Valuing Children: Treasuring, Protecting, and Learning Together

Sermon Summary

Children are not just the future of the church—they are a vital part of God’s kingdom today. When Jesus’ disciples tried to keep children away, thinking perhaps they were protecting His dignity or image, Jesus responded with indignation, insisting, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” This reveals God’s heart: children are to be treasured, protected, included, instructed, and even learned from.

Treasure children not only for who they may become, but for who they are right now. Their value is not in their potential, but in their personhood. Jesus calls us to see children as He does—precious, worthy of honor, and deeply loved. Our treatment of children should reflect the value God places on them.

Protection is another key responsibility. Jesus’ warning is sobering: it would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone around your neck than to cause a child to stumble. This calls for honest self-examination—are there words, attitudes, or behaviors in our lives that could harm a child, even unintentionally? We are called to be vigilant, to be shields and defenders for the children God has placed in our lives.

Inclusion is essential. Our spiritual lives can become so private that children never witness our faith in action. Jesus invites us to bring children along in our walk with Him, making faith a visible, shared journey. This means involving them in prayer, scripture reading, and acts of service, and ensuring they are surrounded by a community of godly adults.

Instruction is a sacred trust. The world will not teach our children the ways of God; that responsibility rests with us. We are to impress God’s truth on their hearts, not just in formal settings, but in the everyday rhythms of life—at home, on the road, at bedtime, and in the morning.

Finally, we are to learn from children. Jesus says that unless we become like little children—humble, dependent, and trusting—we cannot enter the kingdom of God. Children remind us of the posture we must have before God: not one of leverage or entitlement, but of simple, dependent trust.

As we walk with Jesus, let us bring the kids—treasuring, protecting, including, instructing, and learning from them. In doing so, we reflect the very heart of God’s kingdom.

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Key Takeaways

1. Treasure Children for Who They Are Today Children are not merely valuable for their future potential, but for their present personhood. God treasures them as they are, and we are called to honor and value them in the same way, seeing their worth through His eyes rather than through the lens of what they might become. This challenges us to be present and attentive to the children in our lives, affirming their significance now. [05:26]
2. Guard Against Causing Harm, Even Unintentionally Jesus’ warning about causing a child to stumble is a call to deep self-examination. It is not enough to assume we are harmless; we must actively seek out blind spots in our words, attitudes, and behaviors that could negatively impact a child. This includes inviting trusted others to speak into our lives, ensuring that our influence is always life-giving and protective. [10:59]
3. Make Faith Visible and Shared, Not Just Private Our spiritual practices should not be hidden from the next generation. Children need to see faith lived out—prayer, scripture reading, and worship should be normalized and shared experiences. By involving children in these rhythms, we help them see that faith is not just a private matter, but a communal journey in which they fully belong. [18:04]
4. Take Personal Responsibility for Spiritual Formation The primary responsibility for a child’s spiritual growth rests with those closest to them, especially parents and caregivers. While the church and Christian community play vital roles, we must not abdicate our calling to impress God’s truth on the hearts of our children. This means being intentional, consistent, and proactive in teaching and modeling the ways of God. [26:38]
5. Embrace Childlike Humility and Trust in Our Own Walk with God Jesus teaches that greatness in God’s kingdom is found in becoming like a child—humble, dependent, and trusting. As adults, it is easy to lose this posture, relying on our own merits or status. We are called to return to a simple, childlike faith, recognizing our utter dependence on God and learning from the very ones we are called to lead. [31:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:04] - How Big Is Big Enough?
[01:48] - Jesus’ Indignation and Invitation
[03:02] - Setting Aside the Lord’s Prayer
[03:57] - Why Did the Disciples Block the Children?
[05:26] - Treasuring Children: Value and Personhood
[09:13] - Protecting Children: Jesus’ Warning
[12:50] - Angels, Children, and Heaven’s Courtroom
[14:51] - Including Children in Our Walk with Jesus
[18:04] - Six Ways to Spiritually Nurture Children
[25:57] - The World’s Influence vs. God’s Instruction
[27:34] - Whose Responsibility Is Spiritual Formation?
[28:35] - Learning from Children: Humility and Trust
[31:03] - Recovering Childlike Faith
[33:06] - Are Children Big Enough in My Eyes?
[34:00] - Prayer of Commitment
[35:29] - Reflective Questions and Closing Song

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Mark 10:13-16 — People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

- Deuteronomy 6:6-7
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

- Matthew 18:3-4
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Observation Questions

In Mark 10:13-16, how did Jesus respond when the disciples tried to keep children away from him? What emotion did he show, and what did he say? ([01:48])
According to Deuteronomy 6:6-7, when and how are we supposed to talk about God’s commandments with children?
In Matthew 18:3-4, what does Jesus say is required to enter the kingdom of heaven?
The sermon mentioned that Jesus gave a strong warning about causing a child to stumble. What was the warning, and why do you think Jesus used such strong language? ([09:13])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the disciples wanted to keep the children away from Jesus? What does this reveal about their understanding of who is “important” in God’s kingdom? ([03:57])
Jesus says the kingdom of God belongs to those who are like children. What qualities do children have that Jesus wants us to learn from? ([28:35])
The sermon talked about making faith visible and shared, not just private. Why is it important for children to see faith lived out, rather than just hearing about it? ([14:51])
According to the sermon, whose responsibility is it to teach children about God? How does this challenge the way we think about church, family, and community roles? ([26:38])

Application Questions

The sermon challenged us to treasure children for who they are today, not just for who they might become. Think about the children in your life (your own, extended family, church, neighbors). How do you show them that they are valued right now? Is there a specific way you could affirm their worth this week? ([05:26])
Jesus warned against causing a child to stumble. Are there any words, attitudes, or behaviors in your life that could be discouraging or harmful to a child, even unintentionally? Who could you invite to speak honestly into your life about this? ([10:59])
The sermon mentioned that our spiritual lives can become so private that children never see our faith in action. What is one way you can make your faith more visible to the children around you this week (for example, praying aloud, reading the Bible together, serving together)? ([18:04])
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 talks about impressing God’s truth on children in the everyday rhythms of life. What is one daily routine where you could naturally talk about God or pray with a child? ([25:57])
The sermon said that the primary responsibility for a child’s spiritual growth rests with those closest to them. If you are a parent, grandparent, or caregiver, what is one step you can take to be more intentional in teaching or modeling faith? If you are not, how can you support or encourage those who are? ([26:38])
Jesus calls us to have childlike humility and trust. Looking at your own walk with God, are there areas where you have become too self-reliant or lost that simple trust? What would it look like for you to return to a more childlike faith? ([31:03])
The sermon ended with the question: “How does my walk with Jesus include kids?” Take a moment to reflect—are there children you could invite into your faith journey, even in small ways? What is one practical step you can take this week to include them? ([35:29])

Sermon Clips

As you walk with Jesus, bring the kids. The disciples were walking with Jesus, but for some reason, they didn't want to bring the kids. And Jesus said, no, I want you to walk with me, but when you do, bring the kids. [00:03:36]

We treat things based on the value we place on them, and that certainly applies to our treatment of children, doesn't it? Kids are precious for who they will become someday... but the truth is, kids are precious for who they are today. They're precious for who they are today, not just for their potential but for their personhood. [00:07:12]

Do I value children with the same value and heart that Jesus did? Treasure them. Treasure the kids. [00:08:32]

Jesus is basically saying, bad things are going to happen in life, but don't you be the one making them happen. Don't you be the cause of it. Yes, bad things happen, but don't you dare be the cause of it. Woe to those who are the cause of bad things happening in this world. [00:09:33]

Is anything about my life or behavior potentially harmful to a child? I think our instinctive answer for most of us, I mean, we're pretty decent people. Most of us would say, no. We might not even think any more about it. But I think it would be good, honestly, for every one of us to sit with that question for a while, perhaps this next week, and really examine our lives, really examine our hearts, really examine the things that come out of our mouth and the attitudes that we say and or the attitudes that we show and the way that we live. [00:11:10]

If you don't want something announced in the courtroom of heaven, in the presence of God, don't do it to a child. For the quickest way to get in trouble in the courtroom of heaven is to do something harmful direct at a child. [00:13:46]

God has a special place in his heart for children. And we had better treat them right. Jesus just leaves no question about that truth. [00:14:27]

Perhaps the answer is a clear no, that I'm not doing anything to harm a child, even potentially harm a child. But are there children in my life? Who, what children in my life need me to be their voice? Need me to be their protector? Need me to be their shield or defender? I believe God has placed children in all of our lives that are like that. [00:14:51]

Our own practices of spiritual formation can become so personal and private that the kids never see them. Parents, if you have a time of devotion with the Lord, I hope you do. Do the kids ever catch you in the act? Do they ever see it? Do they even know about it? Or has it become such a personal practice, my own personal devotions, that the children don't even know that it's happening? [00:16:43]

How can we better involve children in our spiritual routines in our walk with Christ? How can we bring the kids? [00:17:24]

Are there five Christian adults that are influencing your child's life? And of course I mean people who are good examples of what it means to be a Christian, maybe I should clarify that. Are there godly adult examples that are speaking into your child's life, people who know your child's name, people who actually will look your child in the eye and give them a little bit of attention in the name of Jesus so to speak? [00:18:36]

Do we create a climate in our homes and in our conversations and while we're in the car and so forth where it is normal, it's normal to talk about God, it's normal to talk about faith? Or is that something that we just kind of keep very, very quiet, very private, we don't talk about it even to our kids? No, we need to talk about it to our kids and it should be normal for us to talk about it to our kids. [00:19:26]

Give each child their own physical Bible and read it with them to where it becomes a part of their life, it becomes part of their spiritual journey and they are owning that Bible as their own. [00:21:14]

I have a deep conviction that when a child is in a church or in an environment that they associate with church and they have a good experience and they know they are loved, they never forget that. [00:22:38]

If week after week after week they find that they are loved in this place, they are safe in this place and they repeatedly hear the name Jesus in this place, when they grow up as they grow up there will be something deeply embedded in them so that when they're in trouble and they're looking for refuge their heart is going to pull them back to God and back to the church. [00:23:14]

The world will not teach our children the ways of God. You know that right? The world will not teach our children the ways of God. The world will teach our children an awful lot of skepticism that right? If the world has its way you, you pretty much every kid raised in a church is going to end up an agnostic. Because that's the philosophy of our world today, is agnosticism. [00:25:13]

Don't abdicate the responsibility of your children's spiritual lives to someone else. Where when we stand before God, as parents, there's going to be a short list of things that we're held responsible for directly. And I believe our children are at the top of that list. Or they're very close to the top of that list. [00:27:05]

All of us, we're responsible for any child that's under our care or influence, whether we're a parent or not. We are responsible for that child that we're influencing at the moment. May not be our kid. We may not even know the kid's name. But if they're in our presence or under our influence in some way, we are responsible in that moment to make sure that there is nothing harming them. And if we have an opportunity to instruct them in the ways of the Lord, we're called to do so. [00:27:42]

Jesus said in Matthew 18, verse 3, Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children. What? You will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Become like little children. Jesus is saying we have a lot to learn from kids. Learn from them. [00:28:35]

In God's kingdom, the question may not be am I tall enough? The question may be am I small enough? Am I small enough? Or am I, as my mom used to say, too big for my britches? Is my ego so inflated that I cannot, I cannot approach God with the humility of a child? Am I small enough? [00:29:07]

When you come to God, you just come like a child, with simple, dependent trust. [00:31:03]

Are children big enough in my eyes? Are they big enough to matter? Are they big enough to treasure? Are they big enough to belong? Are they big enough to include? Are they big enough to bring along? Well, certainly in God's eyes they are. [00:32:08]

Am I small enough in my own eyes to enter the kingdom of God and to live in the kingdom of God as a child without making demands, without thinking I've earned something, without thinking I deserve something, but complete, humble, simple trust? That's what God calls us to. To lift the children up, put ourselves down in an appropriate way. That's life in the kingdom. [00:32:31]

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