“The Bible’s Children: the children who gathered around Jesus”
Mark 10:13
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus.
Born just over a hundred years ago, back in July of 1912, in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Gordon Arthur Kelly, known by most today as Art Linkletter, was a famous radio and television personality, hosting shows such as House Party which ran for twenty-five years, and People are Funny which ran for another nineteen.
But his life wasn’t easy. In fact, his parents abandoned him when he was only three weeks old, so a pastor and his wife adopted him. Later, after graduating from high school in the early years of the Great Depression, he rode trains around the country and did odd jobs.
After his death in 2008, actress and comedienne Phyllis Diller said, “In a couple of months, Art Linkletter would have been 98 years old, a full life of fun and goodness, an orphan who made it to the top. What a guy!”
But of all the movies and television shows he took part in through his ninety-seven years of life, probably the most famous of all was the one called Kids Say the Darndest Things.
And they do, don’t they?
Here’s one. Linkletter asked, ”What does your father do?” “My father’s a schoolteacher.” “That’s a fine profession! Does he like it?” “He has only one thing to complain about.” “What’s that?” “The kids.”
Or, “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” “No.” “Would you like some?” “Sure, I’m lonesome.” “What does your mother say when you ask for one?” “She just groans.”
Or, “What did your mommy tell you not to say?” “My mother told me not to tell any of the family secrets, like the time she dyed her hair blonde and it came out purple.”
But while kids may sometimes say the darndest things, they can be pretty smart too! Take, for example, a twelve-year-old boy named Joel who said, “Don’t pick on your sister when she’s holding a baseball bat,” or thirteen-year-old Phillip who said, “Never dare your little brother to paint the family car,” or fourteen-year-old Michael who said, “Never tell your mom her diet’s not working,” or sixteen-year-old Heather who said, “When your dad is mad and asks you, ‘Do I look stupid?’ don’t answer him.”
We love children and, not surprisingly, Jesus loved children too. In fact, He even went out of His way to be with them and to spend some time with them.
As one commentator wrote, “Jesus was incredibly interruptible. Here He is, saving the world, and He doesn’t have much time to do it. Still, He never rushed. Every encounter was precious, and He made the most of every single one. He cherished babies and little children.”
And that’s especially true here in the words of Mark chapter 10.
I’ll start reading at verse 13: “And they were bringing children to Him that He might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to Me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.’ And He took them in His arms and blessed them, laying His hands on them” (Mark 10:13-16).
So far in our time together in this series called, “The Bible’s Children,” we’ve taken a look at, to name a few, Cain and Abel in Genesis chapter 4, Ishmael in Genesis chapter 16, Samuel in I Samuel chapter 1, Naaman’s servant girl in II Kings chapter 5, and a man born blind in John chapter 9. If you look closely enough, you’ll find that there are quite a number of children in the Bible, some named and others unnamed, from whom we can learn quite a lot of things.
Even more, Jesus’ life and ministry was often very much about children. Not only was He Himself a child when He questioned the teachers of the Law, but He cast a demon out of a child in Matthew chapter 17, He raised a child from the dead in Mark chapter 5, He borrowed a child’s loaves and fish the day He fed thousands, and in Matthew chapter 21, children cried, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
So it’s really no surprise that here, in the book of Mark, we find Him surrounded by children.
Let’s step back for a moment to see what’s going on.
Just a few days before, as He stood in glory with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration, the Father called out from heaven to say, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him” (Mark 9:7). Then just as soon as He came down from that mountain, He healed a boy possessed by a demon, and He spoke to His disciples of His suffering, death, and resurrection.
And in just a few days more, He’ll give sight to blind Bartimaeus sitting by the side of the road and He’ll triumphantly ride a donkey into Jerusalem.
But now as He teaches the people about God’s kingdom, the Bible says in verse 13: “And they were bringing children to Him that He might touch them” (Mark 10:13).
If you think about it, all this is rather strange, for in that time and place, people didn’t care so much about children.
Historians tell us that, in ancient Rome, children weren’t even considered human until they could walk and talk. After all, as many as one out of every four children died before they were even a year old! And when they died, parents didn’t even bother to give them a tombstone. Instead, they simply buried them in their garden much like a family pet!
Historian Jana Louise Smit wrote: “Fathers held the power of life or death for a newborn, even without the mother’s input. After birth, the baby was placed at his feet. If he picked it up, the child remained at home. Otherwise, it was abandoned outside for anyone to pick up--or to die of exposure…And if an older child displeased him, he had the legal right either to sell them as slaves or to kill them.”
Another historian, Gordon Gora, wrote: “As shocking as it seems today, infanticide was a common practice in Roman times. Before there was more effective contraception, women were allowed to dispose of their children if they so pleased. And though boys were more highly valued than girls, based on archaeological sites, boys and girls were killed equally.”
And in a letter dating from the time of Christ, a Roman citizen wrote to his wife: “Know that I am still in Alexandria. As soon as I receive payment, I shall send it up to you. If you are delivered before I return home--if it is a boy, keep it; if a girl, discard it.”
So for Jesus to spend time with children wasn’t only startling, it was downright astonishing!
Even the disciples seemed to think so! After all, Jesus was busy, you know. He had quite a lot of things to do, you know. And acting very much like a president’s bodyguards, they were more than happy to keep any disturbances, any well-wishers, at a distance--far away.
And children? They were nothing more than just a bother, a distraction, one more interruption on a completely full, already busy day!
Can you picture it in your mind? Just as soon as the crowds found Him, they surrounded Him on all sides, eager to hear Him speak. And if that wasn’t enough, a group of Pharisees also came to question Him, to test Him, saying, “Moses said…but what do You say?!”
And in the midst of all that motion and commotion, then came the children. No wonder the disciples tried to chase them away!
But what did Jesus do? What did He say? The Bible says in verse 14: “But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant…”
Now that word “indignant” is a pretty big word, as in angry, furious, annoyed, irritated, vexed, grieved, and upset. He was mad and He made that fact perfectly clear. He said: “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them” (Mark 10:14).
Why? He said: “Because God’s kingdom doesn’t belong only to you. It belongs to them too!”
Then best of all, as it says in verse 16: “And He took them in His arms and blessed them, laying His hands on them.”
“Let the children come,” Jesus said.
Is it any surprise? It shouldn’t be. It’s something that Jesus often said.
As fishermen once stood casting their nets into the Sea of Galilee, He said: “Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). In Matthew chapter 11, He said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He said to a rich young ruler in Matthew chapter 19: “If you want to be perfect, sell all your possessions, give to the poor, and you’ll have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow Me” (Matthew 19:21). In John chapter 6, He said: “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and those who come to Me, I will never drive away” (John 6:37). In John chapter 7, the Bible says He called out in a loud voice and said: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37). And in John chapter 12, He said: “But I, when I’m lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself” (John 12:32).
So it’s no surprise that, as the crowds clamor for His attention and the disciples try to shoo them all away, He said: “Let the children come” (Mark 10:14).
It was a cold, rainy Monday morning in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey when a ten year-old boy walked through the rain to attend a church service. A visiting preacher had announced that he would preach there every morning through Holy Week. But when the pastor walked out to lead the service, he saw that the boy was the only one there!
Years later, after the boy became a man, he wrote about his experience that day. He said: “I wondered what the minister would do, but when the hour set for worship arrived, the pastor walked into the pulpit and began the service as if the church was filled to capacity. Then he looked down at me with a smile of great sincerity and spoke earnestly to me about the love of God.
“Then when it came time for the offering, the minister held out the offering plate and I walked to the front of the church and placed my nickel into the plate. Then he smiled at me, and placed his big gentle hand on my head.
“Then as I walked back to my seat, I knew that this man’s God was a real God, and that every child mattered to God.”
Then he said, “It left a lump in my throat, and I cannot think of it today without emotion.”
Today, we’re glad that that boy went to church and we’re glad that the preacher preached, because when he grew up, not only did he become a Christian, he became one of the most successful movie makers in the history of Hollywood, producing movies like The Ten Commandments, The King of Kings, and The Sign of the Cross.
His name? Cecil B. DeMille.
Later he said: “My ministry has been to make religious movies and to get more people to read the Bible than anyone else ever has.”
Why do we bring our children to Jesus? Because, when we do, they find in Him forgiveness of sins, hope for this life, and hope for the life to come.
We thank You, Father, that Your kingdom belongs not only to us, but even to little children too. Help us, by the things we say and do, to bring them all to You, for Jesus’ sake. Amen