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MATTHEW - Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand!
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Matthew
PART 2 - Christ teaches and Ministers in Galilee (Matthew 5:1 - 18:35)
D - The Unbelieving Jews and Their Enmity to Jesus (Matthew 11:2 - 18:35)
4. Practical Principles of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 18:1-35) -- The Fourth Collection of the Words of Jesus

a) The Disciples’ Pride and the Children’s Humility (Matthew 18:1-14)


MATTHEW 18:10-14
10 See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost. 12 What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? 13 If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
(Luke 15:4-7, Hebrews 1:14)

Do you believe that angels exist? They are God’s servants and are swift luminous spirits that carry out the commands of God. Jesus tells us the merciful secret that God ordered His angels to guard the children. They are charged by God, for He is our true Father, to guard His spiritual children who live under the protection of the mighty angels. Without a doubt, Satan and his army want to destroy those who are born of the Holy Spirit. Were it not for God’s angels guarding His holy children, Satan would bring about their destruction. Our heavenly Father does not will to lose any of his children.

Satan wants to contradict God’s powerful will, but the Father’s plans and decisions are far more powerful. From His holy delight, creation and redemption originated, and from His will, grace is realized. To carry out His fatherly plan, God sent His only Son to seek a lost sheep until He found it and delivered it from the bondage of sin. His love prompted the Good Shepherd to leave the fold of the godly in the Old Testament and seek the lost Gentiles and save them to the uttermost. We were not the seekers of God and His Son at first. Rather it was He who laid aside his glory, descended to the sinners, delivered us from our involvement in lusts and lies, and carried us on His own shoulders to His Father.

This is God’s will, that none of His elect shall perish. His plan and purpose was that His Son would die rather than one of His children be destroyed in His wrath. All men are corrupt. They will perish, for there is none that does good. But he that allows the Savior to find him and then responds to the Good Shepherd’s call with the cry of faith, shall definitely be saved. In these words, Jesus declared the purpose of his sufferings and death. He came to save God’s lost children and died that we shall live.

Jesus taught us not to despise any of the little ones, neither in the church nor in society, but to learn from children. As responsible parents care for their children night and day, God cares for the little ones, the simple, the lowly, and the meek.

Are your services in the church directed to the notable only, or to the little and the lowly too?

It is sometimes better to open a Sunday school class and to depict Jesus’ love before the gazing eyes of children, than to explain complicated doctrines to uninterested listeners. Children’s souls are open, and nothing has yet been carved in there. Take the opportunity to pour into them the name and character of Jesus in a clear way. Draw His love as an example to them that they may be touched with His humility and purity. Do not forget that the way of the Christian is not haughtiness and pride, but love and humility before all.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are the Son of God. You were obedient to Your Father’s will in every respect. But we ran away from His fold, clung to our habits and sins, and fell into the pit of malice and deceit. Forgive us our sins, and accept our thanks, for You left the glory of heaven, searched for the lost, came to us, called us out of the bondage of sin, purified us completely, and carried us on Your shoulder home to our Father. Teach us not to be arrogant, but to care for little ones, to be lowly, and serve the poor in the power of Your Holy Spirit.

QUESTION:

  1. What is our heavenly Father’s will concerning little ones?

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