Matthew 19:14

OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM

‘For of such is the kingdom of heaven.’

Matthew 19:14

What do we see for ourselves to copy in the matter of childhood?

I. Weakness.—Now every little child is, and must be, very weak. It is its nature to be weak. It could not be a little child if it were not weak. So it is with every child of God. What is weakness? Emptiness,—for God to fill with Himself. What is weakness? Room where God may work, and His grace expand. What is weakness? To be nothing, that God may be everything.

II. Undertaken for.—But a very little child acts in the consciousness of weakness. He is a receiver in everything. He is taught, he is guided, he is supported, he is carried, he is undertaken for. So must you. It is all receiving, leaning, learning, feeling, committing, resting, trusting. And you are undertaken for in everything—just as the father for his babe, so Christ for you. Provision for all your wants,—to feed your body and your soul,—to pay all your debts,—to carry out all your true wishes,—to carry you,—to train you,—to perfect you,—to make you quite happy in Him, and to glorify Himself in you.

III. Trust.—And the little child is characterised by trust. The greatest lesson you have to learn in life, the hardest thing you have to do, is to take God at His word. Do not stop to ask questions,—why? when? how? where? A very little child never does any of those things; and ‘of such is the kingdom of heaven.’

IV. Ruled by heart.—But why does the little child exercise such confidence? Because his heart rules,—not his head. He is actuated by his affections. If you would have a true faith, you must find that faith in your heart; you must trust because you love; and you must love because you are loved. It is not greater power of mind you want, it is more singleness of the eye of the affections. So, a little child sees everything, and ‘of such is the kingdom of heaven.’

—The Rev. James Vaughan.

Illustration

‘In this one chapter, our Lord’s ministry, in a beautiful succession, touched, and by touching, hallowed, almost all the stages of human life. First, He defined, and fenced and dignified matrimony;—matrimony, of which the root, or the meaning, of the word is,—the mother’s right. Then He passed naturally to the fruit of matrimony,—little children,—and laid His hands upon them. But it would be little boon if He noticed us when we were babes, and passed us by when we were grown up to youth. And therefore, next, He received, and guided, and loved a young man, who had great possessions. And still the chapter closes with the highest duty and privilege of manhood,—a self-denying, consecrated life for God, leading on to the same life to be renewed beyond the grave, and for ever. “Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” ’