Matt 18:1-9 TRUE GREATNESS (Communion Sunday)
Everyone loves to be great. But we define greatness simply as being famous, rich, successful or taking high office.
• Is this how God defines greatness? What does Jesus say about being great in life?
• We will hear from Him in the text this morning.
Jesus was responding to His disciples, who asked Him WHO is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. (18:1)
• Subtitles in Bible: “The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven” ??????; “Who Is the Greatest”.
• If we look at the parallel accounts in Mark 9 and Luke 9, we would know that the disciples were arguing with one another on the way here to Capernaum.
• They were debating about WHO would be the greatest in the Kingdom of God.
This argument could have been triggered by what happened before.
• Peter, James and John were taken up to the mountain by Jesus (Matt 17) and they saw His miraculous transfiguration.
• While the other disciples were at the foot of the mount, struggling to heal a demon-possessed boy, and which they failed.
• They might have talked about it. Why were these 3 disciples – Peter, James and John - so special and get to see the transfiguration at the mountaintop?
The disciples started to argue among themselves about who was the greatest.
• What kind of ambition is this? Is this the concern of a disciple of Jesus? Is this what a follower of Christ should strive for, some personal greatness?
• Are we concerned about that too? What defines greatness in the eyes of God?
Finally, on arrival at Capernaum, the disciples off-loaded the question to Jesus.
• In the text this morning, Jesus replied and taught them to see greatness in 3 ways.
First, He brought a child to His side and said we are to be as humble as a child.
• Then He gave 2 very drastic illustrations. One in verse 5 – not to stumble the child - “It would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and be drowned in the depth of the sea.” (18:6)
• And then in verses 8-9 – not falling into sin ourselves - it is better to cut off the hand or foot, or dig out your eye and throw it away - if that causes you to sin.
Both are exaggerations to make a point. If not, many would have drowned at sea (for stumbling others) and we would have many limbless or blind people (because we sin).
• Jesus made 3 points here in His answer to the disciples’ question.
1. TRUE GREATNESS IS DEFINED BY HUMILITY
Matt 18:2-4 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. 4Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Jesus tells them to TURN and BECOME like children. The Chinese bible uses TURN AROUND. Some English versions use CHANGE (NAS, NIV) or BE CONVERTED (KJV).
• In other words, the disciples were heading in the wrong direction in their thinking and they needed to TURN AROUND.
Personal greatness is not that which defines those in the Kingdom of God. No one enters God’s Kingdom by their greatness.
• Jesus says only the humble person - as humble as a child - would be able to enter His Kingdom because he knows he needs God.
• The child knows he needs help. A child knows he is dependent upon his parents’ help for everything – their meals, clothes, protection, education, etc.
• A young child knows that he cannot survive on his own; he is afraid to be alone and he wants to be with his parents.
• The disciples need to change from thinking about their greatness to understanding more of their need for God and His salvation.
Jesus uses the word “humbles” - 18:4 “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”
• The truly great one is the one who knows his need for God, not the one who feels great about himself.
• The one who feels great about himself would not want God and hence he would likely not enter the Kingdom of God. He doesn’t need God.
To be in a state of need is a good thing. We are not all capable and self-sufficient. We need God. We need His presence, grace, mercy and help. We need Him all the time.
• We do not need to show that we are great because we are not, without God.
• We are sinners in need of salvation and we are Christians today living under God’s grace and provision. We are hopeless without Christ.
TRUE GREATNESS IS FOUNDED IN HUMILITY and it does not come naturally.
• We have to LEARN to be humble. The danger comes when we feel that we are wise and capable enough to handle life by ourselves.
• The danger comes when we begin to trust ourselves more than we trust God.
Learn from King Solomon, the wisest man on earth. When God said to him, “Ask what I shall give you.” (1 Kings 3)
• 1 Kings 3:7-9 7And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”
• “I am your servant and I am a little child; I am not capable, please help me.” And he became a great King.
Jesus went on to emphasize…
2. TRUE GREATNESS IS DEFINED BY COMPASSION
Matt 18:5-6
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.
That’s serious. Jesus uses this to show us how precious each child is.
• He made two points here: (1) when you receive the child, you receive me. (2) Don’t stumble the child. Don’t cause him to sin.
• Both point to the value of a child of God. We are all precious in the eyes of God.
• Dear church, take good care of one another. Love and support one another. Don’t cause anyone to stumble in their faith. Everyone matters to God.
We receive one another in Christ today not because the person is smart, capable, rich or famous, but because he is a child of God, loved and treasured by Christ.
• We see one another the same way God sees us.
Jesus needs to state this with an EMPHASIS – the one who hurt “one of these little ones” who belong to me and stumbles them (causing them 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.” (18:6)
A millstone is a rock that was used to grind wheat.
• There is the hand-held kind and also a much larger kind that requires a donkey to pull it around, which is likely the one Jesus had in mind.
• He said it in exaggeration to make His point. It would be better that this man dies before he could cause such great harm.
That is God’s concern for the “little ones”. The disciples need to learn this.
TRUE GREATNESS IS FOUNDED ON COMPASSION.
• Not in seizing high positions, not in craving for power and status, but in caring for the needs of those whom God cares about.
• Love one another. Do not cause others to stumble over our careless words or deeds.
Lastly, Jesus added one more illustration…
3. TRUE GREATNESS IS DEFINED BY HOLINESS
Continuing on the same track about caring for the “little ones” and not causing them to sin, Jesus warns the disciples to take care and not to sin themselves.
Matt 18:7-9
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! 8And 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. 9And 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.
The world is filled with temptations to sin and we cannot avoid it, but we can stop ourselves from falling into temptations and sin.
• Jesus warns the disciples to be watchful because they might find themselves not being the victims but the perpetrators of sin! They are sinning in their own lives!
• The warning was serious because if the disciples failed to deal with sin in their own lives, they would have lost their testimony as believers of Christ.
• And if they persist in it, like Judas, they might find themselves condemned.
Again Jesus said it in exaggeration to make His point. It is not meant to be literal.
• We can cut off our limbs and gouge out our eyes and still be sinning. We still sin in our thoughts and our hearts.
• But we got His point. We need to take drastic measures to fight and overcome sin.
• We need the determination to cut it off and stop sinning; to be decisive and not hesitant.
• It is better to enter heaven without these limbs or with one eye than to keep them and be condemned and eternally judged in sin.
We do whatever we can to avoid sin and pursue holiness. That’s a great life.
True greatness is found in humility, compassion and holiness.
• This is what brings delight to God. Excel in these and you will live a great life.
