Journey Into Holiness – p.1 “Other’s Oriented Living” Matthew 18:1-14

Journey Into Holiness – p.1

“Other’s Oriented Living”

Matthew 18:1-14

• Our goal: to become holy – like Jesus!

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and

asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom

of heaven?"

• If we could grasp what Jesus is saying in His

response to this question and if we could

apply it to our lives “it would revolutionize

our self-concept and our relationships with

fellow believers.

The object lesson… (vv.2-4)

He called a little child and had him stand

among them. And he said: "I tell you the

truth, unless you change and become like

little children, you will never enter the

kingdom of heaven.

The object lesson… (vv.2-4)

Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this

child is the greatest in the kingdom of

heaven. – Matthew 18:2-4 (NIV)

The object lesson… (vv.2-4)

The object lesson… (vv.2-4)

"Everything they do is done for men to see:

They make their phylacteries wide and the

tassels on their garments long; they love the

place of honor at banquets and the most

important seats in the synagogues;

- Matthew 23:5-6 (NIV)

The object lesson… (vv.2-4)

• The greatest among you will be your servant.

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled,

and whoever humbles himself will be

exalted. – Matthew 23:11-12 (NIV)

The object lesson… (vv.2-4)

• “Unless you change… strepho = turn away.

• In order to enter the kingdom of heaven, the

disciples must “turn away” “from their

preoccupation with status” (Bloomberg, 273)

The object lesson… (vv.2-4)

• “become like children”

• There are consequences for not doing this:

“you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”

• The consequence is permanent and it is

exclusive.

Jesus taught us there are three places where sin is present…

• The sin among us – (vv.5-6)

"And whoever welcomes a little child like this

in my name welcomes me. But if anyone

causes one of these little ones who believe in

me to sin,

Jesus taught us there are three places where sin is present…

• The sin among us – (vv.5-6)

it would be better for him to have a large

millstone hung around his neck and to be

drowned in the depths of the sea.

- Matthew 18:5-6 (NIV)

Jesus taught us there are three places where sin is present…

• The sin among us – (vv.5-6)

• We must accept others who have become

the least.

• “A life-style characterized by causing others

to sin is incompatible with true discipleship”.

Jesus taught us there are three places where sin is present…

• The sin among us – (vv.5-6)

it would be better for him to have a large

millstone hung around his neck and to be

drowned in the depths of the sea.

Jesus taught us there are three places where sin is present…

• The sin around us – (v.7)

"Woe to the world because of the things that

cause people to sin! Such things must come,

but woe to the man through whom they

come! – Matthew 18:7 (NIV)

Jesus taught us there are three places where sin is present…

• The sin around us – (v.7)

• The sin that exists in the “world” is

inevitable.

Jesus taught us there are three places where sin is present…

• The sin in us – (vv.8-10)

If your hand or your foot causes you to sin,

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.

Jesus taught us there are three places where sin is present…

• The sin in us – (vv.8-10)

And if your eye causes you to sin, 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.

Jesus taught us there are three places where sin is present…

• The sin in us – (vv.8-10)

See that you do not look down on one of

these little ones. For I tell you that their

angels in heaven always see the face of my

Father in heaven.” – Matthew 18:8-10 (NIV)

Jesus taught us there are three places where sin is present…

• The sin in us – (vv.8-10)

• Your actions indicate the state of your heart.

• Jesus tells us that our response to sin should

always be the same: we must regard it as

serious and capable of landing us in a Christ-

less eternity!

Jesus taught us there are three places where sin is present…

• The sin in us – (vv.8-10)

don’t look down on one of these little ones”.

• To “look down” means despise, so Jesus said

don’t despise one of these little ones because

all people matter.

The “sheep” illustration…

"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?

The “sheep” illustration…

"And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is

happier about that one sheep than about the

ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the

same way your Father in heaven is not

willing that any of these little ones should be

lost. – Matthew 18:10-14 (NIV)

The “sheep” illustration…

The “sheep” illustration…

The “sheep” illustration…

• Sheep are prone to wander .

• The shepherd is pro-active about the care of

the sheep who wandered off.

Bottom Line:

• Holiness is living a life that makes much of

Jesus by honoring His disciples.

Just starting the journey?

• You will never enter the kingdom of God

unless you live in God dependence.

Following hard after Christ?

• Take seriously your God-given responsibility

to live for the benefit of others.

• Your continual sinning will lead you to a

Christ-less eternity; so stop sinning!

Following hard after Christ?

"We have to recognize that sin is a fact, not a

defect; sin is red-handed mutiny against God.

Either God or sin must die in my life...If sin

rules in me, God's life in me will be killed; if

God rules in me, sin in me will be killed." -

Oswald Chambers

Following hard after Christ?

• Remember that God cares for the

disenfranchised and the marginalized in our

world.

Following hard after Christ?