the most important factor leading us to a secular society has been the educational factor . Our schools may not teach Johnny to read properly, but the fact that Johnny is in school until he is 16 tends to lead toward the elimination of religious superstition.”
Verse 14 of our text begins with “14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased”
Jesus desires the Children to “come unto him“, but many prefer Johnny to be turned away not even able to read properly the Bible that tells of God’s love for him and to know his identity in HIM.
Its dangerous to offend Children away from the Lord. Jesus said in Matthew 18:6
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Too many people think NOTHING of the reality of what occurs after death.
They think nothing of judgement, nothing of damnation or hell, and so think there are no consequences to the destruction they cause and its affect.
The absolute tragedy of todays school system is a direct result of that which Dewey began. The greatest tragedy is the ruin is precipitated by the ignorance of those who drop them at the gate.
Parents, the world will not LET THE CHILDREN COME to the Lord, will you?
Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
Children, Fill the Kingdom
14…for of such is the kingdom of God.
“For such is the kingdom of God…“
It is children beloved that fill the kingdom of God…Children.
As ADULTS, we are not excluded from being referred to as “CHILDREN” in the Bible.
It is interesting how many places in the Bible ALL who are a part of the kingdom of God are referred to as Children;
Jesus said to all;
Matthew 5:45
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:
… to his disciples
John 21:5
5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat?
Paul to the Galatians
Galatians 4:19
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
John to the brethren
1 John 2:1
1 My little children,
1 John 2:12
12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you
1 John 2:28
28 And now, little children, abide in him;
1 John 3:7
7 Little children, let no man deceive you:
1 John 3:18
18 My little children,
1 John 4:4
4 Ye are of God, little children,
The last verse of his first epistle he closes
1 John 5:21
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
It does not matter to God if you are eight or eighty, what is that to the ancient of days?
What are your “three score and ten years” to him that is “from old from everlasting“?
It is Children who fill the Kingdom,
and if you have believed the Gospel of Christ and are born again, YOU ARE HIS CHILDREN and the kingdom is filled by the likes of you.
BUT ye must be born again….
You must be Born of the Spirit said Jesus in John 3
There are multitudes who sit in Churches thinking themselves “Saved” and Safe BUT are NOT!
The new birth is NOT AN OPTION.
Those who ONLY name the name of Christ but are not BORN again HAVE NO CLAIM TO THE NAME!
You MUST BE BORN AGAIN.
John 3:3
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Peter wrote;
1 Peter 1:22–23
22 …. see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
If you are NOT Born again YOU WILL NOT SEE the kingdom of God.
It was John Bunyan, the famous writer of Pilgrims Progress who wrote;
“An Egg is not a chick though it fall from a hen, NOR A MAN A CHRISTIAN LEST HE’S BORN AGAIN”
AND THERE ARE MANY who sit in churches who lay claim to the name that are not saved…not SAFE.
NOT such as those who FILL the kingdom.
You may know everything about your church, you may have picked the colours of the drapes, know who attends and who does not, point the finger at the sins of many and not notice the THREE FINGERS POINTING BACK AT YOU.
You are one of those Who know the price of everything but the value of nothing.
Who rarely if ever share the gospel of Christ.
Who rarely if ever pray or read their Bibles.
Who have their name on a seat in the Church but not a name in heaven!
Almost FOUR HUNDRED Years ago, the great Puritan Preacher and Pastor Joseph Alleine wrote a sermon that is still famous today among Gospel burdened Churches.
It is known today as Alleine’s Alarm, but it was titled by him as “Alarm to the Unconverted”.
On the issue of those who feign themselves Saved, who think themselves SAFE from Judgement, he wrote;
“And now I imagine many will begin to bless themselves, and think all is well, because they cannot be reproached with these grosser evils.
But I must tell you that there is another sort of unsanctified persons, who carry their mark not in their foreheads but more secretly and covertly.
These frequently deceive themselves and others, and pass for good Christians, when they are all the while unsound at heart.
Many pass undiscovered till death and judgment bring all to light. These self-deceivers seem to come even to heaven’s gate with confidence of their admission, and yet are turned away at last (Mt vii 22).“
Here the Pastor quotes Jesus own words in Matthew 7;
Matthew 7:22–23
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
ARE you one of the CHILDREN that FILL the KINGDOM?
And there are MANY people such as this, many perhaps in this very church, many who’s names are even listed in the membership role;
Baptised,
taking communion, but not SAVED, not born again,
And at any time, any moment, will fall into hell. The last breath here becomes the first breath there.
Matthew 7:21
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
SO MANY will there be that give the APPEARANCE of sheep, but are in fact goats.
These are the TARES AMONG THE WHEAT and have not examined themselves whether they “be in the faith” as Paul taught them.
2 Corinthians 13:5
5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
You think you stand on a firm footing, but the appearance of solidity under foot is nothing but a veneer, a false sense of security.
Personal Anecdote.
In 2018 I was working on a scaffold, on a platform about 6 meters high. I was working near a rounded corner where planks were installed diagonally to bridge the gap.
Sitting there completely comfortable, no hint of any sudden change, fixing steel battens into a wall and without any warning the plank I sat on fell out from underneath me and I was falling.
The entire world rushed before my mind. I hit the deck below me in less than one second, but it felt like a long time. Everything came in slow motion. I had Time enough to think if there was anything to hold onto.
Realising there was nothing, I then began to wonder how long it would take to hit the bottom.
It was less than three meters down, but it felt like it was ages.
My friends, I have no doubt the nameless man of Luke 16 thought he was SAFE, but the text says,
“the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments,[1]“ (Lk 16:22-23)
A Barna survey conducted more than two decades ago in conservative Churches had one question, “Are you Born Again?”. 80% did said “NO” and most did not even know what that meant.
But…14 of such is the kingdom of God.
Are you SURE you are one of the CHILDREN who fill the KINGDOM of God?
There is no doubt in my mind that there are some, perhaps many, who Jesus said;
Honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me. (Matt 15:8)
Like the seven women Isaiah wrote of in the last days, who
…. shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. Isaiah 4:1
Beneath their feet is but a light crusty covering that at any moment will give way and will plunge the unwary directly into hell and there will remain.
I know this is hard to hear my friends, I know it makes you uncomfortable, but it is your ETERNAL COMFORT THAT CONCERNS ME.
Are you one of the CHILDREN WHO FILL THE KINGDOM?
14…for of such is the kingdom of God.
Children, Our Examples.
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
It is the likeness of the humble heart of a child that is required to gain that eternal hope and joy.
Jesus became a ransom for you.
Matthew 20:28
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Our Lord literally became sin for us
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Do you see the exchange in that verse?
But it takes tremendous humility my friends, the humility of a Child to take hold of eternal life.
Look at the jailor of Acts 16
Acts 16:25–31
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
My dear friends, have you believed the gospel of Christ?
Is your heart testifying a good matter?
It is the heart where your faith needs to be, NOT your head.
It is the HEART that is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (Jer 17:9)
It is in the heart that “the fool hath said there is no God” (Ps 14:1), the minds are corrupted by the heart!
It is the HEART that needs converting, the minds only purpose is to justify the heart!
It is the heart that needs replacing;
Ezekiel 11:19
19 …. and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:
And it is the heart that NEEDS THE HUMILITY OF A CHILD TO BELIEVE.
Turn to Acts 8
The account is told of a high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, he was a man who had the charge of all her treasure. I don’t know if there are any in this building with such a high and respectful position.
If any man had a right to exalt himself, this would be him.
Nevertheless, he is seen reading the book of Isaiah and traveling from Jerusalem, when Phillip is seen approaching.
Phillip asked if he understood what he was reading and the humility was already apparent as he asked him to come up and explain to him the words.
Acts 8:34–38
34 …. of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
This is the most vital question of the passage.
It testifies that there is a knowledge that this “Jesus” of whom Phillip spoke is the Christ.
It testifies that there is OPPORTUNITY for sin to be forgiven,
it testifies to THE HUMILITY OF A CHILD and the greatest enquiry one might make
The question he asks is NO DIFFERENT to the question asked of Paul by the Jailer in chapter 16, and so Phillip gives the answer here in verse 37.
And so the answer given and the testimony made, is the most vital of the passage.
Look at the answer in verse 37
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.
Notice that he does not say “head”. It is not the head that needs conversion, just as it is not the head that needs the humility of a child, it is the heart
If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Only when he is BORN AGAIN, when he has believed in his HEART that Jesus Christ died for him, is he to be BAPTISED and not before. It is the QUALIFIER.
HOW MANY IN HELL HAVE BEEN BAPTISED before slipping down into it?
The HIGH OFFICIAL had the humility of a Child a believed the Gospel.
AHH the wonderful Children who have trusted in the LOVE of God for them. They take him by the hand and he leads them safely to heaven. Like a loving father who has the hand of his child as they cross a busy street, God will not let you go if you have put your trust HUMBLY in him.
The Humble heart of a Child is OUR EXAMPLE
Children, His Blessed
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
These are the “blessed” of the world.
These are those who have the greatest eternal comfort and joy.
16 … he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
With so many uncertainties as we see the day approaching, there is simply no safer place than in the arms of Jesus. No greater blessing than his blessing, no greater comfort that knowing you are his.
Job, after all his trials, all his troubles, all his grief had the comfort of knowing that after it all, “he shall see God” Jb 19:26.
Isaiah 26:3
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
My friend’s, we have no guarantee of another breath let alone another year of life, ARE YOU SAVED?
ARE YOU SAFE?
My friends, it is not ONLY small children that are enticed away from the KINGDOM of God, it is ADULTS also.
The Devil does not have to work so hard with adults however, because pride in their own hearts does most of the heavy lifting for him.
Will you set your pride aside and be one of His BLESSED Children?
If you are watching the events of the world today, and if you are reading your Bibles, you know that we are in the last of the last days and our Lords return for his Church, his Bride, his Children, is IMMINENT.
Do you have that BLESSED HOPE?
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