Reading: Matthew chapter 18 verses 1-9.
Ill:
Unanswered questions:
1. How come Superman could stop bullets with his chest,
But always ducked when someone threw a gun at him?
2. Do one legged ducks swim in circles?
3. If a jogger runs a the speed of sound can he still hear his walkman?
4. If the cops arrest a mime,
Do they have to tell him he has the right to remain silent?
5. What do sheep count when they can't sleep?
6. Why do bars advertise live bands?
7. Why is there only ONE Monopolies Commission?
8. What's another word for thesaurus?
9. Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
10. Why did kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
11. My favourite:
12. If a man speaks and their is no woman there to hear him, is he still wrong?
Chapter eighteen begins the fourth main teaching section of Matthew's gospel:
• Mathew divides his gospel into six blocks of teaching;
• They are arranged in subject matter not chronologically.
• The teaching that is contained in this section;
• Are in response to four questions that are put to Jesus,
• The first question is asked by the disciples together (chapter 18 verses 1-14),
• 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?'.
• The second question is by Peter (chapter 18 verses 15-35),
• 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother?
• The third question is by the Pharisees(chapter 19 verses 1-12),
• 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?'
• And the fourth question by a rich young man (chapter 19 verses 16-30),
• 'What good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?’
Ill:
• A vicar was walking along the road;
• When a lady stopped him and this question.
• "Vicar" she asked
• "What do you think about cremation?"
• Without hesitation the vicar replied:
• "You know the scriptural principle don't you?"
• "No" the lady replied
• "You bury treasure but you burn rubbish".
• Then the vicar asked, "But why do you ask?"
• She replied: "Because we cremated my mother last week!"
• The lesson in the story is a simple one:
• It always pays to find out why the question is being asked.
The motives that lay behind each of these four questions is very revealing:
• Tonight we are dealing with the first question:
• The twelve disciples asked: 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?'
• The motive that lay behind the question is self-promotion.
• The disciples want to be honoured above each other!
• Pride was an undetected cancer that if left undealt with;
• Will slowly spread and destroy those who it inhabits.
Quote C.S. Lewis:
• In his classic book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis has a chapter called,
• ‘The Greatest Sin in the World.’
• With his characteristic insight and clarity,
• Lewis demonstrates that pride is that ‘greatest sin.’
• He writes this incredible chapter that defines the right kind of pride
• (‘I’m proud of my son.’)
• And the wrong kind of pride
• (‘I have to be the best. I have to be number one.’).
• And after discussing all the subtle nuances and ins and outs of pride,
• Lewis ends the chapter by stating,
• ‘If you have read this and you’re convinced that this does not apply to you,
• Then it certainly does apply to you.’ Whoa!”
Now if you have read the gospels you will know that this is not a one-off situation;
• The disciples appear to have been a preoccupation with it.
• Three quick examples:
(a). Mark chapter 9 verse 33:
• The disciples were walking to Capernaum and constantly arguing all the way home;
• When they arrived at the house in Capernaum.
• Jesus asked them a simple question:
• 'What were you arguing about on the road?'
• Their response was very telling;
• “But they kept quiet because… they had argued about who was the greatest”
• Ill: Like little children caught red handed doing something wrong.
• The disciples of Jesus are embarrassed into silence by their selfish attitudes.
(b). Luke chapter 9 verse 46:
• Jesus had just told the disciples about his fast approaching death.
• He clearly warns them:
• “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you:
• The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.”
• Luke pitifully adds,
• '... they did not understand what this meant' (verses 44-45).
• Jesus has just bared his heart to them,
• Yet in their ignorance they are again more interested in only themselves.
• Once again they turn their attention to which of them was the greatest.
• Jesus was taken up with the cross and they were taken up with themselves!
(3). In the Upper Room (Luke chapter 22 verse 24):
• It is the Last Supper;
• Once again Jesus had told the disciples of his impending death,
• He gives them a simple visual picture in bread and wine;
• After he explains to them the meaning of his tremendous act of unselfishness & sacrifice.
• Immediately an argument started:
• 'As to which of them was considered to be greatest'.
Quote: Charles Price:
• “We may be fairly sure the nature of the dispute;
• Was not Peter nominating John as the greatest,
• And John bashfully thanking Peter but nominating Andrew,
• And Andrew nominating Philip, and Philip suggesting Matthew,
• Almost certainly they were nominating themselves;
• With Peter assuming there need be little dispute about the matter - it was him!
• John probably got a little heated by that,
• Accused Peter of being on an ego trip, and nominated himself,
• To the disquiet of the rest
• Who were equally keen to nominate themselves!”
Notice:
• The response of Jesus to this question about greatness;
• Is the very opposite of how we tend to think regarding greatness.
• We tend to measure human greatness by a persons occupation or position in society;
• A persons achievements or a person’s wealth.
• When Jesus talks about greatness;
• His insight and values are the very opposite of the world in which we live.
• He called over a little child and used the child as a visual aid.
• In verses 2-2 Jesus said to the disciples:
'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven'.
• The key theme is 'change' in this section.
• Some versions say; ‘Repent’.
• In other words these disciples need ton have a new mindset.
• They are still thinking like the rest of the world thinks.
• From now on they need to know and think like God thinks.
• Jesus shows them three ways they need to ‘change’ their thoughts.
(a) There has to be a change of attitude to self (vs 3-4):
'Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven'.
Ill:
• I am reminded of a story about a Rabbi and the vicar talking one day,
• The vicar proudly declared that one of his ancestors signed the Magna Carta.
• Not to be outdone, the Rabbi shot back with,
• “Well, one of my ancestors signed the Ten Commandments.”
If we are honest, none of us like to be out-done, we all like to be the best!
• The very question asked by the disciples;
• Revealed their interests as being preoccupied with status and position,
• The fact that they asked the question in the first place;
• Showed that they had no idea at all what the Kingdom of heaven was all about.
• The disciples actually had no clue about the real nature of God’s kingdom at all.
• Greatness in the kingdom is characterised by Jesus as humility and dependency.
Quote:
• Someone has accurately defined humility as
• "That grace that, when you know you have it, you've lost it'"
• It has well been said,
• "True humility is not thinking meanly of one's self; it is simply not thinking of one's self at all"
The disciples were showing the same signs many of us show today.
• We say the right words; we go through the right motions;
• But if we are honest, we are filled with a heart that only thinks of ourselves.
Ill:
When you see a group photo – who do you look for first?
In the Christian life there is no room for pride and self importance:
• Remember it was pride that led man into sin at the beginning (Genesis chapter 3 verse 5).
• And it was pride & self-importance that caused the disciples to argue again & again.
• And pride and self importance will rear its ugly head in each of us;
• If we do not embrace the teaching of Jesus into our lives.
Ill:
• William Carey was known as the "father of modern missions."
• Carey was one of the founders of the Baptist Missionary Society.
• As a missionary in the Danish colony, Serampore, India,
• He spent his early years as a cobbler;
• And went on to became one of the greatest linguists the church has ever known.
• It’s reported that Carey translated parts of the Bible into as many as 24 Indian languages.
• When he first went to India, some regarded him with dislike and contempt.
• At a dinner party a distinguished guest, hoping to humiliate Carey,
• Said in a loud voice, “I suppose, Mr. Carey, you once worked as a shoemaker.”
• Carey responded humbly, “No, your lordship, not as a shoemaker, only a cobbler.”
• Carey’s answer shows his humility: “Not as a shoemaker, only a cobbler.”
• Carey didn’t claim to make shoes, only to mend them.
• The disciples need to learn that lesson.
• Humility not pride!
Verses 2-6 Jesus gives them an example of humility:
• While the disciples are waiting breathlessly;
• For Jesus to name the greatest man among them.
• But He bypassed them all completely;
• And instead he called a little child into their company.
• To paraphrase the words of Jesus;
• He is telling the disciples to ‘Look and learn’.
Ill:
• Small children are normally not proud and self sufficient.
• In fact they have complete dependency on others.
• Ill: My two kids are incapable of supplying their own food,
• They may know where the chocolate and biscuits are kept, but that is as far as it goes!
• Ill: My two kids are incapable of supplying their own clothing, shelter and warmth,
• Yet they never doubt these things or have sleepless nights over them.
• Ill: My two kids wake up in the morning with no means of putting food on the table,
• With no-means of clothing themselves, or even deciding the events of the day,
• They know and believe 100% that is what mum and dad are for!
• It never enters their head to doubt the ability of his parents to provide all they need.
Ill:
• A teacher gave her year 2 class a lesson on the magnet and what it does.
• The next day in a written test, she included this question:
• "My full name has six letters. The first one is M. I pick up things. What am I"?
• When the test papers were turned in,
• The teacher was astonished to find that almost 50 percent of the students;
• Had answered the question with the word ‘Mother’.
Children have a simple trust and faith, and confidence in their parents to provide:
• They are Dependent on those outside of themselves;
• It is the nature of children,
Jesus tells the disciples ‘Look and learn’:
• The first principle of growth and greatness in God’s kingdom.
• Involves a jettison of our own plans and a humble dependency on God.
• It has been said before;
• That in Christian living, 'the way up is down, and the way down is up'.
• Forget the ideas and values of the world regarding greatness;
• True greatness is humbly depending on God as we serve of others.
Quote: Martin Luther King, Jr.
• “Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve.
• You don't have to have a college degree to serve.
• You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.
• You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love. “
(b) There has to be a change of attitude to society (vs 5):
'Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me'.
• Verses 1-4 talk about becoming like children (child-like not childish);
• Verses 5-9 talk about caring for…………..little ones (use that term deliberately, explain later).
Ill:
• Do you remember hearing those words when you were little:
• “Children should be seen but not heard?”
That attitude was very appropriate at the time of Jesus:
• Children were thought of as very incidental in ancient society:
• They very much lived by the motto: “Children are to be seen and not heard”.
• And although the Jews saw their children as a blessing from God & valued them.
• In public life children did not have a role to play.
Ill:
• Men ruled the roost.
• Women were secondary – and a very distant second at that!
• And children were way, way below that.
• “Children were to be seen and not heard”.
One of the many unique qualities of Jesus is that he had time for children:
• He was irresistibly attractive to children.
• And the children knew it!
• Every parent knows that children have a sort of in-built radar.
• E.g. You want them to kiss their aunty Mable and they will not go near her!
• E.g. But they will then go and sit on a strangers knee and chat away to them.
• Kids seem to be able to detect something that we as adults cannot.
Note:
• In the gospels there are four instances where Jesus encounters children.
• Each time, the disciples are present.
• Each time, the disciples are either arguing;
• About who among them is the greatest or they are exercising authority in a destructive way.
• Each time Jesus points to the child and explains;
• That access to and success in the Kingdom of God is in becoming like a child.
Verse 5: Jesus said: 'Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me'.
• To welcome a child in Jesus’ name:
• Is to accept the child, value the child, love the child and serve the child.
Many Bible scholars believe that there is a play of words in this verse:
• The word can be used literally for a young child;
• And Jesus has a young child in front of him, so that bit is straight forward!
• But a Rabbi often referred to his disciples as his ‘Sons’ or his ‘Children’.
• So many Bible teachers think that Jesus is using the word here in a double sense.
• Ill: And just like he did in his parables;
• Jesus may be taking an everyday picture and placing alongside it a deeper truth.
• So in this passage Jeus has a double meaning in his teaching;
• He means both the ‘young child’ but also ‘the believer’ who is following Jesus.
Quote: To welcome a child in Jesus’ name:
• Is to accept the child, value the child, love the child and serve the child.
• Or to accept the new believer, value the N.B, love the N.B and serve the N.B.
True greatness in the kingdom of God:
• Comes from the attitude to serving others;
• Unlike the word we should not measure others by their social or economic standing,
• We should not measure others by the colour of their skin, the clothes they wear,
• Or the skills they have.
• We accept them, care for them, love them and serve them.
• Because they exist. They matter to God and they should matter to us!
Quote: The comedian Groucho Marx:
"Please accept my resignation.
I don't want to belong to any club that will have me as a member".
• Well in the church of Jesus Christ everyone is welcome:
• There is no resigning from it because we don’t like someone!
• God accepts us as we are and therefore we are to accept & welcome others (just as they are!)
• We are to welcome them in Jesus name!
And true Christian service consists in what we can do for them.
• Self-interest is too often the bottom line of our involvement with other people,
• But this has to change, & change radically, if we are to know anything of true greatness.
Quote: I like the honesty of the man who wrote this prayer.
“I am like James & John,
Lord, I size up other people
In terms of what they can do for me;
How they can further my program,
Feed my ego,
Satisfy my needs,
Give me strategic advantage.
I exploit people
Ostensibly for your sake,
But really for my own sake.
Lord I turn to you
To get the inside track
And obtain special favours,
Your direction for my schemes,
Your power for my projects,
Your sanction for my ambitions
Your blank cheque for whatever I want.
I am like James and John.
Change me, Lord.
Make me a man who asks of you and of others,
What can I do for you?”
(c) There has to be a change of attitude to sin (vs 6-9):
“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Question: Who is Jesus talking about in these verses?
Answer:
• Those we welcome in his name (vs 5).
• I believe the metaphorical meaning of what Jesus is teaching becomes more dominant in this verse.
• In contrast to the disciples who are taken up with thoughts of greatness & power,
• Jesus is concerned with those who follow him who are weak and lowly.
• To welcome “In his name” (vs 5),
• Means ‘to take under ones wing’. We are to show care to everyone!
• The phrase in verse 6: “believes in me”.
• Is talking about those who are following Jesus – believers!
• That relationship speaks of fellowship;
• A fellowship that is experienced only in Jesus which is different from the world.
• Note the contrast between ‘a little child like this’;
• Whom no one notices and who can give nothing in return.
• To Jesus, who everyone wanted to welcome and had so much to offer.
• Yet, Jesus is saying the way you receive a little one is the same way you receive me.
Verses 7:
7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!
Jesus is both realistic and up-font in verse 7:
• First he speaks generally about unbelievers (those “in the world” vs 7).
• He tells us that some believers will be led astray from him.
• And God takes that as seriously as we do when we see a small child led astray by someone.
• And judgement will await that person!
• Ill: Just as severe jusdgement and punishment awaits those who abduct little children;
• So judgement awaits those who abduct and lead astray God’s children.
• Having spoken generally in verse 6 regarding those in the world;
• Jesus now gets specific and talks to those who are his followers (vs 8 “if YOU”):
Verses 8-9:
8 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 maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.”
• The true followers of Jesus help to build up others and not to tear them down.
• The true follower of Jesus is a stepping-stone, not a: stumbling block.
• The true follower of Jesus will try to remove all stumbling blocks;
• So that others too may have a smooth road on which to follow Jesus.
The principle is simple:
• Anything that makes me a stumbling block to myself and others;
• Needs to be removed from my life,
• “If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away ...
• And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.' “
• This is reminiscent of a statement of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount;
• (Chapter 5 verses 29-30):
• Although this time in addition to the eye and the hand;
• Jesus also speaks of the foot leading us into sin.
Note: Jesus is speaking about the need to discipline the body
• We are not to literally mutilate the body!
• If we took these words literally every Christian would be blind amputees!
• So we are not to literally mutilate the body.
• But we are to be extremely disciplined in bringing it under control.
• The follower of Jesus needs to put Jesus first and others next;
• They are willing to put themselves last.
• And they show that attitude not by talking about it,
• Or even preaching about it or singing about it!
• We show that attitude by a disciplined life.
• If for the good of others I am prepared to deny myself.
• That may mean we deprive ourselves even of good things,
• If it will make others happy & secure.
And finally: In looking for a final illustration or punchline:
• I thought of the words of Paul in Philippians chapter 2:
• And after some instruction he gives us the great example of Jesus himself!
