Today’s reading: Gen 26:1–35, Matt 19:1–20:16, Eccles 6:1–4

Today’s theme: Bring children to Jesus

Today there is a theme of us praying for our children and having child-like humility and obedience. One of the most important lessons we see is that we must bring our children to Jesus and not hinder them from coming to Him because of our own shortcomings.

Genesis 26:1–35

The land

I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, Genesis 26:4 (ESV)

The primary reason the land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people is because God says so.

Pray for your children

and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah. Genesis 26:35 (ESV)

If our children walk in compromise, it will cause distress to our souls. We should pray that they follow the Lord with a whole heart

Matthew 19:1–20:16

Bring children to Jesus

but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14 (ESV)

We should seek to bring Children to Jesus and not allow ourselves to be a hindrance (because of indifference or compromise) to them seeing and coming to Him..

The way of the Master

And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” Matthew 19:17 (ESV)

The man asked Jesus what good deed he needed to do to be saved, Jesus answered by correcting his understanding of “good” and then brought in the law to bring conviction of sin. This is the foundation of “The Way of the Master”

The sin of idolatry

When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Matthew 19:22 (ESV)

Jesus challenges the man on the 1st and 2nd commandment, exposing his idolatry towards his material wealth, this idol was too dear to him for him to let it go.

The Apostles

Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. Matthew 19:28–29 (ESV)

The 12 apostles have a unique position as witnesses of Jesus, judges of Israel and writers of the New Testament.

The first will be last

But many who are first will be last, and the last first. Matthew 19:30 (ESV)

I found this comment helpful…“Those who approach God in childlike trust (vv. 13–15) will be received and advanced in the kingdom beyond those who, from the world’s perspective, enjoy prominence now”.

Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 426). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

We need God’s grace

And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them … Matthew 20:8–12 (ESV)

In God’s kingdom, we are all in need of and are recipients of God’s grace.

Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014

Additional resources

The Answers in Genesis Kids site is great