The Madison journal., 1912-12-07
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDASC[1OOL
LESSON
LESSON FOR DECEMBER
THE CHILD IN THE MIDST.
(By E. o. SELLERS. Director Of Eve
ming Department The Moody Bible In
stitute OF Chicago)


Father which is in heaven. ."-Matthew
1910 r. v.
=. Like two mighty mountain peaks
there stand before US In this lesson
two tremendously vital lessons. Inc
first 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 reveais
himself as the worlds greatest teacn-
er. He teaches by example-setting
a child before them, and by exnorta.
ton, Except ye become as children
by contrast. etc.
The very form. Of the disciples
question revealed their coarse, ampl-
ton for power and clearly Indicated
that they were as yet far from COM
pretending the principles OF MS
kingdom. One of the most insldious
temptations that comes to the Chris
tian worker is the ambitious desire
for place and power. 1t is hard 10
reconcile church politics with the
principles of the kingdom OF God.
Jesus answers their question oy
the use of objective teaching that
always has such an advantage over
the purely metaphysical method or an
swering such a question. Placing
child in their midst he answered IN
the words found in verse two OF the
lesson
What He Meant.
The word verify" is tremendous
with emphasis. II say" again re-
veals his authority to answer. Ex
cept We turn" what does he mean!
To become childish? No, but to be-
come childlike; there is 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 OF
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 Ger
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" ". 81 the
kingdom (see John $3.50. 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 1919, Il am the door, by me
shall ye enter" John 3:3, "Excep
We be born again" Heb. 3:19, "TheI
could not enter because of unbelief.
Read also Peter 1:5-11 and othel
passages.
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 whose humbletl
himself, etc" To humble yourself Il
voluntarily to choose the humble, th'
lowly, place for yourself; that plac'
removed from the admiration and th'
adulation of men. Paul learned thi
lesson and constantly refers to him
self as the bond slave" and wishe
that he might be accursed for tn
sake of his brethren Israel. Nose
found this place when he pleaded will
God to blot him out of the book o
his remembrance but to save the chi
dren of Israel. Jesus is himself tn
greatest illustration of this principle
(See Phil. 2:6-1I.)
Jesus goes on to teach by cor
trast what is to be our attitude tc
ward those who are in the kingdom
There Is an incidental illumination
of the attitude of little children t
Jesus. They were never afraid Q
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 g
which he is speaking. Our treatmen
of them is our treatment of him. 70
he completely Identifies himself wit
them. To cause such an one to stun
BILE It were better for the offender {
have a milestone hanged about hi
neck and he be drowned in the dept
of the sea-
How often as we look at child d
we see Jesus? How often do We r
member that as we receive such W
are receiving him? To despise one {
them is to- despise him, for ii
heaven their angels do always behol
the face of my Father which is
heaven" Notice. also, how he brinf
into this connection the matter {
shepherding. Men are lost. born s
and ii is to seek these that the SC
of man came into the world. Is
possible that this very child thl
/, stood in their midst was lost? II s