CHILDREN ON HIS MIND!

 I remember singing it with gusto when I was a kid:

Jesus loves the little children;

All the children of the world!

Red and yellow, black and white,

They're all precious in His sight!

Jesus loves the little children of the world!

With the assumption that there is some continuity to the Gospel narrative, it seems that children were on Jesus' mind through several chapters in the middle of Matthew.  Let's consider the evidence for this observation:

FIRST, in Matthew 18:1-6, the disciples ask Jesus, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? [v.1]

Now, we can never know exactly what precipitated this question, however, three of the apostles had very recently been on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus.  On top of that, the other nine apostles had just been reprimanded for not being able to heal a boy with a demon.  So, it's at least possible that they were wondering among themselves (again) who was the greatest among them and who might be His successor.

How surprised they must have been when Jesus called a nearby child and stood him in their midst.

I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  [v.3]

Then, Jesus takes it even further:

And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.  But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. [vs.5-6]

I imagine there was intensity in His voice and on His face when He spoke these words.  I rather expect that He made a deep impression on the thinking of these apostles during these moments!  Jesus has a very high opinion of the innocence that characterizes children!

SECOND, Jesus continues His teaching with these words:

See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.  For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.  [18:10]

Wow!  This teaching indicates that children not only have guardian angels, but that their guardian angels have special access to the throne of God and the power of the One who sits on that throne!  

Then, Jesus goes on teaching about the man who leaves ninety-nine sheep on the hills to go and look for the one that wandered off.  This teaching ends with an expression of great joy when that one sheep is found...

In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.  [18:14]

Here we see that Jesus didn't cultivate this love for children on His own;  He learned it from His heavenly Father!  

THIRD, in chapter 19, 

...little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them.  But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.  [v.13]

Is this faulty memory?  Didn't they just witness the two above mentioned events from the previous chapter?  

Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.  [v.14]

This line from Jesus represents not only a reprimand, but also a teaching:  These very children you are obstructing represent the character that allows any person to be a citizen of heaven!  You too, must become more like these children!  

FINALLY, we leap to chapter 21. Jesus is preparing for His Triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  He instructs His apostles to go and find a donkey.  When they bring it, He mounts it and begins His journey into Jerusalem.  Here's the order of events:

• A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  [v.8]
• The crowds...shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!"  [v.9]
• Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there.  [v.12]
• The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.  [v.14]
• But when the chief priests and teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.  [v.15]

When these religious leaders complained to Jesus in an apparent appeal to have the children stopped, Jesus responded:

...have you never read, 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?   [quote from Psalm 8:2]

Once again, Jesus puts children on a pedestal and refuses to rebuke them for fulfilling their God-given role of praise!  

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Make no mistake about it.  God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit LOVE CHILDREN and see something in them that is precious, admirable and exemplary!  

When we watch children play, we are watching the behavior of the heavenly!  This is the kind of carefree, innocent, enjoyable conduct that we will enjoy forever when we make it to heaven - if we make it to heaven!  

I'm writing this on a Lord's Day morning!  Go to church today and be childlike.  In doing so, you will put a smile on the face of God!