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Mark 10 "Child and Servant"

"Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but his disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them."

It is easy to be fooled by Christians and churches into thinking that the kingdom of God is something that you join. We say things like, "I joined this church three years ago." Or, "I am a member of Tokyo Horizon Chapel." I think most people who are not Christian think of the church as a club for religious people. And it is true we do many things like a club. We have parties, do service activities, meet people with similar interests, and have regular meetings. But the biggest difference between us and a club is that nobody has ever "joined" the kingdom of God. Nobody has ever "joined" the body of Christ. There is only one way to become part of the family of God. That is the same way that I became a part of my father's family, and my son became a part of my family. You must be born into a family.

You see when we join a club or a company or a team, we bring to it our resumes, our curriculum vitae. We say, here I am, this is what I can do, these are my qualifications for membership. But what about a baby. I was very happy to receive news on Friday that my older brother's wife just gave birth to a son. His name is Sandy Wayne Wilson, and he lives at the Grand Canyon in Arizona. No one says to a child, "Let me see your qualifications." Even the Immigration and Naturalization Service, always very diligent about requiring the right documents didn't bother to come and check Sandy's passport when he entered America. Of course not. Sandy does not have to prove he is worthy to be in the family, he just receives their love. But even this is changing in our world. There are many children now who are asked for their resumes before they even get out of the womb. The parents check them out and decide whether or not they want to keep the child or have an abortion. No child should ever have to prove that they are worthy of love. This is what Jesus was saying when he gave those kids a big bear hug that day and blessed them.

The kingdom of God is a family. The only way to enter is to be born in it. The Apostle John wrote that God gave all those who believe in His name the right to become His children. We are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. We are so used to showing our passport, putting our ticket in the machine, filling out the application and paying our way, but God says "Don't worry about it, your here with Me." Actually, all those things that we think are helping us look good are really the things that are weighing us down. Jesus met a man like this on the road.

"Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery , 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness, ' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth." Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possissions.

"Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?" but Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."

This man was a go-getter. Maybe you went to school with a guy like this. He is rich, does everything the right way, does well in school, does well in sports, does well with the teachers. He is the guy you really want to hate, but you can't even hate him because he is just too nice. He comes to Jesus, and he is sincere. Even though he is rich he kneels down, and asks Jesus what he has to do to inherit eternal life. But Jesus answers in a way that surprised him, "Why do you call me good? There is only One who is good, that's God." You see the rich young man was trying to prove how good he was, to add the one thing he lacked to put him over the top. And Jesus was trying to show him that it is not how good you are that matters, it is how good God is. Even though this man was rich, well intentioned, and had kept the commandments, he was nowhere near the kingdom of God. The disciples were shocked as well. "Man, if this guy can't make it, who can?" And Jesus said the words that every religious person in the world needs to hear, "With men it is impossible" Try as we might we can't do it. Just like Dr. Frankenstein if we try to make life, we end up with something monstrous. "With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." If we try to make life we end up with a monster, but if God grants life, a child is born.

"Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You." So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time-- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions-- and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

Peter and the disciples had left all. There were not depending on anything but Christ. And Christ assured them that they would have their reward. Please listen carefully now, because I want you to be clear about what Jesus is teaching here. Jesus told the rich man to sell all he had, and praised Peter for giving up everything. Many churches use these verses to teach that to really be a good Christian you need to give away everything. The problem is that they want you to give everything away to them! This is how the cults operate. They teach that worldly possessions distract you from spiritual things, so leave those things behind. What I don't understand is why the cult's leaders aren't distracted! Jesus never asked the rich man to sell his possessions and donate them to the church. He said "Sell whatever you have and give to the poor." Jesus wasn't out to recruit a wealthy member to join Him, he wanted the man to be born again. He didn't want a self-sufficient go-getter. He wanted a child of God.

I have told you about the Christian "meishi" before. How each time you meet a Christian you should pretend that when you get their "meishi" it says "A child of God, heir to the kingdom" and you should treat them with the honor that goes with the title. But remember that your own meishi says on the back, "Saved by grace, lest any man should boast." Let me tell you more about the Christian "meishi". On the front it does say, "A child of God" but in fine print underneath it says, "just like Jesus". James and John found out about this fine print.

"Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask." and He said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?" They said to HIm, "Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and other on Your left, in Your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." So Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared."

James and John wanted to lay claim to the privileges of being children of God. They thought, "well if we are children of the King, we might as well sit on the throne." But Jesus asked them, "are you able to drink the cup that I drink". In essence he was asking them, "are you able to be like me?" When the rest of the disciples heard it they were pretty upset.

And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. and whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

It is important to enter the kingdom as a child. In fact there is no other way. We must let go of all those things that we are trusting in, and come to Jesus with nothing. But once we have come to Christ, we must not stay as little children. Jesus does not want us to be childish, rather he wants us to grow to be like him. This doesn't mean that the kingdom of God is like going to the swimming pool, you strip down in the locker room, walk into the pool area with just your shorts and then put everything back on. Don't go back to being the same adult you were, after you are born again. Instead, look to Jesus and grow into the same kind of person that He is. You see Jesus is very different from what we know, what we have experienced in this world. He is so different that in His kingdom the first shall be last and the last first. Everybody wants to be first, to do well, to be on top, but Jesus teaches us that our idea of what is first, is very different than His. If you would be great, you must be a servant, if you would be first, you shall be the slave of all. The disciples' heads must have been spinning. "What does he mean?" I get confused too. "What do you want Jesus? A child? A servant? Jesus says "Are you confused? Then look at Me." "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."

"Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again."