Mateus 18
H.A. Ironside · Citado em PreceptAustin
Mateus 18
Ironside - The Continual Burnt Offering - Then Jesus called a little child to Him, [and] set him in the midst of them. Matthew 18:2 The child in the midst. When God became incarnate He chose to appear on earth as a baby. The sweetest, purest creature that we know in this world is an artless, little child. And this is the chosen symbol of the representative of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus declared, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). Who then can ever enter? Who can go back to the comparative innocence and purity of a little child? But note what really happened. The Lord Jesus called a little child. In trustful confidence he came to the Savior, who took him in His arms and set him in the midst. Now note the analogy. He calls. We heed His voice, and so become converted and find a place in His kingdom. The law of that kingdom is love. Its subjects are to show the meekness and gentleness of Christ, hence not to seek great things for themselves (Jeremiah 45:5), nor to sit in judgment on their fellow servants (Matthew 7:1–2). Each one is to act as before the Lord, endeavoring in his measure to do the will of God and to glorify Him, while seeking to cooperate in the fullest way with all true service in which others may be engaged (Philippians 1:27). Oh, let the reaping of the after-years Be of the sowing of your patient love And many prayers. Look up for strength; The God who placed that child within your care Will give you all you need to teach of heaven And guide it there. F B
Mateus 18
Ironside - The Continual Burnt Offering - Matthew 18:3–4 None can be too young for the kingdom of Heaven. The children should be taught to come to Jesus as soon as they are able consciously to respond to His love and grace. As for those who are taken away from this scene before they reach years of accountability, we can rely upon the precious words of chapter 18:10, 14. The Good Shepherd has died for these lambs and will not permit one of them to be lost. Christian parents should bring their babes to Him from the very beginning of their lives and should count on Him to bless them by drawing their hearts to Himself, assured that the faith of a child is as real as that of a more mature person. In fact, the one is the model for the other. A tremendous responsibility moreover rests upon those who are older to guide the feet of the young, both by precept and example. How oft a little one has found the road, The narrow pathway to that blest abode: Through faith in Christ has read its title clear, While learned men remain in doubt and fear! A little child! The Lord oft uses such The stoutest heart to break, or bend, or touch; Then by His spirit bids the conflict cease, And once for ever enter into peace. QUESTION - Why did Jesus say, “Let the little children come to me”? ANSWER - At one point during Jesus’ earthly ministry, some children were brought to Him so that He could lay hands on them and pray for them (Matthew 19:13). The disciples tried to turn the children away, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (verse 14). Mark 10:14 (KJV) adds that Jesus was “much displeased” with His disciples for their actions. He then blessed the children (Matthew 19:15). There are two potentially puzzling elements to this story. First, why did the disciples try to keep the children away from Jesus? Also, what did Jesus mean when he said, “Let the little children come to me . . . for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these”? It is important to remember that children in Jesus’ time were not necessarily regarded as special or particularly endearing, except to their own parents. Many cultures today look on children as especially sweet, innocent, and even wise. Jewish culture in that day probably did not see children in such optimistic terms. The disciples most likely rebuked those bringing the children to Jesus because they felt bringing children to Jesus was socially improper or because they thought the children would bother Jesus. It is likely that their move to hinder the parents from bringing their children to Jesus was motivated not by unkindness but by a desire to respect Jesus’ position as a teacher. But Jesus wanted the children to come to Him. He said, “Let the children come,” because He wanted to bless them. It is wonderful to think of Jesus interacting with a child. Children are needy and dependent, and they know almost nothing about life. They function mostly on emotion rather than reason. Yet Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). Scripture often compares believers to children (e.g., Luke 10:21; Galatians 4:19; 1 John 4:4). In fact, Jesus told those following Him, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3–4; cf. Mark 10:15). Jesus’ command to “let the little children come to me” reveals several truths: 1) Children need to be blessed by the Lord. 2) The Lord wants to bless children. 3) Parents should be encouraged to bring their children to Jesus at an early age and teach them His ways. 4) Jesus has regard for the weakest and most vulnerable among us. 5) No matter how compassionate Jesus’ followers are, Jesus Himself is more compassionate still. 6) Those who come to Christ must do so in childlike humility, faith, and simplicity. Like children who implicitly trust their parents, believers trust God. Faith is not about knowing everything or doing everything right. It is about knowing that, no matter what happens, our Father will take care of us. That trust in Him, even when life is terrifying and sad and makes no sense, is what makes a believer like a child. “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37). God loves His children. Related Resources: How did Jesus interact with children? What does it mean that Jesus loves the little children? Oswald Chambers - Borrow Biblical Ethics page 38 Moral Conversion “Except ye … become as little children.” (Matthew 18:3†) Our Lord teaches that moral progress must start from a point of moral innocence, and is consequently only possible to a man when he has been born again. A child’s life is implicit, not explicit. To become “as little children” means to receive a new heredity, a totally new nature, the essence of which is simplicity and confidence towards God. In order to develop the moral life innocence must be transformed into virtue by a series of deliberate choices in which the present pleasure is sacrificed for the ultimate joy of being good. This aspect of truth is familiar in all Paul’s Epistles, viz., that the natural has to be transformed into the spiritual by willing obedience to the word and will of God. Such passages as Romans 12:2 (“… be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind:”) and Ephesians 4:23 (“be renewed in the spirit of your mind”) apply directly to the moral life of those who have been supernaturally saved by the grace of God, those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells and is at work. To renew means to transform to new life. These passages make it clear that we can be renewed in our mind when we choose. We have no choice about being born into this world, but to be born again, if we will but come to Jesus and receive His Spirit, is within our own power. This is true all along in the Christian life, you can be renewed in the spirit of your mind when you choose, you can revive your mind on any line you like by sheer force of will. Always remember that Jesus Christ’s statements force an issue of will and conscience first, and only as we obey is there the understanding with the mind (see John 7:17). The challenge to the will comes in the matter of study, as long as you remain in the “stodge” state there is no mental progress—“I am overwhelmed by the tremendous amount there is to know and it’s no use my going on.” If you will forge through that stage you will suddenly turn a corner where everything that was difficult and perplexing becomes as clear as a lightning flash, but it all depends on whether you will forge ahead. When people say, “Preach us the simple Gospel,” what they mean is, “Preach us the thing we have always heard, the thing that keeps us sound asleep, we don’t want to see things differently”; then the sooner the Spirit of God sends a thrust through their stagnant minds the better. Continual renewal of mind is the only healthy state for a Christian. Beware of the ban of finality* about your present views. TODAY IN THE WORD Few people in his day had a greater passion for the salvation and training of children than Dwight Moody. As his involvement in ministry grew during his early years in Chicago, Moody found himself increasingly drawn to the poorest children of Chicago, who were not being reached by more conventional methods and Sunday schools. Moody ventured boldly into the worst district of Chicago, called ""the Sands,"" where children lived in degrading conditions. He befriended these neglected children, rented a vacant saloon, and soon had a Sunday class going--often amid fighting, screaming, and boisterous laughter. D. L. Moody took seriously Jesus' command concerning the importance of bringing children to Himself. Children may be overlooked when the conversation turns to the ""heavy"" issues of theology and spiritual matters. But in Matthew 18 Jesus punctuated a question from an adult, ""Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"", by placing a child in the middle of the circle of disciples. The Savior then insisted that child-like humility and faith are prerequisites for salvation. Although this scene can easily be sentimentalized, this was not just a touch of emotion on Jesus' part. He identified Himself with the children in terms of how they were treated. Clearly, His kingdom is wide open to believing children. Jesus also issued a dire warning to anyone who causes a child to fall away spiritually. Evidently some unnamed disciples didn't completely understand the message, since a short time later they tried to ""shoo"" away some parents who wanted Jesus to pray for their children. These followers may have been trying to save Jesus some time. Or they may have considered the children an annoyance. Whatever the reason for the disciples' rebuke, Jesus again set the record straight. Today's verse contains both an invitation and a warning. Jesus invited us to bring children to Himself, and urged us to remove anything that might keep them from coming to Him--including neglect and indifference on the part of adults. TODAY ALONG THE WAY If you want encouragement in your ministry to children, we recommend a reading of Lyle Dorsett's book, A Passion for Souls, the life of D. L. Moody, from which we are drawing this month. If you are already helping to evangelize and disciple children, keep up the good work. If you are not currently involved in a ministry to children and young people, we encourage you to talk with the leaders at your church. You don't have to be a parent, or even married, to touch young lives for the Lord. Ask God to lead you as you consider the possibilitie D L Moody - IT is a master-piece of the devil to make us believe that children cannot understand religion. Would Christ have made a child the standard of faith if He had known that it was not capable of understanding His words? It is far easier for children to love and trust than for grown-up persons, and so we should set Christ before them as the supreme object of their choice. James Smith - CONVERSION “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven” (Matt. 18:3). I. The Privilege Offered. “The kingdom of Heaven.” This kingdom of the heavenlies is not of this world. This fig cannot grow on a thistle. It is what the world cannot give— 1. RIGHTEOUSNESS. “The kingdom of God is righteousness” (Rom. 14:17). Put right in a righteous way and ruled in a righteous manner. 2. PEACE. The kingdom of God is “peace” (Rom. 14:17). In perfect harmony with God. 3. JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST (Rom. 14:17). The righteousness of God, the peace of Jesus Christ, and the “joy of the Holy Ghost.” II. The Change Needed. “Converted.” The Greek word means to turn. The water of nature must be turned into the wine of grace. The only way a mineral can enter into the vegetable kingdom, or a vegetable into the animal kingdom, or the human animal into the spiritual kingdom, is by being radically changed. “Born again,” made a new creation in Christ Jesus. III. The Evidence of being Converted. “A little child.” Not a little boy who thinks himself a man. It is a great step down (or up) into the honest simplicity of a trustful child. Look at some of the characteristics of a little child— 1. UNCONSCIOUS HUMILITY. Humble, but not aware of it. No duplicity. Instinctively choosing the low place. 2. ENTIRE DEPENDENCE. Simple, not careful about the future. Like the fowls, taking no thought for their life. Clinging close to the parent, esteeming father the biggest and best man in the world. 3. UNQUESTIONING RECEPTIVENESS. Teachable and obedient. A mother said not long ago: “When my children were young they believed me, but now——?” The evidence of conversion is seen in character, not in profession. It is not putting an old head on young shoulders, nor a young head on old shoulders, but becoming little children. “How can this be?” (John 3:3). James Smith - CONVERSION MATTHEW 18:3 Here are three reasons why it is needed. 1 Because by nature we are not now as “little children” 2 Because we are presently unfit for “the Kingdom of Heaven” 3. Because Christ says. “Except ye be converted ye cannot.” He knows HELPING UNCLE JOE References: Matthew 18:3, 21–35; Mark 11:25; Luke 10:21; Romans 12:19–21; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13 When I went to pick up Shanna for Sunday school one week, she was crying and had blood on her dress. "It’s my uncle Joe!" she said. I knew that her family was "going through changes"because of Uncle Joe and his drug addiction. Shanna had particular reason to feel bitter toward her uncle. For years she had dreamed of owning a bicycle, and that Christmas a donation from a church made her dream come true. Shanna rode her shiny, new blue bike everywhere, bragged on it, polished it, and treasured it. Within a month, her uncle had sold the bike to buy drugs—an ample reason to embitter a nine-year-old. Now, on this morning, there was one more reason. Uncle Joe had come home wearing a T-shirt that read, "Say No to Drugs." Shanna commented, "Why don’t you read your own shirt?" He hit her, causing a nosebleed. The white collar and yellow lace of her Sunday dress were a mess. Nothing else was clean, and everyone else was still asleep. We went to church to wash out the bloodstain. When it came time in the service for individual prayer petitions, Shanna’s voice sounded bright and clear as a trumpet: "I pray for my uncle Joe. He needs your help, Lord. Please, Jesus, help my uncle." What a privilege to drink from the same chalice as Shanna. —Heidi Neumark, Breathing Space (Beacon, 2003) Gentle Jesus Read: Matthew 18:1-10 Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. — Matthew 18:3 Charles Wesley (1707–1788) was a Methodist evangelist who wrote more than 9,000 hymns and sacred poems. Some, like “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” are great, soaring hymns of praise. But his poem “Gentle Jesus, Meek and Mild,” first published in 1742, is a child’s quiet prayer that captures the essence of how all of us should seek the Lord in sincere, simple faith. Loving Jesus, gentle Lamb, In Thy gracious hands I am; Make me, Savior, what Thou art, Live Thyself within my heart. When some followers of Jesus were jockeying for position in His kingdom, the Lord “called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven’ ” (Matt. 18:2-3). Not many children seek position or power. Instead, they want acceptance and security. They cling to the adults who love and care for them. Jesus never turned children away. Father, give me the faith of a little child. I want to know Your love and care, and to rest in Your embrace. Grant my desire to be like You in all my ways that I might live for Your honor. Faith shines brightest in a childlike heart. Puritan Daily Readings - Matthew 18:3 In short, the converted man has a new end in his thoughts, and a new way in his endeavors, and therefore his heart and life are new. Before, his carnal self was his end; and his pleasure and worldly profits, and credit were his way; and now God and everlasting glory are his end; and Christ, and the Spirit, and Word, and ordinances, holiness to God, and righteousness, and mercy to men, these are his way. Before, self was the chief ruler; to which the matters of God and conscience must stoop and give place. And now God in Christ, by the Spirit, Word and ministry, is that chief ruler, to whom both self and all the matters of self must give place. So that this is not a change in one, or two, or twenty points, but in the whole soul, and in the very end and bent of the conversation. A man may step out of one path into another, and yet have his face the same way, and be still going towards the same place. But it is another matter to turn quite back again, and take his journey the contrary way, to a contrary place. So it is here: a man may turn from drunkenness to thriftiness, and forsake his good fellowship, and other gross disgraceful sins, and set upon some duties of religion, and yet be still going to the same end as before, intending his carnal self above all, and giving it still the government of his soul. But, when he is converted, this self is denied and taken down, and God is set up, and his face is turned the contrary way; and he, that before was addicted to himself, and lived to himself, is now by sanctification devoted to God, and lives unto God. Vance Havner - Have You Lost the Wonder? 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 (Matthew 18:3) Gypsy Smith, the great evangelist, died on a journey in true Gypsy tradition in his eighty-seventh year. Called to preach at seventeen, he was simple and original and colorful. He said, "I was born in a field; don't put me in a flowerpot." He was not a theologian; he would have agreed with Sam Jones, who said he liked flowers but not botany, religion but not theology. He was in a class with Billy Sunday, who used to say that he didn't know any more about theology than did a jack rabbit about ping-pong. When he was advised to learn how to sing from his diaphragm, Gypsy replied that he didn't want to sing from his diaphragm but from his heart. When asked about the secret of his freshness and vigor, even into old age, he said, "I have never lost the wonder." A preacher should have the mind of a scholar, the heart of a child, and the hide of a rhinoceros. His biggest problem is how to toughen his hide without hardening his heart. Gypsy Smith had the heart of a child. He never lost the wonder. Is not this one thing our Lord meant when He said, "Except ye be converted; and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3)? Children have not lost the wonder. They have not been here long enough to get used to it. They still have a sense of surprise—anything may happen, everything is new. At five they have all the questions, and at eighteen they know all the answers. With a child, every turn of the road may hold a glad discovery. The commonest, most humdrum day is glorified by the glamour of imagination, for life is one-fourth fact and three-fourths fancy. All too soon, and sooner now than ever, children lose the wonder. A popular magazine inquired recently, "What happened to the Magic of Childhood?" Youngsters become cynical, fed-up, sophisticated before they reach their teens. In a television age they have already seen everything. What could possibly surprise them? Recently, in a Mennonite settlement, I read this motto: "We are too soon oldt and too late schmart." "Too smart too soon" would describe the plight of modern youth. Youth is not entirely to blame. Oldsters have no time to wonder, to reflect, to meditate about anything. We must always be "doing something." There is no time to walk in the woods, to sit before an open fire, "just thinking." Everything is organized, supervised, planned, programmed, and correlated. We don't walk—we take organized hikes. We don't wander along, watching birds—we join a club and keep records. We lose the wonder of it in the work of it. This gets into Christian experience. What should be a life of faith working by love becomes high-pressure "religious activity." What should be a Thessalonian work of faith and a labor of love and a patience of hope becomes just Ephesian work and labor and patience. We lose the wonder because too many Christians become childish instead of childlike. They are spiritual babies who won't grow up; milk-feeders who should be on meat; carnal believers, not newborn babes desiring the sincere milk of the Word; overgrown babies who keep pastors busy with a milk bottle. We are not to be "children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:14-15). We ought to grow up and out of childishness into childlikeness. This secret is kept from the wise and prudent and revealed unto babes. There is not so much to learn as to unlearn. A revival comes when childish church members become childlike in simple faith and obedience. A childlike Christian does not lose the wonder. There ought to be in every child of God a sense of surprise, a glad expectancy. This is his Father's world and anything can happen. We live on a miracle level and faith is not believing that God can, but that He will do wonderful things. But we do not look for miracles, and we do not see many. We pray for rain, and do not carry our umbrellas. We ought never to start for a meeting without saying, "This may be the great night!" We get used to being Christians; we take it for granted and we lose the wonder. We work at it harder than ever, but we are shorn Samsons in treadmills. "Christian activity" becomes a battle of wits and a bustle of works. Nothing else under the sun can be as dry, flat, tedious, and exhausting as religious work without the wonder. We dread going to church. We are bored by the sermon. The Sunday-school lesson puts us to sleep. Church visiting is drudgery and singing in choir a chore. We are weary in well-doing. Once we stood amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene; now we want to sit amused. Once we were edified; now we must be entertained. It is all work and no wonder. A passenger on a long train trip was so enthralled by the journey that every few moments he was heard to say, "Wonderful!" The passing scenery, the faces of the fellow passengers, even the smallest details elicited from him glad expressions of keen enjoyment. Finally one traveler, overcome by curiosity, asked him, "How is it that while the rest of us are worn out with this monotonous trip, you are having the time of your life and you keep saying, 'Wonderful!'" He answered, "Until a few days ago, I was a blind man. A great doctor has just given me my sight and what is ordinary to the rest of you is 'out of this world' to me." If the Great Physician has opened our eyes; if we have been to Siloam's Pool and have come back seeing, if we have had the touch by which we no longer see men as trees walking—if all that has happened to us, why shouldn't we make our way through this poor world singing? Wonderful, wonderful, Jesus is to me, Prince of Peace, Counsellor, Mighty God is He; Saving me and keeping me from all sin and shame, He is my Redeemer, praise His Name! Many years ago a doctor was comfortably seated in front of his fireplace, enjoying his shelter from the pouring rain. Suddenly he heard a knock at the door. Outside stood a distressed widow "My boy, my Davy" she cried, he's very sick!" Oh no, he thought, not on a night like this! He knew this visit would be financially unprofitable. The woman obviously couldn't pay him. But the doctor loved children, and he had a strong sense of duty. So he went, and Davy's life was saved. That sick little boy recovered. His name was David Lloyd George. The doctor frequently looked back to that night when he took that five-mile walk in the drenching rain. He would say, "I never dreamed that in saving the life of that child, I was saving the life of the future Prime Minister of England!" Nor do we know the eternal impact we can make when we seek opportunities to lead children to Christ. EVERY CHILD IS A BUNDLE OF POTENTIALITY. James Smith - CONVERSION “VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, EXCEPT YE TURN AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN, YE SHALL IN NO WISE ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN” (Matt. 18:3, R.V.). This was Christ’s answer to some of His own disciples, who had been asking that somewhat half-curious, self-confident question, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” They are not all properly converted who are the professed followers of Jesus Christ. Three things here should be noted— I. The Need of Conversion. “Except ye turn and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” We may be disciples, in a sense, and yet be unfit for the Kingdom of God. Those who don’t need to be converted are those who, at some time or other, have been converted, for “All we like sheep have gone astray.” There may be an outward conformity where there is an inward deformity. The tree needs to be made good before the fruit can be good; the fountain of the heart must be cleansed if the streams of thought and feeling are to be pure. The Kingdom of Heaven cannot be entered by those who selfishly seek their own good, and not the glory of God. Not to submit to the will and purpose of God is to rebel against this Kingdom, which is the “rule of the Heavens.” II. The Nature of Conversion. “Except ye turn.” It is a turning about—a turning from self-confidence and self-rule unto the rule of God. Saul was thoroughly converted when he said, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” He had turned from His own self-made plans and purposes to the will of his Lord and Saviour. In one sense we need to be converted very often, for every time we turn aside, like Bunyan’s pilgrims, into any By-Path Meadow that leads us out of fellowship with the Lord, we need another conversion, another turning back, if we would enter again into the peaceful Kingdom of Heaven. Christ “suffered for us, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” If we have not been turned unto God we are yet unconverted; and if we have been thus converted, and are not now walking in the light and joy of His presence, it is quite clear that we need another turning about. “Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?” III. The Evidence of Conversion. “Become as little children.” The little child which “Jesus set in the midst of them,” was for them an object lesson of self-abasement and trustfulness. Those who are wholly turned to God are as open minded and submissive as little children. They are very conscious of their own weakness, and free from all unholy ambition and secret intrigue. They are harmless, affectionate, and sincere, without duplicity and hypocrisy. To become as a little child is to have the past blotted out and forgiven, and to begin life anew after another and more heavenly fashion. It is only when a man gets converted, and becomes again a little child, that he can have all the prospects and opportunities of a lifetime before him. He has not yet begun to live in a real, true sense, if he has not been turned to God. “God is angry with the wicked every day; if he turn not, He will whet His sword” (Psa. 7:11, 12). J R Miller - Matthew 18:3 Our great Teacher spoke strong words, when he said that only those who become like little children, can enter into the kingdom of heaven. It is of vital importance that we learn just what the words mean. What is it—to become like a little child? There is a legend of a man whom the angels loved, and wished to have honored in some way. They asked that some remarkable power might be bestowed upon him. They were told to learn what the man would choose. But he would make no choice. Pressed to name some new power which should be given him, he said he would like to do a great deal of good in the world—without even knowing it. So it came about, that whenever his shadow fell behind him—it had healing power—but when it fell in front of him—it had not this power. This is Christlikeness, goodness, power to do good, usefulness, helpfulness, without being conscious of the possession of these qualities. Ambition to have distinction, craving for praise, consciousness of being good, bright, useful, or great—all are marks of a worldly spirit. In another place Jesus said that greatness in his kingdom, is the spirit of unselfish serving, desiring "not to be served unto—but to serve." He who serves others the most unselfishly—is the greatest Christian. The Possibility of Conversion The possibility of sudden change or sudden conversion is one of the most relevant topics in almost every area of human endeavor. The psychologist and the psychiatrist and the psychotherapist now are debating whether Freud was right. He seemed to say that you cannot transcend your childhood; the best you can do is to make peace with what your parents did to you. You can’t really change. Freud’s most recent disciples, like Erik Erikson, say, “Oh yes, Freud was great. He opened up the whole unconscious to us. But he was wrong there. Yes, you can transcend your childhood. You don’t have to be what your parents made you.” Good news, if it’s true. —Bruce Larson, “What about Sudden Conversion?” Preaching Today, Tape No. 72. See: Matthew 18:3; Luke 19:1–10; Acts 3:19. John