The birthday candles are lit…everyone has sung a song in your honor…and then as you take a breath to blow out the candles and someone calls out, “Make a wish!” What pursuits grab your attention so quickly that you would wish for it on your special day?
You have just finished a Bible study lesson with a friend…as you prepare to end with prayer your friend genuinely asks, “What can I pray about with you?” What pursuits are so strong in your mind that they are the first things you think of to pray over?
The Pastor has just said “in conclusion” for the final time…the Bible message has been declared and your heart has been stirred…and the invitation has begun. What pursuits in your life are being built up or challenged?
The truth is, we are all pursuing something or someone. So, the question is are you pursuing evil or you pursuing God? The answer will be yes to one of those questions. The believer must personally pursue God and purposely encourage others to pursue God! In our text today (Matthew 19), the Lord Jesus teaches an important lesson to His disciples.
Parallel Texts: Mark 10:13; Luke 18:15. Cf.: Matthew 18:2-5.
Desiring the Best Thing (Matt. 19:13a)
Here in Matthew 19:13, the Jesus points to the blessing of God on children as the best thing! These were infants whom the mothers carried in their arms, and who were too young to understand the meaning and importance of the act of Christ in blessing them. It was a custom to take infants to the synagogues, that they might receive the prayers and blessings of the rabbis, or holy men. For this reason, they were brought to Christ as a holy and revered teacher. The laying on of hands was a symbolical blessing (Gen. 48:14; Num. 27:23).
There's a story about a proud young man who came to Socrates asking for knowledge. He walked up to the muscular philosopher and said, "O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge." Socrates recognized a pompous numbskull when he saw one. He led the young man through the streets, to the sea, and chest deep into water. Then he asked, "What do you want?" "Knowledge, O wise Socrates," said the young man with a smile.
Socrates put his strong hands on the man's shoulders and pushed him under. Thirty seconds later Socrates let him up. "What do you want?" he asked again. "Wisdom," the young man sputtered, "O great and wise Socrates."
Socrates crunched him under again. Thirty seconds passed, thirty-five. Forty. Socrates let him up. The man was gasping. "What do you want, young man?" Between heavy, heaving breaths the fellow wheezed, "Knowledge, O wise and wonderful..."
Socrates jammed him under again fifty seconds passed. "What do you want?" "Air!" he screeched. "I need air!"
"When you want knowledge as you have just wanted air, then you will have knowledge." (Source: M. Littleton in Moody Monthly, June, 1989, p. 29)
We want a lot of things…however, do we really want greater relationship with God? These in Matthew 19 desired the best thing! Are we truly pursuing the “best thing” as God would see it? Bring your children to the Savior for His blessing in dedication to God and for service to Him!
Hindering the Best Thing (Matt. 19:13b)
The word “rebuke” is defined in Vine’s Expository Dictionary as “to keep one away from another.” The disciples were rebuking what God sanctions! Why would the disciples keep the children away from the Lord? The Bible doesn’t say…we can only conjecture by what often motivates the flesh:
Jewish culture of the time did not view children as special or endearing (like we do today)
Perhaps they thought it was beneath the Lord’s position as a teacher to greet children
Perhaps they thought the Lord was too busy for such a task
It is clear they did not yet understand that the Lord wants to bless the children
The disciples are not alone in hindering children to come to Jesus. There are many examples in the Bible of those who hindered children from God:
Eli hindered his children in coming to God by his lack of discipline.
King Ahab hindered the children of Israel in coming to God by embracing idolatry.
Isaac & Rebekah hindered their children in coming to God by their prejudice/favoritism...and their own selfishness!
Lot hindered his children in coming to God by embracing and/or excusing sinful lifestyles, desensitizing their heart, and thus endearing them to pagan culture.
The disciples are actively following Jesus. They have sacrificed a great deal to follow Jesus. Humanly speaking, their intentions are aimed for good intent. However, they are hindering the work of God in a child’s heart. They had much to learn. Are we hindering what God has sanctioned as the best?
Am I choosing to justify an ongoing sin problem in my life (anger, gossip, envy, bitterness, or immorality…to name a few)?
Do I give little, if any, emphasis on something like the church nursery ministry, elementary Sunday school classes, the Kids Bible Club ministry, or a week of VBS?
Have I devoted little time for my young children while they plead for my attention? By the way, now is the time to attach figurative heart strings to your young children, so when a child needs answers to tough questions, they will feel safe coming to the parent for the answers. When a parent pushes away a child pleading for their attention, the child will grow to be a teen who will often push the parent away when the parent longs for their attention!
It is time to learn as the disciples did that day. The children need God’s blessing…they need our time, talent, and treasures invested in them for their future walk with the Lord. Jesus wants them to come to Him! They are the future generation to carry on the gospel forward. So, let the children come!
Confirming the Best Thing (Matt. 19:14)
In Mark 10:14 (a parallel passage), it is important to note that Jesus was displeased with the disciples for hindering the children to come to Him. Christ has more love and tenderness than the best of His disciples. In this brief verse the Lord communicates 4 simple things:
Jesus demonstrates His humility – He is not above any so as not to receive them.
Jesus is able to take this time to teach His disciples to never disregard any person, even those as small and weak as children.
Jesus speaks of His audience as though the little ones were ready and eager to come to Him if they were not prevented.
Jesus directs His disciples to a child-like character & disposition.
“…of such is the Kingdom of Heaven….” Jesus said, “of such” NOT “of these” – He is referring to the character and disposition of children.
Matthew 19:14 is a repeated lesson from Matthew 18:3. In 18:3, the Bible makes mention of this truth with the phrase “become as little children.” (Innocent, obedient, simple, the pure nature of these infants)
Some years ago in South America, a crew of Peruvian Sailors, heading toward the Amazon River , came upon a strange sight. A Spanish ship was anchored off the coast and all the sailors were stretched out on the deck of the ship. As the Peruvians drew closer, they saw that the Spaniards were in terrible physical condition. Their lips were parched and swollen. They were literally dying of thirst.
"Can we help you?" Shouted the Peruvians. The Spaniards cried out, "Water! Water! We need fresh water!"
The Peruvian sailors, surprised at this request, told them to lower their buckets and help themselves. The Spaniards, fearing they'd been misunderstood cried back, "No, no! We need FRESH water!” But they received the same reply from the Peruvians to lower their buckets and help themselves!
They finally did lower their buckets into the ocean waters, but when they brought the buckets on deck they discovered -- to their amazement -- FRESH WATER! Unknowingly, they had been anchored for days at the mouth of the Amazon River. They were too far from land to see the coast, but not too far from the mouth of the River. There they had access to fresh water in abundance. Dying of thirst, the sailors had given up all hope. All that they needed to do, however, was to lower their buckets.
Those who are thirsty—truly thirsty—know what it is to seek something with a great desire. Many today are looking for the waters of peace, joy, love, and true meaning in life — but seem to fail…not seeing they have endless resource in the living water, Jesus Christ!
When we are truly thirsty for God, we will pursue Him and encourage others to do the same. Don’t discount any willing, well-meaning soul seeking out Christ or who is already in Christ – even if they are weak. Christ has died for all of mankind. He has shed His blood to pay sin’s ransom…so He does not take it lightly when His people turn from or turn away those He has already received! Sometimes the church turns away from:
Disabled (mentally or physically)
Difficult to talk to (non-verbal or too verbal)
Deserted -- Single adults…single parent homes…widows/widowers
Despairing – down and out, depressed, hurting
Distracted (the believer just too distracted with their life to serve God)
What pursuits in your life reveal a need in your heart for transformation?
The believer must personally pursue, and purposely encourage others to pursue, God.