Page 64 - Fundamentals Ebook Final

Luke 9:47, “But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their
hearts, took a child and stood him by His side…” On the way to the
house where Jesus was, they were arguing about who was the
greatest. Use your imagination and picture this. These are rough
fisherman and their tongues are not tamed yet and they are deciding
which one was the best. I can hear James and John saying, “We
must be favorites. He invited us to go on the Mount of
Transfiguration.” I can hear Peter responding, “Which one of you
ever walked on water?” I can hear Judas say, “He chose me to be
treasurer. He must trust me.”

I don’t think that the fighting came to blows but I think it was heated.
As they got near the house they said, “Keep it down. Cool it. We’ll
discuss this later.” They came in the door and Jesus asked, “What
were you talking about?” They must have been shocked to hear that!
Mark 9:34, “But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed
with one another which of them was the greatest.”

Even today, many Christians don’t understand what it means to be
childlike. They think it means that we should have the disposition
of a little child but when you read the New Testament you see that
God says, “Stop.” Someone says, “To be like a child is to have faith
like a child.” A child will believe anything; they’ll believe in Santa
Claus.

I have a jar of teeth at home. I told my grandchildren that there is
no tooth fairy. So, they made me the tooth fairy. Every time they
lose a tooth they want three dollars. So, I’ve got a jar of teeth and
I’m getting poor. Some people say, “Have the faith of a little child.”
Ephesians 4:14&15, “As a result, we are no longer to be children,
tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of
doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into
Him, who is the head, even Christ...” Jesus said to become like a
little child but don’t believe like a little child. A little child is carried
about by every wind of doctrine. We have to be like a child but we
can’t believe like children.