A Question of Importance

I'll be reading from Matthew chapter 18, verses 1 to 14.

Matthew 18:1–14

At that time, the disciples came to Jesus, saying,

Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

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.

Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.

But whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in me to sin,

it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck

and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Woe to the world for temptations to sin.

For it is necessary that temptations come,

but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes.

And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin,

cut it off and throw it away.

It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame

than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.

And if your eye causes you to sin,

tear it out and throw it away.

It is better for you to enter life with one eye

than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

See that you do not despise one of these little ones.

For I tell you that in heaven,

their angels see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

What do you think?

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray,

does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains

and go in search of the one that went astray?

And if he finds it,

truly I say to you,

he rejoices over it

more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.

So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven

that one of these little ones should perish.

Good morning.

My name is Bo.

I am one of the elders of the church.

I would like to welcome all the visitors in particular today.

I have seen quite a number of visitors.

And you have me today because I am a regular preacher.

They brought us away for holidays,

so you will have me for two weeks.

Today, I am using this Nebel mic for the first time.

I mean, if it is not clear,

please raise up your hand so I can just use that big mic.

We will see how it goes.

So last week,

they brought us that,

as we went back into the book of Matthew,

they brought us that the book of Matthew

could be divided into two parts.

From chapter 1 to 16,

it is about who Jesus is.

And then 17 onwards,

it is about what he is going to do.

And so today we come to chapter 18 of Matthew.

We have done 1 to 17 last year,

or the year before,

some time ago.

So we start from chapter 18,

onwards,

for the rest of this year.

So chapter 18,

I think,

is talking about,

as we know,

what Jesus is going to do.

In particular,

he is talking about

Jesus is going to build his church.

And to build his church,

the first challenge that Jesus needs to face

is the crucifixion.

he needs to suffer and die for his people.

And subsequent to that,

I think it's more challenging

is what we will be dealing with

in chapter 18,

that is his people.

This is the challenge.

How are his people going to live together

as a body?

As you know,

in any social gatherings,

there's always competitions,

jealousy,

resentment of not giving opportunity

or something like this.

So it's not easy

to put a group of people

who are not really together.

So today we shall,

hopefully today and next week,

consider a bit about

how,

as God's people,

we should live together.

Let us pray first.

Almighty God,

we know that it's a privilege

for us to come together

as the body of Christ,

as your children.

we pray that as we go through

chapter 18 of Matthew,

you will help us to consider

how we should love one another

and start one another

to do good works as well.

Thank you, Lord.

We pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

So to start with,

for chapter 18,

it says that at that time

when the disciples

were asking

questions.

So,

we need to consider

the context.

What does that,

what time there was,

what,

what does at that time

point to?

The word time

could be,

could mean

a long period of time

or just a short period of time.

If we take it

for a long period of time,

we can look back

to previously

to 17,

say the transfiguration

on the mountain.

So,

the disciples

may be asking

in the kingdom of God

who was the greatest,

is it Moses,

Elijah,

or Jesus,

or someone else?

Or,

we can look forward

because

after the mountain,

Jesus again

told the disciples

that he would

be arrested

and killed

by people.

And so,

the disciples

may be thinking,

after Jesus is gone,

who would take over

the leadership?

Especially

who among them

would be the one

succeeding Jesus?

And that,

I mean,

that is a relevant

and important question.

If you,

if

Christianity

developed

like other religions,

like,

if you look at

the history of Islam,

you will see that

after Muhammad died,

there was a lot

of bloodshed

among his followers

to grab power,

see who

could lead

the group.

And so,

that question

is relevant.

But then,

I'm not going

there today.

I'm,

I take this

at that time.

The time means

a short time,

like,

at that hour.

So,

what happened

just before

18?

That,

at the end

of chapter 17,

we read that

Jesus,

the,

the,

religious leader

were asking

Jesus'

disciples,

whether Jesus

and the disciples

would pay

temple tax.

And so,

they came

to ask

Jesus.

Peter said,

yes,

we would,

but then,

when they asked

Jesus,

Jesus said,

the tax is

for the ruler

of this world

to collect

from their subjects.

But they don't

collect tax

from their children

or from their sons

in particular.

And so,

Jesus said,

we are

the sons of God

and so,

we don't need

to pay

tax,

at least

the temple tax.

But Jesus

still paid

for it,

partly because

Jesus,

Peter said

he would,

they would pay,

but partly

also,

Jesus didn't

want to,

I suppose,

create conflicts

unnecessary

in this instance.

But the,

what Jesus,

how Jesus

answered the

disciples,

told the disciples

that they

were a special

community,

they were the

sons of God.

And so,

if we put

this in mind,

and that's why

they asked

this question

in this

community,

who is

the greatest,

or what

is considered

important in

this community.

And the

second question

they asked

that we'll do

next week

is,

what rights

do I have

in this

community?

Like,

if you join

the army,

you would know

what is considered

important that you

can get promotion

by doing

or serving?

Or,

what rights

you have

when you

are bullied

or being

despised

in the

community?

And that's

why,

even as a

church community,

I think this

is an important

question that

we should

consider.

And so,

today,

I would

consider,

the title

of the

sermon today

is,

a question

of importance.

So,

this is an

important question,

but also

about how

do we

become

important

in this

community?

How do we

gain our

identity?

So,

next week,

we'll talk

about the

question of

rights.

What rights

do we have

as a

church?

So,

we will

consider

in this

14 verses

of chapter

18,

three things.

The first

one is,

our need

to be

important.

It's not

only what

is important,

it's the

need that

we need

to be

important.

So,

that is

our great

need.

The second

one is,

how this

need of

importance

causes

a

temer

to sin.

Because we

want to be

important,

so it's

likely that

we'll do

something,

and something

that would

be considered

sinful.

sinful.

And so,

the second

part of it

is our

great sin.

And so,

the need for

importance,

and then when

we try to

achieve the

importance,

we tend to

sin.

So,

we are in

a dilemma.

And so,

the third part

of it is,

how can we

be delivered

out of this

dilemma?

And that is

our great

savior.

Okay,

for the

first part,

the disciples

ask,

who is the

greatest in

the kingdom

of heaven?

Or who is

the most

important person

in the kingdom

of heaven?

This question

just reveals

the deep

needs that

we all

have to

be someone

important.

We need

to be

somebody.

You can,

if you're

new to a

church in

particular,

and nobody

say hello

to you,

or greet

you,

how do you

feel?

that's not

what we

would like

to experience

because we

want to be

considered

important.

And that

is natural

for each

of us.

And the

way the

world knows

that one

is important

is to be

great,

to be

successful,

or to be

better than

other people.

We can see

that in

President

Trump's

slogan,

to make

America

great again.

It's named

what he's

driving to.

And that

is the

drive

not only

America,

all of us

will have.

We want

to be

considered

somebody

significant

and not

be despised

or looked

down by

people.

And that's

why they

asked this

question.

and they

have been

also

perplexed

by the

way Jesus

conducts

himself.

Because for

the great

people of

the world,

they will

have many

followers or

supporters,

or they are

influential.

But when they

followed Jesus,

they did not

see Jesus

try to be

such.

like when

Jesus

teach,

he

tend to

teach in

parables.

And that

parables that

a lot of

people didn't

understand.

It didn't

seem to

try to

attract more

people.

Even when

Jesus healed

people,

cast out

demons,

he told

those people

not to

tell other

people about

what happened

to them.

He said

Jesus is not

there to

be more

famous.

the

disciples

were hoping

that,

because a

lot of

the

disciples,

as we

know,

they are

uneducated.

They did

not have

any

position in

society,

or status

in society.

And so

they were

hoping that

by following

Jesus,

they can

become

somebody

great.

And they

are willing

to die

for that

if Jesus

would lead

them to

do something

great.

But then

until now,

Jesus

has been

talking about

he will

be arrested,

he will

be killed.

So the

disciples were

a bit

uncertain how

this kingdom

of heaven

works,

what is

considered

important in

this kingdom

of heaven.

And I

think we

all can

identify with

that,

because from

young,

we have

learned to

do a lot

of things

just to

increase our

own importance

in school,

at work,

or even

in church

gatherings.

Many

things that

we do,

even though

it may

not be

the only

motive,

but part

of it

will be

how we

can be

more

acceptable

or approved

by other

people.

And so

the disciples

were surprised

when Jesus

showed them

a child

and said

that you

can't even

enter the

kingdom of

heaven unless

you turn

and like

this child.

I mean,

don't mention

about being

important in

the kingdom

of heaven,

you can't

even enter

into it

if you

are not

like this

child.

And what

characteristic

of the

child that

Jesus is

referring to,

he's not

saying that

we need to

be childish,

we need to

be ignorant,

but he's

saying that

you should

be like

a child

in his

humility.

And what

is humility?

Humunity

is when

a person

is not

thinking so

much about

himself,

herself,

and because

he's like

a child

whose identity

is in the

parents.

A child

does not

have a

personality

yet or

individuality

but he

refers to

the parents

as their

identity.

A few

weeks ago,

Leanne and

I went

to Hobart

with our

grandson,

Thomas,

he was

20 months

old.

And that

was because

his father

was there

for a

conference.

We went

there and

when we

went up

with them

and when

the other

tourists

saw Thomas,

they usually

would say

hello to

him.

And I'm

quite amazed

to see

Thomas

straight away

point to

the parents,

daddy,

mommy.

He didn't

point to

himself,

daddy,

mommy.

Is that

what you

see?

His

identity

is holy

in the

parents,

at least

at this

stage.

And so

that is

what it

means to

be humble.

Humble

does not

mean that

I feel

humble.

We can,

from television,

we can see

that when

somebody gets

an award

or something

and the

person will

usually say,

I'm

humbled by

this award

or something.

But he's

not humble.

He's

actually proud

of that.

But he

just wants

to know,

he knows

that if he

says,

I'm proud,

nobody will

like him.

So he

will have

to say,

I'm

humble.

But

someone is

humble,

he won't

say,

I am,

he'll just

say,

I'm

thankful

for this

award and

I'm thankful

for those

who have

contributed to

it,

all these

things,

but not

about himself.

That is

humanity.

And so

Jesus is

saying that

in the

kingdom

of God,

you will

not find

someone

who is

boasting

about himself

or herself.

And because

in the

kingdom of

God,

everyone is

deferring

himself,

herself to

Jesus as

their identity.

And if

we know

that we

need to

refer to

Jesus or

identify

ourselves in

Jesus,

but we

still

struggle

every day

because

in our

flesh,

we will

still want

to be

great.

But if

we keep

trying to

be great,

eventually we

will become

more and

more self-focused,

self-centered.

And then

we won't

be able to,

I mean,

we won't have

anything to do

with the

kingdom of

heaven because

in the kingdom

of heaven,

nobody who

is self-centered

will be

there.

We need

to be

Christ-centered.

But we

still

struggle.

So in our

struggle,

we sin.

We also

cause other

people to

sin.

And so we

come to

the part of

our great

sins.

In

verse 6

of chapter

18,

Jesus said,

let me

just read

to you.

But whoever

causes one

of these

little ones

who believe

in me to

sin,

it would

be better

for him

to have

a great

mewstone

fastened

around his

neck and

to be

drowned in

the depth

of the

sea.

So who

are the

little ones?

Jesus

used a

child as

example.

But a

little one

is someone

who is

learning to

trust in

Jesus,

learning to

live for

Jesus.

And so

this person

is not

there yet,

is learning,

and so

they can

fall.

And we,

when I'm

preparing for

this sermon,

I was

thinking to

myself,

am I a

little one

or am I

a great

one?

Then I

realized that

as soon as

I think

about this,

am I a

little one

or a

great one?

I'm

surely not

a little

one.

Because a

little one

will not

even think

about,

a true

little one

will not

even think

about

himself or

herself.

He's not,

he doesn't

care so much

because he's

lost in

the Lord

Jesus Christ.

And that

is a true

little one,

but there's

none of us

here,

so we are

halfway to

dare to be

the true

little one.

So we

can be the

great one

and we can

sin and

influence the

little one

who look up

to us,

or we can

follow those

we look up

to and

sin as well.

So this

is something

that's

happening all

the time.

How do

we cause

the little

one to

sin,

or how

the little

one's

cause to

be sin?

Their

cause to

sin is

not to

trust God

for their

importance.

We show

them that

we need

to try

hardest

to be

important,

and not

to trust

God for

that.

And how

do we

sin?

By using

our eyes,

our hands,

our feet.

So our

eyes sin,

when we

see something,

we cover

it, we

want it.

Our hands

sin, our

feet sin,

we move

closer to

that target,

the thing

that I

desire,

and our

hands sin

by grabbing

it and

wondering

it for

myself.

in the

history of

mankind,

I think

the two

persons who

are closest

to the

little ones

besides

Jesus,

Adam and

Eve,

yet they

fell into

temptation

and sin

as well.

And how

did

Satan

tell Eve

to sin?

Satan

asked Eve,

did God

say that

you shouldn't

eat any

of the

fruit from

the garden?

And then

if they

know only

that

particular

fruit,

we shouldn't

eat,

otherwise

you will

die.

And what

did Satan

say?

He said,

no, you

won't die.

That fruit

is good

for you.

God

knows that

if you

eat that,

you will

know,

you can

decide,

you will

have wisdom

to decide

what is

good and

evil.

What Satan

means is

that don't

trust God

on this

because that

fruit

would make

you great.

You will

be like

God

in being

able to

decide

what is

good and

evil.

And so

Eve saw

with his

eyes

that

fruit

can make

her

greater

person.

And then

she moves

closer to

the tree

and then

she used

her hands

to pick

the fruit

and eat

it.

love.

And that

is how

generation

after

generation

we

attempted

to sin

or

caused

others

to sin

by doing

the same

thing.

We see

that in

the life

of Lot,

Abraham's

nephew,

when Abraham

and him

had too

much

property,

servants

and stocks,

that Abraham

said we

should move

apart so

that we

do not

fight for

resources.

so

Lot saw

with his

eyes

that the

lands

near

Sodom

was

fertile.

He knew

that the

people in

Sodom

were

wicked

but

because

he was

rich enough

Lord

but he

wanted to

be

richer,

he wanted

to be

greater

so

his feet

moved

closer

to that

place

and his

hand

grabbed

her

of the

land

and

lived

there.

And

we know

the

consequence

of that

he eventually

lost

everything.

But we

see a

different

story

in the

life of

Jesus.

When

Jesus

was

tempted

by

Satan

the same

thing

happened.

Satan

said,

look at

the

world,

all is

glory.

If you

will

worship

me,

I will

give that

to you.

And

Satan

said,

use your

hand to

turn the

stone

into

food

and

eat.

Satan

told

Jesus

to jump

down

from the

high

place

and God

will

protect

his

feet.

So

all

this

just

to

tempt

Jesus

to be

great

on his

own

terms.

But

Jesus'

whole

identity

was in

God

the

Father.

And

so

Satan

had

no

way

of

being

able

to

tempt

Jesus

to be

great

because

Jesus

was

completely

satisfied

for

his

greatness

in

God

himself.

When

we

look at

ourselves,

we can

look at

examples

in the

church

context

how we

want

to be

great

as well.

Sometimes

I'm not

talking about

our church

but I've

been to

many

churches

in

Malaysia

but this

can happen

in our

church or

other

churches.

Sometimes

Christians

will not

serve

or will

not do

any

ministries

without

being

given

a

title

or

position.

So

a

position

like

an

elder

or

a

deacon

or

a

leader

of

some

sort.

A

title

like

a

reverend

or

father

and

that

because

even in

the Christian

community

a lot

of

Christians

are still

seeking

to be

great.

If we

follow

a

title,

they

don't

want

to

be

involved

in

ministries.

And

in

particular

in

Chinese

churches,

a lot

of

the

people

who

are

in

positions,

even

though

they

are

elderly,

80

years

old,

90

years

old,

they

still

would

not

want

to

step

down

because

that

is

their

identity.

And

that

is

how

we

can

be

a

bad

example

to

the

younger

ones.

Sometimes

Christians

will not

give

unless

their

giving

is

published.

It's

not

very

common

in

Austria,

but

in

Malaysia

it's

very

common

that

churches

will

publish

the

list

of

people,

their

names,

and how

much

they

give

week

by

week.

We

may be

short,

but this

is a

common

practice.

And

churches

do that

will

tend

to

have

more

income.

Because

if your

name

appear

there

and

you

give

more,

then

you

are

important,

somebody

who's

great.

If you

really want

to be

accountable

to the

giving,

they

could

have

just

published

the

figures

before

the

name,

because

people

can

give

a

unique

number

of

some

to

know

that

your

money

has

been

given,

which

could

be

required

in

some

Asian

context,

because

the

money

is

quite

a

big

temptation

for

people

who

handle

money

to

steal.

And so

it's

not

without

reason,

but

now

it's

just

been

abused

to

make

somebody

great.

There

are

also

times

when

Christians

would

not

turn

up

to

service

unless

they

are

leading

on

their

Sunday,

or

they

are

leading

in

songs.

Again,

in

Malaysia,

we

visit

some

churches

repeatedly,

we

know

that

every

time

if

we

go

to

the

church,

if

that

leader

is

not

doing

something

on

the

front,

that

leader

will

not

be

in

the

church.

So

every

time

unless

the

leader

is

doing

something

in

front,

that

is

also

accepted.

Again,

there's

a sign

to show

that we

want

to

be

great.

the

other

thing

about

Christians'

tendency

is that

in a

church

setting,

roads

that

would

attract

attention,

like in

the front

or doing

something,

usually it's

not difficult

to get

people to

take up

those roads,

but if

you get

people to

do

cleaning

behind

things

behind

the

scene,

it will

be a

lot

harder

to get

people to

do

that.

So

that is

something

that we

all

struggle.

I'll

mention

one more

way that

we can

be a

bad

example

is

how

an

altitude

when

in a

church

setting,

if

one day

your

small group

leader

or an

elder

come to

you

to

challenge

you

about

your

behavior

or

belief,

if

your

first

response

is that

how

dare

you

look

down

on

me,

regardless

of what

the

problem

is,

then we

need to

be very

careful.

So

when we

are challenged

and our

first response

is that

these people

are looking

down on

me,

then

if we

have such

a response,

it is

easy for

us to

subsequently

criticize

those

leaders

who

talk to

us,

and so

being a

bad

influence

to

people

whom

we

talk

about

this

too.

And so

for all

these

examples,

we can

see that

we are

all

great

sinners,

even in

the church

setting.

How can

we be

safe?

How can

we get

importance

at the

same time

and not

sin?

And that

is,

we have

to come

to the

great

Savior.

In

verse 14,

we are

thankful

that

Jesus

did not

stop

in giving

us a

warning

about

sinning.