April 3. 2025-Meditation Luke 18:15–30 Who Is Worthy of the Kingdom of God?

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 Luke 18:15–30

Who Is Worthy of the Kingdom of God?

People were bringing children to Jesus, hoping that He would touch them. But the disciples rebuked them. At that time, many people gathered wherever Jesus was. Among them were those who came to hear His words, some who came to see miracles, and others who came to catch Him in a fault. But among the crowd were also children.

We might typically assume that children were brought there reluctantly, dragged along by adults. Yet, what does Jesus say when He sees these children? In verse 17, He says:

“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

Jesus refers to children as those who receive the kingdom of God. What does this mean? These children present were not there to witness miracles, to criticize, or even to be fed. They came because they received and believed in the kingdom of God that Jesus was proclaiming. Isn’t that astonishing?

We might think, How can children believe something that even adults struggle to grasp? But faith is not something that comes just because you become "childlike." Faith is not dependent on age. Whether you're immature, uneducated, highly intelligent, or not—it doesn't matter.

How do we often view children in Sunday School at church? Sometimes merely as part of an auxiliary program. Some might even say:

“Is it really necessary to spend so much of the budget on Sunday School? It doesn’t bring in money.”

Have you ever had a thought like that? That’s a dangerous mindset. Why? Because it reflects a misunderstanding of what faith truly is. It treats faith as if it’s something precious meant only for adults. That’s completely wrong. In fact, parents may need to learn faith from their children. Adults may need to model their faith after that of a child.

The kingdom of God is not only for adults or for those who have been believers for many years. The kingdom is given to those who receive and honor it. What good is having decades of Christian experience if you don’t receive the kingdom of God? Jesus says that unless you receive it, you will not enter. And if you don’t enter, what does that mean? It means you gain nothing.

A certain ruler asks Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” What is eternal life? It comes through salvation and is ultimately connected to the kingdom of God. How does Jesus say one can enter the kingdom? By receiving it, by embracing it. Therefore, eternal life is also given to those who believe and receive.

It is not granted by strict adherence to commandments or certain actions. It is completely a matter of faith—faith in Jesus Christ and faith in the kingdom of God.

So, do we live our Christian lives with genuine faith? Or are we practicing “religion” merely as a way to calm or cleanse our minds—like meditation or mindfulness?

The biggest obstacle to entering the kingdom of God through faith is wealth. Wealth becomes an idol. The ruler who came to Jesus could not receive or honor the kingdom of God—because he was already devoted to wealth.

If that ruler wanted eternal life and to enter God’s kingdom, he needed to give up the wealth he honored and worshiped. He needed to let it go and instead honor the kingdom of God. That’s why Jesus says in verses 29–30:

“29Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
30will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Jesus is not saying we must become homeless, isolated beggars who abandon everything. He is saying we must give up placing these things in the highest position. Instead, the kingdom of God must take that place of honor.

So, what is at the center of your life right now? Of course, we would all say “God,” “Jesus,” or “the Word.” But we must reflect more deeply. Is that truly the case? Are we holding tightly to our wealth or our families while trying to grasp the kingdom of God on the side?

Let us be those who, like children, receive the kingdom of God, live by faith, and become true citizens of God’s kingdom who possess eternal life.

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April 2, 2025 - Meditation Luke 18:15-30 Who is Worthy of the Kingdom of God?

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  Who is Worthy of the Kingdom of God? (Luke 18:15-30) People brought children to Jesus so that He might touch them. However, the disciples rebuked them. At that time, many people gathered where Jesus was. Some came to listen to His words, some came to see miracles, and others came to find fault with Him. But among them were children. We might assume that these children were brought by adults and came reluctantly. However, how does Jesus respond to these children? In verse 17, He says: "Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Jesus refers to children as those who receive the kingdom of God. What does this mean? The children present at that moment were not there to see miracles, to find fault, or to receive bread. They were there to receive and believe in the "kingdom of God" that Jesus spoke about. Isn't that amazing? One might think, "How can children believe when even adults struggle?...
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April 11. 2025-Meditation Luke 21:20–28 The Day of Destruction, the Day of Redemption

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April 5. 2025-Meditation Luke 19:11–27 The Parable of the Ten Minas

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