Become As Little Children

Matt. 18:3 - 3and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless

you are converted and become as little children, you will by

no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

As I read this passage, this time, I was struck by its import.

A. In the original Greek, the word that we read as,

“converted” does not appear....but two things DO

APPEAR.

1. He is telling the listeners that they need to

REPENT......the word is strajhte ...a word

which means to, “turn around”....to change

a person’s life....I believe that this is where

someone interposed the words, “be converted”

(or changed).

2. The second thing that is contained in this

verse is the idea that we must become like a

little child...if we are to enter the Kingdom of

Heaven.

We pretty much have the idea of repentance understood,

but I wonder if we really understand and have applied the

idea of becoming like a little child.

A. This is not an optional thing....nor is it an

unimportant thing.

1. If we do not fulfill this part of the verse, we

are assured of not being able to enter into the

Kingdom of God.

a. We read John 3:3 and make the

connection between being born of the

water and the Spirit....and salvation

(“see the Kingdom of God).

1.) Is not being able to enter into the

Kingdom of God any more

desirable to a Christian, than not

being able to “see the Kingdom of

God”?

I would have to place great importance upon the words of

Christ in regards to become like a child.

A. It would be good, then, to note what attributes of

a child that we need to obtain.

1. There are many things that a child is...or will

do, or not do.........we need to see good

attributes that a child has in common with

what God’s word tells a Christian.

I. A child is totally dependent upon his father.

A. He is trusting.

1. A child knows that he doesn’t know very

much and needs to trust to his wise father’s

guidance.

a. It is when the child starts to think that he

knows more than the father that he gets

himself in trouble.

1.) The wiser the child becomes...the

more he realizes how much he

doesn’t know and how much his

father does know.

B. He asks his father for everything that he needs.

1. The father doesn’t begrudge the son for asking

him for food....or clothes....or a warm, dry,

house.

a. The father wants his son to look to him

for his needs.

1.) No father would be pleased with a

son who decided to eat grass,

rather than ask his father for some

food.

a.) In truth, it would be an insult

to the father if the son didn’t

ask his father for his needs.

b.) It would also bring discredit to

the father for others to think

that he would not love his son

enough to give him what he

needed.

C. A child learns to wait...he learns that he can’t

have everything he wants...when he wants it.

1. He may not understand this, but sometimes

he will not get what he wants because the

father has determined that it would not be best

for him.

a. Many children have been injured in some

way, when they have decided to take

things, “into their own hands” and try to

fulfill their own desires against the

father’s advice.

II. A child is expected to be obedient.

A. A father expects his child to obey him

immediately.

1. Without argument.

a. Even if he may not fully understand...

why?

B. A father expects a child to obey him without

fussing, complaining, or murmuring.

C. A father expects the child to obey with respect for

the father’s greater wisdom.

1. Even if that wisdom is not apparent or

understood.

III. A child does not think that he is the important one in

the family.

A. He submits his will to the will of the father.

1. The child knows that there is an order of

submission and that he must submit for his

own good.

2. He also understands that the father will

punish him if he refuses to submit.

a. Even though it displeases the father

greatly, he will punish the child for

trying to make himself equal with the

father.

IV. A child must grow.

A. He will grow slowly, at first....

1. He will have to be fed and watched after for

his every need.

a. Even if he doesn’t know that he has a

need, the parent knows and will supply

it for him.

2. As time goes on, the father expects that the

the child will learn from the father and be

able to do the right things on his own.