Matthew 18:1-20 NIV
18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who,
then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 He called a little child to him, and
placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless
you change and become like little children, you will never enter the
kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly
position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one
such child in my name welcomes me.
6 “If anyone causes one of these little
ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a
large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the
sea. 7 Woe to the world because of
the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the
person through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you
to stumble, 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
stumble, 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.
10 “See that you do not despise one of
these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see
the face of my Father in heaven. [11]
12 “What do you think? If a man owns a
hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine
on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I
tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that
did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven
is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
15 “If your brother or
sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two
of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen,
take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the
testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to
listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the
church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind
on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will
be loosed in heaven.
19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two
of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for
them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my
name, there am I with them.”
GO BACK- Little Ones
I wrestle with just
what the Kingdom of Heaven will be like. The disciples wrestled with this image
as well. Even after we hear Jesus plainly tell us that He will suffer, die and
rise again; we tend to think of the Kingdom of Heaven in some earthly way, at
least I fall into that thinking trap, I admit.
Here in this
passage, it appears, to me, that the disciples are still using their human,
earthly, thinking caps, and visualizing the Kingdom of Heaven as a place of
ranking the powerful, influential, or even the most-godly of people, ahead and
above one another.
In Luke they even
fall into the trap…
Luke 9:46-48 NIV
46 An argument started among the
disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. 47 Jesus,
knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside
him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this
little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one
who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the
greatest.”
Here Jesus, points
out the position of “Humility.” And that’s, just NOT QUITE, what we want to
hear. Throw servant-hood into the mix, and the whole idea gets kind of tough to
fathom, as to why the Kingdom of Heaven would be this way.
To be like a humble,
serving, child; just doesn’t add up.
Jesus even went as
far as pulling a little child into the mix, before the disciples, to see for
themselves, just what He is speaking about.
This is a purposeful
action on Jesus’ part, to direct their attention AWAY from greatness, and
power, and ranking in the Kingdom of Heaven. You see, a child has an air of
innocence, humility and dependence, of those assigned to care for her or him.
And then Jesus
reveals that to be in the Kingdom of Heaven, we all need to change and BE LIKE
this child. I like this image! I always have. I know that I’m a simple man in
need of understanding. I know I’m a simple man in need of the gift of faith. I
know that I’m a simple man that just loves to be in the presence of Jesus and
those He chooses to wander around with. I know that I’m a simple, childlike
man, and the thought of “Playing” with, or going out to “Play” with, Jesus in
this world, and in my life, brings me joy. For this simple-man that I am, I
know that I place all of my trust and hope and life, into the hands of Jesus.
Being an adult in
this world, can stink, for the most part. At least that’s how I feel. Yet, I
must be adult, in some ways, and not be negligent in my duties within this
society that I live, and work, and play in.
Jesus carries this
thinking beyond what seems normal. He makes this humble child to be the
greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Well, that just tosses out the “Ways of the
world,” as we see it, before our eyes in our societies.
So, to be truly
great, it’s not about how much you know, how much power you have over others,
how much money, or prestige, and how great your ego is! NOPE! To be great; be
humble, trusting, and show a faith in your Creator, Savior, and Redeemer.
Don’t you just love
a child that comes to you, and is honest? A child that openly depends on what
you have to offer, in order to live? That’s why, I think, I want to be like what
little Billy was. Think back and remember, those good memories. People being
glad to see you, and having fun with you. All the great teasing, of older
sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts, and even grand-parents. This is NOT the
teasing that hurts feelings. This is the kind of teasing that evokes laughter
and play. That’s the “good stuff” of childhood.
Jesus goes on, in
this text, to emphasize how we influence, not only children, but new believers.
It’s important that we show humility before children, and, really, anyone else
that we may have some influence over, in their lives. It’s so easy to make a
mess out of another disciple’s way of life, if you set a seriously “bad”
example. And boy oh boy, I can do this so often. I can sure set some bad examples! I hate
that! I must see this failure, and turn to God, and my neighbor for
forgiveness, and then move on. I really DON’T want to lead anyone astray, or
off the path that God has set them on. Yes, I have a responsibility for my
sinful actions, and need to face those actions, and the consequences of my sin,
on the other, AND, for my neighbor.
It’s a serious
offense to God and my neighbor, if, and when, my actions cause someone else to
sin. It’s my responsibility to face into my sin, because, most of the time, my
sin has some societal influence, or effect, on those I care for the most, and
even with those I’m not aware of, that my sinfulness impacts. Seems like that
kind of sin, that sin, that causes harm, in some way, to someone that I’m not
aware that I have harmed; is the worst kind of sin.
I think that’s why
this whole hand and eye thing, that Jesus speaks of in this passage, is used.
Huh? Well, the impact of my sin on another person, IS, a BIG deal and brings
BIG consequences to others, as well as those I love, and myself. So, the
consequences, SHOULD BE extreme, just as Jesus expresses with the whole hands,
feet, eye thing, He speaks of in this passage. Jesus really drives the point
directly home. Sin IS a problem, not only for myself, but also for those MY SIN
impacts.
So, in the face of
my sin, I must refrain from taking it lightly, and be humbled in the presence
of the “Little Ones,” that Jesus speaks of, in this passage. These “Little
Ones” ARE children of God and ARE deeply loved by God. Loved in an “Eternal”
kind of way.
Loved so deeply that
God, through Jesus, came to die for them, in order that these “Little Ones”
would be with Him in eternity.
Then this passage of
Scripture, takes a bit of a shift. But in some ways, not really. Jesus goes on
to express this love that He has for the “Little Ones.” And it’s my desire,
yes, even my job, to care and value the love God has for ALL His children. And
love these “Little Ones” knowing that God cares to keep them in His fold, like
He loves them.
If one of God’s
sheep go astray, like these “Little Ones,” God seeks them out relentlessly. And
guess what? We all fall into this category. We all become “Little Ones,” at
some stage in our life with God. And God will HUNT you down!
Why does God hunt us
down? His love is so deep, that He does NOT want any of us to perish,
especially perish in our sin. So, fall in humility before your Creator,
Redeemer, and Savior! God has a huge heart, and compassion, for those who are
lost in sin.
And in the midst of
our sinning against one another, and in the midst of the impact of another’s
sin against us… FORGIVE one another. Get over yourself, and forgive one
another. It’s NOT that important to be over the other person in the face of
sin. Be humble in the face of one another, just as YOU TOO are humbled before
God in your sinfulness.
Talk to one another,
and try with all you can, to bring one another into the fold, that God would
have us be together in. We all sin, and need one another, and God, to make us
aware of our sinful ways, SO THAT, we can be spun around in our sin to face
God’s forgiveness, and the forgiveness of those we have sinned against, or
those who are impacted by our own sinful ways. Again! Get over yourself, AND,
live in the love and forgiveness of God and fellow disciples.
Just like in a
recent past reflection, Jesus states some cold facts about repentance,
forgiveness, the Law and the Gospel. Jesus assigns some authority to His
disciples to preach Law AND Gospel. Show sinfulness, yet forgive. We all fall
to sin. It’s impossible, in this world of evil temptations, NOT, to fall to
sin. AND we WILL fall. Yet, reaching out in love to one another, we are free to
be honest about our sinfulness, point out our sinfulness to one another, and
then to forgive that sin. This is NOT about judging or overpowering another
person with your own pride and power. This is, once again, about the humility
of a child, in going to one another, in love, to reach forgiveness before God
and each other. So, once again, as my pastor states, after corporate
confession, before all of the disciples with whom I stand with, on Sunday
mornings, Pastor Prin CAN and does forgive us, by the authority that God gives
to him.
And guess what? In
our lives with one another, we TOO, by this same power granted by God, CAN and
SHOULD, forgive one another not through our own power, but by the power of
Jesus given TO us. This is the role of the church, and our role, as well. This
is the LOVE of Forgiveness. Take it seriously, and give it freely.
The LAW and GOSPEL
thing IS something for us to follow, not only in church, but with one another
as well. This IS about prayer, compassion and forgiveness, within the church
and among the disciples of Jesus.
And in this, we
gather together, in Love to God, and in Love towards each other. This is the
UNITY in LOVE that God gives, even before the Creation. Stop, pause, and think
about a LOVE so deep.
Teach me the “right”
from the “wrong,” and if needed, humble me in the presence of a caring friend,
friends, or even the church, SO THAT, I can see my sin, and know the power of
forgiveness through Jesus. I don’t want to die for my sin. And I know that I
can’t save myself. I depend on the Grace of God through what Jesus has done.
As I face my sin,
and see Your face, oh Lord, I am blessed by Your forgiveness. As I face my sin,
and see the face of my neighbor, I seek forgiveness. Lead me and guide me in my
sin, SO THAT, I openly, and freely turn to God, and neighbor, in humility.
Yes, Lord, I see… “Love
does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.”
– Romans 13:10
When I look back on
my studies of this Scripture over this past week, I can’t help but to think of
how my first reading left me confused. It seemed like Jesus was going all over
the place with this one. There was the child, there was the hands and eyes and
feet, there was lost sheep, there was this whole forgiveness thing going on; I
couldn’t help but to feel how broken up this passage of Scripture was. I even
wondered if this passage was just a jumbled-up mix of different messages from
different times. I didn’t investigate this possibility, BECAUSE, by the end of
the week, the links came out, in my mind.
I couldn’t help but
to think back on the Scripture when Nicodemus encountered Jesus at night.
John 3:1-4 NIV
3 Now there was a Pharisee,
a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He
came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a
teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are
doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no
one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
4 “How can someone be born when they are
old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their
mother’s womb to be born!”
As I
pondered this present passage from Jesus in Matthew, and thought about Nicodemus
dilemma with being born again, from the mother’s womb; I started to ponder all
sorts of connections.
Things
that connected the child, with the sins, with the lost sheep, with the
forgiveness; and all of those things that seemed so disconnected from one
another, after my initial reading on Monday.
In the
presence of God, I need my, or God’s “GO BACK” machine to kick in. I need to
“GO BACK” and be like a child, in the presence of God. I need to “GO BACK” and
realize how my whole life and very self, depend on God.
I need
to look, and face into my own sin and how it has had an impact on not only God,
but on all of those people I have hurt along the way in my life.
As I
grew from childhood to adult, I BECAME, a result of this sinful, evil world in
which I have lived these past seven decades of life. My sin has piled up and
had awful impacts on so many people that I have encountered in my life. I have
sinned in power, haughtiness, the bend on success, the awful judgments that I
have made, over and above other people. I have piled up a whole bunch of sin in
my life. Yep, I deserve to lose my hands, my eyes, my feet, and even my life.
I
mentioned earlier that I was a “Simple” man. Well, I am a “Sinful” man as well.
I’m lost, just like the sheep that get lost. I’m lost into this evil world, and
cannot redeem myself.
And that
connects back to that corporate forgiveness thing, that I hear each Sunday
through Pastor Prin, and so many other pastors in my life before he came along.
I cannot free myself from my sin, but I do KNOW someone who can! And as I
reflect on this passage of Scripture, I hear His call to “GO BACK.” “GO BACK,”
and stand before Him in innocent, eternal dependance on Him, and what God the
Father sent Him to do, in His life, suffering, death, resurrection and
ascension. In the gift of life freely granted to me, in and through, the Holy
Spirit, as I rise from the waters of my baptism. As I encounter Jesus in the
Bread and the Wine, in with, and under, His very own body and blood. And As I
hear Pastor Prin speak the words of forgiveness. Yep, in all of this, as I’m in
the presence of God, I too, “GO BACK.” I “GO BACK” to Billy. Billy in the need
of life, love and salvation.
So, I
need some friends to be with me. Will you too, “GO BACK” with me, and stand in
the presence of all those adults around us, and be in FULL dependance on God to
rescue us, each and every day, SO THAT, we may, all together, come out of the
womb, along with Nicodemus?
I leave
it to you to look up, or recite in your mind, John 3:16. God loves us so much,
that He planned a “GO BACK” before the very start of creation.
Come on!
“GO BACK” with me, turn to face Jesus, be forgiven, and live in the grace of
God, IN His Kingdom… today… tomorrow… and forever. Thanks be to God!
I’m not
one to get into “Country” music, but somehow this song spoke to me during this
past week of reflection. Enjoy!
“Keep
Going Child of God”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvFv807htY4&list=RDcvFv807htY4&start_radio=1
