The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-02-10
JESUS AND THE CHILD.
LESSON VII, INTERNATIONAL SUN.
DAY SCHOOL SERIES, FEE. ~.


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e'V IL is clear that the discinles M this
tiua o.d nm to the coming of tbe spirit on
the dav of Pentecost. held very low and un-
xvo,.tbv viexvs concernino the kingdom Of
C,od II vas 10 be an earthly kingdom alto
cetbor ond In Il of course they were to have
the chief places They had. taking advantage
of his absence disnufed among themselves a
to which Of Them sbould he foremost IN Al
They we,r thoroughly imbued with the ideas
of tho mon of their time
V "a. Our Lords answer consists of the
ncted deed and the spoken word. And each
illnst,atcs the other See that little child In
,ho a,,,s of .Jasus How sweetIv besutif,,l
tho scana is3 The little one knows mt the
meaning Of the distinctions that seem 40
rreot in the ewes of tho disciples They have
no charm for him He IA content with the
lo,vliest Mace And with this child IN bis
arms our Lord states the great principles of
his Kingdom. Earthly distinctions can have
no nlace tbere The snirit of this little child
illustrates that of ali it's subjects. Do not
osl who shall be greatest there. For unless
this little cbild's spirit of humility have a
poverning place within you. Won cannot
even enter there And in order to do this.
Won must be converted, turned around In the
snirit and intent Of your being And
what is copyer,aong Other phrasps foY.
IL. "beine born from aboye.r "boru of tho
spirit y "new creatures in Christ. having 4
new heart and right spirit.n And like ali
these, it is not mans wora, but Gods. eek
cent We be converted And when his great
work Is done. the result comes out In the
mans humbling himself. ''eyep as a weaned
cbild.n He seeks great things for himself no
more. By the masters side. and foy: the
masters sake. any position is welcome and
any service sweet. And the master saws that
he sis the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
For IL is the masters spirit over again since
he came not to be ministered unto. hut To
minister and to give his life a ransom for
manv.n
VS. Two points invite us here, 1. O.,
1. The persons spoken of. and
Q. Their relations TO the Lord Jesus
As to a. One little child and zone such
little child are very different in their scope
and meaning. The first would mean simply
a little child, The second would indicate a
little one in grace. A converted one. one of
the Lords own people: one of the "such, as
enter the kingdom.
And as to Cg. This relation is very clearly
nut. To receive such an one--i e., to do
service or kindness to such a one--is to re-
oeive me, to do service or kindness to me.
And he that receiveth me receiveth him that
sent me. How glorious this is! The least
service TO such an one forming a direct con-
nection between the doer of the service on
the one hand and the Lord Jesus and the
father in heaven on the other. Done here:
felt and received there. The service, 9
memorial there The blessing following it, q
proof of it here
v. q. This is another side of the same great
truth. And about as far as the one ascendl
in blessing, the other descends in doom. This
death by a milestone about the neck oi
course is a reference to a mode Of death
practiced at that time And the meaning Il
| that such death would be "bettern than the
| guilt of leading one of the Lords little one
| into sin.
w. We have three things:
/. The consequence of offenses.
9. The certainty of their occurrence.
3. The guilt Of those who bring then
| about
| As to /. The meaning is that the offensel
produce the woe. The woe follows the Of
Tense. as the result fows from the cause
Woe is trouble, grief, sorrow. Now lool
over history--or through society, or indi
vidual life aaywhere-and see how the wo,
follows the ofrense 1t may be persecution
or some pleasant inducement to sin. Every
where the woe follows the offense.
As . But why must it need bei AM
| the answer is that SO long as human natur
remains as it is will be found those who vii
| delight in laying q stumbling block in tn
way of others, or in some way leading then
| into sin.
And as to 3. Who can f1tly describe hi
guiltl Who can paint the utter hatefulnes
of that man who deliberately seeks to driy
or to se(luce others into sinl The deepss
woe will be his lot.
vs. So. The meaning of these verses lie
upon their surface The sin is not In tn
hand, the foot, or the eye but in tho ev
heart that uses them for its own corrupt pun
poses Cutting Off the hand or foot, or plncl
ing out the eve, therefore will not destroy th
sinful desire. The meaning, therefore Of Ii
passage is, that however dear certain objec
on indulgence, OF habit or desire may be-
il it leads us into sin--we must renounc
1
V. 10. This verse and the next contain Il
two reasons why children are not to be d
spised The first is that the Lord holds thel
in high account. Their angels are near b
throne, in his immediate presence. II