Matthew 18, I'm going to look at verses 1-13.
Who is the greatest? Roger, Rafa, or Novak?
! Who's the greatest? We've heard about it all week, haven't we?
! Who is the GOAT, the greatest of all time?
If England won the Cricket World Cup today, that'll be the thing, isn't it?
Is this the greatest one-day cricket team ever?
Who is the greatest?
Well, that question is here this morning, isn't it, in Matthew 18.
It's not a new question.
Here, the disciples and the followers of Jesus are arguing
who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?
Who is the GOAT in the Kingdom of Heaven?
And what's really interesting is rather than putting that down
or saying that's a false question,
Jesus takes it and he answers it
and he uses it as an occasion for teaching his disciples.
And this question of verse 1, who is the greatest of the Kingdom of Heaven,
really unlocks Matthew 18, because the whole chapter is devoted to the kind of people that Jesus' people are to be.
The kind of church that Jesus' disciples are supposed to be.
What sort of community is the Kingdom of Heaven supposed to be like?
What kind of community is it supposed to be like?
What kind of fellowship is it to be?
And so on.
What kind of people are you to be?
And Jesus takes the trouble to take this question seriously.
Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?
What does Jesus want to tell us?
Well, he's teaching us about what sort of creature his church is supposed to be.
First thing, I want you to notice a few things and then two implications.
First thing is the low position you must take.
The low position you must take.
And that's from verses 1 to 4.
It's an odd question, isn't it?
Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?
But that question was alive in the religious nitty-gritty of the day.
Because no matter where you turn, this was the question.
Who was the greatest?
Whether it was of worship, whether it was in the law court,
whether it was of meals, whether it was a matter of business feelings.
Again and again, they would have to ask the question.
Who is the greatest?
They felt it was important to know.
Who ranked where?
And what honour should be ascribed to them?
It was a question that they were used to.
Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?
And the people over whom we rule.
And so on, and will rule.
And so Jesus makes a response, doesn't he?
That takes them by surprise.
Look at verse 3.
He takes a child.
And he puts them in the middle of them.
Those disciples.
And he says, truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Let alone worrying about your status and your rank.
You won't enter it unless you are turned.
That's what it is strictly speaking.
The verb there is passive.
It is not the disciples who are doing the acting.
But they are acted upon.
It is literally translated, unless you are turned.
What does that mean?
It is such a radical change needed in your attitude.
That before you enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
You and I need to be turned by someone else.
That is, it has to be a working of God turning you.
Turning you away from your pride and your self-centeredness.
That unless you are turned from that and become like little children,
you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
He places a low position that you must take.
And it is the evidence that you've been turned like that,
that your whole attitude has changed.
It is that verse 4,
that whoever humbles himself like a child,
is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Humble yourself like this child that I've said in your midst.
And when you humble yourself,
you become the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
It's as if Jesus is saying,
the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
is the one who doesn't care about being the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Now as we look back at this again,
and go back to it,
note that Jesus deals with this child.
He puts this child in the middle,
and he talks about becoming like this child,
becoming like children.
And he's putting the child, isn't it,
in front of them as a model.
What does he mean by that?
Become like little children.
And so the customary way of looking at this passage
is to say that there's some characteristic
there's some character trait of children,
little children,
that we need to manifest,
that we need to show.
Some might say it's little children's humility
that you need to follow.
And little children are not concerned with self-advancement.
And so,
that's what you must model yourself on.
Or you must humble a child in its innocence.
Or in its receptivity.
Or you must humble yourself like a child
in its trustfulness.
And if you read the commentators,
you'll see various suggestions
of the qualities of little children
that we are to emulate.
But there's a problem with that, isn't there?
And the problem is this.
Have you been around little children recently?
Even little children?
Do you really believe that little children are humble?
And little children don't care about self-advancement?
That little children are full of that art?
You know others first.
Please put others first.
Do you really believe that children are innocent?
Well, you've not seen that in the Bible.
And that is a false way of interpreting
what Jesus is saying here.
And it's also sentimental.
And so what did Jesus mean when he says
you need to become like little children?
He's not talking about a quality.
But he's talking about the position
of little children.
He's not concerned about a characteristic
that they have
but about the status of little children
in the Palestinian culture of this day.
Why?
Because when he places that child there
and he says you need to be turned
and you need to become like this little child
humble yourself
he's saying
like a child in our culture.
Now in the culture of Jesus' day
it was not that in Jesus' time
children were particularly despised.
That wasn't true.
But it was true that children in Jesus' day
did not have any status.
They didn't have any position you might say.
They were a responsibility
but they did not have any clout in this way.
Part of a little bit of background.
In some of the rabbis, the teachers' laws
that they formulated around this time
you'd often find the child
or sometimes he's called a minor.
And the child would be mentioned in a group.
And the others in the group
that the children would be mentioned
were the deaf and the mute
and people who suffered from mental disability
they called them the imbeciles.
Somebody who had a kind of mental impairment.
And the child.
Three people in the group.
And the deaf and the mute
are someone who had a mental disability
and children.
It wasn't meant to put them into a despised status
but it was something like this.
So who was required to go up to the yearly feast?
And so in Jerusalem
and they gave some exceptions
they said everyone except
somebody who's deaf and mute
somebody who has a mental disability
and someone who is a child.
The child was exempted from that requirement.
They weren't required to go.
And what about if you had an ox
that gored somebody
or an ox
that gored another ox
and the ox said
well if their ox
belonged to
somebody who was deaf or mute
or somebody who had a mental disability
or somebody who was a child
they weren't responsible.
They couldn't be charged.
It's as if
for whatever reason
they didn't have enough position
they didn't have enough legal status
to be charged as being culpable.
Or if they were sheep
and the sheep got out of the pen
and somehow got into
somebody else's crop
or damaged their neighbours' fields
the shepherd
or the owner of the sheep
they would be responsible
for what that sheep had done.
But if that man
had entrusted
the care of that flock
to a deaf and mute person
or somebody with a mental disability
or a child
then those persons
weren't responsible for it.
the owner was.
It's just as if
the child
did not have any status.
He wasn't even
legally responsible
in certain situations.
It was that kind of position.
And so when Jesus
seems to be saying
it's not that you become
like little children
and that you have
some certain quality
that children have
and you are to emulate it.
But no
you are turned
and you become
like little children
in their position.
The position
that little children
have in our society.
Jesus is saying
not one who is great
not one who is significant
but one who accepts
their position
of insignificance.
Who has no status.
And you are willing
to accept that.
And so when Jesus
says whoever
will humble himself
in verse 4
as this child
he does not say
whoever humbles himself
as this child
humbles himself.
But he means
whoever humbles himself
as this child
is in a position
of humility
and insignificance
in our society.
So that it is
a low position
do not be concerned
with greatness
or status
but be willing
before the kingdom
of God
if I ever enter it
I must be so
radically
reorientated
or turned
that I am willing
to say of myself
there is one sense
in which I don't
have any clout
at all
any influence
at all
any significance
at all.
It is a humbling
thing.
Gerald Ford
was
the American
president
and he lost
a president
election
to Jimmy Carter.
Before he lost
the election
Gerald Ford
was invited
to be the
guest of honour
at a dinner
for Vince Lombardi
the kind of
legendary
American football
coach.
It was a benefit
dinner for
Council Research
and they invited
the president
to come and be
the guest of
dinner
guest of honour
but in the time
from when he
accepted the
invitation
to the time
of the actual
dinner
he lost
an election
and he was
now the
ex-president.
And on their
way
flying to
Houston
Gerald Ford
was contemplating
whether people
would be
disappointed.
He was saying
out loud
they asked
to get the
president
but instead
they were getting
the ex-president
and he said
it out loud
to his wife
he said
he hoped
people would
be too
disappointed
that he
was not
a sitting
president
and his
wife
Betty Ford
said
don't worry
darling
it's me
that they're
coming to see
It's devastating
for the man
isn't it?
I hope she's
doing you
but it would
be humbling
it's humbling
for him
and to be
told
listen
it doesn't
matter
whether you're
the president
or whether
you're the
ex-president
they're not
coming to see
you anyway
and that's
one of the
first principles
of the church
of Jesus
Christ
that if I'm
going to enter
into the kingdom
of heaven
I need to
accept this
position of
insignificance
and you might
say that is
a devastating
blow to my
self-image
but Jesus
isn't dealing
with your
self-image
he's dealing
with your
pride
and Jesus
is saying
to you
this morning
unless you
are turned
and you
take a
position
before the
doors of
the kingdom
of heaven
of saying
I have
no clout
I have
no claim
on this
kingdom
I have
no
status
the only
way that I
can enter
into the
kingdom
of heaven
is as a
gift from
you Lord
because I
have no
status
I make
no demands
and it is
a low
position
and it is
a humbling
of yourself
it's not
taking up a
false
honesty
and beating
yourself down
and saying
oh how
insignificant
I am
it's not
trying to
say something
that you
aren't
but it's
to realise
that before
God
we are in
the position
of little
children
as they
were in
Jesus
day
they had
no status
they had
no significance
and if we
are going to
enter into
the kingdom
of God
we will
only do
so as
a gift
and that
is
excruciating
for our
pride
the low
position
that I
must
take
and I
must
maintain
when I
am in
the
kingdom
because after
all if I
am in
that kingdom
of God
this morning
if I am
in the
kingdom
of heaven
if I
am
great
at all
I will
not care
about
greatness
and really
who is
the greatest
in the
kingdom
of heaven
well the
answer is
very easy
isn't it
the answer
is easy
Jesus
is the
greatest
in the
kingdom
of heaven
that he
who did
not
consider
equality
with God
something
to be
grasped
but made
himself
nothing
taking the
very nature
of a
servant
he
humbled
himself
even to
the point
of death
even death
on a cross
now secondly
not only
the low
position you
must take
but
secondly
the high
value you
must appreciate
and you'll
see that in
verses 5 to
14
we will
come back
and deal
with verses
8 and
9
some other
time
I'm not
trying to
avoid those
texts
but I want
you to
see the
main flow
of the
argument
in 5 to
14
and the
main flow
of the
argument
from verses
5 to
14
is how
highly
Jesus
values
every one
of his
people
that's the
main point
notice how
he speaks
to them
he speaks
in terms
doesn't he
in verses
1 to 4
he calls
his people
child
and children
and then
in verses
6 and
10
and 14
he uses
a different
word
he uses
the word
little ones
and so the
question I think
we need to ask
are these
children that he's
speaking about
are they
literal children
or not
sometimes it's
taken in that
way
well I don't
argue no
if you look
at verse
6
whoever
receives
one
such
child
in my
name
receives
me
then verse
7
but whoever
causes one
of these
little ones
who believe
in me
to sin
it would be
better for him
to have a great
millstone
fastened
around his
neck
and to be
drowned
in the
depths
of the
sea
but you
see what
it says
the little
ones who
believe in
me
he defines
them
doesn't he
who are
the little
ones
the little
ones who
believe in
me
and so when
Jesus talks
about little
ones he's
talking about
believers
he's talking
about his
disciples
he's talking
about his
followers
not merely
children
they represent
all Christians
all his
people
he's trying
to say
what a high
value
you have
upon you
now how do
you see this
look at
verses 6
and 7
if you
have
somebody
who tries
to trip
up one
of these
little
ones
these little
ones who
believe in
me
no matter
who he
or she
is
just one
and someone
tries to trip
up that one
of Jesus'
little ones
up
tries to make
them fall
tries to make
them fall
away from me
tries to get
their affection
away from me
however they
do it
they want
them to
grow cold
towards Jesus
they want
to sabotage
their faith
in Jesus
well it would
be better
for them
if a millstone
was tied
around their
neck
think of the
millstone
it's not the
little stone
that you use
to get
ground herbs
it is
the massive
great stone
that would
be turned
by an ox
or a donkey
there'd be a
great stone
and an ox
or a donkey
would be tied
to it
and they would
strain with all
their might
the animal
and they would
grind the
millstone
let's think of a
better illustration
for us today
let's say one of
those big people
carriers
and let's say
one of those
people carriers
was tied
around your
legs
and you were
thrown into
the middle
of the sea
it's a horrible
death isn't it
it's a horrible
death
and that's what
Jesus is saying
it would be a
horrible death
but it would be
far better than
facing the kind
of death
the kind of
judgment that
that person
will have to
face
and accountability
before God
because he would
destroy or he
would lead
astray one of
God's
Jesus flock
now it's a
horrible thing
to say
but I want you
to flip the
image
and this is
what you're
supposed to
do
because what
you're supposed
to see is
the value
that lies
behind it
Jesus is
saying to you
this morning
if you're one
of his followers
that is how
valuable you are
that is the
kind of value
to me
that you are
precious
gives another
picture of
verses 12 and
13
it's the picture
of the
stray sheep
here's a guy
isn't it
he has a
modest flock
and one of
them goes
astray
he's got 99
safe on the
hillside but
one of them
has gone
missing
what do you
do
stuff the
one
I'm alright
with the
99
what do
you do
does he
leave the
shepherd the
99 on the
hills and
go and look
for the
one
sheep
but he
does
see when
he's found
the sheep
he takes
the two
legs
one hand
and he
carries the
other two
in the
other and
he puts
it over his
shoulder and
he carries
them home
and Jesus
says I
tell you that
when he
finds that
sheep he
rejoices over
that sheep
more than
over the
99 that
didn't go
astray
look at
that image
it's a
bizarre
image
does
Jesus
not care
for the
99
who are
left
or does
Jesus
leave the
99 at
risk to
go and
get the
one
that's
not the
point
it's
not the
point
of the
story
no the
point is
this
do you
see much
how
one of
the
father's
sheep
matters
to him
do you
see the
high value
that the
father places
on his
sheep
so what
Jesus says
there's a
couple of
implications
that if my
people really
do have that
kind of
value
one
implication
has to
do with
assurance
you see that
in verse
14
so it is
not the
will of my
father who
is in
heaven
that one
of these
little ones
should
perish
he said
that is
the way
the will
of God
is
that is
the purpose
of God
that his
people matter
so much
to him
he will
not allow
one of
them to
perish
they are
so precious
do you
hear the
assurance
there is
in that
if God
values you
as one
of his
people
like that
you must
be terribly
immensely
secure
every
one of
them
matters
every
one of
them
counts
judge
life
it's a
funny
phenomenon
isn't it
I think
one of
the ways
the devil
works in
judge
life
is he
causes
people to
just pull
back a
little bit
so maybe
they kind
of decide
to miss
for a few
weeks
people don't
call as
they should
people don't
email as
they should
people don't
notice as
they should
people think
nobody
really cares
for me
I'm not
important
I don't
matter
do you see
this here
every one
of Jesus
sheep
counts
everyone
matters
it doesn't
matter what
the world
thinks about
you
it doesn't
matter what
Christians
think
but that
person
matters
to
Jesus
and if
that person
is precious
to Jesus
then he
or she
will never
be lost
and do you
know why
well because
it isn't
God's will
for one of
these little
ones to
perish
and some
of us need
that don't
we
not only
assurance
is there
assurance
but there's
another
implication
and it's
got to
do with
attitude
look at
verse 10
look at
verse 10
it says
see that
you do
not
despise
one of
these
little
ones
you see
if God's
people have
this kind
of value
in God's
sight
and in
Jesus
sight
if they
are such
worth
to him
then you
better not
treat them
with contempt
and you
ought to
have
the same
kind of
values
as the
living
God
does
and therefore
you don't
treat them
with contempt
another disciple
of Jesus
he gives
an argument
in verse
10
and he
says
for I
tell you
that in
heaven
their angels
always see
the face
of my
father
who is
in heaven
what on
earth
does that
mean
there's a
lot of
ink that's
being spilled
on that
what it
says in
some ways
all of
Jesus
people
and it's
not talking
about guardian
angels
here okay
but everyone
evidently
that everyone
of Jesus
people
have angel
representatives
in heaven
who always
behold the
father's
faith
and so we
probably need
to do a bit
more work
on angels
but in
Hebrews
chapter 1
verse 14
we read
that angels
are serving
spirits sent
forth on
behalf of
those who
are to
inherit
salvation
angels are
the servants
of God
set to do
his work
for the good
of his
people
we need to
do a bit
more work
on angels
but the
main point
here is not
that you can
put it all
together
but Jesus
reasoning is
if my
disciples
even the
most minor
league ones
even the
littlest
ones
if my
children
always have
angels
representing
them before
the father
if they
have angels
ministering on
their behalf
they must
be somebody
what's the
point
it's another
way of
showing exactly
the same
truth
the supreme
value of
Christ's
flock
and so he
says
don't despise
one of these
little ones
don't despise
one of these
little ones
have the
value
that your
father has
towards his
people
there's another
boy
my sister
was looking
after me
she's
10 years
older than
me
and she
was about
10
I was
about
one
and I
was crying
for some
reason
uncontrollably
and my
mother
had humble
figures
you've got to
be a certain
age to be
into humble
figures
they're kind
of funny
looking porcelain
children
really
they're worth
a fortune
and I
don't know
mom or dad
three or
four and I
don't know
and I
was crying
and controlling
my sister
gives me a
humble figure
to play
with
and I
toss it
into the
fire grate
and smash
it
and I
don't know
what happened
I was too
young
to know
what happened
but the
tales were
the legendary
when my
father
wrote home
and the
humble figure
is extremely
precious
worth a
fortune
but in my
sister's eyes
and in my
eyes it was
just another
thing to play
with
it was a
common thing
I didn't
recognize
I didn't
realize the
value of it
I just thought
it was something
to play with
and we can
so easily do
that in church
life
but we don't
realize the
true value
of Christ's
church
Jesus people
are not
common things
we must not
despise them
or treat them
with contempt
now I know
in a church
we can't all
be highly
intimate
with each
other
we can't
all have
a really
intense
degree of
involvement
all the
time
we know
that that's
impossible
but is there
another believer
here
that you
actually regard
with contempt
you wouldn't
use that
word
but you
would have
to say
yeah I do
kind of
look down
upon him
or her
and you
or I
need to
repent
of that
you might
look at
some other
Christian
and think
well they're
too old
for me
or they're
too young
for me
to care
about
or they're
not in
my age
bracket
or they're
not in
my stage
of life
or that
great line
that the
devil
whispers in
your ear
there's no
one like
me
here
or you
might say
that person
is not
spiritually
sure
there's
all sorts
of subtle
ways
in which
that attitude
can come
out
and Jesus
saying
see that
you don't
despise
any of
these
little ones
no one
left behind
no not
one
and Jesus
saying
you must
have that
attitude
you must
value
my people
with the
same
capacity
I have
for them
and that
will make
a difference
it will make
a difference
to the way
that we
regard
one another
and to
the way
that we
treat
one another
and that
all means
this as we
finish up
it means
that I
don't need
to care
about whether
I have
great status
or not
I don't
need to
care
whether
I'm
the greatest
or not
when
Jesus
places
such
high
value
upon
me
let's
pray