Like a Child

Mark 10:13-16 May 9, 2021 Pastor Vince Corpus

Thesis King Jesus receives those who are needy, helpless, and dependent into his kingdom, and the church must mirror this heart by welcoming and bringing others to him.

Series

Gospel of Mark

Type

Expository

Tone

pastoraldidacticcelebratory

Method

grammatical-historicalcanonicalredemptive-historical

What's in this sermon

The shape of the argument

39 units across exposition, application, illustration, theological claim, and conclusion. The pastor's argument is built from these moving parts.

Pastoral correction · unit #12

"Application to mothers, commending their work of bringing their children to the Lord through home Bible reading, church attendance, and structuring family life around Jesus. Affirms that even unseen labor is recognized by Jesus and commended by him."

Doctrinal loci· 5 surfaced

Christology · 10 Pastoral Theology · 5 Ethics / Moral Theology · 3 Sanctification · 3 Providence / Sovereignty · 1

Bible citations· 22

Illustrations· 2

analogy · unit #4 — Explains Jesus' pedagogical strategy: he uses the most vivid, memorable illustration available—living children—to make his point about the kingdom stick in his hearers' minds and hearts.
cultural reference · unit #22 — Cultural illustration from The Lord of the Rings (Gandalf on the bridge) to illustrate Jesus' uncompromising exclusion of those who come to the kingdom relying on their own qualifications or contributions.

Theological claims· 12

The children in this passage are not the main point but serve as an illustration of a deeper truth about the kingdom. unit #3
King Jesus receives those who are needy, helpless, and dependent into his kingdom. unit #5
The disciples' failure mirrors our own tendency to learn a lesson from the Lord and immediately contradict it in our behavior. unit #9
This passage is not about childlike faith but about the heart posture—the self-understanding—with which we must approach the King. unit #19
Jesus receives us in our needy, helpless, dependent state so that we can receive his kingdom—his reception enables ours. unit #20
Adult believers come to Jesus worse off than the children—burdened with years of sin we could not remove—but Jesus receives us in our helpless, burdened state. unit #23
Jesus receives the needy, helpless, and dependent by providing what they lack: perfect righteousness, a wrath-absorbing sacrifice, and entrance into the kingdom. unit #24
Jesus blesses believers through the same pattern he blessed the children: drawing, welcoming, embracing, speaking, and touching—active divine initiative at every stage. unit #31
Jesus embraced us by becoming sin for us on the cross, taking on the worst of human experience even though the only thing we had to give him was the sin that made his death necessary. unit #32
Jesus spoke the blessing of God's love over us from the cross, interceding for our forgiveness even as we gave him nothing but rebellion. unit #33
Jesus' blessing came through his hands as they were nailed to the cross, purchasing our pardon by drinking the full cup of God's wrath in our place. unit #34
The church is an outpost of the kingdom that welcomes the needy because its members were welcomed in their own neediness, and Jesus has everything the needy require. unit #36

Read it

Full transcript

24,156 characters 39 units ~27 min reading time

0 · Opening prayer asking for the Spirit's help to illuminate God's word and transform the congregation, acknowledging the morning's child dedications and the church's commitment to lead children to Jesus

Let's pray. If you still are finding your Bible, that's okay. You can listen while finding that as well. Father, we thank you for your word. Father, we thank you that we've gotten to sing praises to you this morning, Lord, that we have heard how you are working in our church this morning with the dedications of the children. And Father, how we have committed both as those families and as a church to do what we can to lead those little hearts to you. Father, I thank you that your Spirit is here. We ask now for your Spirit's help, Lord, that he would fill us with the Spirit, Lord, that he would open our eyes, open our hearts, open our minds to the truth that is contained in your word. And that we would leave here changed. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

1 · Introduces the text and explains a slight departure from the sequential preaching through Mark

So we're going to be in Mark chapter 10 starting in verse 13. And if you've been, like, keeping track at home, you're probably thinking, "Hold up a second. We skipped something. We skipped a few verses there." Don't worry. We're going to come back to it. The way things worked out, we— had some stuff— we had some people shuffle around, and so the verses got shuffled around, but we're gonna get back to it, don't worry. And so with that being said, a little bit of context here. Jesus is still teaching and walking. They have ended up— now they're in a home, okay? So they're in a home, and that's where this story takes place. They're in somebody's house And Jesus is teaching again, and now we read in verse 13,

2 · Full reading of the primary text, Mark 10:13-16

"And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant, and he said to them, 'Let the children come to me. Do not hinder them.' For to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.' And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. This is God's Word.

3 · Corrects a common misreading of the passage

You know, this passage, we come to it and sometimes we A lot of times I think we can misunderstand it. Why is that? Well, we're kind of a kid-centric society here in the US, right? And when we see, oh, it's about the— Jesus is talking about welcoming the children, we automatically think, oh, it's about the children. It's about the children. Of course it is. Because that's where we kind of build our life around sometimes, right? Sometimes it's even misunderstood by pastors. This was one of those weeks, okay? This was one of those weeks where one of your pastors misunderstood this text. And I was so grateful for the plurality of our team, of our pastoral team, right? Tom gave me a call and he's like, "Hey, man." Tom's way more gracious than I am, okay? He didn't say it like this, but he's like, "Hey, man." I think you need to spend more time in that passage. Here's what I think the main point of it is. And I was like, "Oh, you're right." And why was I able to get, you know, whoop, distracted there? Partly because it's Mother's Day, partly because the children are here and we're doing child dedications. And of course, we want to talk about the children and how Jesus welcomes the children. Easy to go, boop, oh yeah, here's what it means. That's not what it means. See, the children are merely an illustration.

4 · Explains Jesus' pedagogical strategy: he uses the most vivid, memorable illustration available—living children—to make his point about the kingdom stick in his hearers' minds and hearts

And Jesus, like any good teacher, he knows that the more powerful the illustration, the more prominent that truth is going to be in the people's hearts when he gives it to them, right? And he's like, man, I've got the greatest illustration ever. It's living. Breathing, crying babies that everyone loves.

5 · Establishes the controlling thesis of the sermon

And so the children are merely an illustration. And the thing is, Jesus in the Gospel of Mark— so Mark paints a picture of what the point of his gospel is, right? And Jesus, from the time he comes back from the wilderness, is painting a picture of what his coming is for and what What picture do they paint? It's about the kingdom. The Gospel of Mark is about the kingdom. It's about the King who brings the kingdom. And this passage contains truths about the kingdom that the children illustrate. And see, they illustrate that the King King Jesus receives those who are needy, helpless, and dependent into His kingdom. We'll see this broken down in two pieces here. The children are received by the king. And children paint a picture of those who would receive the kingdom.

6 · Exposition of verse 13, exploring the parents' motivations for bringing their children to Jesus

So let's jump in and see how this truth is illustrated, that King Jesus receives those who are needy, helpless, and dependent into his kingdom. Verse 13 again, "And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them." Probably parents, probably mom and dad, maybe some aunts and uncles, but more than likely it's mom and dad that are bringing these children. Now, why? Well, Jesus is a popular guy. Jesus is a great preacher. Jesus is a great teacher. Let's take them to him. "Let's get a blessing. Have you guys heard the things he says? Can you imagine what he's going to say about little Zechariah here? Of course he's going to say something good about Zechariah. Zechariah's a great baby. Let's take him there." Or Judah. Why didn't I use Judah? Could have used Levi too. Got all these great Hebrew names. Matthew or Mateo. Anyway. I digress. Maybe they are thinking about Jesus the way Nicodemus did, where he says, hey, he can't do all of these great things unless God were with him. If God's with him, we want our kid to be blessed by him. Let's take our kid there. Let's go. Whatever the reason, they're coming to Jesus. They're recognizing something about Jesus that's different. And they want their kids to be blessed by him.

7 · Exposition focusing on the age and cultural significance of the children

Now, the term used here for children makes it very clear that these are little children, okay? It's not kids that are 7, 8, 9 years old. No, the word used here often is used of nursing infants or of those who are coming on the 8th day to be circumcised. It's very clear that it's little babies, infant children. Infant children. Now, in Jewish culture, it was common for a town to hire a rabbi to be the guy who would teach the kids the scriptures. But that didn't happen until about 4 or 5 years old. An infant, they're not like, "Eh, we're not going to touch that infant. We're going to Wait until they're 4 or 5. Why? Well, because at 4 or 5, we all know if we've had a kid that's made it to 4 or 5, like, yeah, they can start learning by then. That's when we start school, right? They can start learning. They can regurgitate that knowledge. They can do enough that's going to raise the esteem of that rabbi. That's why they wait till they're 4 or 5. But these kids, they wouldn't even be able to do that. That. In essence, they have nothing to offer Jesus, nothing that's going to raise the profile of his ministry, nothing that's going to make him more of a prominent teacher.

8 · Exposition of the disciples' rebuke, painting a vivid narrative picture of the scene

And what do we see happen? The disciples, they rebuke the parents. Picture this. The parents, they've got these little babies and the house is crowded and they're probably, you know, shouldering in there and like, hey, excuse me, hey, let me get through, let me get through. And they get up there and there's Peter. 'Cause you know it's Peter, right? Like it's always Peter, especially when it's something bad. And Peter's like, get those kids outta here. Y'all, what are y'all doing here? Go on, we ain't got, Jesus doesn't have time for that. He's busy with ministry. Yeah. You got to love these disciples.

9 · Application of the disciples' failure to the congregation

They paint a picture for us too, don't they? They get it wrong so often, and so do we. You remember last week? It's great that the Lord worked it out that we're taking these verses out of order because just last week When Jesus was telling us about— when Ricky was telling us about who the greatest is, what did Jesus do? He put a child in their midst. And he said, "You want to be great? Welcome one of them in my name." And now it's Peter. I'm sure it's Peter. Probably not. Probably. Who's like, "Get these kids out of here." How often do we do the same thing? We just learned a lesson from the Lord, and a couple of days later we're like, "No, that's not right." And then it's like— I always call it the fat neck. See, whenever I was a kid, if we caught someone with their head down, we'd Slap them on the back of the neck. And that's what the Lord does for us sometimes, right? Gives us that fat neck. We learn a lesson and then we turn right around and we do the exact opposite of that lesson. And it's like, "Unh!" Right here, the disciples get a fat neck. They're like, "Get out of here." And Jesus is like, "Guys, we just talked about this a few days ago." Didn't we?

10 · Exposition of Jesus' indignation

See, these kids had nothing that they could add. And the disciples are like, "Get away." And Jesus, huh, his reaction to that kind of thinking and conduct is indignation. It's one of the only times in Scriptures that we see Jesus' anger rise. And it's because these little ones were being hindered from them coming to him. The word that's used here means that his anger was aroused, his indignant— he was indignant against what is assumed to be wrong. You could say that Jesus' base assumption about children is that they should be brought to him, that they're valuable, that they have worth. Why? Because they're made in his image. He's God. Himself. And he's saying, nah, man, that's absolutely wrong. You rebuking these parents for bringing their kids to me is fundamentally wrong.

11 · Exposition of Jesus' command, emphasizing the escalating intensity

And he welcomes them. He says, let the children come to me. And then he raises the stakes, right? It's like, you know, just in case the disciples weren't clear, Just in case they didn't really understand what he said, he's like, "Let the children come to me, for to such—" No, sorry, that's later. "Don't hinder them from coming to me." He's not just like, "Hey, hey, let them come to me." He's like, "Don't you put up a roadblock at all. Don't even put a rock that they might trip on if they're on their way to me. Don't hinder them." Jesus' desire is that these little children would come to him. It's his desire to see them brought to him. It's his desire that they come into his presence. Why? So that he could do exactly what the parents are wanting, so that he might touch them. That's his base assumption. Children should be brought to him. Children are made for Him.

12 · Application to mothers, commending their work of bringing their children to the Lord through home Bible reading, church attendance, and structuring family life around Jesus

And moms, today is Mother's Day. And we're grateful for all that you do. We're grateful for the work behind the scenes. We're grateful that you have set up your home in such a way that you're bringing your kids to the Lord, that you're reading Scripture with them, that you've brought them to church where they hear the preaching of God's Word, where hopefully one day soon we're going to have Kids ministry open in the second service. Why? Because you're setting up your home in order to bring your kids to Jesus. And we may not see that all the time, but Jesus does. And he's not indignant toward that kind of behavior. I would say the opposite. He commends that kind of behavior. It's a good job, mom. Good job. Keep fighting the good fight.

13 · Application expanding from parents to the whole church

But you know what? It's not just moms and dads who bring their kids to Jesus. It's not just them. It's the church too. Jesus' indignation was at the church. It was at the disciples. 12 of the 11 guys— get it?— who would be part of the first church. 12 of the 11 guys. The one didn't make it. It's the job of every disciple to bring children to Jesus. That's why in the dedication earlier, there's a part that addresses the church and says, "Hey, church, are you going to do this? Are you going to?" Are you going to do this? Are you going to do that? Are you going to pray for these families? Are you going to pray for these kids? Are you going to do all that you can to help these families bring their kids to the Lord? And we say what? With God's help, we will.

14 · Concrete application pointing to the church's practical steps to welcome children: new kids ministry construction, flexibility for families to choose kids ministry or worship service, activity packets available

That's why we're building a new kids ministry in the back here. That's why if a family wants their kid in kids ministry, we're like, hey, you can put them in kids ministry. If they want their kid in the service, we're like, hey, bring them into the service. We've got packets here at the back that are full of Treats that Freddie made and prizes that, well, Vince can lie and say he made. I'm not lying. I didn't make them. We bought them. Teresa bought them and put them in the bag because she's awesome like that. See, he desires that they come to him. And it's the work of the whole church. It does take a village. And that village is called the church.

15 · Specific application issuing a call for children's ministry volunteers, especially men

And we do everything in our power as a church to make that happen because we want to reflect his heart. One of those things that we need to help us in that regard of bringing more of these kids is we need more kids ministry leaders for this service. We need staffing to fill those new classrooms. So that we can bring more kids to the Lord. And if you desire to welcome children and bring them, usher them into Jesus, this is a prime way to do so. It's a great way to do so. And men, given our role from the Lord, of leading in the home and the church, I would love to see more men serving in kids ministry. I would love to see more men leading these kids to kids ministry or to Jesus in our kids ministry. I would love to serve there, but Teresa won't let me. She's like, no, you've got pastoral work to do on Sunday mornings here. And I'm like, man, there's pastoral work going on up in there though. I want to be there. She's like, sorry, can't do it. So men, would some of you serve for me in ushering and leading these kids to Jesus? What a great way. What a great way to be like our Savior, us welcoming kids and then bringing them to the Lord. If you want to serve, let us know and we'll get that working.

16 · Transition from the first major section (children received by the king) to the second (what children illustrate about kingdom reception)

But why do we want to reflect the Savior's heart for these little ones? Well, he tells us in the next section,

17 · Exposition of the phrase 'to such belongs the kingdom

"For to such belongs the kingdom of God." What does he mean when he says, "For to such belong the kingdom of God"? You see, the children illustrate something. The children show us something about the type of person that the kingdom of God belongs to. The needy, the helpless, the dependent. The needy, the helpless, and the dependent. Think about it. These children were in need of someone to bring them to the Lord. They couldn't do it themselves. They were helpless against the rebuke of the disciples and the large crowds that were keeping them from coming to see Jesus. Mom and dad brought them nonetheless. And in the face of their helplessness, someone helped them. Finally, they were dependent on being welcomed by the King because they had nothing to offer him.

18 · Exposition noting the escalating intensity pattern in Jesus' teaching

See, they were dependent on the welcome Because there's nothing that's going to elevate Jesus' standing once they get to him. And then Jesus does it again. So just like in the first half of this text where he's like, hey, let the little children come to me. And then he's like, let's bump that up. Don't hinder them from coming to me. He says, hey, for to such belongs the kingdom. You know what? Let's bump that up. "Whoever does not receive the kingdom as a little child shall not enter it." What does that mean?

19 · Corrects another common misreading

Well, again, these children are infants. Does an infant know anything about faith? No, they don't. And a lot of times, again, see, we can go, pew, take a right turn on this passage, right? Because we think this passage is talking about childlike faith. But once we dig into it and we see it's about the kingdom and it's about how we approach the king and how we approach the kingdom, we realize, no, it's not about faith. It's about our heart. It's about our understanding of ourselves.

20 · Theological claim applying the children's condition to the believers' salvation experience

See, it's the needy and the helpless and the dependent. Each one of us who have come to Jesus, we were needy, we were helpless, we were dependent on him, and he welcomed us. And because he welcomed us, we now can receive the kingdom. He received us so that we could receive his kingdom.

21 · Exposition of what it means to receive the kingdom like a child

So what does it mean, though, to come like a child or you shall not enter? Well, it means we come empty-handed. We come empty-handed. It's only empty hands that can be filled. It's only those who lack that can receive. It's only those who need help that help can be given. It's only those who are in need that can be satisfied. It's only those who are dependent on Jesus and his sacrifice that can find what they need and what they're dependent on. But you have to come empty-handed. You have to come needy. You have to come helpless. You have to come dependent. 'Cause if you come thinking, "Hey, I'm gifted. I can do XYZ." You're coming with hands that are full and you can't receive anything else. If you come thinking, "Man, I'm smart. I'm gonna be able to advance this kingdom once I'm in it." No. Jesus says, "You shall not enter."

22 · Cultural illustration from The Lord of the Rings (Gandalf on the bridge) to illustrate Jesus' uncompromising exclusion of those who come to the kingdom relying on their own qualifications or contributions

See, Jesus doesn't need the flashy, the gifted, the smart, the good-looking, the people that think they're a catch. He says, "You're not going to enter. You shall not enter." He's like Gandalf the Grey standing on the bridge. You shall not pass. If you're coming with hands full of gifts, if you're coming with hands, with minds full of ways you can make things better, you shall not enter.

23 · Theological claim intensifying the comparison

We have to come like a child with nothing. You know, and in all actuality, I think we come worse off than these children. Okay? Like, man, look, I'm not at all saying that original sin is, like, not present in these children. There is a sinful nature there, okay? But the thing is, they are not yet morally culpable for their sin like I was at 30 years old when I came to Jesus and all I had was 30 years of sinning. To bring to him. And in my human estimation, I'm worse off than these little infants that are brought to him at that point. And I came very needy and very helpless. And I was dependent on him to receive me, and he did. And if you think about your own salvation, you were in the same boat more than likely. You came with nothing but a load of sin on your back and it was weighing you down. And you were helpless before it. You couldn't shrug it off. You couldn't get out from under it. And you needed him to receive you. Because you couldn't get into the kingdom with that load of sin.

24 · Climactic theological synthesis

We come worse off. But He receives those who are needy. In need of righteousness but found lacking, He provides perfect righteousness. See, we were helpless to pay for our sins. He provided a perfect wrath-absorbing sacrifice in the place of His people. See, we were dependent on Him receiving us so that we could then receive the Kingdom. And he comes to those who— he receives those who come like a child because he receives the needy and the helpless and the dependent.

25 · Transition to application section, signaling two domains where the sermon's truth applies: family life and evangelistic mission

And this has implications in two places, okay? It has implications in our homes and it has implications in, in missions as well.

26 · Application to parents, framed as urgent questions

So, so implications in our homes, man. Parents, what are we doing to bring our kids to the Lord? What are we doing to remove every hindrance to them coming to the Lord? Why? That he might touch them. They were braving the crowds. They were standing up to Peter. This is probably Peter. We all know it was Peter, right? I'm pretty sure. They were pushing their way through. Jesus says, "Let the children come. Don't hinder them."

27 · Application to evangelism and mission

It has implications in mission as well. Who do we know that's needy and helpless? Maybe they're messy. Maybe their life doesn't fit the mold of what a Christian should look like. Well, good. They're not a Christian yet. That's fine. Are we welcoming them? Or are we living in such a way that we're setting up roadblocks and hindrances? We got to remove those roadblocks too. We got to do everything in our power to make straight paths in the desert, to bring people to the Lord. Why? Because the Lord has come. The King has come and he wants to receive people that are helpless, powerless, needy, and dependent. Maybe right now they're only dependent on their sin and the pleasure that it brings. What are we doing to bring them?

28 · Transition to the closing movement of the sermon, signaling that the final verses provide the ultimate motivation for the applications just given

Why, why would we do that? Why would we do everything in our power to bring our kids and those we know who might need Him? It's because of how this text ends.

29 · Exposition of verse 16, focusing on the physical act of Jesus taking the children, blessing them, and laying hands on them

"And he took them in his arms and blessed them. And he laid his hands on them." He laid his hands on them. Some of us have had Jesus lay his hands on us, right? We've been claimed. In our uncleanness by the clean hands of Jesus when he laid them on us. We've been welcomed, received by the King who puts his hands on us so that we might receive him now.

30 · Exposition describing the standard rabbinic blessing Jesus gives—a verbal pronouncement of God's love and care, possibly prophetic words about the child's future

Jesus gives a standard Jewish rabbinic blessing. He welcomes the children and then he takes them in his arms and he embraces them and he blesses them, giving a verbal blessing of God's love and care for the child. He may have even prophesied over them about some of their future service to the Lord. What a sight, right? You got Peter up there yelling, "Get these kids out of here." Jesus yelling back at Peter, "Welcome them. Don't hinder them." And then he reaches out and he takes them. And finally he lays his hands on them.

31 · Theological claim drawing a typological parallel between Jesus' treatment of the children and his treatment of believers

The blessing of the Lord comes through embracing, speaking, and finally through his hands. And it's no different for us. It's no different for us. See, Jesus welcomed us to come to him. He didn't only welcome us, he drew us. Apart from him working in our hearts and drawing us to himself, we would never come. We would never leave our sin and the pleasure that it provided, the slight momentary, like, "Oh man, that's so fun. That's so great." No, and total complete lack of joy. And Jesus draws us to himself. We were helpless. We couldn't leave it, but he drew us. And he welcomed us.

32 · Theological claim unpacking the embrace

And then he embraced us. How did the Lord embrace us? Scripture tells us he who knew no sin did what? He became sin for us. He embraced the worst part of us, the worst part of our human experience. Jesus took it on himself. Powerless to give him anything that would be of benefit. The only thing in our power to give him was the sin that made it necessary that he go to the cross on our behalf. And he embraced us and our sin and our rebellion.

33 · Theological claim unpacking the spoken blessing

And he spoke words of affirmation in the Father's love, right? As he hung suspended between heaven and earth, and he cried out, "Forgive them." They know not what they do. We didn't know the only thing we had to offer him was our rebellion.

34 · Theological claim unpacking the laying on of hands

We were needy, needing not only guidance but love, love of God. That's what we were made to enjoy. Finally, his blessing came through his hands. As He was nailed to a bloody cross, purchasing and securing our pardon at the cost of His life, drinking the full cup of God's wrath that our sin was due, utterly dependent on Him to provide that sacrifice.

35 · Conclusion reiterating the main thesis and issuing a final charge

Our King Jesus receives those who are needy, helpless, and dependent into his kingdom. Let's be about the same business he was about. Let's welcome those who are needy, helpless, and dependent in our lives. Let's welcome them into our lives. Let's welcome them into our families. Let's welcome them into our church. And Cross of Grace Church, I want to commend you. You are a welcoming church. I think you mirror the Savior's heart in that you welcome people who are new here. You welcome people who are messy. You are a welcoming church mirroring his heart. Let's continue to do that. Let's continue to do that. Let's not grow weary in doing good.

36 · Theological claim defining the church's identity and mission

Because you see what the church is? Do you know what the church is? It is an outpost of the kingdom. It's an outpost of the kingdom. And so when those needy, helpless, dependent people show up, we welcome them in Jesus' name. Because we were the same. We were needy, helpless, and dependent on him. And he received us into his kingdom when we came knowing, man, Jesus, I got nothing. I got nothing. And he said, come on in. I got everything you need. I got everything you need.

37 · Final application synthesizing personal devotion and mission

So let's come to him empty-handed and let's bring those who are empty-handed with us as we do so.

38 · Closing prayer giving thanks for the truth of the text and asking for daily grace to remember ongoing neediness, to receive Jesus daily, and to reach out to the needy around us

Let's pray. Father, what a text. What a truth that our King receives us not based on our acclaim, not based on our standing, but based on how we approach Him in our emptiness, in our neediness, in our helplessness. Thank you for that, Lord. Thank you for that reminder today. Father, help us every day to remember that we, we still are needy. We need Jesus every day. We need him to receive us every day as we seek to receive those around us. Father, help us to reach out to those who we see that are needy, who need Jesus. We ask this in his name. Amen. Amen.

Where this fits

Recent preaching context

The three sermons immediately preceding this one in the preaching schedule.

Jan 3, 2021

Mission Impossible - Possible

God's mission is to bless and dwell with a people He has created, redeemed, and renewed for His glory, and we join that mission by seeing where He is at work and laboring there with Him.

Habakkuk 2:14

Feb 7, 2021

Jesus, the Lord, Our Shepherd

Jesus is the Lord come to shepherd his people, revealed through his actions of leading, caring, training with his word, being present with, and providing for them.

Mark 6:30-44

Mar 7, 2021

Jesus Does All Things Well

Jesus came to care for and cleanse his people, demonstrated through his deliberate journey to meet, intimate engagement with, and powerful healing of a deaf man in Gentile territory.

Mark 7:31-37

May 9 · This sermon

Like a Child

King Jesus receives those who are needy, helpless, and dependent into his kingdom, and the church must mirror this heart by welcoming and bringing others to him.

Mark 10:13-16

Take it further

Discuss · apply · pray

Small groups

6 discussion questions

In Mark 10:13-16, what does Jesus' emotional response to the disciples' rebuke—his indignation—reveal about what he values in those who come…

Daily readings

5-day reading plan

This week we meditate on how Jesus receives the needy and helpless into his kingdom, and how that reception reshapes our own welcome of others.

Prayer

Prayer: Receive Us as You Received the Children

Father, we come before you in awe of your Son, who saw the needy, helpless, and dependent brought before him and received them with indignat…

Family table

Empty Hands, Full Hearts

This prompt invites your family to think about what it means to come to Jesus with nothing to offer—just like the children in the sermon. Li…

Couples

Receiving Grace Together

What did the sermon reveal to you about how Jesus receives us in our neediness, and how did that stir your heart?…

Memorize

Mark 10:14-15

This verse captures the sermon's central claim: Jesus receives the needy and helpless, and entrance into his kingdom requires acknowledging our own neediness and dependence. It is the interpretive key that transforms the passage from being merely about children to being about the posture of heart with which all believers must approach the King.

Small-group discussion

6 questions for your group this week

In Mark 10:13-16, what does Jesus' emotional response to the disciples' rebuke—his indignation—reveal about what he values in those who come to him?

Mark 10:14

→ Why do you think the disciples thought they were protecting Jesus by turning the children away?
The sermon emphasizes that this passage is not primarily about children, but about what it means to be needy, helpless, and dependent before the King. What does it look like for an adult believer to approach Jesus with that same posture?

Mark 10:15
According to the sermon, the disciples had just witnessed Jesus teach about greatness and humility in Mark 9:33-37, yet they immediately contradicted that lesson by rebuking those who brought children. What does this pattern reveal about how we tend to live out what we learn from Scripture?

Mark 9:33-37

→ Can you think of a recent example where you've learned something biblical but found yourself acting against it soon after?
The sermon teaches that Jesus receives the needy, helpless, and dependent by providing what they lack—perfect righteousness, a wrath-absorbing sacrifice, and entrance into the kingdom. How does understanding Jesus' work in these three dimensions change the way you think about what he offers you?

2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus blesses us through the same pattern he blessed the children: drawing, welcoming, embracing, speaking, and touching. Which of these aspects of Jesus' blessing do you most need to experience afresh this week, and why?

Mark 10:16

→ What would it look like to receive that blessing not just as something that happened to you at conversion, but as something Jesus continues to offer you now?
The sermon calls the church to be 'an outpost of the kingdom that welcomes the needy' because we ourselves were welcomed in our neediness. How should this shape the way our church community treats those who feel excluded, overlooked, or unwelcome—whether children, the poor, or the spiritually struggling?

→ What specific barriers might exist in our church that keep needy people from being brought to Jesus, and how might we remove them?

Draft · pending review

Daily readings · Monday–Friday

5-day reading plan

This week we meditate on how Jesus receives the needy and helpless into his kingdom, and how that reception reshapes our own welcome of others.

Monday John 6:44

Jesus teaches that no one can come to him unless the Father draws them—a truth that strips away all pretense of self-sufficiency. We enter the kingdom not through strength or merit, but through the Father's active initiative drawing us into Christ's arms, just as the children were brought to Jesus. In this passage we see the foundational posture of neediness: we cannot even approach the King without being drawn by divine grace.

Tuesday 2 Corinthians 5:21

Christ became sin for us—took on the very thing that made us unable to approach God—so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. This exchange reveals Jesus' radical reception: he did not wait for us to clean ourselves up or prove our worth; he embraced us in our worst condition and transformed us through his substitution. Our own ability to receive the kingdom rests entirely on his prior reception of us in our helpless, sinful state.

Wednesday Isaiah 53:5

By his wounds we are healed—a promise that announces Jesus as the one who absorbs the judgment we could never bear ourselves. The needy do not bring offerings or strength to the King; they bring only their wounds and brokenness, and Jesus meets that neediness with his own sacrifice. In receiving us, he supplies what we utterly lack: a righteousness not our own and a wrath turned away through his blood.

Thursday Luke 23:34

Even as the soldiers crucified him and the crowd mocked him, Jesus spoke forgiveness over those who gave him nothing but rejection and cruelty. His prayer from the cross shows us that Jesus' reception of the needy reaches its fullest expression not in comfort but in suffering—he embraced the worst that human sin could inflict, holding nothing back, demanding nothing in return. This is how the King welcomes those who have nothing to offer but their own rebellion.

Friday Mark 9:33-37

Jesus teaches his disciples that whoever welcomes a child in his name welcomes him—and in doing so, we mirror the reception we ourselves have received from the King. Because we have been embraced in our helplessness, we become the vessels through which Jesus continues to welcome the needy; the church exists as a community that removes hindrances and brings others to him, just as we were brought. Our welcome of others is not a burden we bear but the grateful overflow of a kingdom that has already welcomed us.

Draft · pending review

Pray together this week

Prayer: Receive Us as You Received the Children

Father, we come before you in awe of your Son, who saw the needy, helpless, and dependent brought before him and received them with indignation at those who would turn them away. We marvel at Jesus' heart: he welcomed those who had nothing to offer, who came empty-handed and broken, knowing that only such as these can receive your kingdom (Mark 10:15). We confess that we often mirror the disciples' blindness—we learn the gospel's truth and immediately contradict it in our behavior. We close doors that Jesus opens. We hesitate to welcome the needy among us, forgetting that we ourselves were once utterly helpless, burdened with years of sin we could not remove, standing before a holy God with nothing but our rebellion to offer.

Yet in the gospel we are undone and remade. Jesus received us in our neediness by becoming sin for us, embracing the worst of human experience on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). He spoke the blessing of God's love over us even as we gave him nothing but our sin (Luke 23:34). His hands, nailed and pierced, purchased our pardon by drinking the full cup of your wrath in our place (Isaiah 53:5). Because he drew us, welcomed us, and embraced us first, we are compelled to welcome others as he has welcomed us.

Grant us, we pray, the grace to remove hindrances in our church that keep the needy from coming to Jesus. Give us courage to bring children through Scripture, discipleship, and our own witness. Make us an outpost of your kingdom where the helpless find welcome, where the broken are embraced, and where every discouraged soul hears the echo of Jesus' voice: "Let them come to me" (Mark 10:14). We commit ourselves to mirror his heart, knowing that you have given us everything the needy require. To you, through Christ, be all glory and praise.

Draft · pending review

Sunday-evening family table

Empty Hands, Full Hearts

For the parent

This prompt invites your family to think about what it means to come to Jesus with nothing to offer—just like the children in the sermon. Listen for how your kids understand their own need and Jesus' welcome; this opens the door to talking about why we don't have to earn our way to him.

Pastor Vince talked about how the children in Mark 10 came to Jesus with empty hands—they had nothing to give him, nothing to prove. If you came to Jesus right now, what would you say you're bringing to him? What do you need from him most?

Works for ages 7+ — younger children may need help expressing their answer, but the concrete image of empty hands makes it accessible

Draft · pending review

Couples · three questions over coffee

Receiving Grace Together

What did the sermon reveal to you about how Jesus receives us in our neediness, and how did that stir your heart?
Where do we, as a couple, tend to erect barriers—to each other or to those around us—instead of welcoming the needy as Jesus does?
How can we pray for each other this week to grow in the kind of receiving heart that Jesus modeled, both toward each other and toward those the Lord brings across our path?

Draft · pending review

Memory verse this week

Mark 10:14-15

But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.'

Why this verse: This verse captures the sermon's central claim: Jesus receives the needy and helpless, and entrance into his kingdom requires acknowledging our own neediness and dependence. It is the interpretive key that transforms the passage from being merely about children to being about the posture of heart with which all believers must approach the King.

Draft · pending review

Where this was preached

About the church

Cross of Grace Church

About us · What we believe

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# Cross of Grace Church

A church preaching expository sermons through the books of the Bible.

## Sermons
- [Mission Impossible - Possible (Habakkuk 2:14, 2021-01-03)](/CoGElPaso/sermons/2021/01/mission-impossible-possible)
- [Jesus, the Lord, Our Shepherd (Mark 6:30-44, 2021-02-07)](/CoGElPaso/sermons/2021/02/jesus-the-lord-our-shepherd)
- [Jesus Does All Things Well (Mark 7:31-37, 2021-03-07)](/CoGElPaso/sermons/2021/03/jesus-does-all-things-well)
- [Like a Child (Mark 10:13-16, 2021-05-09)](/CoGElPaso/sermons/2021/05/like-a-child)

## About
- [About the church](/about)
- [Plan a visit](/visit)

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