Verse of the Day 1/26

Through the Bible - Exodus 11-12, Matthew 18:21-35

 

Good morning,

Jean and I had the privilege of having our kids, their spouses, and our granddaughter Layna home for Christmas.  Layna is less than a year old but she was already walking.  It was great having them all here.  We especially enjoyed having Layna around and one of my favorite pictures is of her standing with her arms outstretched.  It's a picture of a toddler "wanting up", to be picked up in their parents, or grandparents arms. 

 

Little children like the security of it.  They trust the parents to carry them with them or to take them to where they would like to go.  (In Layna's case it was often to the kitchen table where the goodies were.)  Toddlers don't do anything to earn the right to be picked up, they come knowing that the parents love them and will gladly pick them up if they come to them.  

 

For today's verse we'll go to Matthew 28, from yesterday's reading.

Matt 18:3 Then he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.  NLT
or from the NKJV

Matt 18:3 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.  4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.   NKJV

MacArthur writes, "this is how Jesus characterized conversion.  Like the Beatitudes, it pictures faith as the simple, helpless, trusting dependence of those who have no resources of their own.  Like little children, they have no achievements and no accomplishments to offer or commend themselves with." 

 

All this was precipitated by the question which began the passage Matthew 18:1 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"

Alan Barnes notes that " By the kingdom of heaven they meant the kingdom which they supposed he was about to set up-his kingdom as the Messiah. They asked the question because they supposed, in accordance with the common expectation of the Jews, that he was about to set up a temporal kingdom of great splendor, and they wished to know who should have the principal offices, and posts of honor and profit. This was among them a frequent subject of inquiry and controversy. Mark (Mark 9:34) informs us that they had had a dispute on this subject in the way."

 

Notice it is those that exhibit this childlike faith who will be greatest.  It is not those who do great things, or those who want to do great things in this world,  in this kingdom, but those who come to Him as a child, and are willing to go where He leads that will be esteemed by Him.  

Barnes continues,  "It means that their opinions and feelings about the kingdom of the Messiah must be changed. They had supposed that he was to be a temporal prince. They expected he would reign as other kings did. They supposed he would have his great officers of state, as other monarchs had, and they were ambitiously inquiring who should hold the highest offices. Jesus told them that they were wrong in their views and expectations. No such things would take place. From these notions they must be turned, changed or converted, or they could have no part in his kingdom. These ideas did not fit at all the nature of his kingdom."

It's not about the size of the your church, positions that you may "hold" in ministry,  the number of books sold or the number of readers of your devotionals.  It's about following as He leads you where He leads you, whether walking or being carried.

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In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
More tools available at: http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Matt 18:1-12

 

The Greatest in the Kingdom

 

18 About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"

 

2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, "I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

5 "And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. 6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

 

7 "What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. 8 So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It's better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eternal fire with both of your hands and feet. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It's better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

 

10 "Beware that you don't look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.    NLT