The Red Cloud chief., 1912-12-05
INTERNATIONAL
SUNlGSC[1OOL
LESSON
LESSON FOR DECEMBER
THE CHILD IN THE MIDST.
Ty E. q. SELLERS, Director Of Eve
ming Department Tho Moody Bible In
ctitute Of Chicago.)

LESSON TENT-AIntthcw 1S:l-ii.
GOLDEN TEXT--"In heaven their an"
:els do always behold tho face OF my
Father which is In heaven. Matthew
N:i0 H V.
Like two mighty mountain peaks
there stand before US In this lesson
.wo tremendously vital lessons. The
frst and the foremost Is that OF dis
cipleship as suggested by the Ques
ton in verse one. "Who Is the great
est in the Kingdom" And the second
lesson Is that of Christ's attitude to.
wards children. Jesus again reveals
himself as tho worlds greatest teach
er. He teaches by eXample-settina
child before them, and by exhorta
ton, Except ye become as Children
by contrast, etc.
The very form of the disciples
question revealed their coarse ambi.
ton for power and clearly indicated
hat they were as yet far from com,
pretending the principles Of his
kingdom. One of the most insidious
temptations that comes to the Chris
tian worker Is the ambitious desire
for place and power. 1t Is hard tc
reconcile church politics with the
principles of the kingdom OF God.
Jesus answers their question b!
the use Of objective teaching tina
always has such an advantage owe.
the purely metaphysical method Of an
swering such a question. Placing
child in their midst he answered II
the words found In verse two OF thu
lesson.
What He Meant.
The word "verily" il tremendous
With emphasis. II say" again re
veais his authority TO answer. "Ex
cept ye turn" what does he mean
To become childish? No. but to be
come childlike; there is a vast dea
of difference. There the child stands
trustful, obedient. submissive, unseli
ish, pure. potential. imperfect. ready
to receive impressions as wax and ai
tenacious to retain those impressions
az granite. Pride. seli-confidence
disobedience. selfshness, impurity
assumed perfectness, and an unwill
,ngness to learn will effectually keel
us out Of the kingdom Of heaven
What Q rebuke his answer implied
viz, not who is greatest but rather
"are you sure you are really In th'
kingdom!" The true disciple whit
really comprehends the essence o
Christ's teaching Is for less con
eerned with his rank In the kingdom
than he 10 to "know him" and thu
make sure Of . place in the kingdom
Ever after this, when wrong ambi
tions arose. these disciples must hav'
recalled that sweet child and Jesus
saying, "be like that"
Does this lesson then teach US tina
oil children are BY nature children o.
the kingdom? Hardly. though we Ger
tainiy do not believe that a child dy
ing In infancy is lost. Rather we in
cline to the belief that they have
that spirit of teachableness and trus
that fits them to center" ". 81 thu
kingdom (see John $50. 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 theil
trustfulness has not been destroyed.
Let us look at some of the condi
tions whereby we enter the kingdom
John 1879, II am the door. by M
shall ye enter" John 3:3. "Excep
ye be born again" Heb. 3:19. "The!
could not enter because Of unbelief.'
Read also 2 Peter 1:5.11.
How to Become Great.
Having thus struck at the primar!
question involved. Jesus then tell
them how. once being in the kingdom
to become great, "whoso humbietl
himself, etc." To humble yourself Il
voluntarily to choose the humble, thu
lowly, place for yourself: that place
removed from the admiration and th'
adulation Of men. Paul learned thii
lesson and constantly refers to him
self as the bond slave" and wishes
that he might be accursed for th'
sake of his brethren Israel. Mose'
found this place when he pleaded will
God to blot him out of the book o
ais remembrance but to save the chill
aren Of Israel. Jesus 10 himself th'
greatest illustration Of this principle
(See Phil. 2:611.)
Jesus goes on to teach by con
trsst what II to be our attitude to
ward those who are In the kingdom
There 10 an incidental illumination
Of the attitude of little children Il
Jesus. They were never afraid o
him. It is true that he might hav'
meant here humble men who hav'
childlike hearts. but we are incline'
to feel that It was real children o
which he Is speaking. Our treGtmen
Of them Is our treatment Of him, 70
ae completely Identifies himself will
them.
Jesus pictures for US the heavenl.
glory that rests upon children and ye
we in our folly too often fail to re
ceiye them neglect our COd-g or