Stay Humble Like a Child

Introduction:

Recap the series of all 4 weeks.

WK 1 - Talked about Loving like Christ

WK 2 - Talked about the Word (Christ)

WK 3 - Christ talks about Prayer & fasting

WK 4 - Talked about Being tested like Christ

WK 5 - Christ says to Stay Humble like a Child

What does it mean to be Humble?

One definition says it’s having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance. Another definition of humble is of low social, administrative, or political rank.

For those who would learn God’s ways, humility is the first thing, humility is the second, humility is the third.

Saint Augustine of Hippo

Matthew 18: Humility over Influence

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven 18:1–5pp—Mk 9:33–37; Lk 9:46–48 18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Jesus when asked who is the greatest points to a child. A child in that time was regarded as a nobody. They were not valued. They were considered less then women. This is why we see when Jesus fed 5000 & 4000 it says “not including women & children”. Jesus shows if you want to be the greatest you must be like these little ones. Jesus points to the lowest of the social pecking order. For the disciples this would’ve been a slap to the face. They didn’t understand because we see that in Matthew 19: 14-15 Jesus has to correct them again.

Matthew 19:14–15 NIV

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

When Jesus says to come to him he has a specific way he is talking about. Children have many characteristics that the people of God are not to copy: they don’t know a lot, they can’t focus very well on things for a long period of time, and they make all kinds of poor decisions out of ignorance. We are not to be childish in these senses. but Children are humble in the fact that they need caring, love, support. Many of us have lost that humility for Jesus. Like the disciples we have this sense of entitlement and arrogance at times that because we are Christian we’re good. When the truth is many of have forgotten what it means to be a Christian. Jesus calls His disciples & us to humility of heart, not childishness of thought

Causing to Stumble 6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, 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. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, 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. The Parable of the Wandering Sheep 18:12–14pp—Lk 15:4–7 10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. [11] 12 “What 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? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Mt 18:1–14.

Key Points: Christ wants us to be humble like children but not act like children