“And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them,” Mark 10:13-16.

As stated when we began this study, there are three things here I wish to deal with.

We considered how that very young children should be brought to Christ.

Now we will think about the fact that:

CHRIST’S DISCIPLES CAN ACT FOOLISHLY AND BE REBUKED BY HIM FOR IT.

1. The phrase “when Jesus saw it” should be noted.

a. The disciples did not ask the Saviour before acting, even though they were close by Him!

b.They were mistaken about His mind and will on the matter.

c. I believe that this happened at a little distance from the Saviour.

d. The disciples were seeking to hinder the approach of the mothers and fathers with their infants.

This was not because they were hard-hearted and cruel BUT they thought that the Saviour would not wished to be troubled by little babies being brought to Him.

2. The Saviour was displeased. “But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased”. This quite a strong expression. The disciples’ action really did annoy the Lord. This was because they acted in total opposition to His mind and will. The disciples had ‘rebuked’ the parents, that is told them very strongly that they should go away and not bother the Lord! Now they were ‘rebuked’ by the Saviour for their actions.

Wherever such unauthorised action is taken by disciples it angers the Lord. Sadly, such actions are very common for Christians often act with consulting the Lord as to whether what they plan to do is proper!

3. The Saviour then ‘took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them’. Boys and girls, whether we are little children or grown-ups, here is where we need to be! In the arms of the Lord. “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms,” Deuteronomy 33:27.

In His arms we are ‘lifted up’, His hands are ‘upon us’ and we are blessed indeed!