Luke 9:37-6237And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met him. 38And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child. 39And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him. 40And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not. 41And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither. 42And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father. 43And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples, 44Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. 45But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying. 46Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest. 47And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, 48And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great. 49And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us. 51And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. 57And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 59And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. 61And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:37‑62)
When the Lord Jesus returned to the people after His time of glory on the mountain, the first one He is told of helping was a child. It was a boy in dreadful distress, worse than any we have known. The father grieved to see his boy suffer, and had brought him to the disciples, but they could not help him.
When the man saw Jesus, he begged. Him to help; Jesus said, “Bring thy son hither.” And at the word of Jesus, the boy was made well. The father could take him home, which must have been a happy time for that family.
Many people of that land had done the ways of Satan, who has always been a cruel master, and even caused children to suffer, and only the power of Jesus could change. There is to be a time when He will show His power over all sin and suffering (see Romans 8:22,2322For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:22‑23).)
Another child is told of here, not a sick child, but a little one, perhaps plang near where Jesus was. He took it and set it by Him, and said to the disciples,
“Whosoever shall receive this child in My Name receiveth Me;... for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.”
The little child was not great or important, but Jesus loved it; and He wanted the disciples to be humble as a little child, and do for even the weakest ones for His sake; and not to think of their own honor or high positions, as He knew they were thinking.
How happy for that child to stand beside the Lord Jesus, and to know that He cared for it! Children, now, do not see the Lord on earth, but He loves all, and calls them to Him by His words, “Come unto Me”, so they can love Him. One of the disciples afterward wrote to those who did not see Jesus when He was on earth, and said,
The disciples learned to be very humble, and gave their lives for the Lord Jesus, without high positions on earth.
There was one man who asked to follow Jesus, whom Jesus told that He had no home. It is not wirtten if the man followed anyway, but Jesus’ words were:
“Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.”
A fox is a small animal and we might say of no use, except for its fur, but it has the instinct to dig a hole for itself; and the birds can all make nests. Yet the Lord Jesus, Who was Creator of all things, had no home on earth.
To have a home means to settle, or rest, and the Lord could not do that because of sin everywhere. He gave the people the great privilege that He would stay with them. In one village the people did not want Jesus to lodge there even for one night, and the disciples asked if they should not be destroyed, but Jesus answered,
ML 05/06/1945