The Bible Story, Volume 9: King of Kings 0828008035, 9780828008037

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VOLUME NINE

By

ARTHUR S.MAXWELL

^-.A vM iS

THE BIBLE STORY VOLUME

IX

/

King of Kings (From the Closing Scenes

of Jesus' Life to His Ascension)

STORY

BIBLE

More Than Four Hundred Stories in Ten Volumes Covering the Entire Bible From Genesis to Revelation

'^

VOLUME NINE King of Kings

BY ARTHUR Author of Uncle Arthur's Bedtime

The

Stories,

S.

§*=

MAXWELL

The Children's Hour With Uncle Arthur,

Secret oj the Cave, etc.

PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION Mountain View, California

THIS BOOK.

IS

COPYRIGHTED.

1957,

by the Review and Herald Publishing Association. All rights are reserved. No part of its literary or pictorial contents may be reproduced without permission from the publishers.

—

CONTENTS —

Part I

Stories of the

Matthew 11:19;

John

King

of Lovers

16:21-23; 18:1-19:30; 21:12-16; 26:6-13;

12:20-33;

14:3-11;

Luke

7:36-50;

9:51-56;

Mark

10:13-

18:15-19:48;

11:55-12:33

PAGE 1.

Friend of Children

2.

Loved Village Jesus Wouldn't Burn Tears Jesus Shed Secret Jesus Told

3.

4. 5.

_

28

Vision Jesus

Matthew

33

39 44

Saw

Stories of the 26:20-75;

19

22

8.

—

15

_....

9.

7.

9

_

Jesus

Donkey Jesus Remembered The King Who Stopped to Cry Scene in the Temple — -

6.

Part II

Youth

_

-

King

Mark

48

of Sorrows

14:12-15:20;

Luke 22:3^; John U:

27-57; 13:1-18:37

Washed

1.

Feet Jesus

2.

Farewell Party

3.

Last Loving

_

—

--

Words

65

5.

Look After Them Night in a Garden

6.

Betrayed by a Traitor

-

7.

Denied by

-

8.

Condemned by Enemies

4.

-

Please

a Friend

55 61

_.

70 73

—

78

—

82 88

5

4r- PAINTING BY KUSSELL HAKLAN

©

1957, BY REVIEW AND HERALD

Hearing of the cruel death of Jesus, the children who loved Him must have been brokenhearted to find only an empty cross, the crown of thorns, and a few nails to tell the story.

THE BIBLE STORY

—

Part 111

Stories of the

Matthew

Mark

of Sufferers

15:21-47;

Luke 23:18-56; John

19:1-42

1.

Rejected for a Robber

2.

Helped by an African

101 105

3.

Nailed

4.

Promise

5.

"Good-by, Mother"

6.

History Breaks in

7. 8.

9.

10.

Part

27:20-66;

King

IV

97

..._

to a Cross to a

Thief

112 118

.._

Two

124

The Man Who Pulled the Nails The Creator Rests Again — Most Sacred Day Most Awful Night

_..._

Stories of the

Matthew Acts

28:1-20;

King

Mark

129

134

_

—

25;

.._

139 143

of Life

16:1-20;

Luke

24:1-53;

John

20:1-21:

1:1-11

1.

Most Glorious Morning

151

2.

Mysterious Stranger

156 161

5.

Burning Hearts Doubted Back to the Boats

6.

Breakfast by Galilee

7.

Feed

3. 4.

8.

9.

Why Thomas My

.-

Sheep Forty Wonderful Days Angels With a Promise

165 170 175

179 182

187

PART Stories of the

(Matthew

of Lovers

16:21-23; 18:1-19:30; 21:12-16; 26:6-13;

13-11:19; 12:20-33; 14:3-11;

48;

King

I

John 11:55-12:33)

Luke

Mark

10:

7:36-50; 9:51-56; 18:15-19:

¥\

PART ONE

STORY

1

Friend of Children

HE

MAY

have been four.

He may

have been

five.

Nobody knows. His name may have been Amos, or Enoch, Benjamin. Again I don't know. Nobody knows.

I

don't know.

But for one all

hour he was the most favored boy in

brief

the world. Jesus picked

and

told everybody

around

they would never enter His

What loving,

He

him to

out of a crowd of children

become

kingdom

a dear, sweet boy he

face,

and

like this little

boy or

of love.

must have been! So kind,

and obedient! The goodness

been shining from his

or

Jesus

in his heart

saw

must have

it.

couldn't have been one of the rough kind, rushing

around shouting and whistling and making a nuisance of himself.

He

couldn't have been shoving the other boys about or

teasing the

little girls

and making them

cry.

No.

He was

just

standing there quietly and respectfully, looking up at Jesus

with wide-open

•^

PAINTING BY HARRY ANDERSON

©

eyes,

watching everything

1957, BY REVIEW

AND HERALD

Jesus loved children. Their simplicity, their trust, their simple faith were qualities that made them dear to the heart of God. It is with childlike faith He wishes us to come to Him.

He

did and listen-

THE BIBLE STORY ing to every word

He

said,

happy

so

Then he heard his name called. The Bible says, "Jesus called a "John,"

He

John, couldn't

said

it.^*

—and

"Please

Little John, blushing

while

all

happen

to

little

near

child unto

name

the boy's

come here

be

Jesus.

Him."

could have been

moment.

I

need you."

and smiling, ran toward

the Master,

a

the other children pressed near to see

what would

next.

Then, perhaps with one hand placed gently on head, Jesus said to the grownups

who were

little

John's

listening to

Him,

"Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the

kingdom

of heaven."

His

disciples

Him who

had

would be the

His kingdom, and answer. is

asked

greatest in

this

The kingdom

for the

just

was His of heaven

humble, the gentle, the

kind, the unselfish. Unless the disciples

stopped

things

and

wanting the

the

best

places

best

for

themselves they would never see heaven.

^A.

^, is

"Whoever humbles himself like this child," the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Then His heart.

went on

Jesus

And

there

grownups never

the

do

so.

He

said, "it

something

to say

was sternness

At

would be

little

"How

and

to be

was on

He warned

Should anyone to

have a great

drowned

in the

John and the other children must have

wonderful

Why,

like this!

him

better for

as

sea."

this,

thought,

else that

His voice

to lead a child into sin.

millstone fastened round his neck

depth of the

in

Jesus said, "he

not only

have Somebody to care for us

to

Jesus our friend; He's our

is

own

big brother!"

They became more to the little

went on

to say

grownups, "See that you do not despise one of these

ones; for

I

tell

behold the face of added, "It

is

one of these

How to

sure of this as Jesus

Father

not the will of little

who

My

is

their angels always

in heaven."

Father

who

girl in all the

angels. If

is

in

Then He

heaven that

ones should perish."

dearly Jesus must love children!

any boy or

and the

you that in heaven

My

anyone

world but

starts

it

Nothing happens^ is

known

to

bullying one of His

him to do wrong, he had with him like the wonderful

Him "little

ones," or tempting

better look out!

Jesus will deal

big brother that

He

is!

You can imagine how

the children, hearing Jesus say such

things, came to love Him more and more. He was their hero. They were ready to do anything He said and follow Him any-

where

He

went. 11

t

THE BIBLE STORY Mothers loved

They brought

Him

too, because

Him

their babies to

He

loved their children.

and begged

Him

just to

put His hands on them and bless them.

The

Bible

of one such

tells

were crowding around Jesus

and innocent laughter

as usual.

always

as there

Then mothers began

together.

happy

to

scene.

Boys and

girls

There was much fun is

when

come with

children get

their little ones

in their arms.

my little Jacob!" I can hear one saying. "And my little Rebekah!" said another. "And my precious Daniel! Please, Jesus, put your "Bless

hands

on him!"

He

Jesus smiled as

cuddled the babies in His arms, whis-

pering gently to one after another, "Bless you, darling! Bless you,

little

To

sweetheart!"

the mothers

them up

right.

Be

I

am

sure

He

sure to teach

His commandments."

"And mind you bring them to love God and keep said,

FRIEND OF CHILDREN Then suddenly somebody

spoiled

it

"Get away, get away!" one of the "Leave the Master alone! Can't you

more important things

to

do than

all.

disciples

see bless

was

He's tired?

saying.

He

has

your children. Get

away!

Hurt and disappointed,

the mothers

and children looked

around, wondering what they had done wrong. of

them

them

to stay,

"Suffer

Me:

go away. Then

started to

and rebuked the

little

for of such

children,

is

the

Maybe some

Jesus spoke up.

He

told

disciples for acting like this.

and forbid them

kingdom

of heaven,"

not, to

He

come unto

said.

"Let the children alone, do not stop them from coming to

Me,"

is

the

way another

translation reads.

What a nice, kind thing And He hasn't changed that far-ofF afternoon.

children

dress, or

to say!

a bit since then.

says

it

now

He

said

on

it

today. "Don't stop the

to

what language you

you. Just come. child away.

Him

Me!" He wants every boy and girl in all come to Him. No matter where you live, or how

coming

the world to

you

He

for

And

you

may

speak. His invitation

be sure

He

is

will never turn

to

any

THE BIBLE STORY But what did Jesus mean when

kingdom

of heaven"?

no indeed.

I

Are

all

said,

"Of such

is

the

children ready for heaven? Oh,

can think of some

and disobedient they

He

who

are so

would turn heaven

naughty and rude

into a

madhouse

if

they should ever get there. Others are so destructive they would tear the

were

New

to let

Jesus

Jerusalem to pieces in no time at

them

all

if

Jesus

in.

was thinking of

sweet, innocent, unspoiled children

when He said, "Of such is the kingdom of heaven." He had in mind those dear boys and girls who respect and obey their parents and who try to be helpful and unselfish at home and at school. Heaven will be made up of people like this. And if we are not like this now? Then we must change, or be left out. That is why Jesus wants us to come to Him, so

He

can change

He hearted,

wants

us.

to

make

us as kind, patient, tender-

and sweet-tempered

as

He was

as a boy.

—

PART ONE

STORY

2

Youth Jesus Loved

How LONG babies that

however,

go home

to supper

"Good-by,

girls

and

do not know. At

last,

Jesus spent with the boys

happy afternoon

He

them

told

and

it

I

was time

and

for

them

all to

to bed.

Jesus, good-by,

good-by!"

I

can hear them

call-

ing as they slowly walked away.

Perhaps Jesus said to Himself, I

love

And now

them!

while." But

it

was not

I'll

have a

to be.

For

"What little

just

dear children

!

How

peace and quiet for a

then a young

man came

running toward Him.

Such

a noble-looking lad

his fine clothes telling that

Nobody

"Good "what It

shall

was

to see

him.

Master,"

said

I

do that

—

had ever come

quite like this

Lord was glad

he was

I

big, strong,

and clean

he belonged to the wealthy

the

may

to Jesus before,

youth,

and the

kneeling respectfully,

inherit eternal

a thoughtful question

class.

life.f'"

and showed

that the

young 15

* /

YOUTH man had

LOVED

JESUS

been thinking seriously about the future. People had

kingdom in which there would be no death and where everybody would live forever, and he had come to find out how he could share in it.

him

told

that Jesus

was preaching about

Looking tenderly

a

young man's

into the

earnest,

upturned

"You know the commandments: Do not comDo not kill, Do not steal. Do not bear false witness.

face, Jesus said,

mit adultery.

Defraud

Honor

not,

thy father and mother."

"Master," replied the youth eagerly, "all these have served

my

from

Clearly this fine lad loved

As

a child he had

he

still

his

ob-

God and wanted

to

do

right.

memorized the Ten Commandments, and

knew them by

They were

heart.

the guiding rules of

life.

No

wonder

Jesus saw

do

I

youth."

him

that "Jesus beholding

all

the

good

him and

in

all

loved him."

good he might

the

in days to come. This noble youth could

become

a great

church leader, a mighty champion of His kingdom of

"You

lack one thing," said Jesus. !

"Just one thing "

one!

love.

What

is

it,

I

Lord.-^

can hear the young

man

me and

do

Tell

I

will

anything, for the rich boon of eternal

life."

you," said Jesus. "If you

want

"I'll tell

saying. it!

"Only

Anything,

to be perfect, sell

everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

Then come,

take

up the

cross,

and

fol-

low me." Joy

left

the

young man's

face, as

though a

light

had gone

out inside him. 9-2

-