“Whoever receives one child like this..."

Mark 9:30-10:12 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

³⁰ From there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it. ³¹ For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” ³² But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.

³³ They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” ³⁴ But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. ³⁵ Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” ³⁶ Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

³⁸ John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” ³⁹ But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. ⁴⁰ For he who is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.

⁴² “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. ⁴³ If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, ⁴⁴ where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ⁴⁵ If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, ⁴⁶where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ⁴⁷ If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, ⁴⁸ where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

⁴⁹ “For everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰ Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

 Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”  As believers Jesus calls us to receive others in His name as we would a child. The foundational relationship with a child should be based on love, a love that recognizes that the child is not fully able to understand more complex things, a love that recognizes that the child is vulnerable, physically, emotionally and spiritually. A child needs love, nurturing and training to grow up and become mature. As believers we accept the words of Jesus in John 3:3-7 when He says:  “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again  he cannot see the kingdom of God.” ⁴ Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” ⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  ⁷ Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You  must be born again.’         When someone is born they are a baby, not yet even a child. Babies are not given any responsibilities, they are not expected to follow rules. Certainly before they are born they cannot be expected to follow rules or commandments. Babies, both the yet to be born and the newborn require love and nurturing they are dependent on others for all of their physical needs.

The rebirth or being born again which Jesus speaks of is as He says a spiritual birth. Those who are not yet born or have just been born are spiritually immature, they are dependent on others for their spiritual care and growth. Why would we as believers expect the unborn and the newborn to be held to the same level of responsibility and accountability to spiritual things that we who were born much longer ago and have had an opportunity to grow and mature. In Matthew 23 Jesus speaks against the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. Verses 1-4 say:  Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, ² saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; ³ therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. ⁴ They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.    The world, unbelievers frequently criticize believers as hypocrites and to the extent that we expect unbelievers, those who are spiritually unborn to hold to the same level of spiritual maturity, or higher than ourselves, we are guilty of both their accusation and deserving of Jesus warning and rebuke.

To receive others, unbelievers we must receive them as children, not expecting them to know, understand and follow the deeper things of the Spirit. Children and babies need unconditional love. They require nurturing and patience not condemnation and criticism. Jesus says that if we will receive a child in His name, we will also receive the one who sent Him. When we love God’s unborn children unconditionally we become one with the will of the Father, our heart is aligned with His.   

Jesus says:  “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.    We cause God’s little ones to stumble when we, like the scribes and Pharisees place heavy burdens, rules and regulations in their path. When we expect the unborn to live at the same level of responsibility as those who are mature we actually hinder them from responding to God’s love.  God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) God loves while we are yet sinners. If we are to demonstrate the love of God we too must love people while they are sinners.

Being a parent is a tremendous privilege, blessing and responsibility. It is being responsible for the love and care of a precious child. Part of the care that a parent is responsible for is to train and  teach their children as they grow, protecting them along the way. Spiritual parents have that same privilege and responsibility with spiritual children. These spiritual children are none other than God’s children. We need to recognize that we can put stumbling blocks in their path if we require too much of them. But if we are charged with the care, nurture and training of these “little ones”, then we also need to recognize that we are responsible to help them avoid stumbling blocks which the world places in their path. We are responsible for helping them to choose the right path. A loving parent will not let their young child play in a busy street, nor will they allow them to eat too much of what is not good for them. As believers and spiritual parents to God’s children we need to love others enough to tell them the truth, to guide them in truth.  A good parent does not condemn their child but seeks opportunity to train and teach. Love is expressed first in nurture and encouragement. Discipline is a last resort, though sometimes it is required.   

Jesus says:  “For everyone will be salted with fire. ⁵⁰ Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”   Our own lives should demonstrate spiritual discipline. Jesus says:  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; ¹⁵ nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.    We may need to discipline and teach others, but we first must love them. Our lives should be the light that draws them to the Father. If we are the light of the world we should illuminate the path for others that they will not stumble.

Heavenly Father, like the psalmist I say: Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105) It is Your Word and Your truth which also is the light for others. May my life be an example of Your love and Your light. Through the power of the Holy Spirit may I nurture Your precious children, may I encourage and not hinder them. May I receive Your children in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.   Amen.