Study Desk

"Truly I tell you," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel

will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age-houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions-and in the age to come, eternal life.

"Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother's widow and raise up offspring for him.

Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children.

Then the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise.

In this way, none of the seven left any children. And last of all, the woman died.

Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.

But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both of them were well along in years.

And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous-to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.'

But wisdom is vindicated by all her children."

At that time, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and declared, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.

And the one inside answers, 'Do not bother me. My door is already shut and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.'

So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling.

"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life-he cannot be My disciple.

But Jesus called the children to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

"Truly I tell you," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God

They will level you to the ground-you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God."