"And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they were rebuking them. But Jesus called for them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."
Good Morning my beloved,
We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are truly blessed by your presence, thank you all for joining us. I hope you are looking forward to the return of our study of the Gospel of Luke chapter 18 as much as I am, and that your walk with our Lord will be impacted as much it has impacted mine. I would like to express deepest gratitude for your unwavering dedication in helping us spread the Word of God throughout the world, with your friends, families and co-workers, your extraordinary efforts have not gone unnoticed. Your support continues to be invaluable part of this ministry's success, I couldn't do what I do without your faithful prayers, your love and your support. Each of you play a vital part in this ministry.
As the children of God, we have been given the immense responsibility to raise own children in the church, to be greatly influenced by the things of Christ, and faithfully pray for the salvation of our children, so that they will end up in heaven and not in hell. Surely there is no greater concern on our hearts than the salvation of our children. In fact, more often than not, the greatest mission field most of us will ever be assigned is not across the ocean—it is across our own dinner tables. Yet we are living in a generation where this sacred responsibility is being neglected, outsourced, or misunderstood more than any other generation that I've seen in my lifetime. According to a recent Lifeway Research study, nearly 70% of young people raised in the church, who attended church regularly, disengage from church life between the ages of 18 and 22. That's approximately two-thirds of young adults leaving the church citing hypocrisy of members as the key reason. Believers are commanded to not hinder anyone, particularly the vulnerable, from coming to Christ, as such qualities are foundational to receiving divine grace.
Even more sobering—data from the Cultural Research Center shows that only about 6% of American adults hold a biblical worldview, and that worldview is largely formed—or is not formed—by the age of 13, which means, parents, by the time your child enters middle school, much of their spiritual framework is already in place. Is it any wonder that Satan disguises himself as an "angel of light" using compromised individuals in positions of influence within medical practices, educational and athletic institutions, and youth ministries the most influential people and places in most children’s lives, to introduce sexually immoral perversions, such as adultery, fornication and pedophilia and child exploitation, as well as same-sex abominations that deviate from God’s desire and design, to corrupt the minds of the most vulnerable, children at the median age of 5 to 13, with more than 20% of all children being sexually abused before the age of 8, in the deliberate battle for our children’s minds. Not to mention the significant risks online sexual predators pose seeking to interact with unsuspecting minors through social media outlets and interactive video games. The assertion that Satan influences "high places" and institutions is deeply rooted in Ephesians 6:12, which states, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." It is not enough to merely say the words that we are Christians, true saving faith is inevitably demonstrated by the way we repeatedly live our lives. Jesus didn't go all the way to the cross so that you could live a half-Christian existence. The reality is you're either living a transformed life or you're not. Children will magnify not what we say, but the behavior we who hold authority over them unintentionally model. My dear friends, God is in the business of completely transforming lives, lives of those we often think are just too far gone to be redeemed. Frankly, that's exactly where the grace of God does its most glorious redemptive work, I should know, I was one of the them. So, the question is not whether the mind of your child will be formed, the only question is who will be forming them? Because when the church chooses to remain silent on sin, it loses its ability to disciple members, effectively, the culture will gladly step in and disciple them to celebrate what God condemns instead, which encompasses any sexual activity outside the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman. Anything that consistently replaces God in your child’s life is not neutral, it's ultimately distancing them away from Him, because there is little room left for the quiet conviction of the Holy Spirit, whether it be sports, academic achievement, social media, or peer approval, delaying their spiritual growth, hindering Him from doing what He's trying to do in their heart. Tragically, the result is a gradual hardening of the heart, making the eventual return to faith more difficult as the child becomes accustomed to finding satisfaction elsewhere.
In Matthew 18, "At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."
Children are entirely dependent upon those who provide their needs; food, shelter and clothing, et cetera, and they're highly teachable, and as Christ's followers, we should be too. Rather than being influenced by whatever comes along, we need to put God first, to humble ourselves enough to put our trust in the Lord and listen to Him. We need to realize we are not the authority, God is. Proverbs 22:6 reminds us,
to "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." This is not a guarantee of ease—but it is, however, a principle of direction. Training requires consistent effort, repetition and correction, all of which require involvement, implying that parent should never outsource spiritual formation entirely, even to the church. Scripture places the responsibility squarely on the parents. In Ephesians 6:4 boldly states, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." That means as fathers, as we follow Christ to effectively model His love, submission, and grace, we lead our children. It isn't any wonder that as Satan seeks to destroy the family, he targets fathers by diminishing the fathers vital role in the home, because they are essential to anchoring the family and providing spiritual headship, communicating faith to their children, and direction through regular prayer. Statistics demonstrate that when fathers are absent from the home and/or serve an ineffective roll in a child's life, the evidence of the resulting negative impact, is increased rates of youth violence, crime, and poverty. In fact, studies from the National Study of Youth and Religion found that the single most determining factor whether children retain their faith into adulthood is the parents commitment to reinforcing faith in the home; engaging in regular prayer, spiritual conversations, and a strong bond with their father, those adults had 73% higher odds of believing in God and 58% higher odds of weekly church attendance. According to the data analyzed and released in June 2026 by the Institute for Family Studies on over 60,000 Americans concluded, that family is the key to passing on the Christian faith, it starts with a strong church community and is intentionally reinforced in the home. We can't force our children to believe, nor can we save them, but we can cultivate a solid foundation, by saturating them with the Truth, consistently pointing them toward Jesus, while praying every day for their salvation, because one day, our children will stand before God, either as Savior or Righteous Judge. Because we are human, it's so easy for the church to lose sight of what seems to be so easy when routine sets in, isn't it? It is strange paradox, that what is most essential and most foundational is often the very thing that is the first to be overlooked.
Let's pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, we are so thankful for Your Word, our hearts are always so encouraged. While many in the church are busy with worldly concerns, focusing on church growth, more programs, music that pleases both the world and the church, dangerously close but in seeking to become self-satisfied, they eventually drift away, losing sight of the One they claim to follow, they become used to being unspiritual, losing sight of their first love, "protos agape." How often do Your people read Your Word, study it and neglect to receive it as a call to examine our own hearts, refusing to submit to Christ's commands in obedience. I fear that many today do not really want to be washed, to be made clean, forever separated from their sins, but rather only want to be saved enough to be freed from the penalty of their sins. We are grateful that Your Word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, Your Truth awakens us, corrects us, and calls us back when we wander. O' Father, I pray that those who profess to walk with Christ, who thought they understood Him will hear the voice of Your Son saying, "Do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Lord, how often has it been us, who has hindered those You have called to come to You? Forgive us, Lord. Search our hearts and remove anything that prevents us from depending on You, so that we may come to You as children, empty-handed, trusting, and fully reliant on Your grace. We ask and pray these things in Christ's name for Your glory.
Amen.
Today's Message: Entering the Kingdom Like a Child
When you look at the Word of God, there are a number of Truths that stand out, Truths that Scripture affirms over and over again, and established beyond contradiction. The first is that Christ will literally, physically, bodily return, not symbolically or metaphorically, as recorded in Acts 1:11, which declares, "This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." Then, another Truth that is confirmed is that the Bible we hold in our hands today, is inspired, God-breathed, and that every Word is absolutely true, positively pure, and inerrant, flawlessly free from error as affirmed by the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16 which says, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness." The Bible is made up of two sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament, and within those two sections there are 66 specific revelations, 39 in the Old Testament, 27 in the New Testament, which God used over forty writers from diverse backgrounds over a span of approximately 1,500 years, superintended by the Holy Spirit, Who solely brought it all together in one book, with impeccable truthfulness and unwavering accuracy. In fact, the only way we can know God and His will is to have it given to us, and God Himself has chosen to do through the one and only book, we know as the Holy Bible. Therefore, since the Bible is the ONLY revealed Word of God, it is the responsibility of all people everywhere to respond to God's Word obediently, those who have not responded obediently, have not truly responded to God, in spite of whatever deception they might believe. Thessalonians 2:10-12, clearly states that those who refused the love of the truth so as to be saved, will be delivered over to a powerful delusion sent by God as a consequence of their rejection, so that they believe the lie, leading to their condemnation. God has spoken, He has spoken clearly, and He has spoken precisely, and directly to the matters that concern Him and concern us. Every word is true, every promise is reliable. Every command is authoritative. God does not contradict Himself. There is no way that anyone could know the Gospel message of the Bible apart from the words of the Bible explicitly illuminated by the Spirit of God. (John 16:8-11) While unbelievers might grasp the historical, grammatical, and literary facts of the Bible, they cannot truly comprehend or accept the spiritual truths of the Gospel apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, Who must intervene to remove spiritual blindness. How we handle Scripture matters. It is sufficient for all matters of faith, practice, and life. Getting the Word of God right isn't optional—it's absolutely essential. As a recipient of God's grace it means that you don't get to run your life anymore. And, I believe that Truth needs to be accurately conveyed. Truth sets the standard, grace provides the means by which to meet that standard.
Jesus declares in John 8:45-47, "But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God. You can't get any clearer than that. Only those who belong to the Kingdom of God will hear and obey God's Word. Everyone else is outside the kingdom, regardless of what they profess. Luke 11:28, "...blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it." This same teaching is reinforced in Luke 8:21, where Jesus identifies his true family as "those who hear the word of God and do it." Jesus explicitly states in John 14:15, If you love Me, if you belong to My family, you will do what I say, emphasizing that true love is demonstrated through action, not merely words. Anyone who has truly come to salvation is ashamed of his past. Profound personal shame is essential for salvation, it is the necessary precursor to repentance. The problem is we live in a very shameless culture, nobody is ashamed of anything, in fact, they parade themselves through the streets celebrating their sin. Our beloved Apostle John identifies the source of worldly temptations in 1 John 2:16, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."
Persistent disobedience to Christ commands clearly indicates a lack of genuine relationship with Him. The Christian calling, then, is not to dilute Truth to avoid offense, but to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), embodying both moral clarity and offering the same grace and mercy we have ourselves received. Ultimately, John 14:21 confirms that whoever has His commandments and keeps them is the one who truly loves Him. Obedience, then, is the natural evidence of love for Christ. Have you ever noticed that those who should be ashamed are rarely the the ones that are ashamed, particularly when their self-image is tied to superficial religiosity, moral supremacy are the result of hypocrisy, when individuals perform external religious acts to attract public approval, but internally, are full of impurity. Have you ever noticed the harshest criticism often comes from those who cannot tolerate being criticized themselves? For example, the scribes and Pharisees were very outwardly religious and on the surface, they were very moral, but inwardly, they were corrupt, prompting Jesus to condemn their hypocrisy in Matthew 23:27, calling them "whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness." In my experience, the worst of sinners are typically the best at self-deception. It's very difficult to proclaim the Gospel to people who have fundamentally convinced themselves they're in a right relationship with God. These people tend to operate under the misconception they are basically good and lack any true awareness of their true spiritual condition. Genuine salvation comes to those who know they’re spiritually bankrupt, who hunger and thirst for a perfect righteousness they know they can never possess. That's why Jesus separates the repentant from the resistant in Luke 5:32, saying "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."
Open your Bibles with me if you would to the Gospel of Luke. Luke chapter 18, verses 15 through 17 and please keep them open as we examine three profound verses, where Jesus teaches His disciple's a lesson about entering kingdom, which is part of His much larger teaching, where the entire emphasis has been on the question: Who is going to be in the kingdom? So far, what we have learned is that those who have achieved a level of morality and righteousness are not in the kingdom and those who are lowly with nothing to offer, who can do absolutely nothing to earn salvation are in the kingdom. You cannot study this passage and remain unchanged. We are forced to deal with what Jesus exposes and warns all of us against, self-righteousness, self-deception by comparing ourselves to others and entering the kingdom through child-like faith. I encourage you to follow along with me in your Bible, as I read with an open mind and a receptive heart so that you can see that this message comes directly from the inspired Word of God, and that you will listen for the voice of our Lord as He speaks to us collectively and individually through His Word. Luke 18:15-17.
"And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they were rebuking them. But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."
At first glance, this appears to be a tender moment: parents bringing their young children, who knew nothing, believed nothing, and had achieved nothing, yet shared the same concerns as any parent regarding their children's future and growing up to be in the kingdom of God, in the hope that Jesus would pronounce some special blessing on them that might secure them for the kingdom of God. And by the way, Matthew, in his parallel account in chapter 19, tell us that this particular discussion happened in front of a large crowd where some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him asking Him questions about marriage, divorce and remarriage in order to discredit Him before the crowds. In his parallel passage, Mark in chapter 10, also tell us the discussion prior was about marriage, divorce and family, so the logical natural progression of this type of discussion would be to consider the children of parents who strive to live by the law and do what is right before God. Obviously, the parents of these dear little ones felt very comfortable in bringing their children to Jesus, Who had already established a reputation for being compassionate at the most profound level of human need, He healed people from all their diseases, He raised dead people, He created food to feed people when they were hungry, He unquestionably demonstrated His love for children through the miracles that He did. However, He was not sentimental about children, He knew, like adults, they were sinful in nature. In His Tribute to John the Baptist, in Matthew 11, He compared this generation to children sitting in the marketplaces, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." He understood children were a good source of illustrating what stubborn sinful, selfish and rebellious, adult behavior looks like. Yet, being very well aware of this, He still embraced children in a special, loving way.
Let's look at verse 15, "And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they were rebuking them."
One of the things deeply rooted in Jewish tradition that parents used to do, typically the father, who was responsibility for the religious and moral upbringing of a child, would take their children to the local synagogue, where the responsible elders or rabbis would lay his hands on the child offering blessing, encouragement, and prayer, then handing the child down the line of elders, each one praying for the child, and blessed them, and asking that the child be granted "a portion in the Law and in the doing of good works," essentially praying for the future of that child to be drawn to the law of God, obedience to that law, conformity to that law and therefore earning a place in the kingdom, because the child was not yet accountable for knowing the law, understanding the law, applying the law, or obeying the law. We're not told anything about the faith of the parents, but we do know that they were bringing their little ones to be blessed by Jesus, concerned about the future spiritual condition of their children of their children with regard to the kingdom of God. Both Matthew and Mark use the word "paidia," meaning a young child, but Luke is even more specific in using the word "brephos" meaning newborn, nursing infants or unborn child. As important as this was to the parents, it was apparently intrusive to the disciples, because when they saw them bringing their babies to Jesus bless their children, pray for their children, they began rebuking them, to prevent something from going wrong. I'd like you to notice Luke uses the Greek verb "epitimaó," meaning they strongly in opposition of the parents' action that was interrupting what Jesus was doing to pay attention to these little babies who had no capacity to believe.
Verse 16, "But Jesus called for them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." The Greek verb "proskaleó" translated as called was more of an official summoning. Mark adds when Jesus saw this, He was "aganakteó" meaning greatly afflicted, He furious or indignant, with the disciples for attempting to stop the parents from bringing their babies to Him. This is not insignificant, He severely rebuked the disciples for their bad theology. Then, He gives them strong mandate, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them." Not every parent is interested in the spiritual well-being of their children, many parents then and now, aren’t raising their children in a Christian home, while others will happily drop them off at Sunday school or V.B.S. so we can "baby-sit" them, in order to have an hour or two free from their children. I can assure you of this, successful parenting takes a lot of hard work, preparation, money, praying and self-sacrifice. As a parent myself, when I was first starting out, there were many nights I went to bed hungry so that my children had enough to eat. And, w hen I was taking care of my parents before they passed, my younger children asked why I wasn't eating with them, as I always had, I simply told them, I'd eat later.
I have always had a overwhelming desire for all of my children to know how much God loved them, to trust wholeheartedly in the provision and providence of God and for them to know and love Him personally. It was and is still common for people to imagine that those of us who teach God’s Word, who faithfully serve God’s kingdom, have a stronger chance of having our prayers answered, as if our prayers are somehow more powerful. I recall asking one particular woman, who had asked me for prayers, if she had taken the matter to God first to which she replied, "Oh no, I brought the matter straight to you, your prayers always get results!" I can assure you, I have exactly the same access to the throne of God as anyone else, and my prayers are no more or less powerful, the only possible difference is I pray according to God's will, in faith with His divine providence; believing that He is absolutely sovereign over all things, even the things I can't understand and my belief that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, which promises to bring spiritual good to believers and displays God’s glory. This enables me to rejoice even in difficult circumstances, which by the way, is distinctly from rejoicing for difficult circumstances, but we can and should rejoice in the results. For the record, all things together for the good of those who love Him does not necessarily refer the temporary comfort of this life, but refers to the ultimate spiritual benefit and conformity to the image of Christ.
There are some parents today, who still bring their child to the church to be dedicated to Christ, and be prayed for by their pastor, elders and the church, to publicly declare their desire to raise their child in cooperation with the Holy Spirit and according to the teachings of Scripture. Personally, I believe is a beautiful thing for any parent to acknowledge God's sovereignty over their child, and dedicate their back to the One Who has blessed us with that child in the first place. However, I must confess, there were a few times in my life when "releasing" that imagined control over to God was difficult, I mean, what if my desired results didn't go along with His plan? As I look back at those moments now, I have to laugh, whether I realized it or not at the time, He was always in control of the outcomes and I, was not. By the way, this is the only time in Scripture that I have found where Jesus ever spoke blessing on non-believers. God consistently makes it very clear in Scripture, that all children belong to Him, for no other reason that simply because they exist.
Then, Jesus ends His string indictment of the disciples with a very powerful statement, that would contradict everything the religious leaders of the day and those who followed them believed, "for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Many people view children differently than adults, because they are unable to contribute anything, they are totally depend on others to provide everything they need. I mean, have you ever had a new born who was hungry in the middle of the night during the intense hunger phase? A newborn’s stomach only holds about 1.5–2 ounces, requiring being fed every 2–3 hours. They will find a way to get the nutritional needs they require immediately met! By stating that one must receive the kingdom "like a little child" to enter it. He is contrasting the self-important of adults with dependent trust of children. When I was growing up, it never entered my mind my needs wouldn't be provided for, I trusted them completely to provide what I needed, most of the time not realizing they often did without. By their selfless example, they taught me to put the needs of others before my own, trusting that my needs would be provided for.
That brings us to verse 17, "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." There it is, the key to entering the kingdom of God, in simple, straight-forward words, directly from the mouth of our Lord. Many Christians hear this verse as merely a call to simplicity and child-like innocence, but I believe that Jesus is saying something far more devastating, far more dangerous to our pride, that as adults, in our dedication and service to God, we have lost sight of what the kingdom of God demands—child-like faith. The kingdom of God is the spiritual realm where God sovereignly rules over those who belong to Him and they completely trust Him with the faith of a child, who completely trusts their Provider's provision, never doubting for a single moment that He won't meet their needs. If God lavishly clothes grass that is here today and burned tomorrow, how much more will He care for His children, who He dearly loves and hold infinitely more value to Him? Worry and anxiety essentially claims that God is either unaware of our needs, unable to meet them, or, is just plain unwilling to do so.
Think back to Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:25-30, "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single cubit to his life span? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!" This is not about mere sentimentality, this is a gatekeeping verse about entering into God's kingdom: No child-like faith, no humble dependence, no entrance into the kingdom. Anyone who wishes to enter the kingdom must adopt the trusting, powerless character of a child. You cannot achieve it through self-sufficiency, dismantling the tendency toward self-justification and religious pride. The Greek phrase "hōs paidion" or like a child, implies a child does not negotiate the terms for entry into a family, they are brought in empty-handed, ready to receive by another. That's essentially what He's saying here when He says, "The kingdom of God belongs to such as these."
In John 3:3, Jesus says that before a person can see the kingdom, he must be born again. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul says salvation is "by grace... through faith... not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." And, in 1 Peter 1:23, Peter says "for you have been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, that is, through the living and enduring word of God." The pattern is consistent throughout Scripture, before you can enter the Kingdom, you must first receive the King, submitting to His Lordship. Peter reminds us that submission and obedience are not in vain, 1 Peter 5:6, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time." Resist self-reliance and self-sufficiency which leads to destruction, but come with humility and complete dependance, which leads to honor.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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