WHOEVER HUMBLES

HIMSELF LIKE THIS CHILD

IS THE GREATEST IN THE
KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
IN LUKE 2:49, WE FIND
THE FOLLOWING I
MUST BE IN MY
FATHERS HOUSE:
THIS PHRASE CAN ALSO
BE TRANSLATED, I
MUST BE ABOUT MY
FATHERS WORK. IN
EITHER TRANSLATION,
JESUS REFERS TO GOD
AS HIS FATHER. HIS
DIVINE SONSHIP,
AND HIS OBEDIENCE
TO HIS HEAVENLY
FATHERS WILL,
TAKE PRECEDENCE
OVER HIS TIES TO
HIS FAMILY.
 IN VERSES 51 AND 52, WE
FIND; HE WENT DOWN
WITH THEM AND CAME TO
NAZARETH, AND WAS
OBEDIENT TO THEM; AND HIS
MOTHER KEPT ALL THESE
THINGS IN HER HEART. AND
JESUS ADVANCED IN WISDOM
AND AGE AND FAVOR BEFORE
GOD AND MAN.
COMPLETELY TELLING US
OF A SON RESOLUTELY
INCLINED, ORIENTED OR
OBEDIENT TO THE
FATHERS WILL AND NOT
TO HIS OWN AGENDA.
THIS DISCOURSE OF THE
FOURTH BOOK OF THE
GOSPEL IS OFTEN
CALLED THE CHURCH
ORDER DISCOURSE,
BUT IT LACKS MOST OF THE
CONSIDERATIONS USUALLY
CONNECTED WITH CHURCH
ORDER, SUCH AS VARIOUS
OFFICES IN THE CHURCH
AND THE DUTIES OF EACH,
AND DEALS PRINCIPALLY
WITH THE RELATIONS THAT
MUST OBTAIN AMONG THE
MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH.
BEGINNING WITH THE
WARNING THAT GREATNESS
IN THE KINGDOM OF
HEAVEN IS MEASURED NOT
BY RANK OR POWER BUT
BY
CHILDLIKENESS
(MT 18:15)
 18:3 Become like
children: the child is
held up as a model
for the disciples not
because of any
supposed innocence
of children but
 but because of their
complete dependence on,
and trust in, their parents.
So must the disciples be, in
respect to God.
Lesson
Docile
IF SOMEONE IS DOCILE, HE
OR SHE IS EASILY TAUGHT OR
HANDLED.
DOCILE COMES FROM LATIN
ROOT FOR TEACHING, DOCERE,
SO SOMEONE DOCILE IS
EASY TO TEACH. A
DOCILE STUDENT IS
WILLING TO BE TAUGHT.
IF YOU BEHAVE WELL
AND DO WHAT PEOPLE
TELL YOU TO DO, YOU'RE
A DOCILE PERSON.
DOCILE MIGHT BE A
WORD OF PRAISE,
BUT IT CAN ALSO BE
A CRITICISM OF
SOMEONE FOR
BEING OVERLY
SUBMISSIVE.
 ARE YOU WILLING
TO BE TAUGHT OR
LED OR SUPERVISED
OR DIRECTED?

OBEDIENT
 DUTIFULLY
COMPLYING WITH THE
COMMANDS OR
INSTRUCTIONS OF
THOSE IN AUTHORITY?
MEEK, TAME.
YIELDING
EASILY MANAGED
(TAUGHT OR
MOLDED)

READY AND
WILLING TO BE
TAUGHT
 Antonyms:
OBSTINATE,
STUBBORN,
UNREGENERATE
TENACIOUSLY UNWILLING
OR MARKED BY TENACIOUS
UNWILLINGNESS TO YIELD