Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Children are one of God’s special gifts to our world, do you agree? Depending on your age and where you live in the world, children may be a rare sight, or you may be surrounded by noisy kids! As I read the four Biblical records of the life of Jesus on earth, it seems children frequently showed up when large crowds gathered to see Jesus.
We’re walking toward Jerusalem with Jesus and His disciples and friends in the days leading up to that historic Passover/Easter weekend about 2000 years ago. As Jesus and His caravan approach the twin towns of Bethany and Bethpage, just on the other side of the range of hills called the Mount of Olives, I wonder if children came running out to join the ‘parade’?
Jesus was famous in these towns and the people loved Jesus and His disciples. It appears Jesus loved it when children were around Him. As kids came running I wonder if Matthew remembered back?
Matthew tells us that on one occasion, as adults were restraining the kids from running to Jesus, Jesus said “Let the little children come to Me, do not hinder them for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matt. 19:14) I assume adults were doing then as they do now… trying to restrain the children from disrupting the adults, especially important adults, when they are speaking or tending to important things. But children sometimes overlook what seems so important to adults and they just run in, interrupting the important things adults might be doing, just seeking a playful hug! Can you imagine that happened often to Jesus?
Now look, can you see the big smile on His face as Jesus looks up from the adults, He’s with. Jesus hears the children’s happy voices, and He sees children running to him with their little arms stretched out and maybe even yelling “JESUS, Jesus”!!! Can you see Jesus getting down on His knee and opening His arms, beckoning the kids to come to Him? Can you see the kids straining to get away from parents or grandparents who are trying to hold them back, and finally when they break free, they run to Jesus and jump into His open arms?
And as that happens can you see the smiles, maybe even the laughter of some adults who are watching and remembering when they were kids and ran to an adult who they felt loved them? Honestly now, can you also see the scowls and frowns of some adults who see kids as a major disruption or intrusion?
What do you suppose Jesus meant by saying ‘the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’? Was Jesus referring to the children’s innocent trust of Jesus as they run to Him as compared to the doubt or suspicion with which some adults listen to Jesus? Was it the awe with which the kids watched Jesus do His miracles, when so often adults were skeptical or went to report Jesus to the authorities?
As you consider 8 billion of us in the world, who are the people who bring the greatest joy to the heart of God and who are those you imagine cause heartbreak and grief as God watches us human beings, whom He has created in His image and longs for us to know and love Him as much as He loves us? When you consider your attitudes toward Jesus, in the midst of the busyness of life, with Easter weekend now only a few days away, is there any part of you that is childlike as you think about and come to Jesus?
We have no record that Matthew was married or had any children of his own, and perhaps because he had been a hated tax collector, perhaps adults in those towns had warned all the kids to stay far away from him. Maybe, as kids sometimes do, they’d even picked up little stones and throw at tax collecting Matthew when they saw him?
Matthew tells us of another time Jesus welcomed children. Matthew writes: “Jesus called a little child to Him and placed the child among the adults. Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you , unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in Me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea!” (Matt. 18:2-6)
Oh my, now do we see how seriously God views those who harm children… killing them before they are born or abusing them or abandoning them as infants? The grinding wheel millstone used at the threshing floor was huge and often weighed a ton or more! Can you see the picture in your mind of a convicted child molester or producer of child pornography or anyone else who harms children, having a huge millstone tied around their neck as they stand on the deck of a barge taking them out to the deep water and then in judgment they are thrown overboard? How quickly would that millstone drag them down to the depths!?
Matthew wrote one more thing that Jesus said about children which has caused quite a stir down through the centuries: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.” (Matt. 18:10)
Now, does that mean God assigns certain angels to watch over little defenseless children, especially those who, through no fault of their own, live with adults who put those children in great danger? Does it mean there are angels in heaven standing by ready at any time to be sent by God here to earth to protect or comfort children in great distress or despair? Does it mean some angels in heaven are speaking with God about the plight of children at risk here on earth? We don’t know exactly, but I believe all of those and more could be what Jesus meant when He said those words.
Clearly, God delights in, loves dearly, and watches closely over children everywhere in the world, and God holds, to a very high standard of accountability, all adults who have any interaction with children, and God’s judgement upon those who abuse or kill children will be severe indeed.
So, let’s close today by just watching the scene I imagine taking place as Jesus and His group of disciples and friends are entering the twin towns of Bethany and Bethpage, and little children are running out from houses all around to greet Jesus! Can you hear their happy cries, ‘Jesus, Jesus is here, Hi Jesus…’? And look at the adults…some so happy to see Jesus, others frowning and going on about their busyness. And look at the big smile on the face of Jesus! Do you smile when you imagine Jesus smiling?
And here’s a delightful song sung by children. It will bring a smile to your face and maybe you’ll even sing along, thanking God for how much He loves children…
Today’s Scripture is Matt. 18:1-10.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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