Unless You Change (Matthew 18:1-5)
Gary McManus, 01/31/2021Part of the God's New Year series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Matthew 18:1-5
Kingdom of Heaven. . .Jesus’ first thing (Matthew 4:17)
Kingdom of Heaven; not the future.
The Kingdom of Heaven is NOW.
It is “following Jesus”; a lifestyle, “the Way.”
(Acts 9:2, John 14:6, Matthew 4:19)
In Matthew Ch. 18, Jesus takes the question asked
as an opportunity to teach all present.
[When Matthew needs to, he mentions Jesus teaching
just the “Twelve.” (Mattehw 10:1)
Children in the ancient world. . .
not like now.
Jesus’ words were:
“unless you change and become like little children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
The question the disciples posed was about status.
Jesus’ answer is a child . . .a child with no status.
Jesus is the example but a tough example.
Pastor finds it easier to look to Jesus’ instructions
to the disciples (Chapter 10).
Jesus emphasized gratitude INSTEAD or our preferences.
Let us not be grateful for our preferences,
Jesus is teaching us to be grateful for what is given us. .
by God the loving Heavenly Father.
The child is more an example of dependency.
Jesus wants disciples to have dependency on God.
AND Jesus instructed that it is okay to ASK of God.
See Matthew 7:9. Also Matthew 7:7-8.
Jesus never said, “I must do this on my own.”
Jesus always went to prayer. (And to God’s Word Matthew 4:4)
An interesting Jesus prayer and Matthew recorded it.
Matthew 11:25
The little ones ARE meek, humble, and have little or
no power. [Think of Day Care children.]
The old rabbis had a saying. . .
Can you bow low enough?
Can you get humble enough?
Amen.
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