May 6th, 2012 Book of Mark Wk20 Jesus and The Children

We jump back into the book Mark and see how Jesus reacts to children. What does it mean when Jesus says the Kingdom belongs to the children? We hear testimony from a few kids of what God is doing through them and we bless and pray over the entire church family of children. (We apologize, but the recording software froze during Ethan McCloud’s testimony, so you only hear a little of it, then it starts back up)

If you want a study tool to go along with the podcast, see Lift Notes here:

The Gospel of Mark: Jesus and the Children

May 6th, 2012  by Kasey Crawford

Today’s Passage: Mark 9:33-37 & 10:13-16

Review…( Mark 1-10)

A framework for understanding Mark: The book of Mark puts on display how Jesus brings more of heaven to earth and invites his followers to experience the same as they learn a new (kingdom) way of life from the Master and respond with regular repentance (turning to God) and belief (taking action).

New (Mark Mark 9:33-37 & 10:13-16)

And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me…” Mark 9:36-37

The disciples had little time for people who do not wield ____________ ___________. But Jesus shows them that the children are _________ and __________ as esteemed players in the kingdom.

Through the eyes of Jesus, each person has incredible individual _________ as God’s beloved child; made in his image and made to uniquely reflect the person of God like no one else can.

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.” ¹⁶ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.        Mark 10:13–16 

In response to the disciples rejecting the child Jesus was ____________, because….the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Children are so central in Jesus’ vision of redeemed humanity and that Jesus can say that it __________ to them.

What does it mean that the kingdom belongs to them?

As we have already seen, they have an inherent value as beloved of God that are made in God’s image, but also…

There are some inherent things about being a child that make them more ready to ____________ and __________ God that adults should __________ from.  Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. 

At Elevation, children are not the church of ____________ they are the church of _________.

In our pursuit of more of the kingdom of God breaking into our lives, children are an absolutely central part of our church, right now, with an irreplaceable _______________ to make.

(Some testimonies from some of our Elevation Kids and Youth……)

One huge lesson to learn from our kids and youth is that children have big, ____________ faith that believes in the God of the ____________.

One of the most damaging things that happens to all of us is when we get told and believe that God can’t do miraculously big things on a regular basis.  When you put __________ on God then your experience of God will be ____________.

But Jesus wants us to learn from and be like children who have wide open wonder and hope and expectant faith in the impossible; believing that God really does want to move _____________, and God really does want to do more than I could even ask or ___________and I really could experience a life that can be truly described as  ________________.

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