Mark wrote how Jesus and His disciples, “came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that you disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and said unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them”, and in chapter nine and verse thirty-seven of his book, Mark shared how Jesus said, “whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receives me” where we read:
Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receives me:
and whosoever shall receive me, receives not me, but him that sent me.
The verse reads, “Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receives me:” Mark began with the word, “whosoever” which means “whatever person whether male or female” “shall receive one of such children” or “will take hold of and embrace hospitably a particular small child” “in my name” which means “in Jesus' name which is used for everything which the name covers, including the thoughts, feelings and that which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing and remembering”, “receives me” or “embraces Jesus Himself”. Mark shared how any person who “receives” a “child” in His name actually “receives” Him as well.
The verse continues, “and whosoever shall receive me, receives not me, but him that sent me.” Mark added the words, “and whosoever” which means “and whatever person whether male or female” “shall receive me” or “will embrace Jesus”, “receives not me” which means “embraces not only Jesus alone”, “but him that sent me” or “nay, rather and moreover the One who dispatched Jesus”. Mark shared how Jesus said anyone who “receives” Him actually “receives” the One who sent Him which is God.
When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus used the illustration with the “child” to demonstrate how any person who loves “children” has aligned themselves with the love of God. God desires a loving relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they yield themselves to Him, they “receive” His Heavenly Father God. The humility demonstrated when a person “receives” a child is the same as when one “receives” Jesus. Self-righteousness and pride must be put aside and humility becomes the trait within a person who “receives” Jesus. When they humble themselves and “receive” Jesus, He begins to relate to them as their “Savior and Lord”.
Next time Mark shares how Jesus' disciple, “John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in your name … and we forbade him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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