Luke 9:44-45 (ESV) “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
Jesus again tells his disciples what is going to happen to him. He is going to be arrested, which will ultimately lead to his crucifixion. The disciples probably thought this was not a good thing, but they really didn’t want to know the details. Why? Because it did not fit into their idea of what Jesus was going to do. And it didn’t fit into their thoughts about what the future held for them.
Luke 9:46-47 (ESV) An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side
Now, the disciples, who had just failed miserably at casting out a demon were arguing among themselves. And if that was not bad enough, they were arguing about which disciple was the greatest, the greatest of all time. Jesus is going to teach his bumbling disciples another lesson. So, he brings a child next to him, before he addresses the disciples.
Luke 9:48 (ESV) and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
Why did Jesus draw the disciples’ attention to a child at this time? The disciples were arguing about who was the greatest. How would they have perceived this child? Certainly not the greatest. They would have perceived the child as the least important person there. Jesus is instructing those disciples the importance of receiving the least among them. Of giving priority to the needs and desires even of children.
When one receives or welcomes a child, one is in effect welcoming Jesus. In a child, the least important in the eyes of the disciples, one sees Jesus at work. Jesus concludes by saying, the one who is least among the disciples is the greatest. A true disciple of Jesus is not proud, seeking to be the greatest. A true disciple is humble, seeing God at work and welcoming those who are the least. We must learn to embrace kingdom humility.
So, we can learn two things from this second failure of the disciples. First of all, as followers of Jesus, we are not to seek after greatness. The desire to be seen as great in the eyes of others is a symptom of pride. Rather we are to cultivate an attitude of seeing worth in those that the world deems as the least. Jesus uses a child as an illustration of the least in the eyes of many.
Today, who is the least in the eyes of our culture? It is again a child, a baby in its mother’s womb. For at least half or more of the country, this unborn child’s life is not even worth saving. As believers, we must speak up for those unborn children whom God brought to life. As we each do what we can to show the value of the unborn children, God will bless us. He will show us ways to help those mothers who don’t know how they are going to care for those children. Those who care for the least are those who are the greatest.