01/20/2023
Have we ever been bold enough to ask Jesus one of the more difficult questions that His twelve disciples asked of Him? Are we afraid that our question would reveal a fault in us, or that we wouldn’t appear to understand something that perhaps we should have? Were we comfortable enough with Him to ask Him anyway? Let’s take one question today, and joining together in combined courage, strength, and boldness, let’s ask Him what we all would like to have answered… who is the greatest in heaven?
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?””
Matthew 18:1 ESV
When I was a boy I loved to play baseball with my friends after school. We would run into our houses, throw down our books, pick up our bat, ball, and glove, and then race to an old vacant park in our neighborhood to play ball. We would pick two captains and they would take turns picking a player for their team until at last everyone had been picked. Then the game would begin and we would play until the sun started going down. The captains were typically the two boys that were best at baseball, and as players were chosen it would be from the best to the worst, but although we all understood this pecking order we never called it out as fact. Instead, at the end of the day we would debate such things as who were the best players in the big leagues, or who was the best major league team this year. Sometimes an argument might ensue because we had no definitive source of truth, only our opinions, but when the disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest they were all acknowledging Him as the absolute source of that truth. He had told them He was truth, and they believed Him…
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 ESV
So who is the greatest in the kingdom? Is it the children themselves, or is it those who turn their lives around, and become in their faith like children once again? You see, it’s not hard for a child to behave like one because, after all, that is their true nature, but for a man or a woman to return to a childlike faith takes a great deal of effort. Abandoning who we are to become something else is hard indeed. Thus, when we abandon our lives of sin, and are transformed into righteous people, this is amazing, and worthy of admiration.
“And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 18:2-3 ESV
So Jesus tells us to humble ourselves in spirit, and our daily lives. He says if we can do this then we will be considered as one of the greatest in the kingdom…
“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 18:4 ESV
So, let’s become like prodigal sons and daughters who were lost, and then found. Let’s be the children whose faith was lost to adulthood, but returned to the Father with a childlike rebirth… and there, found Him waiting to celebrate us.
“For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”
Luke 15:24 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for our spiritual rebirth in Jesus. Thank you Lord for making us like children once more as we humble ourselves before you. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who can take a man who is lost to sin in the world, and transform him into a humble child of faith once more. Praised be your name for the simple pleasures and joy of a childhood faith, and for the unchallenged faith that comes with it. Merciful are you Father who removes the sin of men and women through your Son Jesus, and places us on the path home. Wash us Father in the blood of Jesus and call us your children. Judge us through Christ to be worthy of a seat at your table, and feed us the manna of your Word. Walk with us in eternity, and feel our love for you forever and ever… surrounded by an eternally childlike faith.
Rich Forbes