March 08, 2021: To Be Able to Receive the Kingdom of Heaven We Must Have the Heart of a Child.

In the book of Mark, chapter 10, Jesus was moving from city to city teaching and healing many people. At one point, people were bringing their children so that Jesus may place his hands on them.

When His disciples saw the people doing this, they rebuked the people. Immediately Jesus became angry with His disciples and told them to let the children come to Him.

Mark 10:13-15 (NIV)

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them.14 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.15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

The words of Jesus are noticeably clear here in this verse: "anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” What is Jesus saying here?

The "heart of a child" is very pure and trusting. It trusts fully in what his or her parent tells them. The child needs and wants the love and trust of their father. Unless we, as grown adults, become like a "trusting child" and "fully surrender" all to our God, like a child does, we can never enter the kingdom of heaven.

How can we become like a child again? We first must put aside all the things we put our trust in now...things like money, hopes, our dreams, and ourselves. Think about it, a child does not have these things. A child fully puts his trust in his parents or father.

God wants the same from us...our full and absolute trust and surrender to Him. After this incident with the children, a certain man came up to Jesus and asked Him, “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10: 17)

Now this man was a rich man and had much and Jesus knew this about him. The man had asked Jesus what he must do to "inherit eternal life". Jesus reminded him about the law of God...Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor...Thou shall not murder...Thou shall honor thy mother and father. Then the rich man stated that he has lived by all these laws. Now read what Jesus said to this rich man:

Mark 10: 21-22 (NIV)

21 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.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth.

This rich man could not do this because he had put all his trust in his wealth and riches. We too do the same, maybe not with money, but maybe with other things in our lives.

PERSONNAL COMMENT:

For us to "enter into the kingdom of heaven", we must begin to have the "heart of a child", so that we can begin to trust the heart of our "Heavenly Father".