Children matter, as do lost people…

Posted on April 24, 2013 Updated on October 30, 2017

Text: Matthew 18:10-14

Historical Context

This parable is placed just after Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah and then also just after the transfiguration of Jesus in the presence of Peter, James and John.

Literary Context

Jesus is speaking to the disciples (18:1), they have just asked Him the question; “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus’ reply starts with an action; he invites a child to come and stand with Him…

Then Jesus answers their question by telling them they need to become like this child to enter the kingdom – you have to humble yourself. Jesus also gives real value to this child saying that to receive a child is to receive Jesus and to lead a child to sin is grave danger before God…

Jesus then warns them of the seriousness of sin and the fearful judgement to come on sin, and so urges these disciples to take drastic action regarding dealing with sin.

Then we have Jesus parable of the lost sheep which comes back to the value in God’s eyes of each person, in each child even.

The compatibility principle ^{(compare to other Scripture)}

This parable is not the same as the one found in Luke 15 with a similar theme, the context is different. This parable was told to the disciples, that one was directed at the Pharisees in the presence of tax collectors and sinners who were drawing near to Jesus.

Content ^{(who, why, what, how, when, for what….?)}

What questions does it address, ask or answer?

This parable speaks to the value of children

Jesus warns the disciples to not despise, to not think little of these children (vs10). God does not discriminate on age, all people have equal value before God. They had asked who’s the greatest and Jesus’ response is for the disciples to see the value (as God does) of these children that are so precious to Him.

Application: Lord please help me to “see” the children you have placed around me and to value them as you do! Not just my own, but to value all children.

This parable answers the question; ‘Is there a heaven?’

Heaven is just spoken of as an accepted fact, Matthew as a gospel was evangelistic and aimed at fellow Jews, so heaven is not even argued for but assumed. Jesus however does challenge any false idea that God was somehow like the royalty of the day who would have had little time for children and challenge any idea that God was somehow disinterested in sections of the population (those marginalised people like the sick, the outcast, the sinner, the women and children, the gentile, the slave…).

God is mindful of the lowly, of children who are ever before Him in that the angels ministering to them (Hebrews 1:14) are always before God. Our God is accessible always to all who approach through His appointed mediator – Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5)

Angels!

In his commentary Michael Green mentions the fact that angelology was highly developed in that day with common belief that nations, churches, individuals had angels representing them before God. At this point in his gospel Matthew does not teach against this belief but uses it to make a point about God – that he is attentive to the lives of children continuously.

From the perspective of the whole of Scripture there are two errors that can be made regarding our understanding of angels; to disregard them entirely or to give them too much attention. Jesus is our one mediator and yet Scripture is clear that angels are ministering spirits serving those who are the elect.

Application: Know that in addition to the continuous presence of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 13:5) God has sent angels to minister to you if you have believed in Jesus. Ask God to reveal to you (when you face danger or trial) His armies of angels that are with you (2 Kings 6:15-18) as Elisha prayed Ghazi would see.

This parable tells us something about God’s nature

God’s nature is to seek out the stray, to pursue the one who is lost. God takes responsibility for keeping us in close proximity with Him and with the rest of the flock!

Application: How often do we not preach from the other perspective ignoring this clear teaching by Jesus that God personally is committed to finding us when we go astray. What good news, what assurance flows from this knowledge that our lives are ever before God and if we stray He Himself goes out in search of us to bring us back into proximity with Him and the rest of the flock.

This parable tells us something of Jesus’ relationship with God

Jesus describes His relationship with God when He says; “my Father who is in heaven.” The literary context informs us that this statement is after Peter’s revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah and after Peter, James and John’s experience at the transfiguration of Jesus.

Jesus – who is God, Messiah is also a son. God the son has a relationship with God the Father who is in heaven. This therefore is a partial trinitarian passage referring to two of the members of the Godhead and describing the relationship as a Father/Son relationship.

Jesus’ heart was the same as the heart of the Father expressed here in this parable when He said elsewhere to Zacchaeus; “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Just as the Father’s heart was for the lost, the stray – so too was this Jesus’ heart.

Application: Is my heart concerned about any who know God who have gone astray? Is my heart concerned about children or anyone who have not come to faith in Jesus for their salvation? Does it concern me like it concerns God?

This parable tells us something of what God’s will is that no children perish

God’s will is that none (we are all children so it applies to children and beyond) should perish in hell (in hell is understood from the context of Matthew 18:9). So God has made a way through faith in Jesus’s finished work and His offer of forgiveness for our sins and His perfect righteousness for those who are not perfect but decidedly flawed!

I have a, we have a responsibility to be like our heavenly Father and Jesus who’s passion was that all accept the offer of salvation He gives.