"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
Jesus And The Children (18:1-14)
INTRODUCTION
- One of the more touching and endearing scenes during the life of
Jesus was when He used a little child to teach His disciples some
lessons - Mt 18:1-14
- For all who would be true disciples of Jesus, there are valuable
lessons to be gleaned from this passage
[The first thing we are taught is...]
- THE NECESSITY OF CONVERSION (1-4)
- WITHOUT CONVERSION, THERE IS NO SALVATION...
- "Unless you are converted", Jesus said
- "You will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven"
- Without conversion, we cannot have our sins blotted out
- cf. Ac 3:19
- And we will not enjoy "times of refreshing from the Lord"
- cf. Ac 3:19
- Note that the process of conversion is passive: "be converted"
- I.e., it is something you must allow to be done to you
- It begins when we in faith submit to "the working of God"
- That is, in baptism - cf. Col 2:12
- Wherein by God's mercy we experience "regeneration",
"renewal" - Tit 3:5
- It continues as we live the Christian life
- God continues His working in us - cf. Php 1:6; 2:12-13
- He will do so until the coming of Christ - 1Th 5:23-24
-- Have you, indeed are you, submitting to the working of God in
your life so as to be truly converted?
- A CONVERSION INVOLVING CHILDLIKE HUMILITY...
- This was the concern of Jesus in Mt 18:4
- For His disciples had asked who would be greatest in the
kingdom
- Jesus used a child to illustrate the sort of humility one
must have
- Paul later used Jesus as an example of humility - Php 2:3-5
-- Those who submit to the working of God in their lives will
produce this kind of humility necessary for salvation - cf.
Col 3:12-13
[The next thing we learn from this passage is...]
- THE SIN OF STUMBLING BLOCKS (5-7)
- WHO ARE THE "CHILDREN"?
- Some think Jesus used an infant to make his point about
humility, and is now discussing His adult disciples
- But the Greek word for "child" (paidion) can refer to one as
old as twelve years - cf. Mk 5:39-42
-- I understand Jesus to be discussing children old enough to
believe, old enough to sin - Mt 18:6
- THE TERRIBLENESS OF CAUSING CHILDREN TO SIN...
- It would be better to be killed by drowning - Mt 18:6
- "Woe to that man..." - Mt 18:7
- Why so terrible? Because it is a sin against Christ Himself!
- Note Mt 18:5 and consider its opposite
- Paul learned this lesson on the road to Damascus - Ac 9:4-5
- He taught this truth to brethren in Corinth - 1Co 8:9-13
- HOW ONE CAN PUT STUMBLING BLOCKS IN A CHILD'S WAY...
- By doing anything to keep them from serving Christ freely
- Directly, by persecuting, ridiculing, opposing, or dissuading
them from serving the Lord
- Indirectly, by living a life inconsistent with what we claim
to be!
-- Are we putting stumbling blocks before our children, even
unwittingly?
[The next thing we can glean from these verses is...]
- THE REALITY OF FUTURE PUNISHMENT (8-9)
- SOME DENY PUNISHMENT AFTER DEATH, BUT NOT JESUS...
- E.g., Seventh-Day Adventists and Members of the Watchtower
Society (JWs)
- Yet Jesus, more than any other, taught the reality of an
eternal, suffering place of torment!
- The word "Gehenna" is used twelve times in Scripture, all
but once by Jesus!
- Elsewhere He mentions "everlasting fire" and "everlasting
punishment" - Mt 25:41,46
- And so did His disciples - He 10:26-29; Re 21:8
- Consider the implication of Mt 18:6 and He 10:28-29...
- What could be worse than drowning in the sea or dying
without mercy?
- Acc. to those who deny punishment after death...nothing!
-- Dare we "water down" what Jesus and the Bible teaches about
the destiny of the wicked?
- WE SHOULD THEREFORE TAKE SIN SERIOUSLY...
- So much so, that we remove whatever is close and dear to us if
it causes us to sin!
- Jesus is using hyperbole, of course, for what good would it be
to pluck out only one eye?
-- Sin is like cancer; sometimes "radical surgery" is the only
solution!
[Finally, we are taught in this passage about...]
- THE PRECIOUSNESS OF GOD'S CHILDREN (10-14)
- THEIR ANGELS ALWAYS BEHOLD GOD'S FACE...
- What this may involve, one can only speculate
- Many think this refers to "guardian angels" - cf. Ps 91:9-12
- We do know that angels are "ministering spirits sent forth
to minister for those who will inherit salvation" - He 1:14
- Our text speaks of their presence before God - Mt 18:10
- Which some take to refer to their readiness to carry out
the Father's wishes (Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke)
- At the very least we know there is joy in their presence
when sinners repent - Lk 15:10
- Will they not be dismayed when one of God's children sin,
or is made to stumble by others?
-- Their close proximity to God in heaven suggest the honor God
has toward those children who believe!
- THE SON OF MAN CAME TO SAVE THEM...
- Jesus came to die for them, too! - Mt 18:11
- Jesus illustrated His concern for them with the parable of the
lost sheep - Mt 18:12-13
-- If Jesus was willing to give His life for them, dare we
despise or neglect them?
- THE FATHER DOESN'T WANT TO LOSE EVEN ONE...
- It is not His will - Mt 18:14
- Notice: He does not want to lose "one" of these little ones!
-- If both the Father and Son think so highly of these little
ones, should not we?
CONCLUSION
- The words of Jesus should motivate us to take children seriously...
- For parents: how important to bring your child up in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord!
- For teachers: How serious and noble is your task of teaching our
children!
- For all of us: We are examples and role models, whether good or
bad...and God will hold us accountable for the effect we have on
them!
- And for those who would enter the kingdom...
- Heed the necessity of being converted!
- Let the example of child-like trust and humility be a guide as to
how we should serve God and one another!
Have you humbled yourself in obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ?