The Green Forest tribune., 1912-12-06
INTERNATIONAL SUNDNS([lOoL
 LESSON (By E. O. SELLERS. Director of Eve ming Department The Moody Bible In
LESSON FOR DECEMBER
THE CHILD IN THE MIDST.


 cipleship as suggested by the ques- tion in verse one, Who is the great est in the kingdom?" And the second lesson is that of Christs attitude to- wards children Jesus again reveals himself as the worlds greatest teach CT He teaches by example-settlns a child before them, and by eXhorta tion, 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 that 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. It is hard to reconcile church politics with the principles of the kingdom of God.
 Jesus answers their question by the use of objective teaching that always has such an advantage over the purely metaphysical method of an swering such a question. Placing child in their midst he answered i'll the words found in verse two of the lesson.
 What He Meant.
 The word "verily" is tremendous with emphasis. T say" again re- veals his authority to answer. FIX cept ye turn" what does he mean? To become childish? No, but to be, come childlike: there is a vast deal of difference. There the child stands, trustful obedient. submissive, unself, ish, pure. potential, imperfect, ready to receive impressions as wax and as tenacious to retain those impressions as granite. Pride, self-confidence, disobedience, selfishness, impurity assumed perfectness, and an unwill, ingness to learn will effectually keep us out of the kingdom of heaven. What a rebuke his answer implied, viz, not who is greatest but rather are you sure you are really in the kingdom?" The true disciple who really comprehends the essence ot Christ's teaching is far less con. cerned with his rank in the kingdom than he is to know him. and thus make sure of a place in the kingdom. Ever after this, when wrong ambi- tions arose, these disciples must have recalled that sweet child and Jesus saying. "be like that"
 Does this lesson then teach us that all children are by nature children of the kingdom? Hardly. though we cer- tainly do not believe that child dy- ing in infancy is lost Rather we in, cline to the belief that they have that spirit of teachableness and trust that fits them to "enter" (v. 3 the kingdom (see John 3;6). 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 condi tions whereby we enter the kingdom. John 1O:9, q am the door, by me shall ye enter" John 3:3, Except ye be born again." Heb. 3:19, They could not enter because of unbelief" Read also Peter 1:5-11 and other passages.
 How to Become Great.
 Having thus struck at the primary question involved, Jesus then tells them how, once being in the kingdom. to become great, "whoso humbleth himself, etc" To humble yourself is voluntarily to choose the humble, the lowly, place for yourself; that place removed from the admiration and the adulation of men. Paul learned this lesson and constantly refers to him. self as the bond slave" and wishes that he might be accursed fer the sake of his brethren Israel Moses found this place when he pleaded with God to blot him out of the book of his remembrance but to save the chil. dren of Israel. Jesus is himself the greatest illustration of this principle. (See Phil. 2:6-1l)
 Jesus goes on to teach by con. trast what is to be our attitude to. ward those who are in the kingdom There Is an incidental illumination of the attitude of little children to Jesus. They were never afraid of him. It is true that he might have meant here humble men who have childlike hearts, but we are inclined to feel that it was real children of which he is speaking. Our treatment of them is our treatment of him, for he completely identifies himself with them To cause such an one to stum- ble it were better for the offender to have a millstone hanged about his neck and he be drowned in the depth of the sea.
 How often as we look at a child do we see Jesus? How often do we re- member that as we receive such we are receiving him? To despise one of them is to despise him, for "in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven" Notice. also, how he brings into this connection the matter of shepherding Men are lost, born so, and it Is to seek these that the son of man came into the world. Is it possible that this very child that stood in their midst was lost? If so, remember it was for such that God Is seeking The conversion of child is of far greater importance poten. tially to the kingdom of God than the conversion of the greatest of earth The loss of a child is terrible in it's consequences. Murder, drunkenness. robbery and licentiousness are ram- pant upon the streets of all of our great cities, and the chief offenders are the boys and girls in the teen"