The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1912-12-06
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LESSON
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 8
the CHILD IN THE MIDST.
CBy T. q SELLERS. Director Of Eve
ming department The Moody Bible In
stitute Of chicago

Like two mighty mountain peAks
there stand before us In this lesson
two IRENE ndousiy vital lessons. The
frs. and the loren 10 that OF Dis
cipleship ~ suggested BY the CUES
ton In verse one. who 10 the great
.st IN the kingdom" And the second
lesson is that Of Christs attitude to-
yards children. Jesus again reveals
himself as the worlds greatest teach
.r He teaches by example-setting
a child before them. and BY eShorta.
| ton. Except We become as children,
b. contrast. etc.
The very form Of the disciples
. question revealed their coarse amLi'
/ ton for power and clearly Indicated
. that they we're as yet far from com.
pretending the principles OF his
b,ngdom one OF the most insidious
. temptations that comes to the Chris.
'ian worker IL the ambitious desire
for place and power !; Is hard 20
reconcile church politics with the
principles Of the kingdom OF God.
J.sus answers their question by
The use OF objective teaching that
always has such an advantage over
81. purely metaphysical method OF at
svering such question Placing a
child In their midst he answered In
the words found In verse two OF tie
lesson
What He Meant.
The word verify" Is tremendous
With emphasis Il say" again re.
veals his authority 10 answer "Ea-
cert We turn" wha, does he mean
I To becom. childish No. but TO be
come childliko there is vast deal
/ 90 difference There the child stands,
; 'rusiiul. obed'.nt submissive unset.
.sh. pure. potential Imperfect ready
20 receive impressions as wax and ~
;oracioIs TO retain those impressions
a. granite. Pride. s.l..confdence.
G!soh' dieuce. s.lfshnoss. !mpuriiy.
assumed poffac'noss, and an unwil'.
.rg-ess TO learn will eG.ctually Keep
Ms 90, O.. the Rincdom o. heaven.
What r"bGk" his answer Implied.
4 w not who il SO a'est buy rather,
are YOU sure you are really IN The
Kingdom The true disciple Who
really comprchends the essence %
Z ' NTlfl lta'HlUE - lal 'Fr WV
cerned with his rank In the Kingdom
than he IL 70 know him and thus
make sure OF a place In the Kingdom.
Ever after this when wrong amh'.
tions arose. these disciples must have
recalled that sweet child and Jesus
saying. be like that"
Does tilis lesson then teach us that
all children are by nature children 81
the Kingdom? Hardly. though We Ger.
tainly do not believe that q child dy.
ing In infancy 10 lost. Rather we In.
cline to the belief that they hav.
that spirit OF teachableness and trust
that fts them to enter" ". 81 the
kingdom ,see John 3:6I. Therefore.
the added Significance OF verse six.
The responsibility Of parents and
teachers to lead them into the king.
dom At this early age when their
trustfulness has not been destroyed.
Let us look at some OF the condl-
tlons whereby We enter the kingdom.
John 1919, Il am the door, by NJ"
shall ye enter John 3:3. Except
ye be born again" Heb. 3:1s. They
could not enter because OF unbelief'
head also : PETER 1911.
How TO eeeome Great.
Having thus struck at the primary
question involved, Jesus then tells
them how. once being In the kingdom,
20 become great, whose humble'h
himself etc" To humble yourself Is
Voluntarily TO choose the humble the
loNly, place for YOURSELF that place
| rn,noyod frou, tho admiration opA tn.
adulation OF men. Paul learned this
lesson ana constantly refers to him.
ref as the bond slave" and wishes
hat he might be accursed for the
AXE ot his brethren Israel. Moses
'-und this place when he pleaded with
'od 10 blot him out Of the book Of
MS rene mbrance but to save the chill
!rcn OF Israel. Jesus Is himself tho
greatest illustration Of this principle,
SIC Phil 2:G.ilD
Jesus goes on to teach by con.
trast what IL TO be our attitude to-
ward those who are in the kingdom.
There is an incidental illumination
Of ,he attitude Of little children 10
Iesus, They We're never afraid 81
him. II is tEie lint ne might have
meant here humble men who have
, Chilllike hearts. but We are inclined
10 feel that II was real children OF
, which he is speaking, Our treatment
Of them IL our treatment OF him, for
he completely identifies himself with
them.
Jesus pictures for us the heavenly
glory that rests upon children and yet
We In our folly too often fail to re-
ccive them. neglect our God.given OPP
portunity. or, worse still, cause them
to stumble, and bring upon ourselves.
A, upon our homes and our nation pen.
atty even worse than that OF being
drowned In the midst of the sea.
Such Is the greatness OF childhood,
II we are to make sure OF entering
the kingdom II must be as We get