This story is not about children being saved, but about adults being children in the kingdom of God. Of course, children can be saved, just as adults can be saved, but nobody can be in the kingdom of God except they become little children. Note the phrase little children, not just children. The word "infants" means a babe, a child, an unborn child, an embryo, or a new born babe. The world tells us we should be grown up, mature and adult but Jesus tells us we should be as little children.

Characteristics of a little child:

Did not ask to come into the world, nor do they have any control over their world.

They are completely dependent on others for their daily provision.

They have no goal in life, except to enjoy it, trusting they will have the necessities of life when it is time.

They have no continuing malice against anybody.

They do not have proper understanding, which is a very different thing than trust. I Corinthians 14:20 states, Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Two different kinds of adults:

Likely, the people who brought the children to Christ were adults, therefore some adults believe children should come to Christ, but the disciples (the close followers of Christ, were the ones who did not understand that only children could be in the kingdom of God.

The disciples rebuked the adults who brought the children to Christ, they did not rebuke the children for coming. These adults are brash enough to try to tell Jesus Christ, their Saviour and Lord what he should and should not do, who he should and should not receive.

Verse 16 – Christ uses the word "suffer" speaking to the disciples, as they should allow little children to come, even if they did not understand why right then. If these adult disciples would only follow the commands of Christ, they would soon understand more of the kingdom of God.

Revelation 2:4 – the Greatest love is to love God. God does not want us to figure out the repercussions if we follow him, as the church at Ephesus did not need to figure out the repercussions of rejecting those who said they were apostles, but were not. Christ did not want the church at Ephesus to be concerned with the outcome – he wanted them to love him, and obey him and leave the results to him. IBC should be interested in loving Christ and doing what he instructs us to do, not try to figure out the results of our actions. If God wants us to move from Foristell to another location, we should obey him. If God wants us to stay here, that is what we should do. We should never try to work the situation around to what we want. God will probably let us do whatever we want to do, but that will be for our downfall. Look at this great USA and how God blessed this nation when we did what God told us to do, and look at the present condition of this nation when we have disobey God’s clear command.

Matthew 19:28 – We are commanded to follow, not make a big "splash" in this present world, as many religious officials are doing with their big churches, big religious networks, big plans, big, big, big… Bigger is not necessarily better. See: ..\CHURCH\Church Growth Hormone - A Biblically Banned Substance.doc

I Samuel 15:22-23 - And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

David simply obeyed the leadership of the Lord when he killed Goliath.

Which is the most important?

Judges 6:8 – the unnamed prophet who preached God’s truth to the Israelites.

Judges 6:12 – Gideon, a man the angel of the Lord said was a valiant man.

Both equally important because each of them did exactly what God wanted them to do. We remember Gideon more, but God will reward according to obedience, not what looks "bigger" to us.

Many believe life is easy when you trust the Lord, and you will have no difficulties at all. This simply is not true. Paul the apostle faced much persecution after he trusted the Lord, but there is no Bible record he faced any persecution at all before he trusted the Lord. Before his salvation and subsequent giving his life to the Lord, the only persecution he faced was from himself as he was full of hate and vengeance toward believers.

Matthew 20:2 – Christ paid all his laborers a penny a day: those that had worked all day, and those that had worked only one hour.

Luke 19 – the parable of the pounds – all are rewarded (unequally to our viewpoint) but they all started out with only one pound.

Luke 12:22-48 – Christ admonishes his disciples to put him first about all things they do.

Verse 26 – We are unable to care for the smallest part of this world, why don’t we trust God for it all.

We are children – Luke 18:15-17 – We must understand that we are all children, even we who are adults. There are many things we cannot control, and only bring stress when we try to control them. May God help us to see our absolute helplessness and completely turn our lives over to him, knowing he will always give us the best gift, even if we do not see that gift as being good.

Verse 27-31 – Many of us follow the teachings of the world when we believe we must provide for ourselves instead of trusting God to provide for us. Retirement, daily provision, work, so forth.

Verse 37 – We need to be watching. Christ did not say "be doing", but "watching". We should be continually working for the Lord, but if we are not watching for him, all our work will be disallowed. If we are not looking for the Lord’s return, we are looking to our work, and that work becomes our work, and ceases to be the work of God.

Verse 41 – This lesson pertains to all God’s children, pastor/missionary/church member/saved person.

Verse 47-48 – The important thing is to do what you know to do, whether that is considered a large thing or a small thing. Obedience is the principle thing, sometimes the only thing.

See Revelation 2 and 3 – In every church there are those that are overcomers, and there are also those that are not overcomers. Which are you?