WHO IS GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?

Chapter Three
Who is the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?
by Jerri Tuck

When you enter the Beautiful City,
And the saved all around you appear;
I hope that someone will tell you,
It was you that invited me here!
Author Unknown



"Who is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven? And Jesus called a little child
unto him, and set him in the midst of them."
Matthew 18:1-2

In my brief career as a Hell's Angels, we didn't really take the time to learn the Bible so, as I mentioned at the start of this book, I didn't know too much about God's Word.

Knowing God was real and alive was tremendous, but I had a burning desire to know more. Jewel Morsey, a dear friend and child evangelist, asked me if I would like to help her in a weekly Bible club held in her home. I was thrilled! I was going to do something for Jesus!

My first big job for God? Keeping her two year old son, Miles, from throwing bread over the flannel board, along with other various and sundry important duties. Undaunted, I flexed my muscles, held the little tyke down, and in rapturous wonder listened as Jewel, week by week, unfolded the Word of God through pictures.
Sitting on the little wooden benches with the neighborhood children, I too was learning about Jesus. It was so neat. This glorious being, who had invaded my heart and life, had left a Bible for us to learn about Him. I drank in every word.

After several months I said, “Jewel, I think I can do this. I want to have a Bible club too.” Already I had gathered the few children that lived near my apartment in downtown Sacramento and shared with them the stories that I had been learning. Several even prayed and asked Jesus to come into their little hearts. I was beginning to get hooked on soul winning.



My first official Good News Club was going to be held at my mother's home. I must have passed out over 100 invitations. I was expecting a mammoth crowd of kids. Two showed up! I held my Bible and pointed to the pictures on the flannel board as I had seen Jewel do so many times. I carefully explained how God loved them and that Jesus died for them. Would they like to pray and have Jesus live inside them?
I had 100% acceptance. I was overjoyed. The two little girls left the Bible club that day with Jesus in their hearts. I was on my way.

Getting involved with Child Evangelism Fellowship was very instrumental in helping me see the worth of a child. Also, I met some neat people who helped me overcome a lot of fears in meeting new people.

Isabel Biondi had to be the bravest person I had ever met. She invited me to help her teach a Bible club in a very poor section of Sacramento. “But first,” she instructed, “we have to go door to door and pass out invitations.” Now I didn't mind doing that in my mother's neighborhood, but in this slum area? Besides, wouldn't people think we were from a cult?

Isabel would not be deterred. Armed with a little Wordless Book, she knocked on the first door. “Hello,” she said with her most disarming smile. “We're going to be teaching a Bible club in the administration building every Friday, and we want your children to come.” Barely taking a breath, she continued, “And I know you care about your children and want to know what we'll be teaching them so I brought this little Wordless Book to show you.”

Before you could say lickety-split, Isabel opened the little book of colors and explained about heaven (the gold page), sin (the black page), the death of Christ (red page), a cleansed heart (the white page) and as gently and softly as a lamb, said to the lady, “Ma'am wouldn't you like to have this Jesus come into your heart and be your Savior?”

And she did! I was dumbfounded.

The next apartment was mine. Practically shoving me up to the door she said, “You can do it. Go on.”

That was some O.J.T. That month, in addition to the scores of little boys and girls we taught, we led 40 adults to Jesus. Then we prayed, “Oh, Lord, please send them someone who can help them grow in you.” Before long we were standing in awe at what God was doing. Construction had begun on a Bible-believing church......right smack in the middle of the housing project!

Through the years I have taught a lot of boys and girls about Jesus. I like to think that when you win a child, you win a whole life. It's great to be saved on your death bed, but how much better to know Christ from an early age.



When teaching children, you may never see the fruit of your labors, especially if you're just passing through, like I was in Pennsylvania. We had been transferred there with my husband's business and were only to be there a short time.

Remembering what a great time I had had in Sacramento, I looked for a housing project. Sure enough, right there in Erie, was a project just loaded with kids.
I got out of my car and asked a couple of children if they would like to hear a story. This was back in the 60's, and kids weren't glued to TV like they are now. “Yeah!” , they responded with enthusiasm.

“Well, go and get your friends,” I instructed them, “and I'll tell you one.”
Before long I had a crowd of kids, all seated on the grass and watching in wonderment as I explained the life of Jesus through the Wordless Book. As they bowed their heads in prayer at the end of the story, twenty-seven little boys and girls asked Jesus in their hearts. I wrote down all their names!

I asked them if they would like to hear more stories like this every week and got a hearty response. Then followed interviews with the officials of the housing project, a sample meeting, lots of red tape, but in the end we had our club. On the first day eighty-five kids showed up. When I got to the end of the story, I asked how many kids already had Jesus in their hearts. Twenty-seven little hands went up.
At our last class we invited the parents to come. The children all met me at the front gate and we marched through the project, up and down the streets, singing “Onward Christian Soldiers.” That night over 100 children received Bibles (a gift from the Gideons), and many parents received Christ.

The classes only lasted six weeks. We had to move back to California. I never saw or heard from any of these kids. But I know I will see them again.
Did I say you might never know the results of your witnessing? Sometimes God lets us have a little peek.

One day my brother, Doug called me from California and said, “There's a lady here who wants to talk with you.”

“Hi, Mom,” she said. “You probably don't remember me, but I'm Rosie. I came to your apartment when I was just a little girl, and you led me to Jesus. I just wanted to thank you.”



Rosie had visited my brother's church one Sunday and “just happened” to sit next to him. When she opened her old Gideon Bible, he saw my name inscribed in it. “Where did you get that Bible,” he asked in surprise.

“Oh, I got this Bible about thirty-five years ago from a lady who led me to Jesus when I was just a little girl.”

You know, I really like fishing for kids!


Prayer for Today

Dear Lord,
I’m so glad you love the little children. Please help me see their worth in the light of eternity. Let me not discount the importance you place upon them, always remembering that when a child is saved, a whole life is saved. And, Lord, even when I don’t see immediate results, help me remember that your hand is upon the children, working to bring that initial work of salvation to its final completion at the last day.
In Jesus name,
Amen