THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: - Vital Christianity

Jesus follows up with a warning:181DON’T HINDER THE CHILDREN (18:16)"But Jesus called the children to him and said, 'Let the little children come to me,and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these'" (v. 16).On the one had we have the disciples have arrogantly told off the parents and instructedthem not to allow their children to interrupt such an important teacher as Jesus. On the otherhand we have Jesus who rebukes those who have just rebuked the parents of the children.So much for crowd control!But what a beautiful picture! Children surrounding Jesus and Jesus giving them Hisundivided attention and affection! It doesn’t get better than that for a child!But it was confusing and embarrassing for the disciples as Jesus warned them not to try toprevent children from coming to Him.THE KINGDOM BELONGS TO LITTLE CHILDREN (18:16)Jesus uses this incident to make a point, to teach His disciples a crucial lesson about theKingdom of God:"But Jesus called the children to Him and said, 'Let the little children come to Me,and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these'" (v. 16).Jesus makes a careful distinction when He says that “the kingdom of God belongs to suchas these.” The words “such as” doesn't mean that the kingdom of God belongs to little childrenor that they are already in the kingdom. Rather, Jesus says that those who inherit or possess thekingdom will be such as these children.What characteristic of children is Jesus pointing to as an essential characteristic ofdisciples?Innocence—Even though Judaism didn't emphasize a child's innocence, but rather achild's immaturity and foolishness, Paul does imply as much (1 Co 14:20).