Study Desk

You cannot be my disciple, unless you love me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot come with me unless you love me more than you love your own life.

Some people brought their little children for Jesus to bless. But when his disciples saw them doing this, they told the people to stop bothering him.

So Jesus called the children over to him and said, "Let the children come to me! Don't try to stop them. People who are like these children belong to God's kingdom.

Jesus answered, "You can be sure that anyone who gives up home or wife or brothers or family or children because of God's kingdom

and said: Teacher, Moses wrote that if a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry the widow. Their first son would then be thought of as the son of the dead brother.

There were once seven brothers. The first one married, but died without having any children.

The second one married his brother's widow, and he also died without having any children.

The same thing happened to the third one. Finally, all seven brothers married that woman and died without having any children.

or die. They will be like the angels and will be God's children, because they have been raised to life.

It will be an awful time for women who are expecting babies or nursing young children! Everywhere in the land people will suffer horribly and be punished.

Jesus turned to the women and said: Women of Jerusalem, don't cry for me! Cry for yourselves and for your children.

Someday people will say, "Women who never had children are really fortunate!"

Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God.

They were not God's children by nature or because of any human desires. God himself was the one who made them his children.

Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God.

They answered, "We are Abraham's children! We have never been anyone's slaves. How can you say we will be set free?"

The people said to Jesus, "Abraham is our father!" Jesus replied, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did.

Have faith in the light while it is with you, and you will be children of the light." After Jesus had said these things, he left and went into hiding.

My children, I will be with you for a little while longer. Then you will look for me, but you won't find me. I tell you just as I told the people, "You cannot go where I am going."

This promise is for you and your children. It is for everyone our Lord God will choose, no matter where they live."