Text: Mark 10:13-16
Disciples First Turned the Children Away, Then Jesus Welcomed Them — Why?
- They were important — even from a young age, children are to be trained in the right way (Proverbs 22:6)
- They provided an important reminder — “the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (v. 14)
Characteristics of Children Needed for the Kingdom
- Innocence — forgiven (Acts 2:38), dead to sin (Romans 6:11), striving for perfection (Matthew 5:48)
- Trust — complete trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5), His word (Psalm 119:160), His way (Jeremiah 6:16), His promises (Hebrews 6:18-19)
- Dependence — we are dependent upon God for our salvation (Acts 4:12)
- Curiosity — desire to learn about God & His will (2 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 2:2)
Not to Be Like Children in All Things
- Foolishness (Proverbs 22:15) — we must not be foolish in spiritual matters (Ephesians 5:17) or in matters pertaining to this life (Matthew 10:16)
- Immaturity (1 Corinthians 14:20) — all will be immature at some point (1 Peter 2:2), but we must not remain in that state; we are expected to grow (Hebrews 5:12-14)
