An apprentice is one who seeks to live out Jesus’ model of greatness. One day the disciples asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom?” The disciples were very much into important positions, power and control. Jesus puts a child in the midst as an object lesson. Jesus defines the kingdom based on a child. He tries to move the disciples in their concern for greatness to lowliness, from pride to humility. How are we doing?
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” Matthew 18:1-6 (NASB)
(You are reading from the book “The Disciples And The Teacher”, by H. Lamar Smith, available on Amazon.)