Jesus loved and honored children. If you’re familiar with Him then you almost take that for granted. Our Lord’s attitude towards children has shaped the way His Church does business. The Church’s desire to “receive the little ones” has given birth to Christian Day Schools, Christian Preschools; and yes, Christian Sunday Schools. On this day when our kids advance to a new Sunday School class, we’re rallying around a teaching ministry aimed right at children. Who could argue against it? A Church that does not honor or serve its children chooses to ignore the spirit in which Jesus honored children. Bad choice.
However, as important as instructing our children in the Word of God is, it’s not the main point of today’s Gospel Reading. Jesus doesn’t plop a child down in the middle of his disciples in order to say, “You guys really ought to start a Christian School.” In fact, Jesus does this to say, “This child could school you. You have to learn from this child, or you’ll never make it in the kingdom of heaven.” The point of this reading is less about teaching our children, and more about what they can teach us.
It seems the disciples had been bouncing around the question “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of God?” That’s one of our favorite obsessions, isn’t it? From greatest player to greatest president; from greatest singer to greatest school—we concern ourselves with who is number one, which is almost always based on what? High performance. The disciples were doing this with the kingdom of God, and while it might be fun to debate who the best quarterback is, if you start doing this with God and His kingdom, it stops being fun, and starts being spiritually dangerous. So Jesus calls to a child and sets this child right in the middle and says: "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
So, what does it mean to “turn and become like children”? It’s pretty important that we know. Jesus said, if you don’t turn and become like [a child], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. What do children have that we need? We’d better have a good answer!
Let’s think for a minute. What would you say is the biggest difference between children and adults? Lots of ways to answer that question, of course. I would suggest that one of the biggest differences between children and adults is control. Control over their lives. Adults have it, to some degree. Children don’t, and they know it. Here’s one example—the child that declares, “When I grow up, I’m going to stay up all night, play as many video games as I want, eat only Fruity Pebbles cereal…” you get the idea. Parents set the rules, and, best case scenario, they enforce them. The bottom line rests with the parent, not the child. Now, in the culture of Jesus’ time, children had even less control over their lives than they do now. Roman citizens—fathers of the household, in particular—had the right to execute their children if the situation warranted it. There was a cultural assumption that a person was not truly of value until they became an adult.
So what does it mean to “turn and become like children”? It means more than just ‘having a child-like faith’—though that’s part of it. When Jesus says “turn and become like children” He’s saying “surrender control of your life to God.” Become the child and let God be the Parent. Let Him set the rules. Let Him set your agenda. Let Him guide your steps. Trust that He has your best interests in mind. Turn and become dependent on God. Turn and give Him control of your priorities. Surrender control to God.
Is that what you want? Of course, there’s that side of us that’s going to say “no.” There’s that sinful side of us who’s going to rebel. When Jesus says “turn and become like children,” the word “turn” says a lot! Turn from what? Turn from this obsession with who’s got the best track record—who’s risen to the top. Jesus says that attitude will prevent you from entering the kingdom of heaven. How can it do that? Here’s how author and pastor Timothy Keller describes it: “It is possible for religious people to live very moral lives, but their goal is to get leverage over God, to control Him, to put Him in a position where they think He owes them. If you believe that God ought to bless you and help you because you have worked so hard to obey Him and be a good person, then Jesus may be your helper, your example, even your inspiration, but He is not your Savior. You are serving as your own Savior.” Jesus says, “…unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Turn from the religion that says: God’s got to bless me ‘cause I’ve been so good. Become like children, who have nothing unless it’s given to them. Become like children who have no leverage, no control over anything that happens. Become like children who are fully dependent on someone else to care for them. Surrender control of everything you have; everything you love; everything you are to God. That’s what Jesus is saying to you.
Now listen: Jesus isn’t asking anything of you that He hasn’t already done. He surrendered control of His life to His Father. There was a cup that He had to drink for us; that cup was the suffering of the cross. The Gospels reveal Jesus’ great distress in Gethsemane, a scene portrayed in that window up there, with physical agony and death just hours away. But Jesus went through with it. He surrendered to His Father’s will. He endured the horror of the cross. Why? Why? So that your sins could be forgiven today. He died on that cross so that His body and blood could be served to you today, forgiving your sins of pride and control and the chronic need to be number one—they’re all wiped clean away. Having surrendered His life to His Father, His Father then returned Jesus’ life to Him on Easter morning, so whoever believes in Jesus’ death and resurrection will have life returned to them as well, better life; risen life; not only a future home in heaven but a new birth today, a radical reset of who you are and what you’re about. Don’t you want that? Don’t you hunger for that? It’s here for you in the gospel of Jesus.
The sinner inside lives in fear of losing control. The sinner inside is convinced that surrendering control of my life to God means that I lose. The Holy Spirit reveals the truth: giving control of your life over to God means that you win. Yes, you will lose some things that are worth losing, but what the believer in Jesus gains is far greater. What is it that you gain? The Holy, Eternal, All-Powerful God of the universe becomes your Dad, and you become His daughter or son.
Turn and become like children. Return to your Father God and let Him parent you. Accept His guiding hand and the decisions He makes for you. Happily receive the gifts He gives to you. Surrender control. Depend on Jesus. Remember your baptism. You have become God’s child in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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