Who wants to be #2? Matthew 18:1-4
Big Questions...Real Answers Sermon #03
“Second place is okay, if you like being first in a long line of losers.” June, 1974, then President, Richard M. Nixon’s administration was drowning in the wake of Watergate. In an attempt to divert attention from his domestic political crisis, an international trip was scheduled to the Soviet Union, Israel and Iran. Two of his senior advisors, Alexander Haig, chief of staff and Ron Ziegler, the White House Press Secretary, were vying for the top slot in Nixon’s crumbling administration. The rivalry for position was so intense that the advance team was equipped with tape measures and meticulous instructions to insure that Ziegler’s and Haig’s beds were equal in distance from the president’s! These men were lusting for power and status, to be #1, though Nixon’s presidency was crumbling all around them. Within a mere two months Nixon had resigned under a cloud of shame.
Have you ever wondered why–whether it’s at the end of the world series, the Super Bowl, the NBA Playoffs, the Stanley Cup or even the World Cup, that though the defeated team is the 2nd best in the country or world, but they never leave the field of play chanting, “We’re #2!!” “Second place is okay, if you like being first in a long line of losers.”
The problem of pride and a lust for power isn’t just a political problem or an athletic complex. It’s a problem for the disciples of Jesus Christ. The deadly disease of “Who’s on first” infects the church as well.
What makes this even more appalling is that the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ, never exhibited our self-seeking arrogance. He served others first; spoke to those to whom no one else spoke; dined with the lowest members of society; touched the untouchables. He had no throne or crown; no band of servants or armed guards. A borrowed manger and a borrowed tomb framed His earthly life. He wasn’t just #2, He became lower than the lowest, humbling Himself to die for our sins. So what’s wrong with us? Why do we crave to be #1? To be noticed? Why are we so contaminated with Who’s on first? Why are things so upside down?
Let me suggest you consider the difference between dogs and cats. The master pets a dog, and the dog wags its tail and thinks, “He must be a god.” But the master pets his cat, and the cat purrs, shuts its eyes and thinks to itself, “I must be a god.” Though Jesus in grace reached down to us, there is still a perverse human tendency to think like the cat!
Consider this, as Christians, we began well, humble, needy sinners who received the free grace and mercy of God. Like the dog, God was everything to us, and we gladly worshiped Him. But as time went by, the repulsive feline pathology began to shrink the recognition of grace in our hearts. Then, the Christian life produces some wonderful, positive changes within us. We become kinder, our language changes, destructive habits begin to wane. But those same changes can become a source of pride. While we may not think, “I must be God,” we often silently imagine “I must be pretty good.” We become proud of our apparent sanctification, our knowledge of Scripture, our evangelical routines. After all, we understand the mysteries of grace, while unregenerate dolts around us don’t have a clue. We become haughty of our spirituality.
While this condition is commonly internal, it has a telltale aroma, much like a ripe diaper. Others can usually smell it, especially those outside the church. Sometimes it is an acrid air of condescension or a subtle, smiling hostility, or aloofness or clubbish exclusivity. Or even doubt about God’s blessing on any who are not in the “approved circle.” Sadly, this stench has kept multitudes away from church and, more important, from a knowledge of Christ.
It’s Who wants to be #2? or Who’s the greatest? The disciples struggled with this deadly disease of Who’s on first and we still struggle with it today, Matthew 18:1-4.
This morning we want to examine What it really means to be Great in the Kingdom, vss. 1-4. Next week we’ll consider vss. 5-14 and How great people treat others in God’s Kingdom. So what does this passage tell us about greatness in God’s Kingdom?
1. Wanting to be the greatest is natural, it’s just not supernatural.
A Rabbi and a minster from New England were getting to know one another. Proudly, the pastor blurted out, "One of my ancestors signed the Declaration of Independence." "I understand your pride," responded the rabbi. "One of my ancestors signed the Ten Commandments."
Spurgeon said “The demon of pride was born with us; and it will not die one hour before us. It is so woven into the very warp and woof of our nature, that, till we are wrapped in our winding-sheets, we shall never hear the last of it.”
Mark and Luke record this dialogue too. Like most questions, this one didn’t come out of the blue. Luke 9:46 records “An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.”
Interestingly, they all assumed that they were “great,” after all they were Jesus’ disciples. The argument was over who was going to be “the greatest?” Who was going to be #1 in the disciples’ Hall of Fame?
We all wrestle with pride. We tend to think that we’re pretty great. Even the person with very limited abilities struggles with pride at some juncture of their life.
Think about it, if any group should have been pride free, it was the twelve. Besides being under Jesus’ teaching, they were fishermen, publicans, a revolutionary. They weren’t blue bloods, just commoners.
Pride is natural. We all have an “I problem.” It goes back to the Garden. It’s Satanic in origin. Remember when he was still in heaven before God gave him the boot, Satan said in his heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly...I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” I, I, I–I am the greatest!
It’s probable that this spat wasn’t too long after the Transfiguration. Jesus had taken three disciples; Peter, James and John, off by themselves with Him. Matthew also records that Peter had just experienced the miracle of catching the fish with the coin in its mouth. After two dramatic, intimate experiences Peter’s head probably had swelled. His arrogant attitude may have even spurred this.
But while egotism is natural, it is not supernatural. The argument about their place in the pecking order is indicative of their spiritual insensitivity. It’s similar to arguing about who’s bed is closer to the President’s. The real issue is – is Nixon still going to be president?
Jesus had just shared with His disciples that He was going to horribly suffer and die. He had just told them “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after three days He will rise” (Mark 9:31). He’s going to the cross and then the grave but they’re worried about who’s #1! What spiritual lethargy! Their rivalry also illustrates that God cannot trust most of us with greatness.
It should frighten us to realize a dozen men could be in the company of Jesus day after day, listen to His teaching, watch His ways – and still not get it! They were living in the natural man though they were daily in the presence of the Supernatural One! Pride was hardwired into their souls.
Pride is so natural, so human...so Satanic. We must be aware and be afraid. We must continually assess: Am I living like a natural man or as a supernatural one? How do we know if we’re living in the natural or the supernatural? Let me suggest some spiritual X-ray questions: Do I continually think about myself? Talk about myself? Continually use the personal pronoun "I" in most of my conversations? Listen greedily to what people say about me? Do I insist on consideration and respect? Demand agreement with my views on everything? Do I sulk if people are not grateful for favors I have shown them? Do I remember every service I may have rendered? Expect to be appreciated? Am I suspicious, sensitive to slights, jealous or envious? Do I remember criticisms?
So friend, where do you live? In the natural or supernatural?
2. Humbling oneself is a prerequisite for salvation. There will be no proud people in heaven. Let me repeat that. It’s critical for the salvation of our souls; There will be no proud people in heaven. Humility, while not a cause, is a condition for salvation, vss. 2-3.
Jesus’ words cut like a scalpel through the “easy believism” which has contaminated contemporary Christianity. The disciples are assuming, based on their question, that they were already in the kingdom. Jesus points out though, also based on their question, they may not even be in the kingdom! It’s simple, before you can ever be great in the Kingdom of God, you must first be in the kingdom.
The phrase “enter the kingdom of heaven” is used three times in Matthew. In each case it is referring to personal salvation. The simple fact that a person must “enter” the kingdom assumes that he/she is born outside of it under the rule of Satan. We are not naturally heavenly citizens under the rule of God.
Hold on though! Jesus is talking to His disciples, yet He is talking to them as if they are still unregenerate. That’s why some NT scholars do interpretative gymnastics trying to somehow escape the obvious meaning of Jesus’ words.
If we take His words literally, it means that some or possibly all of the 12 are still unsaved. That goes against the grain of contemporary “pray this prayer and your ticket for heaven is punched” theology. We assume because these men were disciples, spent time with Jesus, did miracles, cast out demons, preached and baptized people, that they were all already heaven’s citizens.
Have you ever noticed the NT does not record the conversion experience of the twelve? We have no record of when they got saved. Some of them were probably regenerate at this point. We do know for certain that one of them was not–Judas!
It’s frightening to think that people I’ve led through a sinner’s prayer, baptized, worshiped with–might be unregenerate. That they might have said the right words, acted differently but there was never a change of heart, not a new life. Why? They were unwilling to humble themselves before the Cross, before King Jesus.
G. Gordon Liddy, the former Watergate conspirator, shortly after his release from prison said, “I have found within myself all I need and all I shall ever need. I am a man of great faith, but my faith is in George Gordon Liddy. I have never failed me.”
Most people, particularly in the church, are not quite so brazen. But though we may not say it, if we are unwilling to humble ourselves, unwilling to admit our total inability to save ourselves, if we’re not willing to become as a child, we will never be heaven’s citizens!
It’s also noteworthy that when they were acting so childish, bickering about who would be the greatest, that it was in this setting Jesus uses a child as a flesh and blood illustration of heavenly citizenship.
Only Matthew uses this wording; “change...become like little children.” The NASV renders it, “unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” The Greek phrase used here has the idea of “turning” or “turning around.” It means to make an about face and go in the opposite direction.
Obviously, Jesus is talking about repentance. Repentance is simply being sorry for sin and turning away from it; conversion or regeneration is the volitional act of the will that turns toward the Lord. They’re two sides of the same coin. There is no regeneration without repentance from sin. Christ within means change without. Turning is always followed by transformation.
They were looking right in the eyes of what it meant to become as “little children.” It meant to become like the very one, as Mark adds, Jesus was holding in His arms. To be saved we must come to Christ like this child with “humble trustfulness.”
Jesus’ words made His disciples uncomfortable. Children in that day were not valued. They were the smallest and most insignificant group in Jewish society. The Talmud said spending time with a child was a waste of time. One rabbi actually wrote that “Morning sleep, mid-day wine, chattering with children...destroy a man.”
The disciples were proud. They wanted to be in the forefront. But what do small children usually do when they meet an adult. They cling in trust to their parent. They may even hide behind their legs so they are obscured. There is a humble trustfulness with a child.
Please hear this–pride probably sends more people to hell than any other sin. Proverbs 6 says “These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.” Pride is the number one trait that God hates. That would not have been my list, and I doubt it would have been your’s. Abortion or homosexuality or apostasy would have been at the top of my list of most detested sins but not pride. I wonder if pride is “Heavenly Enemy #1" because it sends more people to hell than all other sin. It keeps people from admitting they are sinners in need of a Savior. It keeps church members, deacons, even preachers from admitting that while they know about salvation, can talk and even share the plan of salvation – they have never personally accepted God’s plan of salvation. They have never come in “humble trustfulness” to Christ.
3. Heavenly greatness is demonstrated by childlike humility, vs 4. Jesus now speaks about greatness in the kingdom. Let me state it very simply. The same attitude of humility that is a condition for entering the kingdom, also, ultimately determines our position in the kingdom.
If you have truly entered the kingdom of heaven, and if you are great in the kingdom of heaven, then you will never personally know it. Because you know how unworthy you are of God’s grace and how privileged you are to serve Him, in humility you never believe that you are a somebody.
Spurgeon exhorted us to “Be not proud of race, face, place or grace.”
Today in the church we have the wrong yardstick for spiritual greatness. We think we’re spiritually great if we have high standards, dress a certain way, talk a certain way, don’t go to certain places. Or we think we’re spiritually great if we give a lot or do a lot. We think we’re spiritually great if we sing the right songs, or if we’re real demonstrative in our worship, or if we’re real sober. We think we’re spiritually great if we protest or have the right version of the Bible or go to the right church or belong to the right group. We think we’re spiritually great if we go to a lot of Bible studies or have memorized a lot of Scripture.
Please don’t throw anything, the Pharisees though used similar gauges to measure spiritual greatness. They were zeroes in God’s book. Often we think we’re great because we have prestige or place or prominence.
Now I’m going to be very honest. I don’t like, in my flesh, what Jesus is saying here. I find myself, more than I want to admit, with the same stinkin’ thinkin’ the disciples had. I want to think I’m great because I’m a preacher or our church is growing or people actually come back week after week to hear me. But God doesn’t need Scott Carson!
One of the most rebuking sections for me in Scripture is found in Numbers 22. Did you know that God used a donkey to speak for Him? If God could use a mule to “preach,” He certainly doesn’t need me. In fact, if He chose to, He could strike me this very moment and I’d never utter another word. He did that to Nebuchadnezzar and Zechariah.
Sadly, true childlike humility is very rare. When you see it, you will probably always remember it. The ancient Greeks had a story of a Spartan named Paedaretos. Three hundred men were to be chosen to govern Sparta and Paedaretos was one of the candidates. But when the list of successful candidates was announced Paedaretos’ name wasn’t on the list. He didn’t make the cut. “I am sorry,” said one of his friends, “that you were not elected. The people ought to have known what a wise officer of state you would have made.” But Paedaretos answered, “I am glad that in Sparta there are three hundred men better than I am.”
Here was a man who became a legend because he was prepared to give to others the first place. Paedaretos knew what it was to live in childlike humility though he was probably not even a believer.
The disciples were having an argument. There was division in their ranks because they were all seeking to be #1. A church never has unity if there is not first humility. A church will not be great if there is selfishness rather than servanthood. Greatness in God’s kingdom is exhibited by Christlike humbleness.
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:5-8). This is not easy. It cannot be done in the flesh. A lost world clamors for attention, for greatness. As children of the King we know that greatness is in God and God alone. It is only as we humbly submit and let Him Master us and live through us. It is then and only then that we will truly be great.
There is no place in God’s family for “cool cat Christianity.” The Christian community should exemplify a spirit of lowliness instead of swaggering cockiness, acceptance of others rather than exclusion, humble service instead of haughty insolence, and harmonious relations instead of strife and division. There is no room for prima donnas in the church of Jesus Christ...just humble servants standing on the same horizontal level at the foot of the Cross!
But this childlike humility is not passive...it’s active because pride dies hard. It must aggressively be fought to be conquered. Luther wrote, “Oh, do not think to be great but to be little. Becoming great will come of itself if you have become little.” As a little child can do nothing to bring about his status; all that the child has and is comes from someone else. Jesus’ followers too are not great achievers who carve out for themselves a niche in the kingdom of heaven. For all that they have and are, they depend on the Father!
Note: True humility though is not “worm theology.” It means knowing yourself, accepting yourself and being your best self...by the grace of God. It means avoiding two extremes: thinking less of yourself than you ought to (as Moses did when God called him), or thinking more highly of yourself than you ought to. It is the honest acknowledgment, “I am what I am by the grace of God.” A humble person does not deny the gifts that God has given him, but faithfully uses them for God’s glory!
Conclusion: In a world that applauds “a dog eat dog” mentality, what Jesus is calling us to is radical! We cannot enter His kingdom, nor will we be “great” in His kingdom without this childlike humility. For His disciples though it is no exaggeration to say that “attitude is everything!”
My friend, have you humbled yourself like a child before the Cross? Have you entered the kingdom? If you’re in the kingdom, is your attitude that of a child of the King? Are you gracious, humble...meek?
When the space shuttle Challenger lifted into the sky and blew up seventy-three seconds into its flight, the world was shocked. Most of us have seen the videotape of that terrible moment many times. We can recreate the picture in our minds of a deep blue sky marked with twisted trails of smoke and large chunks of metal plummeting toward the ocean. We know, as we recall the grim specter of the explosion, that among the falling pieces were the bodies of some of America’s finest men and women.
You may not know though that the investigation into the cause of the tragedy pointed out some serious shortfalls in human judgment and materials management. The New York Times put it frankly: the ultimate cause of the space shuttle disaster was pride. A group of top managers failed to listen carefully to the warnings of those down the line who were concerned about the operational reliability of certain parts of the booster rocket under conditions of abnormal stress. The people in charge were confident that they knew best and that they should not change the launch schedules. They were wrong!
Pride always ends in disaster! The world may think that we are losers. But better a loser on earth, than a loser where it really matters...in heaven, in eternity!
