Mark 10: 13 – 16    Jesus Blesses Little Children

¹³ People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’ ¹⁶ And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

Reflection

It’s difficult to imagine today, but back in the time of Jesus, children were the least important of all people and yet Jesus welcomed them and saw in them something we should also welcome. I wonder what it was that he noticed?

Consider how a sponge grows and expands when it’s immersed in water as it soaks up all it can of what surrounds it!  Children are a bit like sponges, they absorb everything that surrounds them by way of learning and opportunity.

And so, they learn! And babies and children, of course, have everything to learn! They come into the world unable to control their voice or limbs, and they learn everything from their role models – parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, church family, teachers – you know the sort of list I’m getting at! And they will learn, whether what they learn from others is good or, sadly but inevitably, bad.

Perhaps we think, when Jesus tells us we need to become like children, that he means we are to be meek and mild the least important and submissive.  But, have you ever met a child like that? I’ve met plenty who ask lots of questions and sound older than their years as they copy grown up phrases and behaviour! So, might Jesus also be suggesting that we copy them by being inquisitive, absorbing all we can about God? Perhaps Jesus intends us to be inquiring and curious like children, to ask questions about faith and life – as they do. Perhaps Jesus welcomed their imaginativeness, their ability to explore and learn new things, hour after hour and day after day. Perhaps he welcomed their creatively, their joy and laughter and worries; their faith and their doubts; and all that growing up entails.

When Jesus says we are to be like children, I wonder whether he’s suggesting that we, like them, should learn by absorbing the teaching and experiences that we encounter in Christ himself as we learn from him, because Jesus is our role model. Perhaps we will only enter the kingdom of God by learning from his example, so that we become more Christ-like.

Because a disciple is someone who follows a religious leader, we can describe ourselves as disciples – followers of Jesus.

Apparently, the Greek word for ‘disciple’ is ‘mathites’. But the interesting thing about this word is that it most accurately means an ‘apprentice’ or ‘pupil’. So, a disciple is someone who is not only a follower but also a learner. A disciple is ‘someone who learns as they follow’.

Although we are all God’s children, we must develop our ability to be more Christ-like. To be a disciple is to grow into Christ and align our behaviour with his – following, learning and repeating.

The more time we spend with someone, the more their habits and behaviour – good or bad – rub off onto us. In order to grow as children of God, we must spend time with Jesus in whatever ways we can so that we absorb more of him, and his likeness leaves a mark on us as it rubs off onto us.

To become like children who enter the kingdom of God, we must immerse ourselves in and absorb the teaching and activities we learn from our excellent role model – Jesus. Only by absorbing and repeating his example will we become Christ-like.

God challenges us to be disciples of Jesus today, a people who immerse ourselves in Jesus, listen to him, do what he tells us, and focus on him. A people who follow and learn and change, and grow up as we practice what we’re learning. A people who always remain children of God, but also grow, as we must, into Christ, taking on the roles and responsibilities that come with copying Christ.

Jesus’ disciples 2,000 years ago were a motley crew! The Bible tells us that they weren’t always quick on the uptake, the smartest bunnies in the hutch, and Jesus’ teaching was sometimes hard to bear, but they persisted and continued to learn – often from their mistakes (as children do!)

In life, we don’t learn merely to collect facts, we learn because learning helps us lead better, more fulfilled lives and learning from Christ as our role model cannot be beaten. Learning from him is a lifelong task. We are, and always will be, on an adventure as disciples of Jesus. Like children we have everything to learn as we watch and listen.

Isn’t it strange how we teach children to talk, then spend our time telling them to be quiet, to listen! But Jesus also welcomed children’s voices! We’re reminded of that in chapter 21 of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ life. The chief priests were grumbling and grousing about children shouting in the Temple as they celebrated loudly what they had seen Jesus doing.

‘The chief priests and the teachers of the Law became angry when they saw the wonderful things Jesus was doing, and the children shouting in the Temple, “Praise to David’s Son!”

So they asked Jesus, “Do you hear what they are saying?”  “Indeed I do,” answered Jesus. “Haven’t you ever read this scripture? ‘You Lord have trained children and babies to offer perfect praise.”’

Just as Jesus did, Glenorchy Church must go out and welcome in old and young learners alike, nurturing and encouraging their curiosity, their questions, their voices, their different views, perspectives and ideas which will challenge and inspire us, and be prepared to learn from all that God teaches us when we immerse ourselves in diversity. Above all we should be prepared to be changed, as God expands our minds when we ‘apprentices’ absorb God’s teaching as constant followers, learners and repeaters of God’s love.

Glenorchy Church, is and must constantly become a place full of inquisitive learners about God’s love so that we change and grow like sponges who have absorbed something of the length, breadth, height and depth of God’s love for us, as we grow as children of God.

A Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving             

Praise be to the child in you, Lord Jesus;
to the baby of Bethlehem who lives in you still.
We praise you for your child-like wonder at creation,
your love of sparrows and lilies of the field.
We praise you for your joy in company, in laughter and love.
We give thanks for your love of your Father,
for the total trust and obedience that we should all have.

Lord Jesus, bring out the child in each one of us,
and set that child in the midst of our adult complexity.  Amen.

Revd Janine           

(Mini quiz: count the number of times the words immerse and absorb are used)