“If anyone
would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all. Then He had a little child stand among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”” 1
We have probably heard that to be first in the Kingdom is to serve, and we know it is to serve Jesus but here we see even more specifics of such service. Jesus, as an object lesson to associate service with something tangible, takes this child and places him in front of the disciples, and equates being a servant of all, to receiving one such child in His name. We see to serve is to receive children in His name, so the question becomes what does it means to receive one such child in His name.
"Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.”3
Here we see what it means to receive a little child, and it is how anyone must enter into the Kingdom of God. The word for receive is déx omai – properly, to receive in a welcoming (receptive) way. Jesus knew the disciples were discussing who would be great. “What were you discussing on the way? But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest."3 So He took a little child and placed it in their midst. Serving is not so much about serving in some ministry or organization but about receiving His little children. I have served in ministries and went on many trips, often it is
taught that such is some sacrifice but he who truly serves, "he must be last of all and servant of all." One can't say they are receiving his children there and not receive his children here nor along the way.
"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me."
Entering the kingdom of God is surely losing your life and taking up your cross. It is like finding a treasure in a field, you would sell all you have to possess it. After blessing the little children, a rich man came to Jesus wanting eternal life, he walked away sad, he could not give up worldly riches to follow Jesus. How many today in the Church have one foot in the world and one foot in the Church? You can't serve God and money, while it is not impossible Jesus says it is difficult, for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom, as they trust in riches. The Kingdom must be put First, then all else will be provided. It is a matter of trusting in God for all. Jesus sent the disciples out in twos without money to teach them to trust. If you receive a prophet or a righteous man you receive that reward, "if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”
"Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me..."4
Again we see true humility as a godly character, of serving, and such is equated to receiving one such child in His name. We see further how this is done, Jesus said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." Peter also writes being a shepherd of God’s flock is "not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."7 What example? of humility, not receiving personal gain, willingly not grudgingly... Thus we see receiving little children is not lording over, domineering as leaders of the Gentiles do, but as Peter equates it to the good shepherd. We see the Good Shepherd in Psalm 23.
I believe in the Church, teachings of authority can easily enter in that mimic that of the old covenant, this was the battle of Paul in the early Church, as it is for us today. It portrays God thundering from a mountain, ready to strike anything that comes near dead. It uses God as a disciplinary tool, a means to control, using fear and others things like shame, guilt, such things are beneficial to those who "lord" over others. But it only controls external behavior, thus producing little Pharisees. This is as my first experience and a first memory for me as a child, riding the church bus, these children were little devils on the bus but when they got to church, they put on their mask. I had never heard about Jesus, knew nothing of Christianity, but when I got home I cried to my mother, do not make me go again... at such a young age I knew this was wrong.
In their attempts to domineer their children, beat sin out of them, saying things like children are best seen and not heard... these lord over children in attempts to produce discipline. It teaches a child blind obedience, you do not have to understand just obey, and it teaches blind faith, believing as a head knowledge without personal experience. And it exchanges God into an image made like corruptible man. It is not the godly authority that we see Jesus discuss, and from personal experience it makes it all about authority and control, obedience, but such runs all over little children, saying it is in His name. This is really where such types of teaching of authority fail, it causes little children to stumble.
“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea."17
And if your hand causes one to stumble cut it off... and if your foot, cut it off, and if your eye, pluck it out. These scriptures are usually associated with sin, surely it can be applied to such, but we see in context and I believe related to causing little children to stumble. We see the principle of faith, to build others up and we see under the principle of Liberty operates the principle of Lov. How important it is that we do not judge causing one of His little ones to stumble. "For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”18 Nothing else counts, only a new creation, and faith working by love, what good is salt if it has lost it flavor, how will the world know we are His disciples, if we do not love one another, if we are not salty?
"Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them."19
Those who receive His little children do not lord over them. Do we not see in this passage the anointing of Christ's minstry as He reads from the scroll of Isaiah? to preach the good news to the poor, to set the captives free, for the blind to see? This was opposite of the Pharisees, who placed heavy burdens on the shoulders of men, who sat in the seat of judgement when God desired mercy, who mocked Jesus for hanging out with sinners and tax collectors, who crucified the Son of God for breaking the commandments of men. We see this in the Church today, by their traditions they break the commandments of God, when God desires mercy and empathy and love, they judge and condemn, causing little children to stumble.
“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,"8
These who receive little children give them a drink of water, and do not cause them to stumble, these are called great in the Kingdom of God. We do not see Jesus get angry much, here is an instance when he does, after telling the disciples who would be first, they rebuked little children coming to Him. "Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”15 "And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.16 We can say the anti-thesis of the concept of receiving little children is judging, causing his little children to stumble, looking down upon them, not receving them. Such a Church Jesus is knocking at the door, there is hope.
"But many who are first will be last, and the last first."30
When Jesus said it was difficult for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom, the disciples asked who can be saved? Peter, unlike the rich man, had left his boat and father, thus he replied, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”17 Jesus said to them, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."30 The parable of sowing states some will hear and receive with joy but when trials come, persecution, the cares of this world will choke them out, these will fall away. We see the focus on receiving little children, on love, and also on sanctification, the child received is also taught in the way of God. He will not depart from it, such is a great promise but it puts great emphasis on godly authority and warning for being a cause for stumbling.
We have probably heard that to be first in the Kingdom is to serve, and we know it is to serve Jesus but here we see even more specifics of such service. Jesus, as an object lesson to associate service with something tangible, takes this child and places him in front of the disciples, and equates being a servant of all, to receiving one such child in His name. We see to serve is to receive children in His name, so the question becomes what does it means to receive one such child in His name.
"Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.”3
Here we see what it means to receive a little child, and it is how anyone must enter into the Kingdom of God. The word for receive is dé
"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me."
Entering the kingdom of God is surely losing your life and taking up your cross. It is like finding a treasure in a field, you would sell all you have to possess it. After blessing the little children, a rich man came to Jesus wanting eternal life, he walked away sad, he could not give up worldly riches to follow Jesus. How many today in the Church have one foot in the world and one foot in the Church? You can't serve God and money, while it is not impossible Jesus says it is difficult, for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom, as they trust in riches. The Kingdom must be put First, then all else will be provided. It is a matter of trusting in God for all. Jesus sent the disciples out in twos without money to teach them to trust. If you receive a prophet or a righteous man you receive that reward, "if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”
"Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me..."4
Again we see true humility as a godly character, of serving, and such is equated to receiving one such child in His name. We see further how this is done, Jesus said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." Peter also writes being a shepherd of God’s flock is "not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."7 What example? of humility, not receiving personal gain, willingly not grudgingly... Thus we see receiving little children is not lording over, domineering as leaders of the Gentiles do, but as Peter equates it to the good shepherd. We see the Good Shepherd in Psalm 23.
I believe in the Church, teachings of authority can easily enter in that mimic that of the old covenant, this was the battle of Paul in the early Church, as it is for us today. It portrays God thundering from a mountain, ready to strike anything that comes near dead. It uses God as a disciplinary tool, a means to control, using fear and others things like shame, guilt, such things are beneficial to those who "lord" over others. But it only controls external behavior, thus producing little Pharisees. This is as my first experience and a first memory for me as a child, riding the church bus, these children were little devils on the bus but when they got to church, they put on their mask. I had never heard about Jesus, knew nothing of Christianity, but when I got home I cried to my mother, do not make me go again... at such a young age I knew this was wrong.
In their attempts to domineer their children, beat sin out of them, saying things like children are best seen and not heard... these lord over children in attempts to produce discipline. It teaches a child blind obedience, you do not have to understand just obey, and it teaches blind faith, believing as a head knowledge without personal experience. And it exchanges God into an image made like corruptible man. It is not the godly authority that we see Jesus discuss, and from personal experience it makes it all about authority and control, obedience, but such runs all over little children, saying it is in His name. This is really where such types of teaching of authority fail, it causes little children to stumble.
“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea."17
And if your hand causes one to stumble cut it off... and if your foot, cut it off, and if your eye, pluck it out. These scriptures are usually associated with sin, surely it can be applied to such, but we see in context and I believe related to causing little children to stumble. We see the principle of faith, to build others up and we see under the principle of Liberty operates the principle of Lov. How important it is that we do not judge causing one of His little ones to stumble. "For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”18 Nothing else counts, only a new creation, and faith working by love, what good is salt if it has lost it flavor, how will the world know we are His disciples, if we do not love one another, if we are not salty?
"Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them."19
Those who receive His little children do not lord over them. Do we not see in this passage the anointing of Christ's minstry as He reads from the scroll of Isaiah? to preach the good news to the poor, to set the captives free, for the blind to see? This was opposite of the Pharisees, who placed heavy burdens on the shoulders of men, who sat in the seat of judgement when God desired mercy, who mocked Jesus for hanging out with sinners and tax collectors, who crucified the Son of God for breaking the commandments of men. We see this in the Church today, by their traditions they break the commandments of God, when God desires mercy and empathy and love, they judge and condemn, causing little children to stumble.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him."16
Christianity is a narrow path, "For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."22 It is the Way of Christ, thus obedience to the words of Christ, like the golden rule, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."12 It is the humble who are exalted, as James writes the poor are exalted in the Church for this reason. Why is it that the poor are rich in faith? "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet."14 One of the greatest signs of a godly leader is humility, not a false humility of a form of self-abasement of the flesh, of false reverence, not one that exalts authority and lords over others, but one that receives and loves His little children.
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."12
In attempts to be good stewards we break His greater commandments? what does it profit? What did Christ mean when He said, "Give to the one who asks from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you."23 Our society is opposite of the truth, it charges the poor excessive interest rates, while the Bible says not to. Beware of false prophets, judge them by their fruit, they do not obey the greater things of God, thus teach others to break the commandments of God by their traditions. Narrow is the way and few there are who find it.11 Not all who say Lord. Lord will enter into the Kingdom, though they do many mighty works in His name, these Jesus say are workers of lawlessness. The kingdom of God focuses on what profits a man's soul, that is why leaders in His kingdom are servants, and exalt the poor, and receive little children. What profit is it if a man gains the whole world and loses his soul?
"go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."22
Many sinners and tax collectors followed Jesus. He gave them mercy and said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy." We see the Pharisee in the synagogue bragging about how much he tithes, being a great steward of God's money, look at me God. And the tax collector beats his chest, forgive me God a sinner. Both were Jews, God's children, one went home righteous above the other. But even in the old covenant God desired such things, it is man who turns God's ways into his own. "For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings."23 "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."24 "and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, which is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."25
These who receive little children give them a drink of water, and do not cause them to stumble, these are called great in the Kingdom of God. We do not see Jesus get angry much, here is an instance when he does, after telling the disciples who would be first, they rebuked little children coming to Him. "Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”15 "And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.16 We can say the anti-thesis of the concept of receiving little children is judging, causing his little children to stumble, looking down upon them, not receving them. Such a Church Jesus is knocking at the door, there is hope.
"But many who are first will be last, and the last first."30
When Jesus said it was difficult for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom, the disciples asked who can be saved? Peter, unlike the rich man, had left his boat and father, thus he replied, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”17 Jesus said to them, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."30 The parable of sowing states some will hear and receive with joy but when trials come, persecution, the cares of this world will choke them out, these will fall away. We see the focus on receiving little children, on love, and also on sanctification, the child received is also taught in the way of God. He will not depart from it, such is a great promise but it puts great emphasis on godly authority and warning for being a cause for stumbling.
"And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” And he took a child and put him in the midst of them..."7
I worked with orphans for a few years, they received the kingdom, so easily, through those who would receive them in His name, who looked into their eyes, would spend time with them, loving on them. This experience is forever imprinted in my heart, it truly is receiving little children in His name. His children come in many forms, I found them homeless and destitute, those who had lost their job, soem have lost everything, many are held captive, many under the steeple of the Church, the child of the father who is a workaholic... Jesus said, Truly they will know we are His disciples by our love for one another. We see that those first in the Kingdom put first His kingdom, His servants are like Him receiving His little children in His name.
Does Anybody Hear Her
I worked with orphans for a few years, they received the kingdom, so easily, through those who would receive them in His name, who looked into their eyes, would spend time with them, loving on them. This experience is forever imprinted in my heart, it truly is receiving little children in His name. His children come in many forms, I found them homeless and destitute, those who had lost their job, soem have lost everything, many are held captive, many under the steeple of the Church, the child of the father who is a workaholic... Jesus said, Truly they will know we are His disciples by our love for one another. We see that those first in the Kingdom put first His kingdom, His servants are like Him receiving His little children in His name.
Does Anybody Hear Her