Jesus And The Children (18:1-14)
INTRODUCTION
One of the more touching and endearing scenes during the life of Jesus was when He used a little child to teach His disciples some lessons - Mt 18:1-14
For all who would be true disciples of Jesus, there are valuable lessons to be gleaned from this passage
[The first thing we are taught is...]
THE NECESSITY OF CONVERSION (1-4)
WITHOUT CONVERSION, THERE IS NO SALVATION...
"Unless you are converted", Jesus said
"You will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven"
Without conversion, we cannot have our sins blotted out - cf. Ac 3:19
And we will not enjoy "times of refreshing from the Lord" - cf. Ac 3:19
Note that the process of conversion is passive: "be converted"
I.e., it is something you must allow to be done to you
It begins when we in faith submit to "the working of God"
That is, in baptism - cf. Col 2:12
Wherein by God's mercy we experience "regeneration", "renewal" - Tit 3:5
It continues as we live the Christian life
God continues His working in us - cf. Php 1:6; 2:12-13
He will do so until the coming of Christ - 1Th 5:23-24
-- Have you, indeed are you, submitting to the working of God in your life so as to be truly converted?
A CONVERSION INVOLVING CHILDLIKE HUMILITY...
This was the concern of Jesus in Mt 18:4
For His disciples had asked who would be greatest in the kingdom
Jesus used a child to illustrate the sort of humility one must have
Paul later used Jesus as an example of humility - Php 2:3-5
-- Those who submit to the working of God in their lives will produce this kind of humility necessary for salvation - cf. Col 3:12-13
[The next thing we learn from this passage is...]
THE SIN OF STUMBLING BLOCKS (5-7)
WHO ARE THE "CHILDREN"?
Some think Jesus used an infant to make his point about humility, and is now discussing His adult disciples
But the Greek word for "child" (paidion) can refer to one as old as twelve years - cf. Mk 5:39-42
-- I understand Jesus to be discussing children old enough to believe, old enough to sin - Mt 18:6
THE TERRIBLENESS OF CAUSING CHILDREN TO SIN...
It would be better to be killed by drowning - Mt 18:6
"Woe to that man..." - Mt 18:7
Why so terrible? Because it is a sin against Christ Himself!
Note Mt 18:5 and consider its opposite
Paul learned this lesson on the road to Damascus - Ac 9:4-5
He taught this truth to brethren in Corinth - 1Co 8:9-13
HOW ONE CAN PUT STUMBLING BLOCKS IN A CHILD'S WAY...
By doing anything to keep them from serving Christ freely
Directly, by persecuting, ridiculing, opposing, or dissuading them from serving the Lord
Indirectly, by living a life inconsistent with what we claim to be!
-- Are we putting stumbling blocks before our children, even unwittingly?
[The next thing we can glean from these verses is...]
THE REALITY OF FUTURE PUNISHMENT (8-9)
SOME DENY PUNISHMENT AFTER DEATH, BUT NOT JESUS...
E.g., Seventh-Day Adventists and Members of the Watchtower Society (JWs)
Yet Jesus, more than any other, taught the reality of an eternal, suffering place of torment!
The word "Gehenna" is used twelve times in Scripture, all but once by Jesus!
Elsewhere He mentions "everlasting fire" and "everlasting punishment" - Mt 25:41,46
And so did His disciples - He 10:26-29; Re 21:8
Consider the implication of Mt 18:6 and He 10:28-29...
What could be worse than drowning in the sea or dying without mercy?
Acc. to those who deny punishment after death...nothing!
-- Dare we "water down" what Jesus and the Bible teaches about the destiny of the wicked?
WE SHOULD THEREFORE TAKE SIN SERIOUSLY...
So much so, that we remove whatever is close and dear to us if it causes us to sin!
Jesus is using hyperbole, of course, for what good would it be to pluck out only one eye?
-- Sin is like cancer; sometimes "radical surgery" is the only solution!
[Finally, we are taught in this passage about...]
THE PRECIOUSNESS OF GOD'S CHILDREN (10-14)
THEIR ANGELS ALWAYS BEHOLD GOD'S FACE...
What this may involve, one can only speculate
Many think this refers to "guardian angels" - cf. Ps 91:9-12
We do know that angels are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation" - He 1:14
Our text speaks of their presence before God - Mt 18:10
Which some take to refer to their readiness to carry out the Father's wishes (Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke)
At the very least we know there is joy in their presence when sinners repent - Lk 15:10
Will they not be dismayed when one of God's children sin, or is made to stumble by others?
-- Their close proximity to God in heaven suggest the honor God has toward those children who believe!
THE SON OF MAN CAME TO SAVE THEM...
Jesus came to die for them, too! - Mt 18:11
Jesus illustrated His concern for them with the parable of the lost sheep - Mt 18:12-13
-- If Jesus was willing to give His life for them, dare we despise or neglect them?
THE FATHER DOESN'T WANT TO LOSE EVEN ONE...
It is not His will - Mt 18:14
Notice: He does not want to lose "one" of these little ones!
-- If both the Father and Son think so highly of these little ones, should not we?
CONCLUSION
The words of Jesus should motivate us to take children seriously...
For parents: how important to bring your child up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord!
For teachers: How serious and noble is your task of teaching our children!
For all of us: We are examples and role models, whether good or bad...and God will hold us accountable for the effect we have on them!
And for those who would enter the kingdom...
Heed the necessity of being converted!
Let the example of child-like trust and humility be a guide as to how we should serve God and one another!
Have you humbled yourself in obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ?
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- Jesus the way
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- Jesus is our faith to our beloved
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- Our GOD is a awesome GOD
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- None righteous no not one
- Only 1 church (church of CHRIST)
- Offenses
- Preachers leading w/ no authority from GOD
- Pride of men hinder the advancement of the gospel
- Obey the gospel
- Power of the tongue
- Persecution
- Pleasing God
- Preaching Jesus
- practicing SIN
- Prayer
- Persecution and Oppression
- Perverting the gospel
- Riverside gallery
- Repent Repent Repent
- REPENT!
- Pray without ceasing
- Root of all evil
- Repent
- RESPONDING TO THE CALL OF GOD
- References on request
- Religious error
- Sober
- Scriptually organized w/o deacons?
- Searching for truth
- Rule your own house?
- Reject God
- Sinners prayer 4min video
- Salvation
- Serving GOD or Self serving
- Stairway to heaven
- Safe in the arms of GOD
- Service to GOD
- Submit and we will pray for you
- Such were some of you
- Sheet music
- Sincere,True Ministry
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- World Video Bible School (WVBS)
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- What names on your sign
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- Wonderful Grace
- What must i do to be saved?
- Worship
- Walking with GOD
- Where in the bible is your church mentioned
- Your unbelief
- Mat 19:6
- Love of GOD overcomes
- Home
- Abortion AP
- Abortion (forced termination)
- (ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN) STAYING SAVED DB
- All authority
- All have sinned
- Are you a Christian
- A place for God`s name(this is it)
- Abounding hope
- Amazing grace
- Awesome Father,Son,Holy spirit
- Audio Bible (KJV)
- Authority
- Are you the enemy of God
- Abomination
- Accuser of GOD`S people
- Accuser
- Adversary
- AUDIO RIVERSIDE CHURCHOFCHRIST
- Apologetics press
- Acts conversion chart
- Born again
- Baptizm search for truth
- Baptizm immersion not sprinkle, pouring
- Baptizm
- Baptizm NT
- Brand new creation
- Belief more than knowing there is a GOD
- Bethel
- Bible read & listen
- Brain washed (believing lies)
- BAPTIZM POINT OF SALVATION
- Baptizm (antitype)
- Being mistreated for doing good.
- Bible charts Donnie Barnes
- Bible inspiration
- Be not many masters.
- Bible verse of the day
- Baptizm forgiveness of sin, washed in the blood of JESUS
- Beyond the logos
- Bible book outlines
- Bless your enemies curse not
- Bible`s scientific foreknowledge
- Children giving glory to GOD
- Can GOD`S house be established today?
- Christianity full time privilledge
- Church built by GOD
- Church built on Christ
- CONTACT US
- Childrens video
- Children learn what they live
- Childrens : Digger Doug
- Christ
- Condemn your brother with your tongue
- Church of Jesus Christ
- CONTACT
- Christianity 101
- Cast the first stone
- Church of CHRIST Romans 16:16
- Christs
- The children
- Creation
- Did Jesus build more than 1 church?
- Dictionary
- Does doctrine matter
- Deception of false teachers
- Committed to GOD
- Denominationlism
- Diotrephes
- Divorce and remarriage
- Falling away
- Filthy rags
- Day of the Lord
- False preaching can keep u from heaven
- Faith the substance of all things
- Drinking alcohol
- Faith
- Forgiveness
- Fabricated truth
- False Teaching
- Fake preachers
- False Preachers
- False teacher, False preacher DS
- Give account for yourself
- GOD is righteous
- Forget God?
- False brethren
- GOD
- GOD`S PLAN IS NOT MAN`S DESIGN
- First gospel sermon
- GOD built true church not man
- Gossip David Schmidt
- God`s will for you
- GOD`S calling, the good new`s
- Gospel broadcasting network
- Hypocrites1
- How beautiful are the feet that preach
- How do you obey the gospel?
- How to get to heaven?
- Heaven/Hell
- Hypocrites
- Homosexuality
- Hymns
- Hope
- Gospel Enacted
- Have you obeyed the gospel?
- Heart
- In Christ
- Interview with satan(father of lies)
- How is the church organized?
- In Jesus Christ
- Is there more than 1 church? no
- Inspired word of GOD
- Influence of evil
- In Christ (what is it being in Christ)
- Inspiration what is it?
- Jesus is Lord
- Jesus the way
- JESUS
- Jesus Jesus Jesus
- Jesus is our faith to our beloved
- In Christ the fullness of the Godhead
- JESUS CHRIST IS LORD
- Jesus & children
- Jesus has come in the flesh
- Kenya gallery1
- Lying wonder
- Jesus is Lord (Kurios)
- Light at Riverside Church of CHRIST
- LOCATION OF ONE TRUE CHURCH
- Lost
- Lord`s church
- Looking for things to get better
- Kingdom come ?
- LORDS church part 1
- Law of Liberty inCHRIST
- Light of the world
- Lying preachers
- Lying Christians is their any without
- Leading to Christ
- Love God, the creator of Love.
- LINKS
- Leaders of this world should be ashamed
- Ladies videos
- Lesson`s books of the bible gbn
- Meddling & Gossip is sin
- Lying 1
- Making the change
- Lord`s supper
- MURMURINGS, MURMURERS, MURMUR
- Man`s device (not GOD`S)
- Moral issues
- NT reveals one church
- New Creation
- No change
- Man`s tradition or God`s word
- Our GOD is a awesome GOD
- Overcome evil with good
- None righteous no not one
- Only 1 church (church of CHRIST)
- Offenses
- Preachers leading w/ no authority from GOD
- Pride of men hinder the advancement of the gospel
- Obey the gospel
- Power of the tongue
- Persecution
- Pleasing God
- Preaching Jesus
- practicing SIN
- Prayer
- Persecution and Oppression
- Perverting the gospel
- Riverside gallery
- Repent Repent Repent
- REPENT!
- Pray without ceasing
- Root of all evil
- Repent
- RESPONDING TO THE CALL OF GOD
- References on request
- Religious error
- Sober
- Scriptually organized w/o deacons?
- Searching for truth
- Rule your own house?
- Reject God
- Sinners prayer 4min video
- Salvation
- Serving GOD or Self serving
- Stairway to heaven
- Safe in the arms of GOD
- Service to GOD
- Submit and we will pray for you
- Such were some of you
- Sheet music
- Sincere,True Ministry
- Scripual and unscriptually organized churches
- STOP
- Spirit to the churches
- Searching for truth(book)
- Slave of GOD
- SERMONS
- Same sex marriage
- SUNDAY APRIL 17 2022
- SHEPHERD
- Slave of the creator
- Speak evil of a Christian is sin against Christ
- The dog has returned to his vomit
- Truth
- Truth about
- Truth for the world
- The holy spirit
- Thanks to GOD
- Time for truth
- Those who persecute you
- Turn from sin to GOD
- 2 Reasons to believe ap
- The way we were
- The Church
- The Lord`s Supper
- U WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR IDLE WORDS
- The devil
- Unless the Lord build the house
- Vengeance
- Unscriptual organization of the church
- U HAVE AN ENEMY!
- What must i do to be saves (transcript)
- What is the Gospel?
- WOE WOE WOE
- James Watkins
- When you die
- Why so many churches (Transcript)
- World Video Bible School (WVBS)
- Withdrawal fellowship
- What names on your sign
- What GOD has cleansed
- Wonderful Grace
- What must i do to be saved?
- Worship
- Walking with GOD
- Where in the bible is your church mentioned
- Your unbelief
- Mat 19:6
- Love of GOD overcomes
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