Sermon: How to Know God’s Will? Part 2 of 3

Today Pastor Choi talks about three obstacles to knowing God’s will for us: a. Insisting on staying on comfort zones.  b. Refusing to acknowledge who Jesus is. c. Seeking one’s own glory, not God’s.   He concludes his sermon with John 7:17: if anyone is willing to do His [God’s] will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.   

 

  How to Know God’s Will. part 2 of 3

 

 

Following is a summary of the sermon:

 

How to know God’s will?      Part 2 of 3         John 7:10-24

John 7:10-24  New American Standard Bible (NASB)

10 But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret.11 So the Jews were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, “Where is He?” 12 There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” 13 Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach.15 The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?” 16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

19 “Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all marvel. 22 For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

Introduction

Let me tell you a story of Jesus (John 5:1-18).  One day He was walking in Jerusalem by a pool named Bethesda (house of mercy).  Around the pool, there were a multitude of people who were sick, blind, lame, and withered.  Day in day out, all of them were waiting for one thing: an angel of the LORD to come down at certain seasons and stir up the water; after the stirring up of the water, whoever first stepped in would be healed from whatever disease they had.  You can imagine the competition among those folks: everyone wanted to be that first person!  You can imagine many also solicited help from their families and friends.

Well, one of them was a man who had been sick for 38 years.  That day Jesus met him and asked, “Do you wish to get well?”  “Of course, sir,” the sick man answered, “However, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up.  Even though I try, while I am coming, another always steps down before me” (John 5:7).  Then, Jesus said to him, “Arise, take up your pallet, and walk.” And, immediately the man became well, and took up his pallet and began to walk.  So far so good, right?

However, it didn’t go well for Jesus.  You see, the problem was that this thing happened on the day of Sabbath.  The Jewish authorities saw the man walking home with his pallet and said, “Hey, it is the Sabbath, and you are not permitted to carry your pallet.”  But, he answered, “The one who made me well asked me to do so.”  They asked him, “Who is the man who asked you to do so?”  “Jesus,” he answered.  From then on, the Bible says, the Jewish authorities persecuted Jesus and tried to kill Him because He did these things on the Sabbath (John 5:16, 18).  Keep this story in your mind as we proceed: the tension between the Jewish authorities and Jesus on the issue of breaking the Sabbath.

With that in mind, I am going to read to you today’s text one more time with a little bit of [my own commentaries].

10 But when His brothers had gone up to the feast [the Feast of Booths—five days after Yom Kippur, two weeks after Rosh Hashanah, 9/28/15.  7 day-festival of rejoicing and thanksgiving], then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret.

11 So the Jews [Not ordinary Jews but the Jewish authorities who were dead against Jesus—John 5:16] were seeking Him [On-going search effort with ill intention to arrest and kill Him (v. 19)] at the feast and were saying, “Where is He?”

12 There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.”

13 Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews [Jewish authorities].

14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach.

15 The Jews [Jewish authorities] then were astonished [Marveled: vexed], saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?”  [Learned (grammata—Scripture, letter, learning); How does He know so much of the Scripture when he was never educated—never been discipled / trained under any rabbi?].

16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. [Hey, you look for credentials?  God is My Rabbi.  My teaching is not mine.  It is from God.]

17 If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. [Jesus saying, the reason why you don’t recognize Me and My teaching is because you are not interested in doing God’s will.  If you do like I do, you will clearly know that My teaching is from God.]

18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. [Jesus points out here that He is seeking God’s glory not His own and that the heart of doing God’s will is the glory of God.]

19 “Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” [What Jesus actually saying is this: You have no desire to please God.  You are not interested in God’s glory, either.  Your heart is not there.  Therefore, you don’t keep God’s law.  Instead, you try to kill Me who carries out God’s will and keep His Law.]

20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon!  [Terrible way to acknowledge God’s Son] Who seeks to kill You?”

21 Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all marvel. [Jesus refers to healing of the sick on the day of Sabbath in John 5].

22 For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man.

                        23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me [Bitter with me— taste of gall, poison: cf. Matthew 27:34] because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath?  [Greek root for “break” also means to destroy.  In order not to destroy the Law of circumcision, you say it’s O.K. to circumcise (that is, a work) even on the Sabbath.  On the Sabbath, I too worked in order to restore this man to full health whose health was destroyed for 38 years.  And, you accuse me of breaking the Law?”]

24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” [Think and act in God’s perspective, not in your own narrow prejudice].

Contents

Last Sunday, we learned that God wants us to know/understand/do His will.  Whether we live out His will (or not) will determine our eternal destination (Matthew 7:21-23).  I also pointed out that doing God’s will is not an option: it’s a must and a genuine Christian experience for every child of God.  Today, as part 2 of 3, we are going to think about some obstacles that stand in the way of knowing God’s will.  Before we expect to know God’s will, we must clear these obstacles.

We find three obstacles in today’s text in Jesus’ dialogue with the religious leaders: three “No’s” in knowing God’s will.  If you do these three, you will never be able to know God’s will.   If you avoid these three, you will be able to clearly discern His will.

a. Insisting on staying on comfort zones.  The Jewish authorities refused to change the status quo.  Their attitude was “Don’t rock the boat” attitude.  They refused to be changed/ challenged by God and His Word.  That’s why they hated Jesus when He confronted them with truth.  Remember Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath?  He challenged them not to pass judgment on Him by outward appearance but by righteous judgment.  Yet, they refused to do so insisting on their own ways only: Don’t heal people on the Sabbath.  This attitude tells God: Don’t ask me to give up what I love.  Don’t ask me to sacrifice my comfort.  Don’t ask me to carry my cross.  You carry one for me instead.  Don’t ask me to love You more than my own family.  Don’t ask me to give up my TV time for reading your Word and pray.  Don’t ask me to forgive my enemies.  Don’t ask me to give more than one hour on Sunday morning. Don’t ask me….

b. Refusing to acknowledge who Jesus is: There was one individual whom the Jewish authorities respected the most: Moses, right next to God.  To the point where Torah, God’s Law, was commonly called the Law of Moses (v. 23).  They revered Moses with the highest esteem.  Consider this time how they treated Jesus.  They called Him: 1. Misleading the crowd (v. 12)  2. Uneducated (v. 15).   3. Crazy, demon-possessed (v. 20).  Don’t you think their treatment of Jesus clearly reflects their attitude toward Him?  Furthermore, their treatment of Jesus demonstrates their knowledge (in this case, total ignorance) of God’s will.   Attitude determines treatment and treatment determines the knowledge of Jesus.  The knowledge of Jesus determines that of God’s will.  E.g. I was visiting members at a local hospital once.  I overheard a nurse using the name “Jesus” in vain.  It gives away how she regards and treats Jesus.  God would never reveal His will to those who refuse to acknowledge Jesus with respect.  Ask yourself who Jesus is to you.  If He is the Lord and Savior as you confess, treat Him likewise.  Don’t fool yourself saying that He is your Lord yet never obey His Word.  God will not be fooled with our hypocrisy.  He only reveals His will to those who properly acknowledge Jesus.

c. Seeking one’s own glory/desires/greed, not God’s glory. What blinded the religious leaders was that they didn’t seek God’s glory and honor.  With lips, yes, they did: all the time.  Yet, in their hearts, they didn’t.  That’s what Jesus was able to see all the time: seeking one’s own glory not God’s.  I don’t think such attitude has changed a lot even among God’s children today.  There are too many believers who seek their own interests, desires, and wishes in the name of God’s will.  E.g.  A man is hanging for his life on a branch sticking out on a cliff.  “Help!” he cried out.  “Is anyone out there?  Please help!”  No one came.  A few seconds later, he began to pray to God:  “God, please help me!”  Somehow, he felt his prayer was heard.  Sure enough, there came a voice from heaven, saying, “Did you call Me?”  The man said, “Yes, Lord, I did.  Please help me!”  God said, “Do you really want Me to help you?”  “Yes, please and quickly, because I am about to fall!”  God said, “Let go of the branch, then.”  The man couldn’t believe what he just heard.  “Lord, did you really say to let go of the branch?”  God said, “Yes.”  The man said, “No, really, you don’t mean that!”  God replied, “I mean it.  If you let go of the branch, you shall live.”  The man thought for a while and began to shout, “Is anyone else out there?  Please help!”

Conclusion

John 7:17 is the key verse: If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.  Have you noticed that this sentence is conditional?  In other words, when the condition is fulfilled, the following promise will be fulfilled as well.  God says to us, “Make your heart ready to do My will, then I will make My will known to you.”  Do you want to know God’s will?  Learn to put your own desire aside and seek God’s glory and honor first.  E.g. The late Father Archer Torrey: “Willingness to do God’s will is the key to knowing God’s will.  We are 80% ready.”  Learn to put yourself neutral, meaning “Either way, Lord, I will be faithful to You.”   Positive example: Jesus’ own prayer on Gethsemane. “Not as I will, but as You will.”

Be willing to move out of your comfort zone.    Acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus and listen to Him.  Seek God’s glory, not yours.  Then, you are ready to know and do His will for you in your life.

Next week: 5 ways to discern God’s will for you.

Let’s pray.

 

 

Sermon: Knowing God’s Will. Part 1 of 3

Pastor Choi talks about knowing God’s will today.  As part 1 of 3 series, he exposes four spiritual lies concerning knowing God’s will among God’s children: 1.You don’t have to know God’s will.  2. You don’t deserve to know God’s will.  3. It is impolite to inquire of God’s will.  4. It is impossible to know God’s will.  He exhorts God’s people to seek God’s will and accomplish God’s work in their daily lives.

 

   How to Know God’s Will

 

 

Following is a summary of the sermon:

 

 

How to know God’s will?   Part 1 of 3       Ephesians 1:9

Ephesians 1:9   New American Standard Bible (NASB)

9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him.

Introduction

For the next three Sundays, we are going to learn about God’s will for His children, that is, for you and me.  It is essential for us to know God’s will for our daily lives.  This is my favorite subject to preach.   In fact, in my 25 years of preaching, knowing God’s will was the second most popular sermon topic (#1 was Anger).  This is what we are going to do: today, we are going to consider why it is necessary for us to know God’s will.  Next Sunday, we will lay the foundations of knowing God’s will by removing the obstacles in knowing His will.  Following Sunday, we will talk about five practical applications of how to know God’s will.  I pray that all of us will benefit from this sermon series.

Contents

One of the greatest tragedies in the Christian world today is that many of us believe in lies regarding God’s will for us.  I can identify four lies.

#1.  That we don’t have to know God’s will for us.  That’s a big fat lie that Satan whispers to our ears.  Here’s why we should never believe in his lie.  While God wants us to have an abundant life in Jesus, our enemy wants to steal, kill and destroy us (John 10:10).   While God wants us to walk in the light, the devil wants us to stay in darkness.  While God wants us to live in love, joy, peace, and righteousness, our enemy wants to keep us in discontent, lusts, envy, hate, and un-forgiveness.  Many of us are so unfamiliar with God’s will for us that we end up living our lives like non-believers according to own fleshly desires.  The bottom-line is: God repeatedly says to us, “Know My will and don’t settle for less.”  Say after me, please: I will know God’s will for me.  I will not settle for less.

#2. That we don’t deserve to know God’s will for us.  Don’t forget you are God’s child, not a slave.  God wants every child of His to be fully assured in every will of God (Colossians 4:12).  If you believe that you are not worthy to know His will for you, it is the same as telling yourself that you are a slave who doesn’t deserve to know what your father is doing.  Listen again: you are God’s child; therefore, you have the right to know His will.  You are not a slave or an outsider.  You are a member of God’s family.  Listen to Jesus who already said that you are in the know: No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you (John 15:15).  Say after me once more: I am a child of God.  I have every right to know my Father’s will for me.

#3. That it is impolite to inquire of God’s will from Him (this is equal to keeping Him as an impersonal and indifferent God from our daily struggles).  It is like us asking a child never to ask what her parents expect her to do.  Our Father in Heaven never frowns upon us when we ask about His will for us.  He welcomes our inquiries on His will; that’s a sure sign of a healthy relationship between us and God.  Furthermore, it is God who commands us to ask for God’s will and His wisdom (But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him—James 1:5).  Here’s another promise: This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us—1 John 5:14).  Repeat after me: I will ask for God’s will with confidence every day.

#4.  That it is impossible for us to know God’s will (this is equal to agnosticism).   This lie is so contradictory to the Scripture which says it is possible to know God’s will.  How?  First, God reveals His will to us both generally (applies to all) and specifically (applies to individuals).  Take the Ten Commandments, for instance.  They are God’s will for all people, aren’t they?  He also reveals His will that applies to a specific individual (e.g. ‘Should I take this job or not?).   Next, God reveals His will when we ask.  Listen to what Jesus says: ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you (Matthew 7:7).  So, when asked by His children about God’s will, God keeps His promise and let us know His will.  Please repeat after me: it is absolutely possible to know God’s will for me by asking for it.

The point is this: knowing God’s will is not an option.  It is a must for every believer to know God’s will so that we may lead an abundant life in Christ.  Say after me, please: I must know God’s will for me.  Please keep in mind here: living out God’s will is an integral part of genuine Christian experience, not a special and isolated experience for a few believers.  God wants you to be familiar with His will.  Say after me one more time: God wants me to know His will.  Without knowing God’s will, we won’t be able to distinguish from what is pleasing to the Lord and what is not.  We will waste our time and energy, sometimes for years, on things earthly that don’t last or things that don’t matter to God thinking that they do.  The end result will be eternally tragic.   E.g. Matthew 7: 21-23 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

Doing God’s will is not an occasional thing.  It is an everyday thing.  It should be daily practice like the way we breathe and eat (John 4:34, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work”).  We pray daily the Lord’s Prayer which says, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  ‘On earth’ also means ‘in our daily lives.’  We are to say to God, “Your will be done in my life today and every day.”

What’s the benefit of knowing God’s will?  Three benefits: First, there is no waste of our time and energy in daily situations.  For instance, Jesus commands us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44).  We would bless them, not curse, when we know His will.  When we know what’s pleasing to the Lord and what’s not, we won’t waste any breath on wrong prayers, either.

Next, the knowledge of God’s will helps us to live our lives to the fullest.  By understanding His will, we will learn to do God’s will.  By doing God’s will, we will accomplish what God wants us in our lives and in our relationships.  E.g. Do not let the Sun go down on your anger (Ephesians 4:26).  This will lower adrenalin and give us a better life.

Thirdly, it shapes our character into a Christ-like image.  The more faithfully we follow God’s will day in and day out, the more our character will become like that of Jesus.

Conclusion

It is God’s will for us to know God’s will.   He expects us to live out His will in our daily lives (“For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother”—Matthew 12:50).  He reveals His will to us (Ephesians 1:9).  He prepares us with everything good to do His will (Hebrews 13:21).  He rewards those who do God’s will with eternal blessings (1 John 2:17).  

Why do we need to know God’s will for us?  So that we may understand His will and not be a fool (Ephesians 5:17).  So that we may live out as God wants us.  So that we may accomplish His work.  So that we may walk close with God.  So that we may faithfully and effectively live out God’s purpose for us here on earth, that is, to advance His Kingdom on earth.  He wants us to know His will (Acts 22:14).  He wants us to understand His will (Ephesians 5:17).  He wants us to do His will (Matthew 7:21).

Closing prayer: Our Father in Heaven, Your will be done in my life today and every day. You expect me to know Your will.   I want to know Your will, too.   I am Your child.  I have every right to know Your will for me.  It is absolutely possible to know Your will, because You reveal it to me.  I must know Your will.  I humbly ask for Your will every day.  I will not settle for less.  In Christ’s name, I pray.  Amen.

Sermon: Blessing of Children

Today Pastor Choi expounds on Jesus’ blessing of little children.  In the time of Jesus, children were not treated equally as adults.  Jesus changed that understanding and gave a fresh look on children as follows: 1) The Kingdom of God is theirs.  Be like them.   2) Receive God’s Kingdom with simple heart, with sincerity, and with humility like a child does.  At the end, Jesus fervently blessed the children that they would walk humbly with God throughout their lives.

 

    Blessing of Children

 

 

Following is a summary of the sermon:

 

Blessing of Children     Mark 10:13-16

Mark 10:13-16   New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Jesus Blesses Little Children

13 And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” 16 And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

Introduction

Before I do my sermon, I would like to give you background info on the status of children in the time of Jesus.  Back then, children along with women were not counted in number in any gatherings.  E.g.  Jesus’ miracle of feeding 5,000 men with five loaves of bread and two fish (Matthew 14:21).   Children were often “presented as either examples of unreasonable behavior or objects to be trained” (Jerome Bible Commentary, p. 618).  They were surely less important than adults and often treated as a second class citizen in society.

Contents

Enter that understanding into today’s text.  Here’s what was happening: One day Jesus was engaged in a serious teaching session with folks on divorce (Mark 10:1-12).  Then, a few parents and grandparents brought their children to Jesus with a hope that He would touch them (v. 13).  As soon as the disciples of Jesus saw them approaching their Master, they rebuked (and shooed them away) both adults and children (v. 13).  The disciples believed that their Rabbi shouldn’t be bothered or diverted from teaching by anyone else, let alone by little children!  Well, they immediately found out how wrong their assumption was about their Master.  As soon as Jesus realized what was going on, He got indignant (v. 14).

Now, the word ‘indignant’ is a very strong word.  Not often, Jesus got angry or displeased: I know of only three occasions in the New Testament when He was displeased—eight times He said “woe to you” to the hypocrites (Matthew 23), twice “woe to you” to those unrepentant cities where He demonstrated many miracles (Matthew 11:21), once He overturned tables and chairs in the Temple of God and whipped out the money changers, the sellers and buyers of animals from the Temple court (Matthew 21:12).  This time, Jesus surely got upset with the way the disciples treated the children.  He directly expressed his anger toward the disciples.  Then, He gave them a fresh lesson on how to think about and treat the children.

He said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (v. 14).  My translation of the sentence– ‘the kingdom of God belongs to such as these’– is this: the Kingdom of God is theirs!  Seldom in the New Testament did Jesus give to anyone such an assurance that ‘the Kingdom of God is yours!’  E.g. He did in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”  Another time to the criminal on the cross (Luke 23:43– And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise”).  Other than that, very few times to very few people.  But here, He clearly says that children will be in God’s Kingdom.  It is theirs!

I am a firm believer that children indeed have a very special place in God’s heart.  I also believe that when children die unexpectedly, they will be brought directly to God’s presence.  E.g. During the medieval times, the Catholic Church taught that baptism is necessary for salvation; infant baptism was crucial among folks, because the infant mortality rate was rather high, so the parents wanted to make sure that their children went to Heaven in case they died young.  My personal belief is that when children die young, below their age of accountability, baptism or no baptism, they go to Heaven.

Anyway, Jesus continues on here in v. 15 with this teaching moment:  Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all (v. 15).  Two places deserve our attention here: First, Truly I say to you—(verily I say unto you—KJV).  My translation would be this: I am telling you the truth!   I am not kidding you!  Take it seriously! 

Then, Jesus goes on saying, “…whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”  My translation of the same sentence would be: Unless anyone receives the Kingdom of God like a child, s/he will never, ever enter it.  The Greek grammar of double negation (ου μη ) is not affirmative, but emphasis on the zero possibility of getting into the Kingdom of God.  That’s why we’d better pay attention to it.  Once again, what makes it a zero chance to make into God’s presence?  The way we receive the Kingdom of God.

Let’s think about the meaning of receiving the Kingdom of God for a while.  What does it mean to receive God’s Kingdom?  My study of the Bible and prayers convince me as follows: to receive God’s Kingdom means first, the way we hear about God’s Kingdom, and next, the way we understand it and keep God’s commandments.  In other words, to receive God’s Kingdom means the way we take God’s Kingdom in our thoughts, words, and actions.  To receive God’s Kingdom means to hear and understand what Jesus says about it and put it into practice day in day out.  Only hearing without practice and only intellectual understanding without daily practice wouldn’t cut it.   It must include the put-into-action part!  That’s what it means to receive the Kingdom of God.

So, Jesus says here unless we hear/understand/ put into practice like a child does of what Jesus says about the Kingdom of God, we will not make it.  So, the next question for us is this: how does a child receive God’s Kingdom?  Two things come to my mind.  First, the child takes it with a simple heart and mind.  When the child hears the Gospel, the child takes it with a simple faith.  No complications, no doubts, no reasoning, but just believing.  E.g.  All the high-criticism methods in theological circles in the 19th and 20th century killed the simple spirit of faith.  E.g.2. Drought in the South.  A church called for a prayer meeting for rain.  Only one girl came to the meeting with an umbrella.

Next, to be childlike means no hypocrisy.  Remember how much Jesus disliked the hypocrisy of adult religious leaders?  I always try to be sincere in my personal and professional life and I always learn from a child to be so.  E.g. A son asks for $10 from his father—Dad, can I have $10?   Simple and to the point, right?  Imagine the child making the request with big words: “Oh, my benevolent Father, I daily thank you for your loving kindness for me.  Would you kindly consider helping your loving child who is in desperate need of $10?”

Let us receive the Kingdom of God in simple faith and with sincerity.

Immediately after His teaching, Jesus did one of the best things He did for the children: Blessing.  You know, in my humble opinion, the adults who brought the children to Jesus got more than what they had hoped for.  Originally, all they wanted from Him was a touch (v. 13).  But, in the end, this is what they got: He embraced them, laid His hands on them, and blessed them (v. 16).

Picture yourself: Jesus taking one child at a time, hugging one child at a time, laying His both hands on one child at a time, and blessing one after another!  The Greek tense of the verb ‘to lay hands’ is present: that means ‘repeated action.’  In other words, He kept laying His hands on the children until all were blessed!  One commentator says this way: “He (Jesus) fervently blessed them.  The Saviour (sic) lifted up to His Father, in behalf of the little ones, the fervent desires of His heart, and thus invoked ‘down’ upon them a blessing” (James Morison, A Practical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Mark, p. 282).

I wonder what kind of blessing or ‘fervent desires of His heart’ Jesus bestowed upon each child?  Do you think it was all about things down here such as health, prosperity, and wealth?  Like, “I bless you my child so that you become Miss America, so that you go to Harvard, so that you become a billionaire?”  Or, did He truly put His heart onto the blessing that eternally matters; the blessing that reflects His fervent desires for each child?  I believe this is what’s inside of Jesus’ blessing: each child to become a true child of God; to know God, to love God with all their hearts and minds, to love their neighbors, and to keep God’s commandments.  I believe He blessed them so that they would walk humbly with God throughout their lives and hear and do what Jesus has commanded them to.

Conclusion

Whenever we have children’s presence with us, let us remember how Jesus treated them:  He welcomed them, He embraced them, He laid His hands on them, and He fervently blessed them.  Let us imitate our Lord and do the same with our children.  Let us also remember what He says about the Kingdom of God and receive God’s Kingdom with a simple and believing heart and keep Jesus’ Word without hypocrisy.

Amen.