This morning, Luke chapter 18,
let's read beginning at verse 15, 16, and 17, these three verses
of Luke 18. And they brought unto him also
infants, or little children. Now, I don't think these were
babies, because They had, it seemed like in what is being
said here, that they had the ability to walk unto the Lord. They brought unto him also infants,
or little children, that he would touch them. But when the disciples
saw it, they rebuked them. Verse 16, the Lord called them
unto him. That's that irresistible, powerful,
personal call of God. He called them unto Him and said,
Suffer little children to come to Me, unto Me. Now I'd underscore,
come unto Me. And forbid them not, for of such
is the kingdom of God. He's saying here, I am salvation. I am the kingdom of God. Verily
I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God
as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. Now I'm taking the title for
the message from what is said in verse 17. receiving the kingdom
of God, receiving the kingdom of God, which is synonymous with
salvation, receiving salvation as a little child. That's pretty plain, is it not?
Receiving salvation, the kingdom of God, as a little child. Now,
here in this short passage, the Lord sets before us a most important
lesson. The Lord teaches us that all
who enter into the kingdom of God, all who are saved by the
grace of God, must come to Christ in simple faith. in simple faith
as a little child, completely dependent upon Him for all things
in salvation, and having no confidence in the flesh, but rather rejoicing
only in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, verse 15 tells us these
needy parents brought these Needy children, these desperate parents,
they brought unto him little children, infants it says here,
but little children in Matthew and in Mark, that he would touch
them, but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. Now, you being a parent, most of us
here have been a parent or a grandparent or even a great-grandparent,
When your children are sick, they've got your attention. You
seek the best you can do for them in taking them to the emergency
room or to the doctor. You do so because you love them.
And here we see in this story desperate parents who brought
their sick, needy children to the great physician, the Lord
Jesus Christ. These needy parents, desperate
parents, brought these sick children to the Lord that He might touch
them, that He might heal them, that He might bless them, and
you know what happened? He did! He did! In Mark 10, verse 16, where we
read earlier, it says in that last verse, verse 16, He took
them up in His arms, He put his hands upon them, his
loving arms. He put his mighty, powerful hands
upon them, and he blessed them. What a miracle. And those parents
went home happy. Happy, the Lord healed my child. It's always a good thing to bring
our children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. were
encouraged in Ephesians 6. He said, Ye fathers, provoke
not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord." It's always a good thing to bring
our children to the worship service that they might be taught of
the Lord, that they might hear the word of the Lord. I know
young Timothy's parents brought him to the service to hear the
word of the Lord in 2 Timothy 3. and that from a child thou
hast known the Holy Scripture, which are able to make thee wise
unto salvation through faith which is in the Lord Jesus Christ."
So it's always good to read the Scripture and teach our children
the Word of the Lord. But notice, these parents brought
their children unto the Lord that He might, verse 15, touch
them. I won't make this comment here.
It needs to be made. These parents did not bring their
children to the Lord to be baptized. Now a lot of people in religious
circles point to this verse and teach infant baptism, that we
should baptize our children. But these parents did not bring
their children to the Lord to be baptized. Nowhere in the Bible
does the Scriptures teach that we should baptize infants or
young children. Baptism is for believers who
willingly consent to publicly confess their faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ as all of their salvation. By baptism, believers'
baptism, believers declare that Christ crucified for our sin,
Christ buried, delivered for our offenses, and raised again
for our justification. Christ crucified, buried, and
risen again to the throne of glory is all our hope before
God. We have a good hope through grace.
When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right
hand of God. We are not baptized to be justified. I'm talking about water baptism.
Now it's the scriptural way to confess your faith in Christ
publicly before men. But we are not baptized to be
justified. We are not baptized to wash away
our sin that many teach. We are not baptized to receive
the Holy Spirit. We are baptized because we have
already been justified by His blood and saved from wrath through
Him. We are baptized because we're
already sanctified in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are baptized
as believers, confessing Christ as all of our righteousness before
God. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord imputed righteousness without works. Now, but don't all of
us, don't all of us here, I trust this is true of every one of
you here, who seek salvation, desire for
the Lord to touch us, and to bless us, and to heal us, for
the Lord to receive us, and for the Lord to bless us with all
spiritual blessing in the heavenlies, in the Lord Jesus Christ, wouldn't
it be A mighty, powerful miracle if God Almighty by the hand of
His omnipotent Holy Spirit would reach forth and touch you in
your heart, in your inner soul right now. What a blessing, what
a blessing. I know this, all those whom the
Lord touches shall be healed. All those whom the Lord touches
shall be justified and made whole in Christ and accepted in the
Beloved. He has a mighty long arm and
hand that is mighty to save. He can reach down from the throne
of glory and reach down right into your heart by His omnipotent,
omnipotent power. Now let me show you some examples
of whom the Lord touched and those for whom He touched were
healed. Turn to Matthew chapter 8. Matthew chapter 8. I find reading in the scripture,
everyone for whom the Lord touches, they were healed. Matthew chapter
8, here's the first example, verse 1. Matthew 8, verse 1,
And when he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes
followed him. And behold, there came a leper
and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, if you will, you
can make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand
and touched him. saying, I will be thou clean.
And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Would that be something
if the Lord would reach out and touch us today? Here's another
example right here again in Matthew chapter eight, Matthew chapter
eight, verse 14. When Jesus was coming to Peter's
house, he saw his wife's mother laid and sick of the fever. Peter was a married man. and
his mother-in-law was sick. And the Lord, knowing the situation,
says in verse 15, He touched her hand, and the fever left
her, and she arose and ministered unto them. He touched her. Another example, turn to Matthew
chapter 9, and I could give you many, many more, but just A few
here, in Matthew 9, look at verse 27. And when Jesus departed thence,
two blind men followed Him, crying, saying, Thou Son of David, have
mercy on us. Matthew 9, 27. And when He was
coming to the house, the blind men came to Him, and Jesus saith
unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this. And they said
unto Him, Yes, Lord. Then He touched Then tut-tee
their eyes, saying, According to your faith, be it unto you. And their eyes were opened, and
Jesus straightly charged them, saying, See that you tell no
man, see that no man know it. But they went away, departed,
and spread abroad his fame in all the country. for the Lord
to touch our eyes that we might see, for the Lord to touch our
ears that we might hear Him, being touched with His power,
with His presence, with His purpose, that we might believe the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now look back at Luke 18. These
desperate parents brought these sick children to the Lord, that he would touch them, and
he did. But notice something peculiar
here. The disciples, when they saw it, they rebuked these parents. Now, doesn't that seem strange
to you? It does to me. Why would they
object to the Lord showing mercy? We're not given the reason why?
The disciples rebuked these parents who were seeking healing and
blessing for the children. Why they did this is not given.
Maybe they felt they were trying to protect the Lord. You know,
He doesn't have time for these children. Just go back home. Maybe they were
jealous. I don't know. But always remember
the Lord Jesus Christ, He came to save sick people. He said, I didn't come to call
the righteous. I came to call sinners to repentance. The Lord came to seek and to
save that which is lost. He came for that very reason,
to heal those who were sick. He came to call sinners to repentance.
He came to heal those that have need of healing. Remember, you
don't need a term, but let me just read this to you. Luke chapter
9 verse 11, And when all the people, when they knew it, followed
him, and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom
of God, and healed them that had need of healing. Do you have
need of healing? Take your burden to the Lord,
and leave them there. Often times, I think, disciples
of the Lord today, Maybe with good intentions, parentheses.
Just get in the way of sinners seeking salvation in Christ,
as these disciples did. Remember, the Lord rebuked them.
He was much displeased with them. We are to preach the gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to lift up Christ in the
message. And then we must get out of the
way. Get out of the way. That's why
I preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and leave you alone. I just leave you alone. I won't
buttonhole you, badger you, bug you, call you, force you, nothing
like that. Preach the gospel and leave folks
alone. God will do the work of convicting
of sin and convincing them of sin. We're to preach the gospel,
we're to lift up the Lord Jesus Christ and then get out of the
way. The Lord will bring sinners to himself in due time. He's
the captain of our salvation who's bringing many sons into
glory. It would be no good for me to
pressure you to come down front here to make a decision. Where
do you read that in the scripture? It's not in the scripture. It's
just the invention of wicked men to try to promote their own
ministry, that's all that's about. The Lord Jesus Christ is one
who brings us unto the Father. Christ suffered once for our
sin, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us unto God.
The Lord said in John 12, 31, And I, if I be lifted up from
the earth, will draw all unto me. And he's talking about all
those given to him, they shall come to him. And those that come
to him, he will in no wise cast out. Now here's the third thing.
Look back at the text. Luke 18, 16. Or rather, the last part of verse
15. They rebuked Him. Look at verse
16 now. But Jesus called them unto Himself,
and said, Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them
not, for of such is the kingdom of God. The Lord rebuked his
disciples and said, just get out of the way of these little
children. We read in Mark 10, verse 14, where it says there,
the Lord was much displeased with his disciples. He says,
allow, and that's what the word there, suffer, means. Allow,
suffer, permit little children to come to me, forbid them not,
for of such is the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is made
up of little children who are trusting the Lord Jesus Christ.
I'm talking about the elect of God who trust the Lord Jesus
Christ for all of their salvation. The Lord is gracious, kind, and
long-suffering, generous, and a gentle Savior of sinners, willing
to receive all that come to God by Him, willing to receive all
that come to God by faith. We read in Matthew 18, 14, it
is not the will of the Father that one of these little ones
should perish. The Lord is long-suffering to
us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should
come to repentance." I've never read one time in Scripture where
the Lord turned away a mercy-beggar. Not one time. If you read it
sometime, if you find it, you show me. I've never read it.
In the 35 years I've been reading and studying this Scripture,
I've never read one time where the Lord turned away a mercy
beggar. Now, he had some rough words
for those scribes and Pharisees, those Sadducees who were seeking
salvation by their deeds. But the Lord is long-suffering
and gentle. What a blessing the Lord Jesus
Christ presents unto us in these little children who are a good
picture of what saving faith does and how it acts in coming
to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, four things. Four things
we see here. We come to Him, verse 16, because He calls us. We come to Him, the Lord Jesus
called them unto Himself and said, You suffer these little
children to come to Me. We come to Him because He commands
us to do so. We come to Him because He calls
us with an irresistible call of God. Come boldly, he says,
under the throne of grace, that you may obtain mercy and find
grace to help in time of need." Now, there is what some people
in religion call, and I don't use this term because I don't
find it in the scripture, I never have read one time when the Lord
invited someone to come. People talk about the gospel
invitation. Well, the king doesn't invite
people to come. The gospel is not an invitation.
The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is a command to believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. We read
in 1 John 3, 23, and this is His commandment, that we should
believe on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another
as He gave us a commandment. We're commanded to believe the
gospel. Secondly, we come to Him not only because it's His
command, and He calls us to obey Him, but we come to Him because
we have need of Him. I tell you, if the Lord ever
shows you your need of Christ, you will skedaddle to the Lord
Jesus Christ right now, in your heart, by faith. We come to Him
because we have a need of Him, who is able to meet all our need
according to His riches and glory through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thirdly, we come to Him, you know why? Believers, when they're
called of God, we come to Him because it's His command. We
come to Him because He's able to meet all our need. We come
to Him because we have nowhere else to go. Do we? Remember in
John chapter 6, when many of those who heard him teach the
gospel of God's sovereign grace turned and walked away. Those
5,000 in that chapter that he just fed, for the most part they
turned and walked away. And the Lord said to his disciples,
his 12, will you also go away? Remember what Peter said? We believe and we are sure thou
art the Christ. We have nowhere else to go. To whom shall we go? If you're not salvation, we don't
have anywhere else to go. He is the only Savior of sinners. No other name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved. We come to Him because
we have nowhere else to go. Fourthly, Now, stay with me. We come to Him by Him. Now, left to yourself, you'll
never come to Christ. And when I talk about coming
to Christ, it's not something physical. As my pastor used to
say, come to Christ and don't move a muscle. Come to Christ
and don't move a muscle. Coming to Christ is not walking
in an aisle. Coming to Christ is not coming down front and
making a decision. Coming to Christ is looking to
the Lord Jesus Christ right now in your heart by God-given faith. And you know that faith is God-given
because God-given faith only looks to the Lord Jesus Christ. We come to God by Him. Now let me show you what I'm
trying to say here. Turn to John chapter 6. Now stay
with me. John chapter 6. Look at verse
44. John chapter 6 verse 44. We come to God by Him. Now let
me quote you this scripture before we read this. In Hebrews 7.25
it says, He's able to save them to the uttermost, all that come
to God, all that come to God by Him seeing He ever liveth
to make intercession for us. And then in John 10 verse 9 He
says, I am the door, by Me if any man enter in, he shall be
saved. Now, John 6.44, you got it? What does that say there? No
man, can come to me." Now that word there, can, means no man
has the ability in and of himself. No man can come to me except
the Father which sent me draw him, all those who are drawn,
they come to Christ, and I'll raise them up at the last day.
Now read on. John 6, 45. It is written in
the prophets, and they shall all be taught of God. Now watch
it. Every man therefore that hath
heard and learned of the Father. What happens? What does that
say? They cometh, they cometh, they cometh. They're always coming
to Christ. All those who have heard, all
those who have been taught, they come to the Lord Jesus Christ. You see what I'm saying? We come
to God by Him, by Christ. Our Lord said this in John 10,
John 14, verse 6 rather. He said, I am the way, I'm the
truth, I'm the life. What's the rest of it? No man
come to the Father but by and through me. Now, all through
the Word of God, the Lord teaches us and says to us repeatedly,
come to Him. Come to me. Let me give you these
examples. Matthew 11, 28. The Lord said,
all you who are laboring and heavy laden. He said, come to
me. Come to me. Now that's the key.
Come to me. I will give you rest. I am meek
and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your soul. This coming to Christ is not
a physical move. As I said a moment ago. We come to Him by faith in our
heart. Now, you're still in the book
of John there. In John chapter 6, same chapter. Look at verse 35. And here's
a good explanation, and it's a help to us, when we talk about
coming to the Lord Jesus Christ. What does that mean? What does
that mean? We're coming to the Lord Jesus
Christ. John 6, verse 35 now. And the
Lord said unto them, I am the bread of life, he that cometh
to me shall never hunger, he that believeth on me shall never
thirst. So what does that tell us here?
Here's how we come to Christ, by believing on Him. As I said unto you, that ye also
have seen me, and believed not, all that the Father giveth me
shall come to me. And him that cometh to me, verse
37, I will and no wise cast out. Read on, John 6, 38. For I came
down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him
that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent
me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing,
but raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will
of him that sent me, that everyone would see it, the Son, and believe
it on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up
at the last day. The Lord said in John 7, 37,
in the last day, that great day of the feast, the Lord stood
and cried, saying, if any man thirst, you thirsty? Let him come unto me and drink.
Now, back to the text. And here's the fourth thing I
wanted to see in verse 17. Luke 18, 17. Verily. See that word there, verily?
You know what that means? It means it can also be given
truly. Truly, truly. Remember, many
times he says, verily, verily. Truly, I say to you, whosoever
shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall
in no way enter therein. Receiving the kingdom of God
as a totally dependent little child. Got a few minutes here, let's
work on verse 17. And let's make some application
for us. He says, Verily, verily, I say
to you, I say to you, Tom. He doesn't use my name. He doesn't
say, Verily, verily, I say to you, Lionel. It says, whosoever. Now I'm glad
he uses the word whosoever, because I am a whosoever. I am a whosoever. Salvation is not for everyone,
but it's for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord.
I say unto you, whosoever, whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved. We read this in the last chapter
of God's book, Revelation 22. Let me just read it to you. I,
Jesus, have sent my angel to testify unto you the things in
the churches. I am the root and the offspring
of David, the bright and the morning star, and the Spirit,
capital S, Spirit and the Bride, the Church of God, say, Come. Come. Let him that heareth say,
Come. and let him that is athirst come,
and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely."
Now, this is not teaching free willism. Let him take of the
water of life freely. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of God's power. Now, whosoever, here's the second
thing, verse 17, receive. We receive Him. Turn to John
chapter 1. Saving faith receives the Lord
Jesus Christ as the gift of God. He is called the gift of God. John chapter 1. John chapter
1 now. He came into His own, verse 11.
John 1 verse 11. He came into His own, His own
received Him not. But as many as," I love that,
as many as. As many as were ordained to eternal
life, believed. As many as received Him. How did they receive Him? We're
going to see in just a minute. To them gave He power, that is,
right or privilege, as the marginal reference has, to become sons
of God, even to them that believe on His name. We receive Him,
We believe on his name, verse 13, which were born, not of blood,
that is, natural, fleshly genealogy, excludes genealogy, nor of the
will of the flesh, that excludes free willism, nor of the will
of man, but of God. We receive Him because we're
born of God. We believe Him because we've
been begotten of God. Which we're born of God. Born of God. We receive Him. We don't earn Him. We don't merit
Him. We receive Him as the gift of
God. Now, how do we receive the Lord
Jesus Christ? How do we receive the Lord Jesus
Christ? As little children. Totally,
totally dependent upon Him. We receive Him as the gift of
God. We receive Him by faith, believing
upon Him. John 5, 24, Verily, verily, I
say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him
that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." True, saving
faith receives the Lord Jesus Christ as He is revealed in the
Word. We receive Him as He is revealed
in the Word. The foundation of faith is what? The Word of God. The object of
faith is what? The Lord Jesus Christ. True saving
faith receives Him as He's revealed in the Word. We receive Him as
God and Lord. You remember the confession of
Thomas? Thomas said, my Lord and my God. We receive Him as our Savior,
the only God, And the only Mediator who is God our Savior, call His
name Jesus, He shall save His people from their sin. We receive
Him as Lord and God. We receive Him as our only Savior. We receive Him as the Christ
of God. Anointed in all of His office
to accomplish our salvation, prophet to reveal, priest to
redeem, a King to reign over us. He is King in His Kingdom
and we receive Him. Don't we? As our Lord and as
our God, as our Savior, as our King, as our Prophet, Priest,
and King. May God be pleased to give us
saving faith in Christ. May God give us grace to come
to Christ in saving faith. To come to the Lord Jesus Christ
in saving faith. and to rest in Him alone. This is a must. We started the service in Matthew
18, 3. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except you be converted,
and become as a little child, you shall not enter into the
kingdom of God. Abraham believed God, and it
was counted unto him for righteousness. May God give us faith. to trust
Christ for all of our salvation.