Greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:1-9)

First Baptist Church https://fbcbartow.org

“Greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven”

(Matthew 18:1-9)

Series: God’s Fulfilled Promise [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

February 16, 2020

The Passage

Matthew 18:1-9

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “So who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a child and had him stand among them. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one child like this in my name welcomes me.

6 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses will inevitably come, but woe to that person by whom the offense comes. 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to fall away, 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 hellfire.

Introductory Comments:

Have you ever wanted to be the greatest at something? To be the greatest is a goal that many people strive towards. When you were younger perhaps you wanted to be the greatest musician of all time or the greatest athlete of all time. Perhaps you wanted to be the greatest parent or grandparent. Maybe you even wanted to be the greatest preacher of all time. Alas, most of us will not attain those goals, because to be greatest you must be the best of all time. 

Well, in today’s passage we see the disciples asking Jesus how one can be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

Let’s learn what God has for us and how we can apply this to our lives this week. Before we do, let’s go to God in prayer and ask for His blessing. 

(prayer)

Remember, Jesus has been ministering, healing, and teaching. He’s been baptized, He’s been tempted, He’s been transfigured, and more. He’s remained faithful to His task and He has even told His disciples again and again that He must die and that He will be resurrected from the dead. He’s approaching the end of His time on earth a little more each day as we travel through the Gospel of Matthew. 

However, He is continuing to teach until His time comes.

In today’s passage, we will see three verbal exchanges that will help us learn what Jesus is teaching us. We will look at those three exchanges today. 

First, . . .

I. The question (v. 1) [on screen]

If you want to be greatest at something you have to know what it takes to be the greatest. You have to know what the greatest looks like. You have to know who the greatest is. 

More than likely, the disciples wanted to be the greatest followers of God ever. They wanted to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

So, they ask this question. Look at verse 1. 

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “So who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

It’s a very simple and straightforward question: “who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Now, we know that the motivations of the disciples were not always the best, but let’s assume that their motivations are good here. They want to know what it looks like to be the greatest in God’s eyes. 

One of the topics I’ve studied a lot over the years is organizational culture and leadership and one universally true principle for a healthy leader or a healthy organization is that you have to know what success looks like. You have to know what a win is. The disciples wanted to know what it looked like to be winning as a disciple in the kingdom of heaven. 

I dare say that we should care about this question also. What does it look like to be great in God’s eyes?

Thankfully, for them, Jesus gives them, and us, an answer. That takes us to our second point:

II. The answer (vv. 2-5) [on screen]

Jesus answers this question for them in verses 2-5. 

This is what it means to be great in the kingdom of heaven. 

2 He called a child and had him stand among them. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one child like this in my name welcomes me.

In order to prove His point, Jesus brought a child before them. This was probably a small child because Jesus wanted to demonstrate the humility of the child. Usually, the older children get the less humble they become (until they reach the ripe mature age of around 37 years old like myself). In all seriousness, it was probably a young child who was still very dependent upon his parents. 

Jesus said that unless you turn, or are converted, or are changed, and become like this child you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 

So, Jesus says we are to turn away from something to become humble like a child. 

A small child is humble in that he realizes that he is in great need and completely dependent upon his parents for nurture, protection, education, provision, and everything else. A small child knows that he cannot survive on his own. 

Similarly, when we become like a child in the kingdom of heaven we fall before God and realize that we are completely dependent upon Him for everything! We need Him! We need His guidance, His protection, His provision, His love, His forgiveness, His sustenance, His encouragement, His equipping, His illumination, His grace, His law, His patience, His compassion, His justice, His healing, and so much more! We need Him! Don’t we need Him, church?

Jesus says that we must turn, or be converted, or be changed in order to become like this child. We are not naturally this way. Our natural tendency is to follow our sin nature. Our natural behavior is to do what we want to do, to think that we’ve got everything figured out, to feel like we are in charge. To follow the course where the curse of sin leads us. 

We must turn, we must be converted, we must change. We must become humble like a small child and cry out to God, “I need you! Show me the way!”

Jesus says that this person is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Do you want to be great? Humbly submit yourself to God. 

Jesus further reveals the way for us by saying that anyone who welcomes a child, welcomes Him. I want to speak to this for just a moment without skipping over it. 

Have you ever thought about the humility required to be someone who is kind and welcoming to children? You must act silly sometimes. You must be patient. You must be caring. This is not easy to do for an arrogant person. 

There are so many places in the world, including the United States of America, where children are cast-off in one form or another. Jesus says, “Let the children come to me.” May God bless those who show love to children, even now in our children’s church and nursery and throughout the week people are loving children here at FBC Bartow. They are being like Jesus by showing love to them. 

May no member of First Baptist Church Bartow ever say, “I just don’t like children,” because you’re not like Jesus when you say that. When you welcome a child, you are mimicking the character of God Himself. 

To be great you must be a person of humility and compassion. 

Jesus follows up this question and answer with a warning. That’s our final point:

III. The warning (vv. 6-9) [on screen]

Any time Jesus offers a warning, we should listen carefully. So, let us listen now to the words of Jesus in verses 6-9. 

6 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses will inevitably come, but woe to that person by whom the offense comes. 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to fall away, 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 hellfire.

First of all, Jesus speaks of these “little ones.” Most commentators believe that Jesus is making a transition here from speaking about children to speaking about followers of Him. This is primarily due to the fact that Jesus says, “these little ones who believe in me.” However, I believe Jesus’ warning could also apply to those who cause children to stumble. 

Jesus says that there is extreme judgment reserved for the person who causes a follower of His to fall away or to lose faith in Him.

Jesus said it would be better for that person to have a millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the ocean.  A millstone was a huge round stone with a hole in the middle used to crush grain. There would be no escape from death if you had a millstone hung around your neck and you were tossed into the ocean. Indeed, it would be a horrifying death. Yet, Jesus said that would be better for someone than the judgment reserved for someone who leads one of His followers away. 

Think about this for a moment in light of verses 1-5. Jesus said to be great you must submit to Him and follow His ways. That is the greatest thing you can do in all the universe. So, then, it stands to reason that one of the worst things you can do in the universe is lead someone away from submission to God and following God’s ways. God has a special type of judgment reserved for those who lead people away from Him. We must heed His warning here. 

Jesus offers us another aspect to this warning. He speaks not only of the sins of others but of our own sin as well. He speaks of the serious nature of sin and the drastic measures we must take to overcome sin. 

Jesus makes His point in verses 7-9 using what we call hyperbole (everyone say “hyperbole”). Many of you will remember that hyperbole is extreme exaggeration. He uses this type of language in these verses in order to make His point. 

First of all, Jesus says that there are offenses in this world, and we can’t escape that, but we don’t want to be the ones causing the offenses. We want to do all that we can to escape these offenses. Jesus says, “Woe to that person by whom the offense comes.”

Jesus speaks of cutting off your hand, or your foot, or gouging out your eye if it causes you to sin. 

Some in church history have taken Jesus’ words here literally, but I don’t think He meant it that way. If it was meant literally I certainly wouldn’t be alive because I’ve sinned in every part of my body, particularly in my heart and in my mind. 

Jesus is using hyperbole to make this point: we must take our sin very seriously and we must be totally committed to defeating it. 

Jesus says that it’s better to sacrifice in this life than to go into hellfire without sacrificing. Listen, church, hell is real. We don’t know exactly what it’s like, but it’s described as a place with great evil, tortuous fire, great agony, great suffering, and terrible judgment. We don’t want to find out what it’s really like. 

Sacrificing in order to avoid sin and follow Jesus is worth it every single time. 

Do whatever you can to avoid sin and pursue holiness. Don’t ask yourself how close you can get to sin, ask yourself how close you can get to Jesus. 

Concluding Thoughts:

The disciples asked Jesus a question, He provided a life-changing answer, and offers us a life-preserving warning. 

These are all for our benefit and our growth as faithful followers of God the Father. 

That takes us to our bottom line. 

Bottom Line: Greatness in the kingdom is found through humility, compassion, and holiness.  [on screen]

(repeat)

We are to humbly submit to His ways, we are to show His compassion to others, and we are to pursue holiness as He has called us. 

Humility + Compassion + Holiness = Greatness

Challenge yourself this week in the following ways:

Weekly Challenge: [on screen]

  1. Strive for humility.  [on screen]

Do you think you have it all figured out? Let me assure you that you don’t. 

You probably thought that the University of Alabama would be in the football national championship game. You were wrong about that. You probably didn’t know that there would be a virus scaring the world called the coronavirus, but there is. I didn’t know that I’d get back from a big trip overseas and my biggest concern was getting sick on an airplane, but it was. You know what, God knew all of that. 

God is so much greater than we are and we desperately need Him like a little child needs His parents. 

This week, strive for humility and consciously admit that you are dependent on God. Cry out to Him. Tell Him how much you need Him. Seek His ways. Submit to His plan for your life. 

Strive for humility this week: humility like a small child. 

  1. Strive for compassion.  [on screen]

Do you know that the world could use a little more compassion? Jesus said for us to show compassion, not only to those like children but also to followers of His. That we would love and care for others, not lead them to harm. 

Show some compassion this week. 

Some of you think that if you show compassion that will make you weak. Let me just tell you, if you feel that way that’s a sign that you’re already weak. If your confidence is built on treating others poorly your not strong at all, you’re shallow. 

Find deep strength in the love of Jesus Christ and let the strongest love in all the world lead you to show compassion to others. 

Strive for compassion this week. Make it your goal to love as Jesus loves.

  1. Strive for holiness.  [on screen]

Take time this week and identify one way that you can be a holier person. Jesus said to take drastic steps to make yourself holy. What will you do?

Take some time and actually identify what you will do to strive for holiness. 

It’s worth every sacrifice that you make because the reward is everlasting and bountiful life with the Lord our God. The alternative is everlasting hellfire and damnation separated from God forever. It’s worth the sacrifice. Strive for holiness. 

Closing:

Do you want to know how you can best find humility? Find it in Jesus. Do you want to know how you can best find compassion? Find it in Jesus. Do you want to know how you can best find holiness? Find it in Jesus. Do you want to know how you can best find greatness? Find it in Jesus. 

Some of you may think that you could never live up to this calling on your own, and your exactly right. You need Jesus. We all need to find greatness in Jesus. 

If you’re already in Jesus, continue to drink from the deep well of living water which He offers you. 

If you’re not in Jesus, come to Him today by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. 

(Gospel presentation)

(closing prayer)

 

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