Matthew 18:1-35 June 28, 2001

Matthew 18:1-14 June 28, 2001

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Humility, the missing ingredient in sinners today.

It will take humility to admit that 1 Billion Catholics may be wrong.

It will take humility to admit that God is right and I am wrong.

It will take humility to admit that religion won’t save.

It will take humility to admit that the Bible is true after all.

It will take humility to admit that for 20, 30, 40 years I have been deceived.

It will take humility to admit that those Baptists have something.

It will take humility to admit that Mom and Dads religion is of the devil.

It will take humility to admit that I’m on my way to Hell.

It will take humility to admit that I’ve been deceived.

5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

Good news for child workers. Good news for Sunday school teachers. You are literally serving Jesus if you are ministering to children.

6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

We can apply this teaching to quite a multitude:

Woe unto 99% of day care workers, public school teachers, social workers, most parents, all rock stars including: Brittany Spears, The Back Street Boys and REM, most clergymen (Catholic or Protestant), the children’s aid, abortionists, pornographers, record companies, the environmentalists with their "save the whales and kill the babies" philosophy, clothing manufacturers, the sodomites, most book publishers, the "Pope", modern version translators, drug dealers, toy makers, video game makers-including those who make: Nintendo, Pokemon, Dungeons and Dragons, promoters of sex education, promoters of public, godless education, the authors of Jennifer has two Mommies and Daddies Room-mate and any one else that is not according to godliness and that has an offending influence on children.

BETTER GRAB THE MILLSTONES!

7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

This verse perfectly sets out the divine recognition of man’s will in conjunction with God’s sovereign will. Offences are coming (predestined), just don’t be the one who does the offending (not predestined). A case in point is Judas Iscariot at the Lord’s Supper and in the Garden of Gethsemane.

8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. 9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

*ILL Origen had himself castrated. Only here taking the literal view.

The point that Jesus is making is that if there is something in your life that is keeping you from being saved, get rid of it. This is a figure of speech known as hyperbole. Hyperbole means to go beyond the mark. On the one hand, Jesus does not want us cutting our hands off but on the other, if it would mean heaven or hell&ldots; This in and of itself (context vs.3b, 6b, 11) will not save you but these speak of hindrances.

10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

Powerful angels. (This verse is used by the Catholics to justify placing "saints" and "angels" on their rear mirrors or dashboards to keep the O.P.P. off their backs when speeding. They have confused faith with credulity.)

11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

This, our Lord’s mission statement, is removed from the text. Origen (184-254), the self made eunuch, is responsible. After emasculating himself, he then seeks to render the Bible impotent.

12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

This section builds on verse 11. I believe "all we like sheep have gone astray" and the Lord strives with us throughout our lives. He seeks all of us. He seeks the Sodomites, the prostitutes, the drug dealers and addicts, the pornographers, liars, drunkards, thieves and murderers. He also seeks the child who has been caught in a lie at school.

Here is an application of the text:

The 100 sheep are all saved. Jesus is seeking the "offended" v.6 (CONTEXT!) sheep that is going astray to bring him back to the fold (the local church). Many cults will snatch new converts after a crusade or after they get into a good church and "offend" them with false doctrine. The Lord seeks these out and restores them. If they stay in the cult then 1 John 2:19 applies: They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. –Not if they go and join another church, but if they remain in a cult that denies the Biblical plan of salvation or the deity of Christ.