Greatest in the Kingdom
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:1,3-4
At times watching my son I wonder about this statement. He throws tantrums, makes messes, and tends to leave a wave of destruction behind himself. However when I see him look up to me with those trusting eyes, eager to please, and full of love I can understand. He is nothing but humble, does not know how to lie and is perfectly innocent. Heck he has to deal with his butt being changed and every need being cared for by someone else.
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Matthew 18:6
I always believed that child abusers deserved the lowest and worst levels of hell. Now that I have a son of my own... double so. However reading I noticed a footnote for offended: Greek: Cause to stumble. That changes what I always thought this verse meant. It is not about just physical harm, it is also about spiritual harm. Offeneded can also be looked at leading his children astray. For me as a father it also means teaching my child to follow the right way so I am not the cause of him stumbling.
Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Matthew 18:8-9
Another definition of "offend" is to sin. While this reaction to sin might seem strong it is important to remember that "no unclean thing" can enter God's presence. God's work and glory? us! So he wants us to do everything we can to make sure we are able to return to God's presence. In this light, it makes sense that we need to cut off those things that cause us to sin.
And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Luke 10:23-24
Oh to have been one of the people at Christ's feet, learning from him directly and seeing the many miracles he performed. How blessed they were to have that opportunity!
But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Luke:40-42
Mary and Martha are you and me. … These two loved the Lord and wanted to show that love. On this occasion, it seems to me that Mary expressed her love by hearing His word, while Martha expressed hers by serving Him. … Jesus did not dismiss Martha’s concern, but instead redirected her focus by saying choose ‘that good part.’ And what is that? … The one thing that is needful is to choose eternal life. We choose daily
Sister Bonnie D. Parkin
Relief Society General President
I wonder which one I would be. Would I take that chance to sit at Christ's feet and learn, or would I be more worried about the little things that need to be done around me. There are many many good things to do. Martha was doing a good thing working and serving. Sometimes there is a better thing I need to be sure I watch for those better things amongst the good. This quote is one I often think of when picking the better from the good comes up:
People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I'm actually as proud of the things we haven't done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.
Steve Jobs
Missionaries
...The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few...
...behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
Luke 10:2-3
He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
Luke 10:16
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 18:18
How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
Matthew 18:12-13
Missionaries are sent under some of the hardest conditions. My two years serving was some of the hardest of my life. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. The responsibility of finding the stray sheep also brings great power and reward. I know I would not be the man I am today if it were not for that time. It taught me patience, the value of the individual, and nocked off a lot of rough edges.
Forgiveness
Peter’s suggestion that he could forgive someone seven times might seem very generous, but Jesus taught a higher law... teaching not about numbers but rather about a Christlike attitude of forgiveness.
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Matthew 18:21-22
And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence...
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Matthew 18:24,27-28,30,32-33
I would like to make it clear that forgiveness of sins should not be confused with tolerating evil... Although we must forgive a neighbor who injures us, we should still work constructively to prevent that injury from being repeated
Elder David E. Sorensen
Quorum of the Seventy
Forgiveness is not easy once, or twice let alone seven times. Christ asks us to kick that up to seven times seventy. This is not literally 490 times, but every time. I do like Elder Sorensen's addition we do not have to leave ourselves in place to be hurt or injured.
Eternal Life
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
Luke 10:25-28
...A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
...priest... saw him, he passed by on the other side.
...Levite... looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
...Samaritan... saw him, he had compassion on him,
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Luke 10:30-33,36-37
By Jesus’s day, the animosity between the Jews and Samaritans had lasted for centuries... The Jews felt that the Samaritans had become corrupted by their association with Gentiles and had apostatized.
I have always found it interesting that the story of the good samaritan followed the question of how to Inherit eternal life. The thing I love most about this story is the many levels that all fit to this theme of eternal life.
- Who is my neighbor? In this story it a Samaritan, the lowest of the low, sets the example of being the best of the best and stopping to help someone in need.
- How do I inherit eternal life? By not just serving our fellow man when it is easy and convient, but at all times.
- The plan of Salvation... The first time I heard this one it shocked me. How could such a simple story be all about the plan of Salvation?
The man who was going down is Adam. Jerusalem is paradise, and Jericho is the world. The robbers are hostile powers. The priest is the law, the Levite
is the prophets, and the Samaritan is Christ. The wounds are disobedience, the beast is the Lord's body, the [stable] which accepts all who wish to enter, is the Church. And further, the two denarrdii mean the Father and the Son. The manager of the stable is the head of the Church, to whom its care has been entrusted. And the fact that the
Samaritan promises he wilhl return represents the Savior's second coming.
John W. Welch
The Good Samaritan: A Type and Shadow of the Plan of Salvation
So many levels to what on the surface looks to be nothing more than a simple story.
