Transformation to the Likeness of a child
Text: Matthew 18:1-9
Introduction:
A family along with their 9 months child sleeping on the terrace of
their house. A 28 year old drunken man at midnight came to the terrace and
kidnapped the girl child then brutally raped her and caused for the death of
the child. By the time the family realises and find the accused and took the
child to a hospital, the child was declared dead. There was a struggle in my
heart why such things happen in this world and started to think on what Bible
say about children? How people in the Bible treat children especially Jesus? These
questions lead me to prepare this sermon. The text chosen was a known text to
every one where Jesus explaining His disciples about the Reign of God by taking
children as example. His explanation caught my attention that He invites everyone
to be like children, that is why I titled my sermon as “Transformation to the Likeness of
a child”
Almost all interpreters of this section of Matthew’s Gospel have
considered Matthew 18:1-35 as a literary unit. Because 18:1 is looked as the
beginning and 18:35 as the end. Chapter 19 conforms that with the beginning
verse “when Jesus had finished saying” and also we could observe the location
had changed (Galilee), the audience (Pharisees) had changed and the form had
changed. But, this pericope is part of a larger teaching unit of Jesus (18:1 -
19:15) in which the people are instructed about “childlikeness and the kingdom.
“This section begins (18:1-5) and ends (19:13-15) with references to children
as model recipients of the reign. Each pericope speaks about two kinds of
people that are “Vulnerable and Responsible”
The vulnerable group are the children in the text and are presented as
valuable and worth restoring/protecting. The responsible group is called to
humility in restoring those who might not seem worth saving, but on whom Jesus
places special value.
In Telugu there is a saying about children which is “Pillalu Daiva
samanulu” that means children are equal to God. But why the atrocities on
children happen daily, are we not failing to give importance to children in our
lives? If not then there is a wrong understand in us that we are superior to
the children and we are looking at them as vulnerable beings. Through this text
Jesus is calling us to transform which is my first point
First point: Jesus
calls for transformation
In response to the question raised by the disciples “who is the
greatest” Jesus responsewas interesting. He called a child, placed the child
among them, and told them that unless they change and become as little
children, they will never even enter the reign of God.
Jesus calledthem to become like children in order to enter the reign of
God(Matthew 18:3). Indeed, he called them to convert and become like children. So adults need to be
converted to enter the reign of God. Here Jesus spoke about the conversion of
character, attitude and as person. He proposed that, by using the example of
childlikeness to illustrate the “entrance requirement” for the reign of God. It
also encourages us to recognize that children are by virtue of their inherent
childlikeness already heirs of the reign of God.
A child in the ancient world was without status or rights, completely
dependent on the good will of others to care for him or her. Jesus did not tell
the disciples that they should have faith like a little child, but they need to
become like little children. Jesus further specifies what this means in the
following verse: “Whoever humbles themselves like this little child is the
greatest in the reign of God” (Matthew 18:4). The disciples around Jesus were
talking about who is greater among themselves. Jesus understood their pride and
suggested them to humble themselves.The power and status in the reign of God is
knowing one’s total dependence on God which counts as greatness in the reign of
God. We are all “little ones” before God, are completely dependent upon God for
the breath of life here and now and for the life to come.
His reign is filled with people who are dependent on Him, who are humble
and powerless simply like children. After this Jesus took the argument one step
further in saying, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me”
(Matthew 18:5). Jesus humbles himself in identifying with a little child at
that time that is with the one without power or status. Many times in Matthew’s
Gospel that Jesus identifies with those who are powerless, needy, and marginal,
and says that our response to such persons is nothing but our response to Him(10:40-42; 25:34-46). Which symbolises
Jesus as a person who humbled himself throughout His life. So humbling oneself
is nothing but becoming like Jesus.
But the reality of our world is totally different, children are the most
vulnerable, the most abused, and the most at risk. Child prostitutes, Child
labours, Child rapes, Child-trafficking…. It’s a tragic fact that about one
third of the world’s children live in extreme poverty today. 30,000 children
died in poverty today in the world. Just like yesterday. Just like tomorrow.
One child dies every three seconds, largely from preventable causes, rooted in
poverty and its effects. We are all part of this reality so Jesus calls us to
realize and repent which is my second point
Second Point: Jesus calls for
repentance
Matthew shows the greatness of the “little ones” by showing how far the
responsible group required to go to preserve/restore them. They are to seek,
restore, forgive and protect them. The vulnerability and the humility of
children resembles their greatness. Those who become like children deserve the
same protection and care Jesus calls his followers to extend that to children.
The entire section is designed to answer the question raised,except first
verse. Matthew 18:2-19:15 answers the question of the disciples, “Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” It is clear that they assumed that, they
themselves were undoubtedly in the reign of God. What they wanted to know was
which of them was greatest in it.Jesus responds by using children in both to
answer their question, and to help them re-evaluate their assumption. It is
those who humble themselves (18:4) who are great. Moreover it is only those who
have converted to childlikeness who are in the kingdom at all (18:3 and
19:14).
But from verse 6 He explained that we are putting stumbling blocks,
which means we are hindering the reign of God to prosper. He warns them that it
is better for them to kill themselves. Ending one’s own life is considered as
the sin but God spoke about those who hurt children or hinders people who are
trying to be children. Jesus said “occasions of stumbling are bound to come,
but woe to the one by whom stumbling block comes.” There will be temptations of
treating children lower than adults, not giving them opportunities, not raising
voices against the violence on children…. He suggested us to come out of the
temptation and repent. It may be a painful process but Jesus wants us to go
through that pain in order to become like children and entre into His reign.
Of course, cutting off hands and poking into our
eyes, will not keep us from Hell fire. Sin doesn’t abide in the
muscles of the hand or in our optic nerve butSin resides in our heart. The hand
only expresses what the heart desires. Jesus was not insisting us to self-hurt.
He is only showing us the importance of the case. The hand might cause an
offense, but the eye may be the means of being offended. Rather it was
through “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of
life” that we permit temptation to enter our own
souls. If the eye wasthe only way that we could be offended, then
perhaps blindness would be a good thing. But that is only one entrance to the
soul. Jesus was only referring to these things to point out the seriousness of
His primary point. Why should we repent is because we are insensitive to the
things that are happening around us especially about children. In the
illustration mentioned in the beginning there was a small agitation by the
family members of the child and the next day everything went off. Even in the
case of Asifa there was nothing done by the society for the justice to the
child’s family. The church and the Christian community was so numb towards
these issues as well.
That is why India ranks 9th in the world in child labour,
India topped the list in malnutrition list in the world. India having more
young people than any other country in the world has the highest rate of child rape,
it is a very pathetic situation which came because treating the children as
weak and vulnerable andwho cannot raise their voices against elders. For that
Jesus is calling to repent. Every one of us should realize that a sexual abuse
of each single child is a moment of suffering for all people, a denial of our
humanity, arejection of our own future and an attempt to destroy the beauty of
God’s creation. For all this we are being part directly or indirectly, so Jesus
calls us for the repentance. Do not be a stumbling block to these little ones
rather become one in order to be in His reign. At least now we all must
understand and make our voices heard against such instances and show the love
of God toward the poor and vulnerable which is nothing less than sharing Good
news. Let us examine ourselves….
Conclusion Points:
At its simplest level, this story tells us that Jesus loves and welcomes
and blesses children and so should we. Jesus uses this opportunity to reiterate
one of His most common points about Godly concern/leadership. To abuse the
trust of a child is the greatest sin we can conceive, to love and protect them
is the finest gift we have to offer.
Jesus himself is portrayed as the one who both restores and protects the
weak and vulnerable and also as the one who makes himself weak and vulnerable
“like the child.”In all the Gospels, we see God’s tender heart for children.
His willingness to devote time to them, His recognition of their social status,
and His zeal for protecting their innocence demonstrates His high regard.When
it comes to temptation, we’re all responsible for our own behaviour. But here
Jesus wants His listeners to understand the dangers of being the vehicle through
which temptation comes. If our behaviour leads innocent children astray, it’s
better to be thrown into the depth of the sea than to face the judgment of
Jesus.
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