A sermon preached at Covenant Presbyterian Church of Fort Smith, Arkansas on June 21, 2026.
Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:15–27).[1]
One of the key principles of faithful Bible reading is that context informs interpretation. It is a dangerous thing to extract a verse from its setting and make it say what we want it to say, rather than what God has actually said. And few verses have suffered more sentimental misuse than the words of our Lord in this passage: “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:16). These words are beautiful and encouraging. Our Savior welcomes little children brought to him and rebukes those who would keep them away. He is not inconvenienced by the weak, the small, the needy, or the overlooked.
But here is the caution: We must guard against using or welcoming this verse as a child-centered mantra that distorts its proper use in its original context. Children are not the ultimate theme of this passage. Grace is.
Look and listen carefully for it, as we consider two scenes: First, infants are brought to Jesus, then a ruler comes to Jesus. First, we see those who have nothing to offer, who must be brought, who simply receive. Then, we see a man who appears to have everything: status, morality, wealth, seriousness, and religious concern. The infants come empty; the ruler comes full. The infants are brought to receive a blessing. The ruler comes asking, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” And by placing these accounts side by side, Luke is teaching us something essential about the kingdom of God: The kingdom is not achieved by the strong but received by the weak.
The Kingdom Must Be Received
Luke tells us, “Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them” (18:15). These were not older children running to Jesus but little ones, those who could not come on their own but were brought.And, apparently, in the minds of the disciples, this was not the time or place for this. There were greater matters for Jesus to attend to: the sick. needed healing, demons needed exorcizing, sermons needed preaching. Blessing infants could wait. But Jesus saw it differently, saying, “‘Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God’” (18:16).Let them come . . . do not hinder them: It is a gracious invitation and a serious command.
Parents, grandparents, church family: We should bring our children to Christ. We bring them to him in prayer. We bring them to him in baptism. We bring them to him through the reading and teaching of God’s Word. We bring them to him in the ordinary life of the church. Our children need to be brought to Jesus.
But Jesus presses the lesson further, using the example of children, saying, “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” To be clear, Jesus is not encouraging us to find our “inner child,” or be childish, or immature. Scripture commends childlike trust, not childish folly. Infants enter this world utterly helpless, completely dependent upon another’s provision. Children must be fed, changed, dressed, day after day after day. And what do they do? They receive the care they are given. Such is the kingdom of God.
Church Father Jerome said, “It is those who are childlike in trustfulness who are best fitted for the kingdom.”[2] Which reminds me of the faith of Abraham. God said to him, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them. . . . So shall your offspring be” (Gen. 15:5). And Abraham believed, and God “counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). Without doubt, without argument, he simply believed. Elaborating on this, the apostle Paul tells us that Abraham believed “against hope,” because he took into consideration the age of his body and the barrenness of his wife (Rom. 4:18-21). In other words, Abraham looked at himself and his circumstances and saw impossibility, but he took God at his Word, trusting in his promise.
Such is childlike faith. Faith does not say, “I am able.” Faith says, “God is faithful.” Faith does not say, “I can inherit eternal life by my doing.” Faith receives the inheritance secured by another. Faith does not say, “I have brought enough.” Faith says, “Christ is enough.”
And this is why the children are such a fitting picture. They are not brought because they are strong. They are brought because they are weak. They do not receive because they are impressive. They receive because Christ is gracious.
I am reminded of the words of my wife, Sydney, after attending an infant baptism. She said, “What a beautiful picture of the gospel! The infant brings nothing but helplessness and yet receives God’s sign and seal of his covenant of grace.” She was right. For, God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ . . . . For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Eph. 2:4-5a, 8-9). For, to such belongs the kingdom.
The Heart Must Be Exposed
Immediately after this, Luke introduces us to a ruler, who asks Jesus, “‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’” (18:18).Everything about this man appears promising. He is serious, respectful, asks about eternal life, and comes to Jesus. Matthew tells us he is young.[3] Luke tells us he is a ruler.[4] All three Synoptic Gospels tell us he is rich.[5]Here is a man with position, morality, sincerity, youth, wealth, and spiritual concern. Impressive. But listen carefully to his question to Jesus: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” That question is revealing, isn’t it? He understands eternal life as an inheritance, which is good, but he asks what he must do to inherit it. An inheritance is bestowed not earned, but he presumes eternal life is gained by doing good.
How would you respond? How would I respond? Probably not the way Jesus responds, asking the man, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (18:19). Jesus is not denying His own goodness. Rather, He is pressing the man to consider what he has just said. If only God is good, and he calls Jesus good, does he understand who stands before him? And if only God is good, does he understand what goodness truly requires?
Jesus takes him to the perfect standard of goodness, narrowing in on the second half of the Ten Commandments: “‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother’” (18:20). It’s not a comprehensive list; it doesn’t have to be; a summary will do. Why? Because, as our Shorter Catechism teaches us, “No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but does daily break them in thought, word, and deed.”[6] And, “Every sin deserves God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.”[7] If God himself is the standard of goodness, and his law reveals that standard, then goodness in God’s sight requires perfect obedience. And no mere man has rendered it. Therefore, our failure to keep God’s law leaves us deserving God’s wrath and curse, and in need of mercy and grace.
This man professes compliance: “All these I have kept from my youth” (18:21). It sounds noble, doesn’t it? But actually is reveals, at best, he has understood the commandments superficially. He can say, “I have not murdered,” but has he loved his neighbor from the heart? He can say, “I have not stolen,” but has he held all his possessions as a steward before God? He can say, “I have not borne false witness,” but has he loved truth inwardly? He can say, “I have honored father and mother,” but has he honored God above all? Jesus knows the answer to all of these questions, and many more, and so he gives him yet one more command: “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (18:22).
Why this command? Not because the young man’s wealth is evil, nor because merit earns eternal life, but to reveal his idol. He thought he had kept the commandments, but Jesus shows him that he has not even kept the first: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Ex. 20:3). Exposing the young man’s heart, he reveals he has another god, his wealth: “But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich” (18:23). Though a remarkably moral man, his wealth had rendered him an idolater.
Such is the truth about every heart: There is always something we are tempted to love more than God. The idol is not always extravagance. Sometimes it is comfort, or control, or retirement, or reputation, or even providing for our family and children. But whether our wealth, or anything else this world offers, we must guard against the deception of idols. They tempt us to trust, lead us to follow, and keep us from following Christ.
For this reason, Jesus says, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (18:24). To which he adds this image: “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (18:25). Jesus is not describing something very hard but technically manageable if the camel kneels low enough and tries hard enough. He is describing impossibility: A camel cannot pass through the eye of a needle, and those who trust in their wealth, or anything else, instead of Christ will not enter the kingdom of God.
But Jesus’ disciples are perplexed at this statement, asking, “Then who can be saved?” Isn’t wealth a blessing from God? Surely, this man has been blessed for his obedience? If this man cannot save himself, who can? If this serious, moral, respectful, religious, successful man cannot enter by doing, then who can enter? If the respectable cannot achieve the kingdom, what hope is there for the rest of us? Answer? It requires a miracle.
Salvation Must Be Given
Thankfully, “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (18:27).It is impossible for infants to bring themselves.It is impossible for sinners to justify themselves.It is impossible for the moral to make themselves righteous.It is impossible for the rich to free themselves from the love of riches.It is impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.It is impossible for man to save himself.But what is impossible with man is possible with God.
How can the kingdom belong to helpless sinners? Because Christ humbled Himself for us, taking our weakness and bearing our curse.How can idolaters be forgiven? Because Christ was delivered up for our trespasses.How can those who have broken the law be counted righteous? Because Christ fulfilled the law in our place.How can those dead in sin be born again? Because the Spirit gives life through the risen Christ.How can the impossible become possible? Because God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world and predestined us for adoption. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.[8]That’s how!
The ruler was told to give up his riches and follow Jesus, which sounds like quite a sacrifice. But the gospel tells us that Jesus gave up the riches of heaven for us. Though He was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, so that by his poverty we might become rich.[9] The ruler would not part with his treasure, but Christ gave himself as the treasure. The ruler went away sorrowful, but Christ went to the cross as the man of sorrows.[10] The ruler could not save himself, but Christ saves sinners to the uttermost.
To whom then does the kingdom belong? Not to the proud, or the self-sufficient; not to those who present their obedience as though God owes them life; not to those who trust in riches, but to the helpless, the dependent, the empty-handed, the humbled, the believing, the born again.
If you see your need, if you know you cannot save yourself, if you have nothing to bring but sin, weakness, and need, then do not stay away. The disciples said, in effect, “Do not bother Him,” but Jesus said, “Let them come.” Parents, bring your children to Jesus, not because you can save them, but because only he can. Teach them early and often of their sin, of the mercy of God, and the grace of our Savior. And in bringing our children, let us see clearly out need to, that we not make our children, or our family, or any other gracious blessing from God an idol.
[1] Unless referenced otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version
(Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2001).
[2] Quoted in Ryken, 273.
[3] Matt.
[4] Luke 18:
[5] Matt., Mark, Luke
[6] WSC Q. 82, “doth” revised to “does,”
[7] WSC Q. 84, “deserveth” revised to “deserves,”
[8] Eph. 1:3-10
[9] 2 Cor. 8:9
[10] Isa. 53:3
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