January 27, 2014: Losers and Lowlifes

Matthew 18:1-20

Amplified Bible (AMP)

18 At that time the disciples came up and asked Jesus, Who then is [really] the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2 And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them,

3 And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].

4 Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 And whoever receives and accepts and welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My name receives and accepts and welcomes Me.

6 But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in and acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct or thought], it would be better (more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea.

7 Woe to the world for such temptations to sin and influences to do wrong! It is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the person on whose account or by whom the temptation comes!

8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire.

9 And if your eye causes you to stumble and sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the hell (Gehenna) of fire.

10 Beware that you do not despise or feel scornful toward or think little of one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always are in the presence of and look upon the face of My Father Who is in heaven.

11 For the Son of man came to save [from the penalty of eternal death] that which was lost.

12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray and gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost?

13 And if it should be that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not get lost.

14 Just so it is not the will of My Father Who is in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost and perish.

15 If your brother wrongs you, go and show him his fault, between you and him privately. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.

16 But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed and upheld by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

17 If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a pagan and a tax collector.

18 Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.

19 Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven.

20 For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I Am in the midst of them.

We are to be like children. Trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving. Or we will never see heaven. There it is. Simple but scary. And if we humble ourselves, we WILL see heaven.

Think of someone who would seem to be the least important person you know. I can think of someone right now. Maybe they aren't able to give much to society. Maybe they are mainly on the receiving end of things here on earth. Kind of like a child. That person is actually the MOST important person to God. Our standards of importance are flip flopped in God's kingdom. This is mysterious and exciting to me! When we feel the lowest and the most humble and the most unnecessary, thats when we are the greatest to God!

If we accept someone who has humbled themselves as a child, we will see heaven.
If we cause someone to fall into sin, woe to us!!!

We must not despise or scorn someone who has childlike faith and humility! Interpretation: Rolling our eyes or chuckling inwardly when we see them.

We must resist temptation to the point of gouging out our own eyes if they are going to send us to hell! Sounds bizarre... But I think of Aron Ralston, the man who cut off his own leg when he was literally stuck on the side of a mountain. He did it to save his life. Kind of the same scenario, only this scripture is refering to our eternal soul! 

Can you think of someone who has fallen away from God? Find them and invite them to have coffee or lunch. Let them know they are missed! Jesus would do this! 

We are to go to a brother or sister in Christ and tell them if they have offended us. Have I done this? Not always. I'm thinking of someone right now I need to approach. But I don't want to. At all. Sometimes forgiving someone in my heart is not good enough. Memories come rushing back literally every time I see this person. Which is a lot.

Moving on to my my favorite scriptures in this chapter :

19 Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven.

20 For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I Am in the midst of them.

Yesssssss!!!!!

"Thank You Jesus for reminding me of Your great truths today! I must love, love, love, trust, trust, trust, and humble, humble, humble myself like a child. It's an ongoing, day after day process. It seems impossible, I can do it with Your help! You are worthy of my childlike faith and humility. If I want to be great in Your kingdom, I must learn to be the servant of all. (Mark 9:35). How I love You, Jesus. AMEN."