Mat 18;1-4 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him among them, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 So whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever receives one such child in My name, receives Me.
One of the reasons God brings little children into our lives is to teach us a very important kingdom truth. In the providence of God, in this Covid situation, they are always with us; it is a great time for us to learn that lesson as we see them always before us. There is a basic, important, kingdom lesson we have to learn from children. This passage in Matthew 18 tells us what that lesson is.
In the gospel records, we see children loved to come to Christ. I read a story about a very stern-faced, serious preacher who rarely smiled, who was preaching one Sunday in his church. You know the topic: on the subject of “The Tears of Jesus“; and he had said, “Three times we read that Jesus wept, but we never read that He smiled.” And from the pew below the pulpit, a little girl—forgetting where she was—suddenly cried out, “Oh, but I know He did!“
The serious-looking preacher was shocked; and he glared down from the pulpit at the little girl and said, “Why do you say that, my child?” The little girl knew that everyone was looking at her; and she was understandably frightened. But she spoke with all the humble sincerity she could and said, “Because the Bible says He called a little child, and he came to Him. And if Jesus had looked like you, I know the child would have been afraid to come. So I know he smiled…”
In Matthew 18, we see the story that girl spoke of, where Jesus called the small boy to Himself—maybe smaller than Amy, like a doll walking, crawling—the little boy gladly came. Jesus uses that little boy and teaches the disciples the great basic lesson of humility. This is the beginning and basic lesson in Christian discipleship and church life. The lack of this is what destroys and divides churches. May the Holy Spirit help us learn this today.
Verses 1-5 is a very difficult passage. I am struggling and I am still struggling to grasp it, but I see there three lessons of humility that I understand in verses 1-5. We will understand the passage in three headings:
- Humility needed to enter the kingdom.
- After entering, humility about ourselves within the kingdom.
- Humility in relationship to fellow members in the kingdom.
See the progress… Remember in our intensive training discipleship, this is the next lesson. As we progress more and more, it is going to be more intense. This passage is marvelous teaching on humility. Struggling with this passage, I can preach only one heading today. God willing, we can see the next two, next week.
The lesson of humility, oh how important. Years ago, I preached a message on humility. He who thinks he is more humble is the one who doesn’t have humility at all. What is the opposite of humility? What is the first sin that came into this world? It is pride. Augustine, the church father, said pride is the commencement of all sin. What turned a great glorious angel to Satan? One-third of angels became demons. What made mankind fall? What is the greatest weapon Satan uses to drag souls? Pride. As fallen children of Adam, pride grips our hearts and reigns in every one of us. Only when our pride breaks can we be saved, and only when our pride keeps continually breaking can we be continually sanctified. Even after we are saved, it haunts and hinders our growth. Even for Apostle Paul, God had to give him a thorn in the flesh, why? He may not boast in God. Pride is the one that makes man swallowed up in himself. The center word in Pride is “I“: I am the greatest, I am the center, I am the greatest!
So this passage teaches three great important lessons of humility: Humility needed to enter the kingdom. After entering, humility about ourselves within the kingdom. Humility in relationship to fellow members in the kingdom. We will first today see Humility needed to enter the kingdom. This first is most important because without this, the other two can never come (if we perish). This is the root from which the other two come. Without the first humility needed to enter the kingdom, it is impossible to know or even smell humility in our life. So let us learn 1. Humility needed to enter the kingdom.
Verse 1: “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’“
The chapter starts with “At that time…” If we want to understand the chapter, we have to understand at which time—the connection. These are meaningful words. Remember how Chapter 17, after six days, became so useful. Now “at that time“—we have to understand the context, the events that happened in the previous chapter.
Think of the Lord’s mindset. He is going towards Jerusalem to do great work, and he dedicates his remaining time to training his disciples. He isolated himself from the crowd, concentrated intensive time, with repeated emphasis: he must suffer, die, and be raised from the dead.
But the twelve are unable to grasp his central teaching. While they are not clear about this, they are convinced he is the Messiah. He is a king. He will have a kingdom. If he has a kingdom, what is a kingdom without royal positions, ministers, commanders, authorities? Authorized people need to run it with organized politics to carry out various tasks. People should have various grades, a chain of command.
Like the masses today, disciples may not understand suffering, death, and resurrection, but they sure understand politics. The Messianic king will have a kingdom. The king would need high-ranking officials in his kingdom. Surely he would draw them from his inner circle of supporters.
With that kind of mindset, think back to those events. Very shortly before this time, several important things had happened: Peter’s great confession. After two and a half years, the Lord triumphantly spoke of building the church. He said to Peter, “Upon this rock, I will build my church.”
Perhaps at this point, Peter began to wonder if he was something very special in the kingdom, a special place of honor in it, maybe no. 2. You should have seen the other disciples’ faces at that time. Then, a little later on, Jesus took three of His disciples—Peter, James, and John—up to a high mountain. There, He manifested His glory to them as the Son of God. These visions of power and glory were fueling their imagination.
No doubt, Peter, James, and John would have thought that they all must be pretty important for Jesus to have given them such a privileged vision of Himself. He even told them not to tell anyone else—not even the others—about what they saw until He had been raised from the dead (17:9). They were the inside circle. Surely, Jesus must have thought of them as VIPs in His coming kingdom! When they come down, the remaining disciples were second grade—they cannot even cure a demon-possessed boy—and Jesus rebuked them. I suspect that Peter, James, and John were all three standing off to the side a little smug. After all, Jesus was not with the others at that time, but He was with them.
They all knew Peter was the leader. They knew who was the spokesman. They knew who was the water walker: None of them ever did that. And they knew who was the most intimate with Jesus Christ. Just before this chapter, Jesus paid his tax and paid only for Peter from the fish mouth, right? And all of the others had to pay their own bills. Is Peter the greatest? Lord called him “rock”. No, no… Did you know what he said after that? But it was balanced immediately when he rebuked him: “Get thee behind Satan.” No one was called like that. Maybe Peter is disqualified, rejected now by the rebuke. Someone is great now. Do the others have a chance?
Now, when we put all the Gospel accounts together, we see an interesting picture. Luke tells us that—somewhere along the way in their travels—a dispute had arisen among them over which of them was the greatest (Luke 9:46). Who was the greatest? Was it Peter? Was it James and John? Or why only them? Why couldn’t it be one of the others? Hadn’t Jesus chosen them, just as much as He had chosen Peter, James, and John?
Is Peter the greatest? But before him, it was Andrew who brought Peter. Andrew has more experience. Andrew was first called, and why should not he be first preferred? But John was first to follow Jesus; he has more seniority, more experience than all. John is the beloved disciple. But Simon and Jude are nearly related to Christ; maybe blood relationship will get them powerful places. Those days, kings’ relatives ruled. This is a heated argument.
Childish, to be sure. Look at your own heart. Doesn’t this rage in yours? In the secret hearts in our church? Though not outwardly, are we inwardly thinking? Given that we are planning so many things for the future and, by God’s blessing, if we grow in numbers, what goes on in our hearts? Who will be the next great, next deacon, next pastor? Who will be that and this? Who is greatest, next, more experience? We came first, seniority, close to Pastor, very helpful to Pastor so much. These are new comers. I am senior. How can they come before me and preach? I should listen to that. I will see two in one. It is the same argument that continues to rage, if not openly, in the secret places of the heart of almost every single human being. If you have such a mindset, the Lord says it is doubtful whether you are saved or not. If saved, we have to repent of our sinful attitude. It is because of people with such a mindset that God never blesses and grows a church. Let us learn this lesson of humility, which is for our own hearts.
If we have to understand the event, we have to compare it with Mark 9. The two gospels are beautiful parallels and give us the full picture.
As a result of this mindset, on their way to Capernaum, Mark 9:34 says they are arguing, in fact, fighting with arguments. I am senior, I am close to Jesus, I have sacrificed more. Think of the pathetic picture: Jesus on one side, shut in in his painful loneliness of his great suffering with a non-sympathetic, inner, intimate circle of disciples. He bears the burden he cannot share with anyone. He is absorbed in his suffering with a burning heart going towards Jerusalem. And the disciples, on the other side, have one subject that absorbs their thinking: that is who was to be the greatest. What pain it will give him. I wonder if Christ suffered so much because of his own disciples.
This shows they completely don’t understand the nature of his mission. As one commentator tartly puts it: “The very fact that they asked that question showed that they had no idea at all what the Kingdom of Heaven was.”
On the way, they are fighting, kept going on, maybe even started hitting one another, and then maybe calmed with an idea: Why do we fight? Let us ask the Lord. But they are afraid on one side: if he scolds. So very smart, their question in verse 1: “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’“
Their language is they propose the question to him only in a general way, as if they had felt no personal interest in it. They generally want to increase their knowledge about the kingdom. As far as they thought, Jesus doesn’t know they were heatedly arguing about this on the way.
See this is very important for them: who is the top officer? Of all the great in the kingdom, who is the greater than the great? Who is greater than all the rest? The highest ranking. Who was going to be the chief one? They were seeking self-glory, prestige, prominence.
This is so important. This is not the only time. Just like Jesus’ suffering topic he kept repeating, this topic of who is greatest is a repeated topic now on for them. In Chapter 20, still debating about this, two of them, James and John, got an idea to get a recommendation. They bring their mother—she could be a relative to Jesus, an aunt—and she says, “I have a request. You should not deny.” “Okay, tell.” “Say that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine shall sit, one at Your right, and one at Your left.” Top two my beautiful smart sons only—advance reservation. You might think these two are so bad. Verse 24 in Chapter 20 says, “And after hearing this, the other ten disciples became indignant with the two brothers,” filled with envy and jealousy. Not because they saw these two as selfish, but because they were also wanting the same, but they didn’t all have a mother around who would do what James and John’s mother did.
Something that’s really sad? The night before Jesus’ crucifixion, they were arguing about the same thing still. I mean, they just never bothered or cared to get on the fact that Jesus was going to die and demonstrate a little sympathy, and a little care, and a little comfort toward the one who would bear the sins of the world. In their selfish pride, to the very night before He died, they were still arguing about who was going to be the greatest in the kingdom. What horrible pride. I mean, they were really stuck on that issue. It grips their heart in spite of all Jesus taught about humility. Ambition, pride, selfishness, self-glory were behind the discord, the dissension, and the infighting among the Twelve.
Even during the last night, Jesus wakes up and washes their feet again to teach them this lesson. But this is burning pride in their heart. Only the Son of God’s terrible suffering on the cross and his body breaking and blood letting and the Holy Spirit applying that will break their pride. Now that is burning in their heart, but they don’t show it here as a generic thing, not so interested. Like we ask the shop keepers, very keen to buy. If we show more interest, the rate will be higher. Disinterestedly, we ask, “How much?” “Hey, that is a very ordinary, small thing for me. So much money?” Like that.
They come with an innocent cat look: “Lord, we want to ask you a question. You keep talking ‘kingdom of heaven,’ ‘kingdom of heaven’. ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’” They ask Jesus with a kind of cool, objective intellectuality—what they think the Lord will appreciate: how they are planning for the future.
Unknown to them, Jesus knew what their argument was along the way: how horribly this pride reigns in every human’s heart. Luke tells us Jesus understood what their thoughts were.
So if you compare the scene in all three gospels, the Lord doesn’t answer immediately. There is a period of silence. One cannot imagine how frustrated the Lord must be. He has taught them the Sermon on the Mount, what lessons there. Just now in Chapter 16: “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me; let him lose His life if he wants to find it.” Repeated teaching of his suffering. Nothing touches their mind. This is important for them: how big can I become in the kingdom of heaven deal? What will I get? How can I satisfy my pride and promote my name?
You may sit here smugly judging the disciples. The Lord knows that is the same pride reigning in your own heart even now. You may not speak about it or express it, but it is there, if you don’t recognize and repent. That is the seed that will destroy you and, if allowed, even destroy this church. It happens over and over and over in the Church of Jesus Christ: you have a group of proud people seeking name and higher status—that is the seed of division and destruction for that church. All that we build with many years, tears, night and day sleepless, many sacrifices, building these things can be torn down by a few proud hearts. The danger of pride. The Lord knows each of our hearts. He knew each of their hearts. See how he exposes them.
So the Lord doesn’t answer. He silently comes into a house at Capernaum. Disciples are thinking the Lord doesn’t know what they were arguing in the way. See Mark 9:33: “They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road?‘”
He asks them. He answers their question with a question: “What were you discussing on the way?” Oh, how he knows our hearts. (“Aren’t you glad, Jesus doesn’t meet you and your family here at church to personally ask, ‘What was it you were arguing about in your house or while coming to the church?'”) Oh, will it be to come and sit under a preacher who knows everything you have done last week? Jesus was such a preacher.
Verse 34 their response. 34: “But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.”
What was their response? It was blushing, bending, turning, embarrassing, self-conscious silence. “Oh, he caught me! What can I answer before one who not only knows everything I speak, but the depths of my depraved heart?” Who will speak up and say, “Lord, we were fighting a heated argument about who will be the greatest? We all want to be greatest. That is most important for us. We hypocritically asked you the question. Forgive us. We are proud sinners.”
Nobody will own to that. People will confess and own up to anything but the sins produced by pride. They give different names for that: self-respect. “Lord, it is my pride that has caused my sins. It is my pride that makes me think these foolish thoughts. My arrogance. I don’t prosper in your grace. It is because of my pride. Providence humbles me. It is my vain pride, arrogance that I don’t progress.” Man doesn’t confess that. So they held the peace.
So in the midst of their shameful silence, notice what Mark 9:35 says: “Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve…”
He takes the posture of a Rabbi—a teacher. He sat down and called them unto him. Remember, before starting the Sermon on the Mount (SOM), he sat on the mountain, and disciples came to him. This is an official teaching time; they were about to receive some valuable concentrated teaching. The Master has sat down and is calling the students. A special lesson is going to be taught; this is not an ordinary lesson, but some extraordinary lesson is going to come from the Lord. He is going to say something profound.
This is the setting. We will look at the answer of the Lord.
See Matthew 18:2-3: “And He called a child to Himself and set him among them, and said, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.’“
The Lord’s Radical Answer
The Lord’s response is typically radical. This answer is like a bomb thrown at them to awaken them from their day-dream. Before, he said that to be his disciple one must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow him. He must lose his life. Now, he says if you must enter the kingdom, you must become as a little child. And, lest the point be missed, he brings a little child into the circle and has him stand there as he talks. Surrounded by those grown men, the child must have seemed small and insignificant.
“Then Jesus called a little child to Him” and “set him in the midst of them…” (verse 2). Apparently, the little boy was already there in the house. It could be Peter’s house and maybe one of Peter’s children. The original word used refers to a little child, a small child, a toddler. Jesus called, the child left whatever he was doing, and came to Jesus. That’s good practical theology, by the way! When Jesus calls, we should come! This little boy did better than millions in the world.
There are two actions with the child. He first puts the child in the midst of the disciples and teaches the first lesson of humility: humility needed to enter the kingdom. Then, if you compare with Mark, He further takes the child in his arms and then gives two other lessons of humility. So for the first lesson, He places this tiny, little boy in their plain view, as if he were an object lesson to them. Then He dropped the bombshell on them all. He said,
“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Notice, Mark shows the importance of this in the body language and posture of the Master Rabbi sitting and calling his students. See how Matthew emphasizes it. Think with me about what Jesus says. He speaks in very strong terms. He begins by saying, “Assuredly” or “Verily, I say to you,” “Truly,” which is an indication that He is about to say something of great importance. We should always listen to what the Son of God says, but we should especially do so when He prefaces what He’s about to say with the words, “Assuredly, I say to you.” And then, He uses one of the strongest negations that could be used—that is, unless the disciples or anyone else did what He is telling them, they would not in any way enter the kingdom of heaven. You shall in no wise enter. It’s not that they simply wouldn’t be “great” in the kingdom; they wouldn’t even enter it! These words, then, are essential to our eternal salvation.
So then, what does Jesus say to do? First, He says that we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven unless we are “converted.” The original word means “to turn around.” It means if you have this kind of thinking, that we recognize that we’re going in a very wrong direction and that we must turn around and go in the opposite direction.
“You must turn around… converted, you must be of another mind, and in another frame and temper, must have other thoughts, both of yourselves and of the kingdom of heaven, before you be fit for a place in it. The pride, ambition, and prestige, arrogance, affectation of honour which so powerfully appear in you, must be repented of, mortified, and reformed, and you must become like children.”
So, the first thing they needed to do was to “be converted.” How to be converted? So many call themselves converted today: religiously converted, baptized, church member, communion—all of this is ok for Jesus? No, that is not converted. What is the sign of true conversion of heart?
Jesus tells them that you must be converted in such a way as to “become as little children.” Verse 3 teaches the necessity of conversion, and of conversion manifested by childlike humility. The extent of your repentance is like a child. How is that?
And there, before them, stood a living example.
The Meaning of Childlike Humility
What does it mean, in Christ’s kingdom, to become as little children? Well, we can be sure that it doesn’t mean that we should become “childish.” The disciples were being childish, and that’s why the Lord needed to rebuke them. And we also know that it doesn’t mean that we become “children” in our understanding, because, as the Bible tells us, in understanding we are to be “mature” (1 Corinthians 14:20).
So what does it mean? If we are to understand what Jesus says, we have to remove all our own ideas about children. The world has a wrong idea of children. Some say children and God are the same, they are divine. No. See, he is not speaking of any inherent virtue in children. The Bible nowhere teaches children come into the world with virtue. It teaches just the opposite. They are conceived in sin, involved in the guilt of Adam’s sin, go astray from the womb speaking lies. They are the most egocentric in the world. Not only scripture, even human observation understands that. So whatever the Lord is saying is not contradictory to what the Bible teaches about children.
What then is he teaching?
He is not talking about any inherent virtue in children, but the condition of the small child in its helpless state, its complete dependence, its consciousness of being absolutely helpless.
Jesus is not setting the child in the midst and saying the child is natively humble, so if you enter the kingdom, get off your high horse, be like the little child in humility. He sets a child in the center—the child not in any inner subjective virtue, but in an outer objective condition, the very picture of vulnerability, dependence, helplessness, and weakness.
You should repent of your heart to an extent that the objective state of utter dependence, helpless, weak conditions should be reproduced in you. This reproduction of the objective state of utter dependence, helpless, weak state, which is the real condition of every sinner.
Look at a child. How I have to observe and have to learn from my own child. I thank God I have my daughter to learn this lesson now. She is fully dependent on me. For the last five years, my daughter was very close to me, working from home. She is dependent on us for everything. From morning till night, we have to make her brush her teeth, wash her face, and take the towel and wipe it. Feed her milk. The child must have its food provided for it. We have to take her to the toilet. The little child is helped in and out of the car, must be helped with clothes, assisted when she walks, and carefully held on the road. If she drinks medicines, she says, “Hold my hand.” “Not well, Dad, hold my hand.” Night sleeping, dream, gets up and holds me. She is conscious of her state and happily depends on us for everything. The child is dependent for everything. If we don’t care, the child is vulnerable and helpless. Last week, always where I go, holding my hand, she said, “Pulpit you go.” And I sit alone with Mommy. “Can I come and sit in the chair next to you?“
Here the child is left to play. The Lord calls that child in his busy life, not sure how long he would spend time, but the child responds—he comes near. And then he touches and takes the child up in his arms. Its responsiveness to those actions indicates its condition: helplessness, dependence, vulnerability.
He says to people who don’t have any consciousness of that in a spiritual state, but are filled with thoughts of ambition and pride, their own plans and grandiose schemes: “You must be converted and become like little helpless children.” If you are to enter my kingdom, you must not be filled with notions of your own importance, but your own utter destitution of any virtue to commend you to God. That is the first step to enter my kingdom.
You must be filled with awareness of your vulnerability, weakness, and dependence; that you are to receive all as a gift of grace and receive nothing as the fruit of climbing over one another in carnal ambition to become hot shots in the kingdom.
This is the first great lesson of humility needed to enter the kingdom. “Look, you are discussing who is going to be greater in the kingdom. If there is not a radical fundamental transformation of your whole mentality, you will not even enter the kingdom. You talk about positions; I am talking about even entering the kingdom. Until you turn and become little children, don’t even think of entering the kingdom.”
You must be converted, born again by the work of the Holy Spirit, stripped naked of all your outward temporary trappings in life, and show your utter nakedness, weakness, depravity. The Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration gives you a sense of the deplorable misery of your fall and depravity, shows your heart the depths of depravity. Oh, to such an extent, you become like a helpless child, all becoming dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body. The guilt of the sin was imputed, and corrupted nature conveyed, being now conceived in sin, and by nature children of wrath, the servants of sin, the subjects of death, and all other miseries, spiritual, temporal, and eternal, unless the Lord Jesus set them free.
From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.
Unless He is enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God; taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ;
If you and I have never been brought to a place where we see ourselves, see our depravity of our entire being infected with sin, where we become as dependent, helpless, and vulnerable as a little child, if we have never known the stripping humbling work of the Holy Spirit essential to entering the kingdom of God, we can never enter the kingdom. A sense of the deplorable misery of my fall and depravity. The Catechism: I was created in the image of God in holiness. Holiness was my image. But now so depraved, holiness I don’t like. That the despisers of Holiness are the despisers of God; for Holiness is God’s Image. Naturally nothing is holy. I am the image of sin and Satan. There is nothing good in me, holy in me. If there has to be anything good or holy, I am dependent on God. I am empty, I have no virtue, righteousness, nothing good in me.
It is another way of the first beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Have you been stripped, brought low, converted, turned from the course into which all Adam’s children go, in nature, corrupt hearts, in which you can make it with your strength? You can make yourself acceptable to God. “I can do that and this.” You can build your own ladder to heaven, climb in your own strength. Have you been converted and become like a little child?
Standing before God’s inflexible law and the pure holiness of his law, you see nothing but total depravity in yourselves, nothing commendable to him, crying out, “Woe is me!” Acknowledging, “Oh God, I am nothing. I can do nothing. I am nothing.” Like that lame, blind beggar, sitting in the corner and crying out, poor in spirit. Spiritually I have nothing. I am vulnerable to your wrath. I am utterly dependent on your grace, if ever I have to find acceptance, pardon.
If ever I have to have entrance into the kingdom, if ever I have to accomplish anything for your kingdom, it must be grace that you must give me, on the basis of the work and virtue of another. Someone’s help. It is the embrace of being nothing, of being considered nothing, of being thought insignificant and foolish that Jesus is talking about.
This is not to say humility is a condition for salvation; it is a sign of true regeneration. He says they cannot enter his kingdom except with little children’s humility.
An Illustration from the Psalms
We have a good illustration in Psalm 131. There, King David wrote:
“LORD, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD From this time forth and forever (Psalm 131).”
It means we are not proud. It means that we cease from raising our eyes in a “lofty” or “arrogant” way. We are so dependent on God. Second, just like a child calming, trusting Father is so joyful, it means that we become content in God’s love. It means that we don’t fret and worry about tomorrow’s needs. It means that we become like a little child resting comfortably and satisfied in Mother’s arms after being fed. It means that we become calm within our soul because of the Father’s good care for us. In a word, it means we’re at peace in God’s care. It means that we hope in God. We don’t look to our own resources. We don’t imagine that it’s all up to us. We place our hope in God’s good care and know that He will never let us down. We entrust tomorrow to Him, and look expectantly to His good plan.
This change in mind, regeneration, brings humility of mind. Naturally, we universally think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, and imagine ourselves possessed of whatever is necessary for our salvation. But in conversion our views are greatly changed. We are brought to acknowledge our extreme guilt and helplessness, and are made willing to depend on Christ alone for righteousness and strength. Then one becomes like a child. A little child is not filled with notions of his own greatness and self-sufficiency, but feels his dependence on others for support.
This humility of mind brings a teachableness of disposition.
[Man in his natural state is as prone to lean to his own understanding as to trust in an arm of flesh. Almost everyone thinks he knows his duty; nor do they who confess their need of human instruction, feel any want of the teachings of God’s Spirit. But in this respect also their views are altered as soon as they partake of converting grace. As a little child is sensible of his ignorance, and ready to receive, without gainsaying, the instructions given him, so the converted person, conscious that he knows nothing as he ought to know, desires to have the eyes of his understanding enlightened. He no longer disputes against the declarations of Scripture, but receives them implicitly, and looks up to God for that spiritual discernment whereby alone he can discover their truth and importance (Note: Job 34:32. Psalms 119:18).]
Converting grace makes us like little children, not foolish as children (1 Corinthians 14:20), nor fickle (Ephesians 4:14), nor playful (Matthew 11:16), but, as children, who are dependent on God for everything. As children, we must “desire the sincere milk of the word” (1 Peter 2:2). As children of the Father, we must be careful for nothing, but leave it to our heavenly Father to care for us (Matthew 6:31). We must, as children, be harmless and inoffensive, and void of malice (1 Corinthians 14:20), governable, and under command (Galatians 4:2). And (which is here chiefly intended) we must be humble as little children. As children are little in body and low in stature, so we must be little and low in spirit, and in our thoughts of ourselves.
So this is the first lesson of humility needed to enter the kingdom of heaven. We will look at the other two aspects of humility: After entering, humility about ourselves within the kingdom and Humility in relationship to fellow members in the kingdom.
Few Applications (Warning)
I stated in the new year message that one of the reasons God gives believers time is to test their faith, to make their election and calling sure. Because everyone who calls himself a believer, if you don’t do that in time, a terrible eternity awaits. Every kind of Christian says he will go to heaven, but the Lord says you shall know them by their fruits. Many will be deceived in the judgment day about their salvation. If we say we will go to heaven, on what is our confidence built? Let it not be on outward things: baptized, church member, communion—they are useless.
Our Lord, knowing how desperately wicked and deceitful men’s hearts were, he knew very well how many would go to hell even by the very gates of heaven and be deceived, so he uses every opportunity to most solemnly warn people. Here is a serious warning. This is an amazing warning.
Notice the body language, sitting posture of the Rabbi, and the solemn language: “Truly I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
On top of this, Jesus teaches this lesson in a different way, with a live illustration, because if you don’t get this point, you can never enter.
How amazing, this warning is not said to the crowd, only to his own dedicated twelve disciples who have left all and followed, who have performed miracles, preached the kingdom, followed Christ for two and a half years, and observed all His miracles. How much more we should take this to our own hearts.
Oh, what importance! All this is a lesson of humility, because, people, this is a test of faith which many fail and deceive themselves.
Are the disciples saved at this time or not? I believe they are. To solemnly apply these words to their hearts: though you have little faith, already tasted the grace of God, yet there was so much of the old man, so much indwelling sin and corruption, yet remaining in their hearts, that unless they were more deeply repentant and converted than they were, unless a greater change passed upon their souls, and sanctification was still carried on, they right now give no evidence of belonging to his kingdom. The same is true with us. Are we like children?
Let these words sink down deeply into our hearts. Without this kind of conversion, there is no entrance into the kingdom. The Bible says we all need an entire change of nature. All are born in sin and children of wrath, and all, without exception, need to be born again and made new creatures. That regeneration happens to all God’s children.
How would we know that has happened to us? We are truly converted. What is the test we must try ourselves with? The surest mark of true regeneration—being born again—is childlike humility. If we have really received the Holy Spirit, we shall show it by a meek and childlike spirit. Like children, we shall think humbly of our own strength and wisdom, and be very dependent on our Father in heaven.
Like children, we shall not seek great things in this world, and being satisfied with the Father’s providence and a Father’s love, we shall be content. Are you like a child? Truly this is a heart-searching test! It exposes the unsoundness of many a so-called conversion.
Now conversion seems so common. So many are baptized, converted, joined a church. You can convert from Congress to BJP, Hindu to Muslim, Hindu to Christian. Such conversions save no one’s soul. What we all want is a conversion from pride to humility—from high thoughts of ourselves to lowly thoughts of ourselves—from self-conceit to self-abasement—from the mind of the Pharisee to the mind of the Tax-collector. A conversion of this kind we must experience, if we hope to be saved. These are the conversions that are wrought by the Holy Spirit.
So then, have you come to Jesus on those terms? Have you repented of your pride and self-sufficiency, and have you come to Him as a little child? He warns that, unless you do, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.
Has this transformation happened in your life? Our temper, habit, and conduct, we must be so changed and altered.
Can I deal honestly with some of your souls? I have your death warrant in my hand. Christ has said it, so solemnly. Jesus will stand to it, this unchangeable law of his kingdom, more unchangeable than the laws of the Medes and Persians; it altereth not. Let us receive this declaration then as from the lips of him who shall judge the world. Let us apply to ourselves that solemn word. Don’t play with Jesus’ words.
Hark, O man! Hark, O woman! He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Lord Jesus Christ says, “Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
This is exactly what we have to tell most of you today: Where is this childlike humility in your life? Unless this evidence is shown, you cannot enter the kingdom.
Are you really converted according to this verse? Has God by his blessed Spirit wrought such a change in your hearts? Shown you the deplorable condition of your depravity, so much realized the depth, that you have become so dependent on God now, living like a child? So renewed and changed your natures? Then what grounds do you have to hope to go to heaven?
Are ye sensible of your weakness? Do ye feel that ye are poor, miserable, blind, and naked by nature? Do you realize by experience being poor in spirit?
You feel your poverty, dependency so much, like that dependent child. Look and learn from your child, like that. Do ye give up your hearts, your affections, your wills, your understanding to be guided by the Spirit of God, as a little child gives up its hand to be guided by its parent? Is childlike faith your Christian experience?
Do you live a faith life, always depending on Christ, abiding in Christ, being led by the Holy Spirit? Do you realize without dependence on the union with Christ, I can do nothing, I am nothing? I am fully dependent on my Father.
Oh, how much of that sense of poverty of spirit, that helplessness, do you live your Christian life with? Or are you just living your own self-righteous life, like a Pharisee?
Are ye little in your own eyes? Do ye think meanly of yourselves? And do you want to learn something new every day, like a child? A newborn child craving spiritual milk?
These are evidences of a kingdom child. Do you have that? It is not having it only once, but this is the evidence; it grows, grows, grows. That is the meaning of growth in grace. It is not the man who becomes more and more independent who has become mature, but the one completely more and more dependent on Christ, because he knows his helplessness and becomes like a child in God’s hands. Is that your Christian experience? If not, you shall in no wise enter the kingdom of God. You can live more than Methuselah’s 969 years, attend church all those years, and never enter.
Has the Holy Spirit illuminated your mind, made you recognize what glory it is to be changed from a depraved son of the devil to a child of God? The great God, who might cast you into hell for your secret sins, damned you times without number, hath cast the mantle of his love over you. His voice has said, “You are my son, you are my daughter. I have paid a ransom for you in my Son.” Not a son of a great king in the world, not an heir of Queen Elizabeth of Britain, but ye sons and daughters of the King of kings, heir of God, Owner of the universe.
Is this really amazing to you? 1 John 3:1 says, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”
How highly honored would you think a king’s children to be? What great condescension was it for Pharaoh’s daughter to take up Moses, a poor child exposed in an ark of bulrushes, and raise him up for her child? But what is that happiness in comparison of thine, who was the other day a child of the devil, but now by converting grace art become a child of God?
Before this great grace and love, have you repented and become little children, in all humility, learning to live dependently on my Father?
Are you a child of God? Then why don’t you deal with God as your little children deal with you? They trust you, don’t worry unnecessarily. “Oh, I am in debt, Father, may die at any moment,” says the poor guy. Oh, how my daughter trusts and peacefully sleeps everyday. If I have an eternal rich Father, who never lies, never dies, is trustworthy, how I should trust and peacefully sleep! But why I am not like children in trust and sleep? Why I do worry so much, doubt God so much?
As soon as ever they want anything, or if any one hurts them, I appeal to yourselves if they do not directly run to their parent. Why are you not like children?
Look at your children. They want to be with you always, always with Father—holding your hand. “I am studying, sit next to me.” “I am doing some work, sit next to me.” Why are not we abiding like children with God?
Why is your prayer life so poor? Oh, I cannot properly use words. Do our children speak wise and proper words? So funny, she cannot speak, but speaks so much. Why are you acting like an adult, not a child, in your prayer life? Do any of you expect fine words from your children? If they come crying, and can speak but half words, do not your hearts yearn over them? And has not God unspeakably more pity for you? If ye can only make signs to him; “As a father pitieth his children, so will the Lord pity them that fear him.”
With the Word of God, why are you not like children craving the pure milk of the Word of God?
Are ye converted, and become as little children? Then why do you so much complain about the disciplines of the providence of the Father? “For what son is there whom the father chasteneth not: if ye are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.”
God wants to grow your faith, humility, patience, and perfect you. How will that happen without trials? A great many of the children of God when they have great trials, think God is giving them over. If therefore ye are God’s children; if ye are converted and become as little children; do not expect that God will be like a foolish parent; no, he is a jealous God, he loves his child too well to spare his rod.
When things go wrong in life, in trials, do you act like obedient children, submitting to the providence of the Father? When I hit my child, she comes and hugs me; sometimes crying and hugging. Do you live like that with Father?
If God is sending too many trials, like an obedient child say, “Lord, I thank thee! I am a perverse child, or God would not strike me so often and so hard. I have to be corrected a lot. My pride needs to come down.” Like Israel 40 years going round, why? To humble you. “Lord, you are teaching humility in providence.” Do not blame your heavenly Father, but blame yourselves. He is a loving God, and a tender Father: “He is afflicted in all our afflictions.”
Are ye God’s children? Are ye converted and become as little children? Then will ye not long to go home and see your Father? Do you have that longing? Oh, heaven, my home! My Father’s face I shall see! These are signs, people.
Oh, how much we can learn from our children! When we look upon a little child, we should be put in mind of the use Christ made of this child. Sensible things must be improved to spiritual purposes. We never can become so childlike but that there may be room for further advancement. Let the presence then of a little child be always a source of instruction to us. Let parents in particular, and all who have the care of children, learn from them. Yea, let them never look upon a child without learning from him what they are to be in the hands of God.
Let every one of us observe its utter dependency, simplicity of mind, and unity of desire; and let us regard him as a pattern for imitation.
- For conviction—How few are there who truly resemble a little child! And let us instantly seek that change which is so difficult in its attainment, and so important in its consequences.
If you are not converted like this and become like little children: “Lord, Lord, convert me! Lord, make me a little child! Lord Jesus, let me not be banished from thy kingdom!“
There is a great deal more implied in the words than is expressed. When Christ says, “Ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven,” it is as much to say, “Ye shall certainly go to hell, ye shall certainly be damned, and dwell in the blackness of darkness forever, ye shall go where the worm dies not, and where the fire is not quenched.”
The Lord God impress it upon your souls! May an arrow of conviction pierce your heart.
May God fulfill the text to every one of your souls! It is he alone that can do it.
Brief Note: What Does It Mean To Be Converted and Become Like Children?
In Matthew 18:3: “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
The Bible clearly states children are born in sin and there is no inherent virtue in them. Then what does it mean that unless we change/convert/repent and become like children, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven?
The Lord here is not talking about the subjective virtue of a child, but the objective condition of a child. Children, especially little ones, are the very picture of helplessness, dependence, and weakness. They depend on their parents for everything.
The Lord says in a spiritual state, unless you are made to recognize the utter poverty of our spiritual state. In regeneration by the Holy Spirit, you are stripped of all your self-righteousness, self-justification, and own works. You recognize the deplorable misery of what Adam’s fall has done to you. You recognize the depth of your depravity of your heart to such an extent where you recognize you are completely helpless, vulnerable, and dependent on God for anything with regards to your salvation and spiritual things. This is another way of emphasizing the first beatitude of “blessed are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The word poor used (ptochas) meaning a blind, lame, beggar, who realizes he is nothing, he can do nothing, he has nothing, but can only sit in a corner and beg and live on alms and mercy of others.
That is what the Lord means. When we realize our depth, we become so dependent on God like children. We live our faith life dependent on Christ, abiding in Christ, always realizing we can do nothing without Christ, but strive to live in the power that comes in union with Christ.
He says this to the disciples who are arguing about who among them is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. He says unless there is a radical, fundamental transformation of your whole mentality, you are talking about becoming greatest, but I am talking about even entering the kingdom. Until you turn and become little children, don’t even think of entering the kingdom.
That is what the Lord means: unless you repent to an extent where the helpless condition of a child is reproduced in you, you cannot enter the kingdom of God. The Lord wonderfully teaches how to learn from our children.
Learning Humility and the Life of Faith from Kids
Our Lord in Matthew 18:3:
“Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Have you realized your depravity and sin to an extent that it has made you so much dependent on God like a small child depends on their parents in its helpless condition?
Has the Holy Spirit illuminated your mind, made you recognize what glory it is to be changed from a depraved son of the devil to a child of God? The great God, who might cast you into hell for your secret sins, damned you times without number, hath cast the mantle of his love over you. His voice has said, “You are my son, you are my daughter. I have paid a ransom for you in my Son.” Not a son of a great king in the world, but ye sons and daughters of the King of kings, heir of God, Owner of the universe.
Is this really amazing to you? 1 John 3:1 says, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.”
Recognizing your sin and God’s love, have you repented and become little children, in all humility, learning to live dependently on my Father?
Those of you who have children, learn from your kids.
If you are a child of God, then why don’t you deal with God as your little children deal with you? I have a five-year-old daughter. She teaches me so much.
I, an imperfect Father, don’t keep my word sometimes, earn little, live in debt sometimes, and may die and leave my child in a helpless state. Oh, how much my daughter trusts and peacefully sleeps everyday. If I have an eternal rich Father, who never lies, never dies, is trustworthy, how I should trust and peacefully sleep! But why I am not like children in trust and sleep? Why I do worry so much, doubt God so much?
Look at your children. They want to be with you always, always with Father—holding your hand. “I am studying, sit next to me.” “I am doing some work, sit next to me.” Why are not we abiding like children with God?
As soon as ever they want anything, or if any one hurts them, I appeal to yourselves if they do not directly run to their parent. Why are you not like children?
Why is your prayer life so poor? Oh, I cannot properly use words. Do our children speak wise and proper words? So funny, she cannot speak, but speaks so much. Why are you acting like an adult, not a child, in your prayer life? Do any of you expect fine words from your children? If they come crying, and can speak but half words, do not your hearts yearn over them? And has not God unspeakably more pity for you? If ye can only make signs to him; “As a father pitieth his children, so will the Lord pity them that fear him.”
With the Word of God, why are you not like children craving the pure milk of the Word of God?
Are ye converted, and become as little children? Then why do you so much complain about the disciplines of the providence of the Father? “For what son is there whom the father chasteneth not: if ye are without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.”
God wants to grow your faith, humility, patience, and perfect you. How will that happen without trials? A great many of the children of God when they have great trials, think God is giving them over. If therefore ye are God’s children; if ye are converted and become as little children; do not expect that God will be like a foolish parent; no, he is a jealous God, he loves his child too well to spare his rod.
When things go wrong in life, in trials, do you act like obedient children, submitting to the providence of the Father? When I hit my child, she comes and hugs me; sometimes crying and hugging. Do you live like that with Father?
If God is sending too many trials, like an obedient child say, “Lord, I thank thee! I am a perverse child, or God would not strike me so often and so hard. I have to be corrected a lot. My pride needs to come down.” Like Israel 40 years going round, why? To humble you. “Lord, you are teaching humility in providence.” Do not blame your heavenly Father, but blame yourselves. He is a loving God, and a tender Father: “He is afflicted in all our afflictions.”
Oh, how much we can learn from our children! When we look upon a little child, we should be put in mind of the use Christ made of this child. Sensible things must be improved to spiritual purposes. We never can become so childlike but that there may be room for further advancement. Let the presence then of a little child be always a source of instruction to us. Let parents in particular, and all who have the care of children, learn from them. Yea, let them never look upon a child without learning from him what they are to be in the hands of God.
Let every one of us observe its utter dependency, simplicity of mind, and unity of desire; and let us regard him as a pattern for imitation.
Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Bangalore 