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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?