Text For Friday, 08 June 2007

[barry]

Unless you turn around and become as young children, you will by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens.—Matt. 18:3.

Because Jesus was genuinely humble, little children were not afraid of him. Rather, they felt drawn to him. (Mark 10:13-16) What was it about children that Jesus found so appealing? Certainly, they had desirable qualities that some of his adult disciples did not always display. It is a simple fact that little children view adults as being superior. You can see this by the many questions they ask. Yes, compared with many adults, children are more teachable and not as prone to pride. On one occasion, Jesus singled out a young child and said to His followers: “Whoever will humble himself like this young child is the one that is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens.” (Matt. 18:4) Jesus stated the rule: “Everyone that exalts himself will be humbled and he that humbles himself will be exalted.”—Luke 14:11; 18:14. w 10/15/05 9a

[billy]

surrounding verses - to get the real meaning of the scripture:

Matt 18

18 In that hour the disciples came near to Jesus and said: “Who really is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?” 2 So, calling a young child to him, he set it in their midst 3 and said: “Truly I say to YOU, Unless YOU turn around and become as young children, YOU will by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens. 4 Therefore, whoever will humble himself like this young child is the one that is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens;

parallel scriptures:

Mark 9

33 And they came into Ca·per´na·um. Now when he was inside the house he put the question to them: “What were YOU arguing over on the road?” 34 They kept silent, for on the road they had argued among themselves who is greater. 35 So he sat down and called the twelve and said to them: “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and minister of all.” 36 And he took a young child, stood it in their midst and put his arms around it and said to them: 37 “Whoever receives one of such young children on the basis of my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives, not me only, but also him that sent me forth

Luke 9

46 Then a reasoning entered among them as to who would be the greatest of them. 47 Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a young child, set it beside him 48 and said to them: “Whoever receives this young child on the basis of my name receives me [too], and whoever receives me receives him [also] that sent me forth. For he that conducts himself as a lesser one among all of YOU is the one that is great.”

Luke 22

24 However, there also arose a heated dispute among them over which one of them seemed to be greatest. 25 But he said to them: “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those having authority over them are called Benefactors. 26 YOU, though, are not to be that way. But let him that is the greatest among YOU become as the youngest, and the one acting as chief as the one ministering. 27 For which one is greater, the one reclining at the table or the one ministering? Is it not the one reclining at the table? But I am in YOUR midst as the one ministering.

instead of taking on a attitude of controlling and condecending self importance like the religous leaders at the time -and the roman rulers - Jesus set the example of supporting the brotherhood with humility, honesty, authentisity like a child


Matthew 20:25) But Jesus, calling them to him, said: “YOU know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them and the great men wield authority over them.

(Mark 10:42) But Jesus, after calling them to him, said to them: “YOU know that those who appear to be ruling the nations lord it over them and their great ones wield authority over them.