BECOME LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN

Matthew 17:24-18:14

Key Verses 18:3-4

“And he said, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

In today’s passage Jesus’ teaches about humility and greatness in the kingdom of heaven. Each person, deep down, has the desire to become great. But I don’t think each person has the desire to become like a little child or to humble themselves like a little child. Yet, Jesus says that unless we become like little children, then we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. And, further, that whoever humbles himself like a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. So, let’s prayerfully look at this passage today and find out why we must humble ourselves and become like little children.

Pride stands in the way of knowing Jesus (17:24-27)

The disciples had been filled with grief (17:23). Jesus recently began to teach them about his sufferings, death, and resurrection. The disciples could only think about Jesus’ sufferings and death. Then some tax collectors came up to Peter and confronted him. Look at verse 24. “After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, ‘Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?’” To which Peter quickly replied, “Yes, he does.” 

When Peter got back to the house, Jesus spoke first to him. There was something uneasy in Peter’s heart about this confrontation that Jesus wanted to correct. Look at 17:25-27. “When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. ‘What do you think, Simon?’ he asked. ‘From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own sons or from others?’ 26 ‘From others,’ Peter answered. ‘Then the sons are exempt,’ Jesus said to him. 27 ‘But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.’” 

It looked like Peter simply answered their question. But here Jesus reveals that there was something more to Peter’s answer. He did not understand what it means that Jesus is the Son of God. Why was this the case? In the previous chapters, Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He was included among those Jesus took up the mountainside where he was transfigured before them. They even heard God’s voice, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” The message couldn’t have been clearer. But instead Peter got excited and puffed up because of these things. Surely, his personal ambitions rose more and more. When Jesus spoke about his sufferings and death, Peter misunderstood, feeling sorry for Jesus and for himself. 

Jesus revealed that the issue was not whether they should pay the temple tax or not. Jesus’ words show that Peter’s problem was not knowing who Jesus is, specifically, that he is the Son of God. And this was case because there was pride in his heart standing in the way of Peter coming to know Jesus. Pride stands in the way for all of us to come to know Jesus. With pride comes our own ambitions and insecurities, and we even risk misrepresenting Jesus and missing out on the blessings of fellowship with him, which is to be restored in the image of God as his children. We can see this in Jesus’ encouragement to Peter as he challenged him. Jesus said, “So that we may not offend them…” and then he provided a way to pay the tax for both of them. So, Jesus humbled himself to encourage Peter and he considered him a son together with him.

Humility is the key to knowing Jesus (18:1-4)

Look at 18:1. “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’” What a bold question to ask Jesus! Not only Peter, but the others disciples also got puffed up about themselves, especially through the recent events, so much so that each thought he was the greatest. And they couldn’t agree on who was the greatest, so they went to Jesus to find out. Maybe, after the incident with the temple tax, Peter went and told the others what happened with a big smile on his face. Anyway, their question implies that they expected Jesus to single one of them out and say that he was the greatest. 

Instead, Jesus answered them in a very unexpected and surprising way. Look at verses 2-4. “He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” 

Here were the disciples, standing before Jesus. Then Jesus called a little child and had him stand among them. Can you imagine what this must have looked like, for a little child to stand among these grown men who had thought so highly of themselves? Then Jesus told them that unless they change and become like little children, they would never enter the kingdom of heaven. Here was a child who had nothing great about himself. Yet, he was the model that the disciples had to change and become like just to enter the kingdom of heaven. How shocking this sounds! 

What does Jesus mean when he says, “Become like little children”? It begins with humbling ourselves like little children. We can see the humbleness of little children in that they do not compete for the title of “The Greatest” like adults do, and build up a long list of accomplishments to exalt themselves over others. We can also see their humbleness in their learning minds. Studies have shown that between the ages of infancy to 5 years the mind is at its greatest ability to learn. So children’s minds are like sponges. Supposedly, those early years are the best times to teach children other languages. I have two little children. My daughter Noah is 22 months and my son Evan is 4 ½ months old. I am amazed at how quickly they learn and retain what they have learned. They can learn like this and yet they don’t pretend to be great or to know everything. Because Noah has learned so much about daily activities, nowadays she tells me now, “I do it, Daddy.” So she has to dress herself, brush her teeth, take a bath, comb her hair, put her shows on—all on her own. Yet, when she needs help, she always asks, “Help, Daddy.” And she is ready to follow everything I say to her. 

So, Jesus put children high on a pedestal to encourage his disciples to develop such a humble attitude, so that they could have a learning and trusting mind, admit their ignorance—meaning, they would be ready to come to know Jesus and follow everything he says. And at the same time, they would stop competing with each other and abandon their worldly concept of greatness. 

Look at verse 4 again. “Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Becoming like a child is not only a requirement to enter the kingdom of heaven, it is also the way to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. So, Jesus presented humility in such a way that they would be very encouraged to be the most humble and childlike. Jesus’ understanding of greatness is very different from the disciples. Rather than exalting one person over others, the greatest is the one who humble (lowers) himself. 

Why is this the case? Why is the one who humbles himself like a little child the greatest? Actually, the disciples’ viewpoint on greatness is the same that most people have today. The greatest is the one with the most achievements and accomplishments, the longest resume, etc. the most volunteer work and publications—that is how we measure greatness, by all of these accomplishments. And, like the disciples, we tend to carry that mentality over into the church. 

But Jesus’ view of greatness is the opposite. It is based on humility, not exaltation. It is exemplified in Jesus’ own life and person. This is why humbleness is the key to learning of Jesus and being like him. Jesus is the most humble in all the universe throughout all history.

There is one passage that captures the nature and greatness of his humility so well. Let’s look at Philippians 2:3-11: “3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” 

Jesus set the perfect example of humbling oneself. He is God, but he “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Jesus is the Creator God. Yet he became a human like us. He lived in a carpenter’s family. He didn’t live in a palace. He was despised and rejected. He called lowly fisherman and outcast tax collectors to be his disciples and friends. Verse 8 continues, “he humbled himself and became obedient to death…” Obedience is the real fruit and action that comes out of a truly humble attitude and lowering oneself. Even Jesus, when he humbled himself, became obedient—to death, even death on a cross. 

Jesus lowered himself to the lowest place. But God exalted him to the “highest” place. God uses and blesses the humble person greatly. Moses was called “the most humble man on the face of the whole earth” (Numbers 12:3). He was not always that way. At first he was very proud to be a Hebrew and yet the prince of Egypt and well trained. But he could not do anything to help God’s people and serve God. Later, Moses became great, considered the greatest prophet and shepherd for Israel, not because of his accomplishments, but because of God who humbled him. It is the same principle for Jesus’ disciples and for us as well. God measures greatness not by our accomplishments or a long resume, but by the level of our humility. Jesus wants us to rise up to God’s greatest and be used greatly by God. But first we must lower or humble ourselves. To be humble is to follow Jesus’ own life and attitude. 

So, just as Jesus humbled himself and became obedient, so we too are led to obedience to God through humbling ourselves like Jesus. But we do not need to become obedient to death on a cross. That was Jesus’ mission. As we learned through last week’s message, Jesus has given us a command to obey, that is, the command to go and make disciples of all nations (Mat 28:18-20).That was not a suggestion, but a command to his disciples, which requires humility to obey and bear fruit in. Let’s not forget this purpose Jesus has in mind, the mission he has given, but in true humility, in humbling ourselves, become fully obedient to Jesus and this world mission command. 

Humility is the key to not sinning (5-9)

In verses 5-9 Jesus talks about the matter of sin. This section is very important because sin is what caused human beings to lose greatness as God’s creation, made in his image and likeness, and sin prevents us from rising to God’s greatness. So humility is key to obedience, and therefore not sinning or causing others to sin. 

Look at verse 5. “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” Here Jesus extends who is a “little child” to all who believe in him. Jesus says that whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. Our tendency is to welcome those whom we think are great, and we don’t concern ourselves too much with those whom we think are lowly like little children. In the early church, there was a problem where people who were “important” in society or rich could a good place to sit during worship times, and the poor were neglected and given very poor places to sit, if any place to sit. The Apostle James rebuked them and said, “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism” (James 2:1). Jesus teaches that we must welcome even the lowliest, who is like a little child, in Jesus’ name because when we do so we are welcoming him. Jesus is there with the lowliest person and identifies with them. Jesus wants his disciples to regard others as regarding Jesus himself and not treat others based on worldly classifications. 

By the same token, we must take the greatest care not to lead others into sin or cause them to sin. Look at verse 6. “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” To welcome another like a little child in Jesus’ name sincerely requires humility. Being mindful of others includes making sure that we are not causing them to sin, and this too requires humility. The person who thinks he is “great” thinks of himself before others. What he says and does can easily influence others or lead them into sin. There are other times when we put our own desires above the well being of others even when it means causing them to sin. But Jesus says with very illustrative language the seriousness of causing others to sin. When we consider others better than ourselves, when we consider Jesus Christ, then we can have the right motivation and heart to restrain ourselves from leading others into sin. 

Jesus explains further the absolute attitude we must have in regards to sin, in verses 7-9. “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9And if your eye causes you to sin, 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.”

This is why we need an absolute attitude in regards to not sinning. What is at stake? Our eternal destination—meaning, that with this one life we have and that others have, we missed the potential that God has invested in each person to rise up to God’s true greatness. 

In the case of the first man Adam and Eve, the devil appealed to their pride which led them into sin. He said to the woman, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing God and evil.” And then the next verse says, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” (Gen 3:5-6).

Therefore, to not sin requires humility which bears the fruit of obedience to God, rather than disobedience. This is the way of true greatness. Whatever causes us to sin, Jesus says we must do two things, 1) “cut it off”; and 2) “throw it away.” We can’t just put the things that cause us to sin aside. When we do we know that it is tempting to just come back to it later. But Jesus says clearly to “cut it off” and “throw it away” so that you can’t come back to it. At the same time, it is possible that we completely dismember ourselves and yet still sin from our hearts. So, Jesus is teaching the attitude we must have in regards to sin. There is no compromise. Cut it off and throw it away. Throughout middle school and high school I read Anne Rice’s complete Vampire Chronicles and Mayfair Witches books. I rushed the bookstore when the new ones would come out. But these were gothic / semi-erotic books. Because of my sinful desires, I enjoyed these books. After studying the Bible, I realized that they were causing me to sin. So I went home one afternoon and throw all those kinds of books away and stay away from reading such things. It was a small action, but helpful for me to learn about cutting off and throwing away what causes to sin. And I could apply that attitude in future circumstances joyfully and freely. 

Humbleness is the key to seeing others with God’s mind and heart (10-14)

Look at verse 10a. “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.” Looking down on others is another major problem of people who pursue their own greatness by worldly standards. Usually, to exalt ourselves, we bring others down. And it is very easy to look down on others, especially those with outward and apparent weaknesses and often stumble, on those who are in need, and those who look lowly, or those who are new believers or young. Pride dictates us to look down on others. But we must not look down on one of these little ones. 

Why? Let’s look at verses 10b-14. “For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 12What 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? 13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”

It is so that they may remain in fellowship with God. Here Jesus illustrates God’s view point on each of his little ones. He watches over them individually with great care. He values each of them as his very own. Why does Jesus tell us about God’s mind and heart for others? So that we would have the same mind and heart as God our Father. Because he sees these little ones in this way, we must see them in the same way as he does. Therefore, rather than looking down on others, we look on them with the mind and heart of our heavenly Father. It is the fulfilled action of the truly humble person. He adopts God’s mind and heart to care for others above himself. 

Let’s pray that we may excel in humility, becoming like little children, and that God may bless our Downey ministry to be a place where little ones come and are welcomed and grow up well as disciples of Jesus and children of God. 

One Word: Become like little children