Jason, do you want to come up?
Come a bit closer and you'll just have to speak up.
Hopefully he'll get there.
Sounds good.
Well, just to give you all a warm welcome again,
it's great to have you with us today.
And if you're visiting, a special welcome
and a reminder to all of our tea and coffee time afterwards
where we can catch up with one another.
Two visitors we have today is Jason and Krista who's here.
So I'm just going to ask a little bit.
Jason's going to be preaching this morning
and he comes from the U.S.
and he's part of a partner church in Minnesota.
So Jason, you're here with Krista.
Tell us a little bit about your family back home.
Yeah, so Krista, my wife, and then myself.
And then we have two little ones right now.
A three-year-old who's a lot of fun
and then a one-and-a-half-year-old that's wandering around
and super smiley.
And then we're expecting a third in September.
And that one's a boy.
So I have two girls and there's a boy coming.
We're getting ready.
Good.
So tell us, how did you become a follower of Christ?
Did you grow up in a home where you were taught
or was it through some other means?
Yep, I grew up in a home where my parents were believers.
And so I heard the gospel.
And actually my dad was in ministry.
He worked for a camp.
And so I actually heard the gospel from speakers,
all sorts of different kinds of speakers coming in,
preaching the gospel.
And it was through that.
I didn't believe until I was probably 13
that I placed my faith in Jesus.
But it was primarily through my parents.
Okay.
And now we'll find out a bit more about what you do.
But you're now working in Redeemer Bible Church in Minnesota.
It's a little bit different than this, but it's the same.
So what's different and what's the same?
Yeah, well, very like-minded.
You know, our services would be very similar.
The songs we sing would be the same songs.
In fact, I was just talking to Jonathan.
The gospel project is what we use for our Sunday school as well.
And so it would be very similar.
Our difference would mainly probably be that we have a building.
And that's mainly the only difference, probably.
That's good.
So you're followers of Jesus Christ.
Yes.
That's good to know.
Yeah.
And like-minded, yes, followers of Jesus Christ.
Like-minded, expository preaching.
We'd be preaching through Exodus right now.
Okay.
Very good.
And what do you do at Redeemer?
What's your role?
Yeah, so I'm a pastor.
That's my role.
Okay.
And in any particular area?
You said that I shouldn't talk about my role.
You can keep going.
I'm a pastor.
No.
Yeah, I serve primarily with youth, so teens.
And then I'm the pastor.
I oversee administration for the whole church.
And a lot of that I delegate.
Okay.
Yeah.
Thanks.
So Jason will be speaking in just a moment.
Before he comes to do that, we're going to read from Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 18, following
on in our series together.
So Matthew, Chapter 18.
And we're going to read the first 14 verses of Matthew 18.
Amen.
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.
It's happier than the one sheep and about the 99 that did not wander off.
In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
I'm going to pray and then Jason is going to come and speak.
Let's pray.
Amen.
Father God, we thank you for the gathering of this church here.
And we thank you for our partner church at Redeemer as they gather later on today.
As we pray for your blessing and your Holy Spirit to be at work among us, we pray the same for our brothers and sisters there in Redeemer.
Amen.
And we ask for your special help to Jason and to us that we may learn from your word and may come to love Jesus more.
So teach us, Father, be gracious to us, build us up and bless.
For it's in your name we pray all these things.
Amen.
Well, it has been great to be with you.
And we've had a wonderful time since coming in on Wednesday and going to home group, Krista visiting Polo,
and then the time with the Senior Rock and Rooted on Friday night was glorious.
And then I've enjoyed all the conversations, meeting many of you and having a chance to fellowship in the gospel.
And our hearts are full.
And I want to thank Johnny and the other elders for giving me the opportunity to open God's word with you from Matthew 18.
Matthew 18.
I remember hearing a conversation of a son with his dad.
And the conversation led to a question where the son asked the dad,
when did you realize you were normal and wouldn't do anything great?
Well, first I thought, man, I can't wait for the day that my kids ask me those great questions.
But also the son makes assumptions that often we have also about greatness.
Whether it's assumptions about status or accomplishments or self-reliance or power or wealth.
Yet greatness is something we all desire.
And in the eyes of the world, there are very few that actually find it.
Our text this morning lays out something of a roundabout,
which the big roundabouts here still scare me to death when we go around them.
But it's something of a 180 or a reversal on what we would instinctively think
in our natural selves about greatness.
Jesus doesn't rebuke the disciples for their desire for greatness.
But instead, what he does is he redirects it by picturing what kingdom life is like.
Or what true greatness before God actually is.
And so that's what I want to consider this morning.
An upside down kingdom.
An upside down from what the world out there assumes about greatness.
Jesus is going to correct that.
He's going to correct kind of the son's assumption in his question to his dad.
And assumptions that we often think.
So I think everyone's there.
Matthew 18.
If you're not there, I invite you to find it again in your Bibles.
We're going to look at the first 14 verses.
So let's read verse 1 again and then consider the context.
At that time, the disciples came to Jesus and asked,
Who then is the greatest in the kingdom?
So here we have Jesus and what we would probably think is the 12, the 12 disciples,
asking about kingdom greatness.
What is it like?
Who is the greatest?
And I think it's important for us to consider first,
how do we think about this question in its context?
We know from parallel Gospels, other Gospels,
that Jesus has addressed this in some form before.
If you remember Mark 9,
he overhears the disciples arguing amongst themselves.
And he asks them,
What are you arguing about?
And like any good children, they don't say anything.
They're silent.
And then he goes on to teach about what greatness is in the kingdom.
Now, in our passage, I don't think this question comes out of nowhere.
And I think it flows out of the context.
So if you flip over a page or so to Matthew 16,
and then you look down at verses 13 through 16.
So let's read those.
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi,
he asked the disciples,
Who do people say that the Son of Man is?
They replied,
Some say John the Baptist,
others say Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.
But what about you?
He asked.
Who do you say that I am?
And Simon Peter answered,
You are the Messiah,
the Son of the living God.
So here we have Peter's confession,
which I think you looked at last week.
Peter represents the disciples' emerging understanding about who Jesus is,
but they're not quite there.
In fact, Acts 1, 6,
even after Jesus rose from the dead,
they still have a little bit of confusion about the kingdom.
They ask,
Lord, at this time,
are you going to restore the kingdom?
So in their minds,
they're thinking more political
than necessarily the spiritual aspect of the kingdom
that we are in today.
So they're still emerging into that idea.
And Jesus' prediction of his death confuses them,
both in chapter 16 and in chapter 17.
The next few verses are going to seem to put Peter
in kind of an elevated place.
Look at what he says in verse 17 and 18.
He says,
Jesus replied,
Blessed are you,
Simon, son of Jonah,
for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,
but by my Father in heaven.
And I tell you, Peter,
you are Peter,
and on this rock I will build my church.
The gates of Hades will not overcome it.
So you can understand the question.
Who do you think is the greatest in the kingdom?
If here he is addressing Peter in this way,
it seems to think Peter is the greatest.
And at the beginning of chapter 17,
we have the transfiguration,
which takes up three disciples,
which maybe perhaps is the inner ring.
Look there, it says,
Jesus took with him, verse 1,
Peter, James, and John,
the brother of James.
And so there seems to be this inner ring
that Jesus takes on,
this great experience,
on the mountain,
the transfiguration.
So then you come back to our passage,
and that's where we have the question,
who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
So what I want us to see this morning
is how Jesus answers this question.
But before we do that,
we should consider what he does
in verses 2 and 3.
And that is,
verse 2,
he called,
so our chapter again,
Matthew 18,
verse 2,
he called a little child to him.
You can kind of picture it,
and he placed the child among them,
in the middle of all of them.
So Jesus places this child,
and then he says something
that is truly unexpected,
verse 3.
And he said,
truly I tell you,
unless you change
and become like this little child,
you will never enter
the kingdom of heaven.
See what Jesus does?
He says,
this is really important
for you to get.
Consider what I'm going to say.
And Jesus starts with entering,
with the beginning.
It's almost as if he says,
you're thinking about the kingdom
as entirely wrong,
you haven't got it yet.
To even enter the kingdom,
you need to humble yourself,
become like a child.
Why?
Because without this humility,
you will never enter it.
Which is a very negative way to say it.
He uses a strong,
the strongest way,
never enter the kingdom.
He says,
only the humble find their way
into the kingdom.
You see,
the disciples wanted to be
the greatest in the kingdom.
Jesus,
on the other hand,
wants them to consider
if they're in the kingdom
at all.
It's like,
you know,
in a sport,
you wondering
if you made the all-star team.
And the coach is really concerned
whether or not
you're even on the team,
you made the team at all.
That's what Jesus does here.
And he says,
consider this
unless you change.
Now,
the word change
has the idea
of turning away.
Maybe not the way
that we think about change,
but turn.
And it's the essence
of what it means
to be a Christian.
Every Christian
has experienced
this change.
It's repentance.
That is what turning means.
And the word is passive,
so we could translate it,
unless you are changed,
you will never enter
the kingdom.
So we repent
and God changes
our hearts
and we become
like a child
and we trust
in the Father.
So unless you
experience
this gospel
producing
change,
you will not
enter the kingdom.
and this means
that we must
admit
that we are lost
first.
That we're lost
sinners
and we deserve,
we have offended
a holy God,
we deserve death.
So if you're here
and you're not a believer,
if you're being honest,
this is one of the things
that catches us up.
our hesitancy
to embrace Christ
because
we still think
deep down
we have something
to offer.
We're not quite
desperate enough.
But when you finally
see that you cannot
save yourself,
you are dead
in your sins,
you are helpless,
you are a beggar,
there's nothing
you can do
to approach God.
you are humbled.
That's what Jesus
is getting at.
The surest mark
commentator said
on this
of conversion,
of belonging
to Jesus
is this humility.
The Christian faith
is humbling.
I heard a song
that goes
something like this,
there is a mountain
that only the lame
can climb.
There is a table
that only the hungry
find.
Only the beggar
will have the currency
when need
is all
you need.
The precondition,
the thing that you get
before you come
to Jesus,
the realization
you come to
is that you are
helpless
and in need
of a Savior.
And that's what
Jesus says
here
for the disciples.
Unless you become
like this child,
unless you realize
your helplessness,
you will never
enter the kingdom.
Of course,
they need to believe
in Jesus.
Of course,
they need to embrace
the gospel
of the death
and resurrection
of Jesus.
But he's saying
there's a state
in which
you must come to,
grips with who you are,
that's truly humbling
before you turn
and trust this Jesus.
Now that's all
introduction.
So this is,
now we jump into
what Jesus,
I think,
is going to start
teaching the disciples.
And it's this,
that the criteria
before you come
into the kingdom
is the same criteria
for greatness
within the kingdom.
And that is
humility.
So that's what
our section,
the rest of these verses
are going to give us.
And I think as people
of God's kingdom,
so we've been talking
about the kingdom
and now we're coming
to life in the kingdom,
so people,
Christians,
believers,
as people of the kingdom,
we walk in gospel humility.
And there's going to be
three points
that I want to draw out
from what Jesus says
this morning.
Three characteristics
you could say
of humility.
Number one,
childlike dependence.
Number two,
radical devotion.
And number three,
heavenly delight.
So I'll repeat those,
but let's look
at number one.
Childlike dependence.
So gospel humility,
the humility
that you had to have
before coming
and becoming a Christian
and now a humility
that should characterize
all believers,
it's characterized
by childlike dependence,
marked by that.
Verses four and five,
let's read them.
Therefore,
whoever takes
the lowly position
of this child
is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever welcomes
one such child
in my name
welcomes me.
So what is Jesus
getting at?
What is he saying
to us?
Well, he's not saying
that you should be childish.
You know,
like how my daughters
are very quick
to lose focus
on something
and quickly jump
to another thing.
No, he's not saying
Christians should be
absent-minded
like children.
We're not called
to be like children
in every way,
but rather Jesus
is calling the attention
of the dependence
of a child.
So again,
the criteria for
the need,
the dependence
of a child
is a criteria
before you enter
the kingdom
and here it is,
also the way
of the kingdom.
And there's two words
that Jesus gives us.
First, he gives us,
oh, I forgot to hit this.
There you go.
The first word he gives us
is lowly, lowly,
and that's in verse 4.
He says,
whoever takes the lowly
position of this child,
so whoever humbles himself
or herself like a child
is the greatest.
Jesus says something similar
in Mark 9, 35.
Anyone who wants
to be first
must be the very last
and the servant of all.
The lowest position,
lows of lows.
And to illustrate this point,
Jesus points to the child
before them.
So more so than today,
society in Jesus' day
would have not
highly esteemed children.
Maybe our society
is catching up a little bit,
but scholars say
that in that day,
children didn't have
a high place.
They had a lower status.
And you find that,
remember,
we're going to find it
in chapter 19,
when the disciples
rebuke people
for bringing who
to Jesus?
Or, sorry,
Jesus rebukes
the disciples
for bringing children
to Him.
He says,
let the little children
come to Me.
Do not hinder them.
So they were hindering them.
For the Kingdom of Heaven
belongs to such as these.
The one biblical scholar
wrote this,
Jesus celebrates
the humility
that comes
from the child's weakness,
defenselessness,
and vulnerability.
The child can really do
nothing for himself
or herself
and will die
if left alone.
It is this kind
of humility
that Jesus uses
as this visual aid.
You see,
we don't,
we,
Krista and I
came over here,
we didn't just
leave our kids
in our house.
You know,
nobody's,
one of the first questions
is, you know,
who's watching
after your kids?
If we said,
oh, no one,
they're fine.
They're just
cooking their own meals.
No, you wouldn't,
you know that
they're defenseless,
they're helpless.
That's what Jesus
is getting at.
They're in a lowly position.
He says,
anyone who wants
to be great
must humble themselves
like a child.
Those who know
they are helpless
are actually
the greatest
in the Kingdom.
So take again
my daughter Lily,
for example.
She does not care.
about power
or prestige
right now.
Meaning,
if someone came up
to her
and started listing
all their accomplishments
about all the great things
they've done
in their life,
or if she met
a prime minister
or president
or whoever,
met someone,
she wouldn't know
who they are.
She wouldn't be
in awe
of their greatness.
No,
she would,
unless it's Disney
or something like that,
I suppose,
maybe perhaps,
but she would be
impartial.
She would not be moved
by these great accomplishments.
Or think of it
in terms of
who she would play with.
If you want to play
with my daughter
and you're willing
to go play with her,
she's more than willing
to play with you.
There isn't much
she's going to look at
as far as your status.
Or think in terms
of children
when it comes to
believing
what their parents say.
Kids,
little ones,
trust their parents
implicitly.
That's
whatever mom says
must be true.
No,
I think that's what
Jesus is getting at here.
A lowliness of a child.
That's what he's talking about.
Childlike dependence
on one's parents,
on adults.
Now,
you say,
well,
I'm here
and I don't need
to be reminded
about how low I am
because I am low.
the Lord
over
the last few weeks
or whatever
maybe perhaps
has brought you
to a low point.
I want to encourage you
that lowliness
is a path
to a particular
kind of joy.
And it's all
throughout the scriptures.
I heard the song
that says
valleys fill first.
And that's what it is.
I talked with the students
on Friday night
about how
sometimes
when we humble ourselves
it leads to
an emptiness.
An emptiness
that Christ
can fill.
Think about
what James says.
James says
God gives more grace.
Therefore,
it says
God opposes the proud
but gives grace
to the humble.
It says
humble yourselves
before the Lord
and he will exalt you.
So there's a
taking the position
of a child
is a humbling
of oneself.
You think what it says
in Philippians 2.
It's Jesus' ministry.
Though he was
in the form of God
didn't he
account equality
with God
as something to be grasped
but emptied himself
by taking the form
of a servant.
A low position.
Being born in the likeness
of men
being found
in human form
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient
to the point of death
even death
on the cross.
And we know
that Jesus'
lowly position
on earth
led to his exaltation
which is where
Paul in that passage
goes to.
So the point
the truly great
are those
who are lowly.
That's the first word
lowly.
Second
is welcome.
Welcome.
Verse 5
and we'll look at this quickly.
Whoever welcomes
one such child
in my name
welcomes me.
This is humility.
It's a humility
that welcomes
all those
who have been
humbled to.
The word welcome
is one of hospitality
of accepting
loving
receiving
the lowly.
Now certainly
I've had a great example
Kristen and I
have had a great example
of this
this past week.
It's really
accepting people
into your homes
like you have
us
as one
as family.
It's like
a new teammate
that fits
right in
with the team.
Now
I want you to notice
that we
who we are
to welcome
one such child.
Now it's interesting
I think what
Jesus is doing here
and I could be wrong
but I think what
Jesus is doing
is he's actually
starting to broaden
the terms
a little bit.
So he's using
a little different
language
and he's going to
use little ones
in the next verse
but one such child
in this verse
I think
is beginning
to point us
to fellow believers
not just
children per se
although I think
we should consider
what he says
towards children too.
Which makes sense
though
given that he
has this child
in front of them
and all believers
who enter the kingdom
will humble themselves
like this child
then the association
with the child
and a fellow believer
is a good association.
So what I'm saying
I think this is
children
and spiritual children
and then that's
when he jumps
verse 6
as we'll see
to little ones
is really
he's talking
little ones
is fellow
Christians
perhaps fellow
weak believers
but I think
just broadly
fellow Christians.
Either way
the point to draw
from this
is
since
Jesus is connected
united to his followers
then to welcome
and show mercy
to another believer
is to welcome
and show mercy
or to welcome
to Christ.
That should be
one of
our response
should be
one of amazement.
I mean the world
looks to welcome
the popular
the good looking
the celebrity
but we don't
just welcome
the celebrity
we welcome
the nobody.
We treat
the nobody
like they are
the red carpet
for someone
who is lowly.
This should
certainly
obliterate
any idea
that there are
divisions of status
in the body
of Christ.
Now we know
this but recently
I sat down
with one of our
church members
and
he said to me
I don't
fit anywhere
including church.
In my mind
it went immediately
to this text
because I was
studying it.
As believers
we should be
welcoming those
who feel like
they don't
fit anywhere.
here
in this place
with these
people
they fit
their home.
The church
is a place
that all can
come
all can
find a welcome
and those
of every tribe
tongue
nation
people group
doesn't matter
they all
have a home
here.
The other
aspect of this
is do we
have this
kind of view
of children
in our
churches?
Are we
welcoming
children?
Do they
and their
parents know
we value
them and
appreciate them?
One of the
beauties of
polo is
just this.
It's an
opportunity to
welcome and
to value
children
because we
know that
children matter.
They matter
to God.
God loves
kids.
And we
dare not
find them
a nuisance
insignificant
or unimportant
because children
matter to God
and they are
to have
our welcome.
So mature
believers have
childlike
dependence shown
by two words
lowly and
welcome.
That's number
one.
Number two
you have
childlike
dependence
then you
have radical
devotion.
Radical
devotion.
That's
verses 6
and 9.
So one
of the
clearest
signs of
this
humility
that Jesus
is talking
about is
found in
two
perspectives.
On one
side devoted
Christians
committed
Christians
watch out
for others
and on the
other side
they watch
out for
themselves.
That's what
Jesus is
going to
get at
here.
So they
watch out
for others
verses 6
and 7
look down
at verse
6.
If anyone
causes one
of these
little ones
those who
believe in
me.
So I
think he's
talking about
fellow
believers.
If anyone
causes one
of these
fellow
believers
to stumble
it would
be better
for them
to have
a large
millstone
hung around
their neck
and be
drowned
in the
depths
of the
sea.
As believers
Jesus calls
us to have
a responsibility
to protect
and watch
over other
believers.
We're not
solo
Christians
just in
it for
ourselves
on
individual
journeys.
No,
we are
in this
whether we
like it
or not
sometimes.
We are
in this
together.
And Jesus
gives a
warning to
anyone who
causes the
lowly or
weaker
disciple to
stumble.
Now to
stumble
is a
word that
maybe we
think immediately
of to
sin,
just broadly
to sin
or offend.
But multiple
scholars point
out the fact
that the
severity of
the warning
probably means
that this
word has
a more
significant
meaning.
That is
that it
means to
lead someone
to fall
away from
Jesus,
to apostatize.
So just
like a
false prophet
or TV
preacher or
something,
they get
on and
they preach
a false
gospel and
they lead
a believer
to stray
away.
So would
be someone
in the
world who
leads this
person to
fall away.
This judgment
is what
Jesus is
talking about.
Judgment
on that
person.
And it's
really an
argument from
the lesser
to the
greater.
So a
millstone was
this, and
I've seen
them in
Israel,
these large
stones that
would be
pulled by
a donkey.
And that
millstone was
hung around
the neck as
a means of
execution.
This was a
frequent
execution in
Jesus'
day and
it's terrible.
obviously
horrible
drowning,
we can
imagine
would be
a terrible
way to
die.
And
Jesus'
point is
not to
say this
is what
they're
going to
get.
His
point is
to say
the punishment
in our
text is
better than
the punishment
that they'll
be dished out
to those
who lead
them astray.
Terrible
punishment of
being drowned
would be a
mercy compared
to what's in
store for
those who
turn little
ones away
from Christ.
Christ.
So broadly
I think our
response should
be a
warning,
certainly,
to be
careful on
how we
lead our
brothers and
sisters.
We don't
be a means
by which they
turn away.
And then
verse 7
adds more,
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.
So according
to God's
word,
we expect
temptation.
We're going
to expect
seeing temptation
is inevitable.
Still,
the inevitability
of it doesn't
excuse the
one through
whom it
comes.
And so
we're responsible
for other
believers,
for their
walk with
Christ,
and how we
interact with
them to not
be a
stumbling
block for
them.
And we're
culpable if
we lead them
to stumble.
And of
course,
this is
talking
somewhat
about the
world,
too,
which is
interesting to
think through
that them
leading
believers
astray,
the world,
there will
be a
judgment on
them.
And this
is a
warning to
them as
well,
to say,
do not
lead
believers
astray.
So I
hope you
see this.
The point
I'm drawing
out is
mainly that
you and
I have a
responsibility
for one
another.
Are we
concerned for
our brothers
and sisters
holiness,
or are we
really just
focused so
much on
just ourselves
and what
we want?
It's a
particular thing
that we
should wrestle
with in
light of what
Jesus says
here,
that we
would not
want to
lead anyone
astray.
So watch
out for
others.
And then
he,
in verses
8 and
9,
he says,
watch out
for
yourself.
Watch
out for
yourself.
Look at
what Jesus
continues and
says,
if your
hand or
foot causes
you to
stumble,
cut it
off and
throw it
away.
It is
better that
you enter
life maimed
or crippled
than to
have two
hands or
two feet
and be
thrown into
eternal
fire.
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 in
the fire
of hell.
So this
is where
I am
getting the
idea that
it is
radical
devotion.
I mean,
this is
radical,
what Jesus
is talking
about.
And you
would have
heard it
before because
he says
something similar
in Matthew
5 where he
applies it
directly to
lust and
he says,
if your eye
causes you
to sin,
gouge it
out.
But if
you're
watch out
for yourselves,
he gets
to talking
about what
1 Timothy 4
16 says,
watch your
life and
your doctrine
closely.
So deal
with your
own sins.
Turn away
from the
thing that's
causing you
to stumble.
And so
how are we
to take
Christ's
words?
Well,
we take
them, I
think,
figuratively.
He's using
figurative
language.
I think it
becomes clear
when you
think about
what he's
actually dealing
with.
To cut
off a limb
doesn't deal
with the
real problem.
Our
hearts.
So the
root of
sin lies
in our
hearts.
Actual
mutilation
of the
flesh would
not make
sense because
you can
look and
lust after
something with
one eye
just as
much as
you can
with two.
So it
doesn't take
care of
the problem.
I think
that means
that he's
talking
figuratively
saying we
should take
sin
seriously
and take
measures
to fight,
not go
around flirting
with sin,
but instead
don't act
like you're
untouchable,
but act like
you need to
resist
temptation.
A famous
line from
John Owen,
if you've
heard it
before,
be killing
sin or
sin will
be killing
you.
It's a
realization
that we
should turn
and throw
it away,
get rid
of it,
kill sin
or anything
that leads
us to
sin.
We should
expel
it,
deny it.
So I
don't know
what it is
for you,
but I
think what
he's getting
at is
something where
it's the
thing that
you know
that leads
you to
sin.
An example
would be a
smartphone at
night,
looking at
your smartphone
at night.
Leads you
to sin.
We're
watching certain
movies,
social media,
sports,
doing certain
activities,
busyness,
where you're
just so
busy that
you're always
upset with
the kids,
lack of
sleep where
you're just
irritated all
the time.
It's the
condition that's
maybe not
necessarily
sinful,
but it
leads you
to be
tempted to
sin.
And he
says,
cut it
out.
It is
worth
killing it
than to
slide adrift
into judgment,
which is what
he's getting
at,
eternal hell
and a
lake of
fire,
or a
fire of
hell.
So it's
just a
consideration
for all
of us
to consider
what are
the things
that are
leading us
to be
tempted?
And can
we get
rid of
them?
We find
alternatives.
So I
think of
if you
have a
friend,
so both
of these
together,
if you
have a
friend who's
trying to
stop drinking
soda,
or pop
as we
call it,
and it's
not sinful,
I'm not
saying that
at all,
but that
friend just
decides they
want to
make a
change,
and you
go out
and you
buy them
a soda,
you're not
watching out
for that
friend at
all.
And so
that's what
Jesus is
saying
spiritually.
Same
would be
true.
If you
have a
friend that
has admitted
to you,
I've
struggled
with gossip,
the last
thing you'd
want to
do with
him or
her is
talk about
some other
people in
the church
in a way
that maybe
lead them
to begin
gossiping.
I think that's
where he's
talking about
with leading
people to
stumble.
And this is
radical devotion
with our own
life,
being willing
to take
things out
that are not
necessarily
evil,
but that
lead us
to struggle
with sin.
So,
first one
is childlike
dependence.
I think
there's a
humility that
has childlike
dependence on
God.
We're
desperate.
And then
the second
one is
radical
devotion.
And then
the third
one is
heavenly
delight.
So this
humility is
marked by
heavenly
delight.
And what
I mean
is that
we're to
have the
same heart
as the
Father has.
So we're
to reflect
his heart,
his heavenly
delight,
delight in
the same
things.
And that
we discover
in verses
10-14.
So let's
take each
verse in
turn.
Verse 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.
So he
tells us
again not
to despise
little ones.
The third
time he's
used that
phrase.
And the
least among
us,
and we
shouldn't look
down on
them with
contempt,
instead we
should love
them, care
for them,
and treat
them, and
look out for
their holiness.
But what is
Jesus getting
at?
He brings
up angels.
Maybe not
what we were
expecting as
we're reading
through.
Oh, angels.
Oh, that's
interesting.
But we
believe in
angels.
Right?
Yes.
We believe
in angels.
And who are
these angels?
Well, they're
creatures,
specifically God's
agents.
They're
messengers,
the word
meaning there.
And the
Bible calls
them ministering
spirits.
So they're
those spirits
who minister
to believers.
They're real,
not mythical.
And the
Father, they
serve our
God in
various ways,
we see in
the Bible.
God.
Some people
take this
passage to
mean that
each one
of us
have
individual
guardian
angels.
But what
we don't
see,
actually,
the Bible,
although it
doesn't say
a lot about
that,
it doesn't
ever say
there's a
one-to-one.
So we
know that
there are
angels that
are guarding
us.
But what he's
not saying
here is
necessarily
that,
like,
in,
I don't
know if
you've all
seen the
film,
but It's
a Wonderful
Life,
the Christmas
film.
I don't
think Johnny
has seen
it,
but perhaps
you have.
And where
they have,
Clarence is
like a
guardian
angel.
He's got
the one-to-one
assigned.
I don't
think that's
what the
Bible says.
I think
that's made
up.
But there
is, in a
sense,
where there
are angels
from this
text that
have a
role with
these little
ones,
where they
are serving,
they are
serving
believers.
And they're
beholding the
face of
God.
They're
standing before
God,
night and
day.
And I
think that
points to
the fact that
God has
servants committed
to these little
ones.
In that way,
He cares about
them enough
to have
angels take
care of
them.
And so,
so should
we?
We should
see the
heart that
God has
and not
despise
fellow
believers,
knowing that
God cares
deeply about
them,
enough to
send out
His messengers
to care for
them.
So He
points to the
role of
angels to
caring for
these weaker
Christians as
a warning for
those who
despise them.
And then,
to illustrate
that further,
He gives a
parable in
verses 12
through 14.
But,
real quick,
I always,
you know,
you're reading
through and
then suddenly
you say,
well,
verse 11.
And you're
like,
when is
verse 11?
Well,
modern
translations,
you'll notice
it's missing.
And that's
simply because
our earliest
Greek manuscripts
don't have
this verse.
So the
later ones
have included
it because
they more
than likely
borrowed it
from Luke
19.
10.
So the
verse,
and I don't
know if
there's a
footnote
there,
but the
verse that
is normally
there in
some of
the older
translations
is just
a parallel
from Luke
19.
10.
So it's
most likely
not original
here,
not a huge
deal because
it's found
in Luke
19,
but that's
the explanation
why it
suddenly skips
verse 11.
All right,
verses 12
through 14.
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?
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.
In the
same way,
your Father
in heaven
is not
willing that
any of
these little
ones should
perish.
I don't
know if
you've ever
noticed this
parable.
You've heard
the Luke
15 one,
right?
I think I
immediately
thought this
was just
the same
as the
Luke 15
one.
But in
that context,
Jesus is
making a
different
point.
Luke 15,
Jesus is
showing God's
concern for
the lost
sinner,
the
un-evangelized,
the
unbeliever.
Now by
contrast,
our passage
is God's
love for
the little
ones in
the faith,
who wander
off,
who go
astray,
which I
take to
mean
disciples,
believers.
As one
writer has
noted,
there's more
than one
way to be
lost.
So my
daughters have
these little
water bottles
they carry
around everywhere.
It is one
thing,
which they
lose them
all the
time,
that's why
I thought
of this,
it is one
thing to
lose it
at home.
You know,
we know
it's inside
these walls
somewhere.
It's a
whole other
thing to
realize,
oh,
we have
no idea
where that
is.
It is out
in the
world,
you know,
whether we
are out
to eat
or whatever
it was.
I think
that Jesus
is talking
about the
home here.
Believers
losing it
here.
He's not
willing to
let any
believer who's
gone astray
perish.
So what
this shows
us is that
God cares
for each
believer.
Isn't
that amazing?
Even the
weakest.
And then
there's even
a rock
solid promise
at the
end.
He is
not willing
that any
should
perish.
God
pursues
his
children
who have
gone
astray
like a
shepherd
looking for
lost
sheep.
So,
real quick,
three things.
This
parable says
God cares
for us
individually.
It's
amazing.
Individually.
Brothers
and sisters,
God loves
you
personally.
He knows
you
personally.
And he's
committed to
you specifically
right now.
Every believer
in this room,
I mean,
he knows that
the one is
astray.
That's what it
says.
He's not
willing that
one of these
little ones
perish.
So God is
pursuing and
caring for us
individually.
That's
incredible.
Second,
God loves
us
constantly.
He will
search
continually
until he
finds each
sheep that
has strayed.
God
wills that
everyone who
belongs to
him by
faith should
persevere
with him.
His love
is constant.
He does
not give
up.
It's
incredible.
Three,
God delights
in our
return.
It says
he's happier,
which happy
is maybe
not the
right word,
I think.
I don't
know why
they switch
it.
I have an
older NIV
here and
they switched
it from
delight to
happy.
Seems like
not the
greatest
change.
He delights.
He is a
party.
When one
of the
little ones
that he
is called
returns,
he is not
willing to
leave anyone
behind and
his response
to their
return is
joy.
Again, I
don't know,
but you
may be
here and
you feel
like God
has abandoned
you.
Know this
for sure,
he has
not abandoned
you.
For his
own he
cares.
He has
promised to
never leave
you nor
forsake you.
He has
not abandoned
you.
And he
loves you
constantly,
and he's
pursuing you
relentlessly.
We sometimes
think,
even if we
think we're
more reformed
in our
thinking,
we sometimes
think that
we have to
pursue the
Lord,
and if we
don't,
well,
we'll just
stray away.
There's a
sense in
which the
Lord is
the one
that is
pursuing
us
constantly.
But I
think the
point that
I'm drawing
out to
is that if
he cares
so much
about those
who have
gone astray,
well,
so should
we.
So should
we.
Humility is
not giving
up on
anyone who's
gone astray.
You can
maybe look
around the
room and
think there
are some
that aren't
here that
were not
just a few
years ago.
We should
be careful
not to
write anyone
off,
because God
doesn't.
And we
should care
as God
does.
I think
this
humility,
the theme
throughout
has been
humility.
Maybe not
what we
think of,
but it's
true greatness,
greatness of
the kingdom
that he's
been talking
about,
that the
gospel instills
in us,
this humility,
a childlike
dependence,
as we've
said,
despises no
one,
even the
lowly,
and this
radical
devotion to
one's own
holiness and
to others'
holiness,
and then
care and
protection of
our own as
we walk
with the
Lord.
And last,
it produces
a delight
in that
when believers
come in,
when believers
come,
when they've
gone astray
and they are
restored to
us,
we have
this joy,
this delight.
To the
degree that
you search
for something
that is
lost,
reveals the
value of
that thing.
Now,
if you lose
something,
you're like,
I don't really
care about that.
You're not
going to
search very
long for
it.
But Chris
will tell
you,
if I lose
something that
I love,
I search
for it
endlessly,
I don't
quit,
God is
not willing
that any
should
perish.
That's
amazing
promise
to end
this morning
with.
It's his
heart for
those who
have gone
astray,
and if
that's
true,
if it's
his heart
for those
who have
gone
astray,
imagine
again what
his heart
is for
you.
He loves
you.
And that's
what our
heart should
be for one
another and
for those
who go
astray.
May we
reflect the
father's
love in
this.
To be
great in
the kingdom,
to be
humble like
a child,
radically
leading others
to Christ,
and having
this heavenly
delight.
That's what
Jesus is
calling us
to this
morning.
And we
need
grace.
God
opposes
the proud,
gives
grace to
the humble.
The beauty
is when you
humble yourself
like a child,
he gives
you grace.
let's pray
for that
grace.
Lord, we
are in
desperate
need of
your grace.
Give us
grace to
walk in
this gospel
humility,
to be
truly humble
before you,
not great in
our own
eyes or in
the world's
eyes, but
to be truly
great in
your eyes.
Hear our
humble prayer.
be with
anyone here
who feels
like they
don't fit
in, or
maybe perhaps
they've been
searching, may
they come to
know you,
Jesus, first
of all, and
then may all
those who
come through
our doors
in church
here and
the church
in Michigan,
where do I
live, in
Minnesota, may
all who come
in through
our doors,
our churches,
find a
home.
We pray
this in
Jesus'
name.
Amen.
Thank you,
Jason.
If you want
to talk
afterwards,
to
ministering
habits,
wait.
Thank you
for
doing
goal.
Bye.