1) Text: Matthew 18:1-14 ESV
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
7"Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! 8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
10"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
2) A Child is Humble (vs. 18:2-4)
A. Turn (v. 3)
i. turn around, change, change one’s thinking
ii. O.T. use can also mean “repent”
B. Humble (v. 4)
i. has humility
ii. does not consider one’s self sovereign
iii. does not consider one’s self better than others
iv. is void of self
a. an adult is “full” of his own thoughts,
own words, own deeds, looking to
himself (not humble) The disciples are
asking Christ “Which one of us is the
greatest (v. 1) possibly considering things
of which they had done that might warrant
an elevation of status. (not humble)
b. a child is “empty” and can therefore be
“filled” or led by it’s superior (Christ is
our superior) which directs and changes
its thoughts, words and deeds (humble)
c. the child responded to Christ and came
to Him simply because Christ called the
child
C. Dependant
i. must rely on someone to provide for them as they
are incapable
a. requires loves but cannot produce it for
themselves
b. requires things for sustenance (i.e. food,
shelter) but cannot produce it for
themselves.
c. cannot survive on its own, will die
3) A Child is Valued
A. We know this when Christ says: "Whoever receives one
such child in my name receives me”(v. 5)
i. a child who is received or welcomed by someone
is likewise receiving the parent because the
child is of the parent. A child is the parent’s own.
ii. a believer in Christ has been redeemed and
justified by Him. The believer is Christ’s own.
B. We know this when Christ gives us stern warnings:
i. “…but whoever causes one of these little ones
who believe in me to sin…” (v. 6)
a. It would be better to experience this type
of hopeless drowning than to cause
(tempt) “one of these little ones” to sin
b. In other words it would be better, for us,
to be dead than to tempt and lead one to
to sin.
ii. “…woe to the one by whom the temptation
comes!” (v. 7-9)
a. “woe” – doom to anyone who cause,
tempts, others to sin
b. it is very evident how much God hates
temptors, temptation and sin
C. We know this when God has his children watched over
(v. 10)
D. We know this when He seeks to save that which is lost
(vs. 12-13)
i. He rejoices when He saves his children
E. We know this because God does not wish His children
to be lost to eternal death. (v. 14)
4) A Child of the Kingdom
A. Must become like a child or we will be lost (v. 3)
i. The only way to become like children is for the
Law (i.e. the Ten Commandments) to expose,
convict and destroy the worldly adults that
we are.
a. We are selfish, self-centered, self-
-relient, self-pleasing, full of our thoughts,
our words, our deeds and like a sheep
have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6)
B. We are saved by Christ
i. Christ seeks after us like the shepherd who
searched for the lost sheep
ii. Lost in the wilderness due to our own choosing
of self, Christ saves us by grace through faith
when we are broken and have and contrite
hearts.
iii. He has redeemed us and has justified us before
the Father
A. Turn (v. 3)
i. turn around, change, change one’s thinking
ii. O.T. use can also mean “repent”
B. Humble (v. 4)
i. has humility
ii. does not consider one’s self sovereign
iii. does not consider one’s self better than others
iv. is void of self
a. an adult is “full” of his own thoughts,
own words, own deeds, looking to
himself (not humble) The disciples are
asking Christ “Which one of us is the
greatest (v. 1) possibly considering things
of which they had done that might warrant
an elevation of status. (not humble)
b. a child is “empty” and can therefore be
“filled” or led by it’s superior (Christ is
our superior) which directs and changes
its thoughts, words and deeds (humble)
c. the child responded to Christ and came
to Him simply because Christ called the
child
C. Dependant
i. must rely on someone to provide for them as they
are incapable
a. requires loves but cannot produce it for
themselves
b. requires things for sustenance (i.e. food,
shelter) but cannot produce it for
themselves.
c. cannot survive on its own, will die
3) A Child is Valued
A. We know this when Christ says: "Whoever receives one
such child in my name receives me”(v. 5)
i. a child who is received or welcomed by someone
is likewise receiving the parent because the
child is of the parent. A child is the parent’s own.
ii. a believer in Christ has been redeemed and
justified by Him. The believer is Christ’s own.
B. We know this when Christ gives us stern warnings:
i. “…but whoever causes one of these little ones
who believe in me to sin…” (v. 6)
a. It would be better to experience this type
of hopeless drowning than to cause
(tempt) “one of these little ones” to sin
b. In other words it would be better, for us,
to be dead than to tempt and lead one to
to sin.
ii. “…woe to the one by whom the temptation
comes!” (v. 7-9)
a. “woe” – doom to anyone who cause,
tempts, others to sin
b. it is very evident how much God hates
temptors, temptation and sin
C. We know this when God has his children watched over
(v. 10)
D. We know this when He seeks to save that which is lost
(vs. 12-13)
i. He rejoices when He saves his children
E. We know this because God does not wish His children
to be lost to eternal death. (v. 14)
4) A Child of the Kingdom
A. Must become like a child or we will be lost (v. 3)
i. The only way to become like children is for the
Law (i.e. the Ten Commandments) to expose,
convict and destroy the worldly adults that
we are.
a. We are selfish, self-centered, self-
-relient, self-pleasing, full of our thoughts,
our words, our deeds and like a sheep
have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6)
B. We are saved by Christ
i. Christ seeks after us like the shepherd who
searched for the lost sheep
ii. Lost in the wilderness due to our own choosing
of self, Christ saves us by grace through faith
when we are broken and have and contrite
hearts.
iii. He has redeemed us and has justified us before
the Father
RESOURCES:
TLSB (Concordia)
biblegateway.com
eSword
Commentary on Matthew (Lenski)
Jesu Juva
Soli Deo Gloria
TLSB (Concordia)
biblegateway.com
eSword
Commentary on Matthew (Lenski)
Jesu Juva
Soli Deo Gloria
It is most certainly telling of God's gracious love, that even a child can be saved if they are, as you said "broken and have contrite hearts." The Holy Spirit's involvement in the salvation of children, giving them the ability to cognitively repent (a Work of God the Spirit)and exhibit faith (a gift of God the Father), and to call out unto Him to be saved (Romans 10:13) and confess Him as Lord (Romans 10:9).
ReplyDeleteAnd we should all pray, for our own children, that the Holy Spirit shall make them be born again (John 3)as soon as He sees fit to give them faith (Ephesians 2).