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Reading Genesis and the story of Abraham and pulled out a book of essays in Honor of Gordon Professor Marvin R. Wilson entitled Perspectives on Our Father Abraham written by nineteen Jewish and Christian scholars. I didn’t realize that a PBS documentary based on Professor Wilson’s book Our Father Abraham:Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith was made entitled Jews and Christians: A Journey of Faith. Here’s a short segment which is quite thought provoking in itself as various members of both communities openly share their perspectives which provide a place to start in understanding the strong connection and rocky history of relationship between the two communities.

Professor Wilson was the editor and translator of the New International Version from the 1970’s, and taught at Barrington College for eight years, followed by Gordon College for thirty-nine years.

“Unless you become like little children, you can not enter the Kingdom of God.”

In this sermon from the late Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, a prominent British surgeon, turned preacher, he gets right to the main problem with man–the care of his soul. He applies his surgical mind and his careful, soul searching biblical exposition to this passage from Matthew 18:2-4 when Jesus’s disciples were arguing over who was the greatest in the Kingdom. Our LORD masterfully sets a child before Him, a child whom He loved as one of His creation and calls them out for their prideful and self seeking question.

It reminds us not to think more highly of our self than we ought. Without His Spirit we can do nothing to become humble like the child. We can not self flagellate ourselves, nor recite repetitious prayers to “achieve” this status. We can not buy our way, bribe our way, cajole our way to heaven. Faith is a gift of God. A gift which we do not deserve. Which He gives, not based upon our works which are like filthy menstral rags polluted by our own self righteousness, but based upon His perfect works and fulfillment of the Law. He is the only One with perfect righteousness. But be encouraged–with God all things are possible. There are many promises for those who believe. Nonetheless, lest we be tempted to think we’ve got the goods ourselves, Dr. Jones sets us straight. A perfect diagnosis and prescription for the healing of what truly ails us.