The Greatest?

Prayer requests first - then prayer

So, we had just went through some history from the beginning of the Bible, but today we have a different lesson.

Who here can tell me who they think the greatest person is in your life right now?

Lets think a little deeper, who do you guys think the greatest person in Heaven will be?

Do you think there will be people better than the other? Why or why not?

Do you think that here on earth theres people better than someone else? Why or why not?

I am going to read this little story here. This is a conversation between the disciples and Jesus.

Matthew 18:1–5 “About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.”

Lets think about that for just a minute. What is something, you kids, believe in? Maybe the Easter Bunny? Maybe Santa? Let me tell y’all a little story. Back when I was a kid on Christmas eve, my brothers and I used to leave out gingerbread cookies and egg nog for Santa and we would each write a letter to him. Well, for one Christmas eve, I asked santa in my letter for one very specific thing. Something I hadn’t even told anyone about, cause I wanted to see if he would do it! But I believed that he could. Anyone wanna guess what I asked for? I asked for candy canes. Oh but not just any candy canes! I asked for pink and brown candy canes. Like a cordial cherry ones!! I didn’t even know if they existed, but I believed Santa would make it happen.

Christmas morning. We opened all our presents. And my mom told me to look all over on our tree. Guess what was hanging here and there? Those exact candy canes!!!!

Thats what child like faith looks like. Its helpless, dependence, innocent, and without doubt. What is something that you have completely believed in and seen happen?

So, heres the hard pill to swallow…Jesus says to the disciples that unless you have child-like faith, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven. So what does that mean?

Believe in your heart, without a shadow of a doubt, show that you believe it, that Jesus is real and is the Son of God.

Sometimes thats hard to do, isnt it? People could make fun of you, the worldly things look more fun. But you know what, even Jesus’ disciples got made fun of for following him. But guess what, in the end when we get to Heaven, it is worth it. Earth is just temporary, what comes after this is eternal and this is our chance, even as kids, to make that decision.

So child like faith, also being humble, not stuck up, and to be welcoming of other people, of Gods children.

We are jumping ahead to when Jesus was on the earth. This lesson takes place before he died on the cross.