Faith Like A Child

Back when I was in college, one of my favorite songs was “Faith Like a Child” by Jars of Clay. Listen as I share some of the lyrics to this song: “Dear God, surround me as I speak; the bridges that I walk across are weak. Frustrations fill the void that I can’t solely bear . . . Sometimes, when I feel miles away, and my eyes can’t see Your face; I wonder if I’ve grown to lose the recklessness I walked in the light of You. They say that I can move the mountains, and send them crashing to the sea. They say that I can walk on water, if I would follow and believe – with faith like a child.” But I must ask, “How many of us have lost the faith of a child? How many of us have lost the wonder of life and joy of our salvation? And how many of us have grown coldhearted towards those who still believe that God can do miracles?”

When we lose the faith of a child we no longer follow God in reckless abandon, we allow the complications of life to frustrate us, we seek after human recognition instead of God’s approval, and we become judgmental towards those who still maintain that childlike innocence. We can even go so far as to judge other people’s motives and question their salvation; thus, becoming a hindrance. As we approach some of our upcoming outreaches, such as vacation Bible school and even a possible fall revival, we need to consider how our waning faith can potentially become a hindrance to others – that is, if that be our condition – and in our passage today, Jesus provides a warning to those who hinder believers who have the faith of a child. It is also a warning to those who would hinder children from coming to Jesus.

Receiving the Little Children (Matthew 18:1-6)

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and 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. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. 6 But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

“Who then is greatest?” (v. 1) the disciples asked. This “was a repeated topic of discussion among the disciples, for we find it mentioned often in the gospel records. Recent events would have aggravated the problem, particularly with reference to Peter. After all, Peter had walked on the water, had been on the mountaintop with the Lord, and had even had his taxes paid by means of a miracle.”(1) The disciples “were thinking only of themselves and what position they would have in His kingdom. So absorbed were the disciples in this matter that they actually argued with each other (Luke 9:46)!”(2)

“The disciples waited breathlessly for Jesus to name the greatest man among them. But He bypassed them completely and called a little child into their midst” (v. 2).(3) Now, there is a tradition that this child grew to be Ignatius of Antioch, who in later days became a great servant of the Church, a great writer, and finally a martyr for Christ. Commentator Adam Clarke indicates that this tradition comes from the Christian writer Nicephorus, who says that Ignatius was killed by Emperor Trajan in 107 A.D.(4)

In verse 3, Jesus said, “Unless you are converted.” Unless you are converted from those prejudices which are at present so harmful, and unless you are clothed with the spirit of humility, you cannot enter into the spirit, design, and privileges of a spiritual and eternal kingdom.(5) He then stated, “and become as little children” (v. 3). Unless you are “truly without worldly ambition, and the lust of power, as little children are,”(6) “you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (v. 3). Matthew Henry says, “You must be of another mind, and in another frame and temper.” You “must have other thoughts, both of yourselves and of the kingdom of heaven, before you be fit for a place in it. The pride, ambition, and [display] of honor and dominion, which appear within you, must be repented of, mortified, and reformed.”(7)

In verse 4, Jesus said, “Whoever humbles himself as this little child.” Humility is the key to greatness in our Lord’s kingdom. Henry continues to expound, “As children, we must desire the sincere milk of the word (1 Peter 2:2); as children, we must be careful for nothing, but leave it to our heavenly Father to care for us (Matthew 6:31); we must, as children, be harmless and inoffensive, and void of malice (1 Corinthians 14:20) . . . and we must be humble . . . As children are little in body and low in stature, so we must be little and low in spirit, and in our thoughts of ourselves.”(8)