The document discusses Jesus welcoming children and instructing his disciples to do the same. It notes that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who have childlike humility and dependence. Receiving a child in Jesus' name means receiving Jesus. The document urges embracing all children, regardless of attributes, as Jesus did. It discusses how spending time with children allows one to experience the kingdom and receive Jesus. Overall, the document promotes welcoming and caring for children as Jesus commanded.

4. What do you think
the world would look like
if no children were living in it?
How would it effect:
- Our church life?
- Life in Lawrence?
- The American culture?
- Global interaction?
DISCUSSION QUESTION

6. MATTHEW 18:1-5 (KNT)
…The disciples came to Jesus. “So, then,” they said,
“who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
Jesus called a child and stood her in the middle of the room.
“I’m telling you the truth,” he said.
“Unless you turn inside out and become like children,
you will never, ever get into the kingdom of heaven.
So if any of you make yourselves humble like this child,
you will be great in the kingdom of heaven.
And if anyone welcomes one such child
in my name, they welcome me.

7. Used to describe the way strangers receive
missionaries sent by Jesus into their homes;
connotes patience, embrace, openness
and genuineness; communicates the posture
of receiving someone into my very presence;
“WELCOMES ME…”

8. Used to describe the way strangers receive
missionaries sent by Jesus into their homes;
connotes patience, embrace, openness
and genuineness; communicates the posture
of receiving someone into my very presence;
WHEN YOU DO THIS WITH A CHILD
YOU ENTER THE VERY KINGDOM OF GOD
AND RECEIVE THE PRESENCE OF JESUS
“WELCOMES ME…”

9. MATTHEW 19:13-15 (KNT)
Then children were brought to Jesus
for him to lay his hands on them and pray.
The disciples spoke sternly to them.
But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me!
Don’t stop them! They are the sort the
kingdom of heaven belongs to!”
(NOTE: Talk about cultural reversal?!)
And he laid his hands on them.

10. - The children are Jewish, black or Native…
- The children come from a wealthy family
- The children have parents receiving
some form of public assistance
- The children’s parents are
gay or unmarried
- The children are refugees
from a country you consider a threat
- The children have parents
who are undocumented immigrants
JESUS NEVER SAYS, “Unless…”

11. MARK 10:13-14
People brought children to Jesus for him to touch them.
The disciples reprimanded them.
But Jesus was angry when he saw it, and said to them,
“Let the children come to me! Don’t stop them!
The kingdom of God belongs to people like that!
I’m telling you the truth:
anyone who doesn’t receive the kingdom of God
like a child will never enter it.”

12. Receiving the kingdom with a heart of
humility, helplessness, utter dependency, etc.
THIS CAN MEAN:

13. Receiving the kingdom with a heart of
humility, helplessness, utter dependency, etc.
THIS CAN MEAN:
Receiving the kingdom as it comes to you
in the form of a child…
I THINK IT CAN ALSO MEAN:

14. “From the very beginning (of our church family)
when we were but a small Bible study,
we asked every member, young, old,
single and married, to spend time with
the children during a Bible story time.
At various times we would say that
by being with the children, you were being
prepared to experience the kingdom.
If you refused, you might be refusing
the kingdom itself.”
DAVID FITCH (emphasis added)

15. “Being with children…is not a spiritual gift.
It is never mentioned in the Scripture
as a spiritual gift. Instead, (we) bring all
(our) gifts to the space of ministry with children.
And all who can ‘lower’ themselves
to be present with a child will experience
Jesus and his kingdom like nowhere else.”
DAVID FITCH (emphasis added)

16. EPHESIANS 6:1-4
Children, obey your parents in the Lord.
This is right and proper.
“Honor your father and mother”
– this is the first commandment that comes
with a promise attached – “so that things
may go well with you and that you
may live a long life on earth.”
Fathers, don’t make your children angry.
Bring them up in the training and
instructions of the Lord.

17. “In a day when children were viewed as
inferior and patriarchs ruled with an iron fist,
Paul, contrary to the prevailing culture,
calls parent and child into a space
of mutuality in the Lord…
Parent and child come together
under one Lord in a mutuality
between them that honors
their respective roles (in the family…)
DAVID FITCH (emphasis added)

18. ~ IMMEDIATE & EXTENDED FAMILY ON MISSION ~

20. BENEDICTION (Mark 12)
One of the scribes…asked him,
“Which commandment is the first of all?”
Jesus answered, “The first is:
‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one;
you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
The second is this:
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
There is no other commandment greater than these.”