The Little Children Sang

The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.  When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonders that he did and the children shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant

Matthew 21: 14-15 (CSB)

Little children are the best entertainers. I think what makes them so amazing to watch is their purity and honesty. They are funny without meaning to be and rarely laugh at their own hilarity. Most of them just don’t get what’s so funny.

I love to watch little ones sing in a performance at church. There’s always the clown, usually a five- or six-year-old boy; there’s the prim and proper little girls with bows that are bigger than their heads; and then there are the “ultra-excited about Jesus” kids who could out dance anybody. Sometimes there’s even a shy kid who never makes all the choreographed motions but has more courage than any kid on stage, because it takes all they have. But they are there. They are all there. God sees them and smiles and laughs with us at the joy they bring.

God’s Word is filled with passages about the humble and child-like people in the world who would see the Savior for who He really is. The little children had a place in God’s story, even before they were born. Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139; Ephesians 1:4; Isaiah 49:1; Galatians 1:15

Of course, everything in the Bible has a purpose. It is all God’s story, and it is all inspired by Him. I know it was intentional to include little children in the Easter story. Salvation is most easily received by the young and the lowly in heart. Arrogance is a hindrance to faith.

At that time^[a] the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “So who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  He called a small child and had him stand among them. “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one child like this in my name Matthew 18:1-5

Now, here is an awkward shift from precious children to self-righteous Pharisees and Sadducees. Before we slip into arrogance and judge the religious leaders, we have to remember that Jesus was sad for the choice they made to reject salvation. He loved them, too. He would have extended redemption to any one of them that believed. (Matthew 23:37)

Two examples of religious leaders who gave Jesus’ honor were Joseph of Arimathea, who was a believer (Matthew 27:57), and Nicodemus. Hopefully, Nicodemus believed as well, although the Bible never mentions his redemption.

But the Pharisees and Sadducees were mostly hypocrites who actually worked against God’s law for power and wealth. God’s chief complaint against them was oppressing people and leading them away from the salvation that Jesus offered.

Honestly, if they did believe in God, they were fearless in their disrespect. In other words, they were arrogant. God’s anger toward them was expressed in what the Bible refers to as the seven woes (Matthew 23).

We aren’t going to get into that study for now but add this to your Bible study for context. The backstory is revealing. It should be a warning to every believer to be careful in our thoughts, words and deeds.

Our story continues with their pushback against Jesus as He enters Jerusalem the week before the crucifixion. And of course, who did they pick on to get to Jesus? Children.

 “See to it that you don’t despise one of these little ones, because I tell you that in heaven their angels continually view the face of my Father in heaven.^[a] Matthew 18:10 (CSB)

Here are two passages for you to read. One is from the Old Testament, and one is from the New Testament. Do you see the great worth of children in the heart of their Creator? God elevated the praise of these small ones over the religious rituals of the Jewish leaders. Psalm 8:2; Matthew 21:16-17

Hopefully, most of the children continued to love Jesus and know Him even after many of their parents and other adults in their lives turned on Him. The crucifixion was a week away. The true hearts of the people were revealed. Their cheers of Hosana quickly became chants of “Crucify Him!”

The most important thing for us today is what our children understand about Jesus. If your child or grandchild asked you to tell them about Jesus, what would you say? Are you prepared to tell them? We surely need to be prepared. Their world is more than willing to give them their view of our God. Much of their world doesn’t believe.

Do the children in your life know for sure that you love Him? Do they know that your whole heart belongs to the Savior? If not, why should they accept Christ for themselves?

I hope that you are fostering a desire in your children to love our God. He is their only hope. Life isn’t just tough on adults. When you can’t be there, He always is.

Here is what God desires for you and your children:

He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.^[l] This is the greatest and most important^[m] command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.^[n] All the Law and the Prophets depend^[o] on these two commands.” Matthew 22:37-40 (CSB)

If we obey these two commands, we will be more like Jesus.

Share the Good News in your world!

Isaiah 52:7

Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

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