Matthew 18:1-20 (Ep.055), A. Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

At that time, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? he called a little child to him and placed the child among them.

And he said, Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

So the disciples are asking, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And you know, in the world, the greatest is someone who's the smartest, the most powerful, the most socially important the most influential and Jesus is saying no that's not who is the greatest and then he takes a child and places the child in front of everyone and says you must become like a child a child and he doesn't mean that children are pure or perfect here he's not saying that he's saying Whoever takes the lowly position of this child, we have to have the low position.

And we have to be dependent.

This is the opposite of the way the world thinks and the way the disciples are thinking at this moment.

I remember when we read the passage about Jesus sending out the disciples two by two.

And they couldn't bring much with them.

And they had to depend on the kindness of the strangers of the towns that they visited.

And that's a very vulnerable position to be in.

If you're vulnerable, you could be hurt easily.

And Jesus asks us to depend on God.

Okay.

Verse 6.