The Gospel of Matthew: Jesus & The Little Ones

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-9

Intro: Following Jesus' prediction of His death and a miraculous provision, His disciples ask a status-driven question: "Who is the greatest in the kingdom?" Jesus' answer pivots dramatically, starting gently like Mr. Rogers and ending fiercely like Mr. T. This passage reveals the heart of God – His value system, His fierce protection of His children, and the radical measures needed for kingdom life. Don't lean away from the warnings; they are deeply loving.

Key Points:

1. The Way In: Childlike Humility (vv. 1-4): Jesus bypasses the disciples' question about rank and addresses kingdom entry. To enter, one must "turn and become like children." This isn't about innocence or playfulness, but embracing the low status, dependence, and humility of a child in that culture – willingly receiving Jesus' rule. True greatness is this humility.
2. The Welcome: Receiving Little Ones (v. 5): Greatness involves receiving "one such child" – broadening from literal children to all believers, especially the seemingly insignificant or "unstrategic." Welcoming them in Jesus' name is welcoming Jesus Himself.
3. The Warning: Harming Little Ones (vv. 6-7): Jesus issues a severe warning (hyperbolic millstone imagery) against causing believers ("little ones") to sin – understood here as causing a devastating loss of faith or leading them astray from Christ, perhaps through false teaching or hypocritical actions. Woe to the one who becomes such a stumbling block.
4. The War: Radical Action Against Sin (vv. 8-9): To avoid harming others, we must deal radically with our own sin. The shocking hyperbole (cutting off hand/foot, gouging out eye) emphasizes the need for decisive, painful action against sin, which originates in the heart. Deal ruthlessly with personal sin before it destroys you and spills over onto others whom Jesus loves.

Conclusion: This passage confronts our pride, our tendency to overlook the "unstrategic," and our casualness towards personal sin. But rather than ending in condemnation or mere striving, the speaker pivots (drawing from the following verses, Matt 18:10-14) to remind us that we are the "little ones." We are guarded by angels, sought out by the Good Shepherd who leaves the 99 for the 1, and cherished by the Father whose will is that none should perish.

Call to Action: Before focusing on what you must do for others, recognize yourself as one of the beloved "little ones" Jesus fiercely protects and pursues. Let the overwhelming reality of His love for you – His downward mobility to find you – be the motivation for humility, for valuing others, and for taking sin seriously in your own life. Respond to His love and grace today.

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The Gospel of Matthew: Jesus & The Little Ones (Matthew 18:1-9)
with Travis Aicklen