Pentecost 13, 2014
"Act like a child?"
Matthew 18:1-5
[Video Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p3kKL1YFF4]
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Little children can be so very adorable. The way they giggle or smile...the way they learn to wave or give a high five. Even their clothes can be adorable...the cutest dress or the most dapper suit and tie. This week is my Aaron’s birthday and Facebook reminds me of his past birthdays. The memories of his first birthday bring so many smiles. He was the center of attention as he opened gifts and started clapping. It was cute and entertaining as he ate and smashed his first birthday cake. His smile, giggle, and clapping lit up the room.
While little ones are cute and cuddly and entertaining...they don't offer any practical help. Babies can’t change their own diapers...wouldn't that be nice. Little ones need constant reminders to get tasks accomplished. They don't cook or clean...they can't get a job. They really can't do much for themselves yet...they rely on adults for their needs. They need time to grow up and learn. That's just the way that life is.
The 12 Disciples were most certainly adults. They came from many various backgrounds...some were fisherman, another was a doctor, and one was a tax collector. They were hard workers. They were also known to be a little hard headed. Two of the disciples came with their mom who asked Jesus to let them sit to his right and left in heaven...the most important seats next to a King. Peter would proclaim that he would follow Jesus even when the others would fall away in fear only to deny our Lord three times. Here in our text the Disciples came to Jesus with a question...a selfish question...a vain question...a childish question.
"At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1) Maybe they thought it would be one of the great Patriarchs... Abraham, Joseph, Noah, or David. Maybe they hoped that one of them would not only be the greatest Disciple...but the greatest in heaven as well. One might have been the most learned, another the best preacher, another the best evangelist. Who could it be? Was it one of them?
"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." (Matthew 18:2-4)
Become like a child? What is Jesus talking about? They can't go out and teach and preach! They haven't studied God's Word or learned at Jesus very own feet. They can't even cook or clean or take care of themselves. They can't do much of anything...especially a baby or toddler! They need someone else to take care of them. Why would you want us to become like that?
Okay Jesus...let's go with your plan here...become like a child...how hard could that be? The truth is that it's very hard. Growing up we've been taught to be self dependent...to rely on ourselves to get things done. We live in a dog eat dog world...it's the survival of the fittest...and we have to strive to be the best at what we do! We dare not show any sign of weakness. We dare not open our lives to others and risk being let down or betrayed. Trust no one but yourself.
But that's not the only problem we have at becoming like children. We even struggle with God's Word...with "Doctrine" of the Church. We need to have mature faiths. We need to do things to strengthen our faith. We need to do this and to do that. We need to choose to go to church, to believe, and to grow. All that stuff about becoming like a child just doesn't make sense. And for many...a child being able to have faith makes even less sense...along with that old idea of baptizing children; babies. What good could that do...a child can't choose to believe...or do anything else. They need to mature like us. Then they can choose to be baptized and believe.
How hard can it be to become like a child as our Lord says...it's impossible for us to do on our own. Truly, we are in need of being transformed by God's Word. It is only in Christ that we can become little children. And that is what He says we need to be!
When I was little I would often fall asleep in the car or on the couch downstairs. It was usually my dad...but one of my parents would pick me up, cradle me in their arms and carry me up the stairs to my bed. Without them...I would have never made it to my room.
Each one of us...no matter how strong or smart we think we are...are truly weak and helpless babes that are dependent upon God. Truly our Lord cradles us in His loving arms and carries us through baptism to salvation. How important it is to remember that in Baptism we are born again from above and made CHILDREN of God. In baptism we are made children! Regardless of your age...you are made a child in baptism...and baptism is for all...even little children.
Jesus, the only Son of the Father, makes us children of that same Father by Holy Baptism. Infant Baptism is the most beautiful display of the Gospel, because it visually demonstrates our complete dependence on God and his grace: Every Christian is beloved by the Father. Every Christian is carried in the tender arms of the Heavenly Father. Yes, we are sinners and thus totally dependent upon God. But we are loved by our Heavenly Father. We are saved by the death of His Son. We are carried home to eternal salvation in those tender arms.
By God's grace you have been made a child of the Heavenly Father through the waters of Baptism. Salvation and life are yours...for you are a child of God. By grace you may act like a child…in a good way… by having faith and trusting God completely like a child; a child-like trust that doesn’t waver or forget; a trust that God will always keep His promises. A trust that God will take care of your every need and carry you in His loving arms. Amen.
Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.
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