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please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the
profit of the many, that they may be saved.”

I want to describe the redemptive life from the
standpoint of those who unite with the Lord. What I would like
to show you first is the indispensable condition of redemptive
living. Then I want to show you the indispensable disposition
of redemptive living. Then I want to show you the
indispensable goal of redemptive living. If I’m going to live
redemptively, I’ve got to meet this condition and it will lead to
this goal.
What is the indispensable condition of redemptive
living? I’ll state it for you and then I’ll try to illustrate it for
you. In one word, it’s childlikeness. God demands
childlikeness. Unless you are like a child you are not going to
enter. Mark 9:35-37, “And sitting down, He called the twelve
and said to them, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of
all, and the servant of all.’ And taking a child, He set him before
them, and taking him in His arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever
receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and
whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent
Me.’” He takes a little child as an illustration.

Mark 9:42, “And whoever causes one of these little ones
who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a
heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the
sea.” Don’t offend a little child. Mark 10:13-16, “And they
were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; and
the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was
indignant and said to them, ‘Permit the children to come to Me;
do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as
these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom
of God like a child shall not enter it at all.’ And He took them
in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands upon
them.”
Let me share the background. It’s almost comical for
this occasion. Mark 9:33-34, “And they came to Capernaum;
and when He was in the house, He began to question them,
‘What were you discussing on the way?’ But they kept silent,