A Humble Child and a Heavy Stone Matthew 18:1–20; Ezekiel 33:7–9; Romans 13:1–10

Grace, mercy and peace to you, from God, our Father, and our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Our message is from today’s Gospel, Matthew 18, especially verses 1-6. We’re going to talk about a humble child and a heavy stone.

The Gospel of Matthew contains five major discourses, just like there are the 5 books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

The first discourse is in chapters 5-7, Jesus’ famed Sermon on the Mount, beginning with the beatitudes: blessed are the poor in spirit… the meek… the peacemakers, etc.

Basically the message of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is that God’s children are those who think and act like Him.

They’re the ones who are truly blessed, regardless of how poorly they might be treated or regarded by the world. 

The second discourse is in chapter 10, called the Missionary Discourse, where Jesus gave the disciples a sense of what it would be like to be His apostles or missionaries to the world after He left. 

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 

Jesus gave them instructions, and reminded them that not everybody would believe what they would say, nor accept what they would do in His name… 

… and some would actively, even violently, oppose them, which is the case to this very day, some still refuse the Gospel, and some try to shut it down.

Jesus told them, “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” 

This is also for us to remember, as we serve God and share His Word in our world. 

Sometimes our work and words in Jesus’ name are well received, and sometimes they’re much opposed, but our Father in Heaven is glorified and pleased when we do and say the things that bear witness to His Son. 

The third discourse in Matthew is in chapter 13, the Parabolic Discourse, a series of parables about the Kingdom of God, including the parables of the Sower… the mustard seed… the hidden treasure… and the pearl of great price… teaching us that God’s Kingdom of Grace on earth, and His Kingdom of Glory in Heaven are priceless, worth more than any worldly treasure.    

Fourth is Jesus’ discourse on the Church in chapter 18, which we’ll come back to in a minute.

The fifth and final discourse is in chapters 23-25. This was spoken by Jesus during Passion Week, and is sometimes called, the Apocalyptic Discourse.

In dramatic language with vivid images, Jesus gives a picture of the destruction of the temple, which would happen a few decades later, and would mark that final break between Judaism and Christianity…

… and especially, a picture of the End Times, before Jesus returns in glory and power, to raise and judge the living and the dead… and to bring His faithful people home at last.

Back to the fourth discourse in today’s Gospel… Jesus teaches us about life together as His family in our spiritual home on Earth, the Church.

Our text begins with Jesus teaching us to be more childlike… not more childish or immature, but to be more genuinely trusting of God.

The disciples were arguing about who was the big man among them, and in doing so, showed the smallness of their thinking.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

In Mark 10, Jesus said, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.  

The trust of child toward his or her mother, or father, that the child seems to be born with, is the trust we need to regain toward God.

Without that child-like trust, Jesus says we’ll never enter God’s Kingdom… not His Kingdom of Grace and mercy on earth, nor His kingdom of Glory and joy in eternity. 

So sadly, we lost that wonderful trust in God when we fell into sin. 

In John 3, Jesus tells us we need to be born anew in the waters of Baptism, by the Spirit of God, to regain that gift of genuine, child-like faith… and to grow in it. 

The rest of our life on earth is become more like a child toward God, and less like a defiant fool, reveling in everything that would keep us from God.    

Jesus warns us of the outcome of choosing a worldly way of life… and even worse, influencing others to come along and join in… and most criminal of all, to mislead children away from God, rather than receiving them in the name of Jesus, and teaching them about His love and His ways. 

Jesus says, 5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.

This is similar to Jesus’ description of the final judgment, the separation of the sheep and the goats, in Matthew 25, where Jesus says to the sheep, the faithful: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” 

Each child we love and care for and pray for and help and teach, we do it for God, in the name of Jesus. 

6 But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, 

it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

That’s kind of scary, because every parent knows that our children learn good from us, by our words and our example, but they also learn from, and copy, the wrong they see us do… and we all sin and do wrong at times.

But this is talking about intentionally leading children (and anyone) away from Jesus… teaching and influencing them to defy and deny Him and His Word and His ways. 

How terrible it is to deliberately deceive and mislead others who trust us, who depend on us to be their helper, and teacher… and for our children, their keeper.

God save us from deceiving them by intentionally speaking ill of You and Your Word… or even giving them the impression, in our words and our deeds, that You, and Your Gospel, and Your Commandments, and Your Church, and Your salvation, really aren’t all that important… certainly not as important as earthly concerns and material, worldly things. 

Save us from ever leading them away from You, from ever teaching or influencing them to put or prioritize anything in their lives over You.

May God save us from neglecting or reneging on our responsibility to introduce our children to the Gospel… and to see to it that they’re taught and encouraged in God’s Word and His ways.

May God equip and empower us for this great responsibility, but also, this great honor and joy. 

What could be more joyful, and meaningful, and a greater honor, than sharing God with our children… sharing His love, His truth, His blessings, His power, His peace… and most of all, His salvation, sharing life and joy everlasting?

With God’s help may we grow in sincere, genuine, child-like faith and love, and may we rejoice to share it, and show it.

And as we do, may the peace of God, that passes understanding, guard our hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus, who loves us as His dear children. Amen.