Receiving In Jesus' Name

# 550 - Today's Duvotional 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."

This is the charge that Jesus has given His church. We are to receive (take in) little children in His name. The church takes in it's members through baptizing in the name of Jesus, using the name He gave us in the great commission. (“Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”) This is what is meant here by “receiving in Jesus' name.

Most of us are familiar with the Great Commission, Mt 28:19, “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:” but few are aware that the force of the Greek here is that disciples are made by baptizing!

It is in baptism that disciples (students, followers) are enrolled in the Kingdom. It is by enduring in the faith bestowed at baptism, that they remain on the roll.

In these verses in Mark, Jesus is reminding us that, He comes to live in the baptized, and as we receive people in baptism, we are in effect receiving Him and the One who sent Him. It is then the church's responsibility to serve these little ones, helping them to grow and endure in their God-given faith.

Father, thank You again for the gift of faith. May we as parents, sponsors, and congregations take this charge seriously. Equip us and give us the desire to nurture these little ones and to raise them in the way they should go.