It's Kid Stuff

Scripture: Luke 18:15-17
"One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him. 16 Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

Observations:
Jesus once made a staggering statement that likely shocked His audience- entry into God's Kingdom is best illustrated by observing little children. For one, children in Jesus' day had no social standing and therefore no rights to anything. They were considered powerless and weak. Unless someone acted on their behalf, they would have nothing and no one to help them. They could earn nothing and according to society they deserved nothing. But according to Jesus, human beings are no different when it comes to a relationship with God. A relationship with God cannot be obtained by doing anything, it is all the result of what someone else has done on your behalf. No one deserves anything from God, except retribution for sin. Mankind on its own is powerless and helpless before God to whom the Kingdom belongs. Yet, God Himself offers His Kingdom to anyone willing to receive it "like a child".

Application:
What it really all boils down to is that in order for us to enter God's Kingdom there is really nothing we can do but to accept it as a gift given to us in full recognition of the fact that we do not deserve it and that we have not earned it. Because of God's mercy we have been invited into relationship with His Son, nothing more. The moment we begin to fool ourselves into thinking we had anything to do with it other than that, we risk entrance into God's Kingdom. We did nothing more than accept the greatest gift of all- Christ's death and resurrection on our behalf. He and He alone is the reason we will one day enter God's Kingdom and the reason we have relationship with God today. So long as we base our relationship with Christ on that fact alone, we can, like children, feel secure in Him.

Prayer:
Father, thank You for making a way for us when we never could. Help us to keep You as the center of our lives and never lose sight of Your cross as the foundation upon which our relationship with You rests. Amen.


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