Little Children

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Three Greek words

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
                          
“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.
 
“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.”
 
Compare Mark’s gospel: “Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.” (Mark 10:13-16) 

Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”
 
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.
 
And He said to her, “What do you wish?”
She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”
 
But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”They said to Him, “We are able.”
 
So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”
 
And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. 

  But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 18:1-11)

Children delighted in Jesus when he stopped the temple circus the second time after His final arrival in Jerusalem a bit later:  

Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of thieves.’ ”
 
Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?”
 
And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”

Jesus was not intimidated by anyone old or young. He noted that God offended everyone by speaking through his austere cousin John the Baptist while His own life style was more relaxed. 

For many years now, what Jesus said about the children representing the Kingdom of God, has greatly impacted my entire life. It revolutionized how I look at being “in Christ”. Every challenge I have faced and do now face, I look to the wisdom that Jesus showed us through the eyes of children. 

 Children just trust. They do not know all the evil that is at work. They just believe that the one holding their hand will keep them safe and meet all their needs.

This painting is a prized possession of ours. Not because of physical value, but for what it represents, the eternal work of Salvation Jesus has done for me, mine, ours and anyone who will humble themselves before their Heavenly Father.

Only believe. Trust, implicitly, without wavering. 

Child-like Faith.

With the perfect knowledge of having created all things, the incarnated Lord Jesus must have not only uniquely cherished the view through his childhood eyes but retained that knowledge as he mysteriously called the adulterous people of Jerusalem to a kingdom reliant upon rebirth. As this season of Christmas, 2018 years later approaches, we are reminded more than ever to receive the newborn Christ child into our hearts and homes and make it alive to ourselves in new, real and lasting ways. —Jim Hutchison

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