February 9, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Matthew? Here’s today’s reading:
Matthew 18 (NIV)
The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
I love the picture Jesus gives here as the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven being a child. I think about the dependence of a child always looking to their parent for both physical and emotional help. God wants our dependence, our trust, our humility before Him.
He is our shepherd working to get that one lost sheep back like it’s the only one He has to worry about and it gives Him such joy to have that sheep return to Him. This care and concern is our example for how we are to deal with others in our lives. Like the master that forgave the servants debt that he could have never repaid so does God forgive us! Will we be like the servant that then doesn’t treat others with that same kindness or will we follow the example of love Christ shows us daily?
Jesus drives home the lesson of entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven and the mind/heart of a child and the treatment of children. It isn’t just us becoming like children, but also how they are to be treated.
“Then Jesus called a LITTLE CHILD to Him, set him in the midst of them, 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. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this LITTLE CHILD is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one LITTLE CHILD like this in My name receives Me.”
Conversion, implicit trust, and humility make one “great”. Receiving a child and I think he is talking about actual children, not any believer/follower of Christ. He keeps coming back to the child and never draws an analogy to believers.
“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. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.”
Causing a child to sin, and teaching a child to sin is worthy of death. It’s better to be maimed.
“Take heed that you do not despise one of these LITTLE ONES, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? 13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these LITTLE ONES should perish.”
He doesn’t move away from the child until he addresses our relationship with “our brother” in verse 15.
Matthew 18
He had to be so embarrassed when his master called him out for what he had done! How ever when I fail to forgive someone I am guilty of the same thing.
Matthew 18
Oh to have the faith of a little child, in complete innocence, humility and unadulterated trust. And how villainous to take advantage of that unquestioning faith, it is no wonder that Jesus speaks of such harsh punishment. And we are all accountable for our own sin, but how much worse is it when we lead others to sin as well. God is passionate about His own children and will work to protect them and pursue them when they are lost.
And I am so grateful for this progression of how to deal with conflict in a relationship. It directs us to deal with things forthrightly and honestly and to make ourselves accountable to others as we may have a hard time seeing clearly when we are dealing with an offense. How important humility is in the whole process and being willing to confront ourselves and others when conflict happens. And how important forgiveness is too. And in the next parable we are shown that we are to forgive others in the same way we ourselves have been forgiven. It only makes sense, right? And yet not necessarily automatic in the way we conduct ourselves. But God uses Himself as a reference point and encourages us to forgive others in the same way God has forgiven us. May we see clear to do so and not be like the unmerciful servant that doesn’t extend the forgiveness he has been given to the one he now needs to forgive.
Matthew 18
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.