Lessons from Matthew 18: Humble Heart
Humble Heart
What kind of a world would we live in if people always put God and His Word first, others second, and themselves last?
Yet you and I know that is not at all the world we live in. We live in a world that promotes self! Self-desire, self-will, self-fulfillment, and at any cost. It is self at any cost to our family or friends or coworkers or even to our churches.
People push and shove to be first, to be recognized and praised, and so the world steeps in self-promotion!
This is counter to the ways of God.
Jesus taught that the way up is down. Down in things such as humbleness of heart, putting self aside, and reaching out to restore another brother or sister in Christ into a right relationship with God and others. And then down in forgiveness. We must become fully aware of how much we too have been forgiven.
The main truth of today’s lesson is this: Greatness in God’s sight is marked by humility, restoration, and forgiveness!
I believe that like Peter and the other disciples, we have a lot to learn, so let’s begin to dig in and see what God uncovers for us!
A lot had happened in the lives of these disciples since they started following Jesus. They had witnessed many miracles and even been empowered by the Holy Spirit to do a few of their own. They had listened to Jesus preach about His Kingdom and His Lordship and a few had even just witnessed His glorious transfiguration.
So the question arose, as they were getting nearer to Jerusalem, as to who might be the greatest in Jesus’s coming rule and reign as king.
You see, the disciples still had it all wrong. The closer they drew to Jerusalem, the closer Jesus drew to the cross. Jesus’s kingdom was not of this earth, but of heaven.
He came to seek and save the lost, and for all who would believe in His life, death, and resurrection. It would be these who would join Him in His kingdom reign. But again the disciples misunderstood the meaning of the cross at this point. They thought it would bring about Jesus’s earthly reign.
And so the question that arose as they drew nearer was, Who was the top dog? Who would be first in Jesus’s sight?
Who Will Be First?
They thought there were a few contenders. Peter, James, and John had just been alone with Jesus on the mountaintop where the three witnessed His glorious transfiguration and heard from Moses and Elijah that Jesus would move on to glory.
Peter himself who would have had good reason to argue this question, would he not? Wasn’t Peter the one who called out to Jesus as He walked out to the disciples in the midst of the storm? Didn’t he have enough faith to step out of the boat and walk on the water until doubt set in? And even if it was only for a brief moment, it was a shining example of faith and trust.
Wasn’t it also Peter whose faith was commended after his marvelous confession that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God? That upon Peter’s profession of faith, Jesus said He would build His church?
So who was it? Who would be first in Jesus’s kingdom?
Well, it appears from what we are told in Luke 9:46 that the question brought up not only a strong discussion but an argument. An argument which Jesus, knowing their thoughts and hearing their conversation, brought out into the open. As He did, He took a little child and placed her beside Himself in the presence of the disciples and said,
“Unless you change and become like this little child, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Terri Hamman
Faith & Fitness Coach