Enrolling Disciples

# 549 - Today's Du-votional comes from: Mr 9:36,37 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."

Remember, this conversation and demonstration is being done for the benefit of the church. (The twelve disciples being symbolic for the church.)

Jesus “took a little child,” How little was this child? Well in the Matthew account we read that He called the child over to Him, (Mt 18:2) so we know the child was old enough to respond to his name, and yet he was small enough that Jesus could take the child up in His arms.

The Greek word used here for “little child,” would indicate an infant or a toddler. This little child is set in the middle of the twelve, indicating an association with them. Jesus then takes the child in His arms. (he receives the child as His own)

This is a beautiful picture of what happens in baptism. Jesus receives this little child into His church. God uses baptism to add to the roll of His church: Ac 2:41 says, “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. Baptism is God's method of enrolling souls in His church and He means to include “little children.”

Furthermore, the gist of the Greek in the great commission as stated in Mt 28:19 is that disciples are made by baptizing. The idea being that baptism enrolls us as students or followers of Christ. With the help of God, it is the beginning of a life-long journey of growing in Christ.

Thank You Father, for what You do in baptism. We don't have to understand it, let us just rejoice in it, and help us Lord to remain followers of Christ for all the days that You grant us on this earth.