People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’
- Mark 10:13-17
There are two events in the gospels that belong together. They're both about entering the Kingdom. Unless you receive the Kingdom like a child, you won't enter it versus how hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. Those with social position are welcome but the sorted out, morally, financially, and religiously, will find it hard.
There's a deep challenge here. When we meet the real Jesus he will see us deeper than anyone else in the world, even more deeply than we see ourselves. We will have to let go of our means of self-justification. We can’t get into the Kingdom through the religion gate. We can't get in through the good behaviour gate. We can't get in by the winning-at-life gate. What does Jesus say in John 10? I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
The encounter ends with the rich young man walking away grieved. It’s really important that we know that Jesus looked and loved him. Jesus feels exactly the same way about the man as he feels about the children! He is ready to receive and bless him. Readers of these verses have worried for centuries whether this actually means that a disciple has to give up everything - but that misses the point. The point is, are we ready to receive the everything he is giving up for us.
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’
- Mark 10:13-17
There are two events in the gospels that belong together. They're both about entering the Kingdom. Unless you receive the Kingdom like a child, you won't enter it versus how hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. Those with social position are welcome but the sorted out, morally, financially, and religiously, will find it hard.
There's a deep challenge here. When we meet the real Jesus he will see us deeper than anyone else in the world, even more deeply than we see ourselves. We will have to let go of our means of self-justification. We can’t get into the Kingdom through the religion gate. We can't get in through the good behaviour gate. We can't get in by the winning-at-life gate. What does Jesus say in John 10? I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
The encounter ends with the rich young man walking away grieved. It’s really important that we know that Jesus looked and loved him. Jesus feels exactly the same way about the man as he feels about the children! He is ready to receive and bless him. Readers of these verses have worried for centuries whether this actually means that a disciple has to give up everything - but that misses the point. The point is, are we ready to receive the everything he is giving up for us.