So You Want to Know About Greatness?

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"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."

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell."

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish."

“If your brother or sister[b] sins,[c] go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[d] 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector."

“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[e] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[f] loosed in heaven."

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:1-20)

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Often the questions we ask reveal what is really in our hearts. Today’s Gospel lesson tells us what was on the Disciples’ hearts. “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 

They were thinking about status, position, recognition and importance. We live in a world that constantly asks the same questions:

Who is the most important?

Who has the most influence?

Who has the best qualifications?

Who has accomplished the most?

Who deserves recognition?

The church is bound up in this way of thinking. We are concerned about positions, titles, influence, knowledge, ability and recognition. We quietly wonder whose contribution matters the most.

Jesus response to the Disciples was not to rebuke them for asking this question. Jesus responded: So, you want to be leader? You want to have influence? You want to accomplish great things? 

You want to be important? Let me explain greatness in the Kingdom of God.

Greatness in the Kingdom of heaven is not measured by human standards. Greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven begins with trust. We instinctively believe that people with the greatest knowledge about scripture and theology are the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. These are the ones that we must look up to and must follow their advice in matters of scripture and theology. However, for Jesus, greatness begins with having a faith like a child.

“Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Jesus did not say that children were perfect or that Christians should be childish. Rather, he asked them to consider the qualities of a child’s faith.

A child understands that he or she depends upon others.

A child receives.

A child trusts.

A child knows that someone greater is providing care and protection.

And that is precisely where the Christian life begins. Listen to what God said through the Prophet Isaiah about those he favors. This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my Word. Isaiah 66:1-3. A childlike faith deeply trusts God and God’s Word.

The world and human nature say, “Gain intellectual knowledge and prowess.”

Jesus says, “Humble yourself.”

The world and human nature say, “Make yourself important.”

Jesus says, “Become a servant.”

The world and human nature say, “Make sure everyone knows what you have accomplished.”

Jesus says, “Trust your heavenly Father, trust His Word, trust me, His Word made flesh.”

The world and our human nature cause us to believe that our greatness is measured by who we associate with. We are taught to believe that we must surround ourselves with influential people so we too can become influential and to accomplish much. 

Powerful people can open doors for us and make things happen.

Jesus says, one who is great in the Kingdom of God surrounds themselves with children, those, who like a child, need to be cared for. The great invite into fellowship ones who need to be fed and guided, who recognize they cannot accomplish anything on their own.

Jesus continued: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”

These words point to Matthew 25:31-46, the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. 

The sheep in the parable were believers who showed mercy, love and compassion to people they encountered who needed food, water clothing and care. Jesus said to the sheep, when they showed love and mercy to his brothers and sisters in dire need, this act of kindness was done to him.

Jesus continues: So, you want to be a leader and care for the little ones? Good! Teach them, love them, care for them. Feed them with the Word and the Sacrament. But be careful, because: “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” 

These are strong words. Why does Jesus speak so strongly? 

Because God cares deeply about those who are vulnerable. The Christian church is called to be a place where people can find safety, grace, truth and love. Yet, we hear of abuse in the church perpetrated by leaders upon followers.

In today’s Gospel Lesson Jesus speaks to all leaders in the church: past, present and future. He warns them not to mislead or abuse those under them. He warns them that it is better for them to take steps to make it impossible for them to lead than suffer the consequences of their sins.

In the Old Testament, when a priest was consecrated, anointing oil was poured on the priest’s head, which flowed over his face and eyes. The priest’s right earlobe, right thumb and the big toe of his right foot were then anointed with the blood of a sacrifice. No reason is given for this ritual. However, it is believed that these anointings pointed to God’s desire that the priest’s heart and mind be focused on serving God, that his eyes would see God’s will for his life. 

God’s desire was that the priest’s hands be busy offering sacrifices in the Temple and be engaged in helping the widow, the orphan, the poor and the stranger. 

The anointing of the foot pointed to God’s desire that the priest always walk humbly with God. If the priest’s eyes focused on the object of his lusts, and his hands and feet were used to make his lustful dreams come true, he not only broke a commandment, and abused one he was to care for, but he also violated his sacred priestly vows made to God. 

When priests broke their vows their priesthood was taken from them. According to Leviticus 10, when the High Priest Aaron’s two oldest sons offered a sacrifice with "foreign fire" before Yahweh, disobeying his instructions, they were immediately consumed by fire.

It logically follows that when the eyes of a pastor, elder, deacon, teacher, or council member focus on members of the flock as objects used to satisfy their lusts, and their hands and feet are used to make their lustful dreams come true, they not only break a commandment and thereby abuse the ones they are called to care for, but they also violate the sacred vows they made to God to feed and care for the flock God had given them. 

Jesus also warns leaders further. He calls us to think about this. God has his eyes on the angels watching over the vulnerable. Jesus warns such leaders that God’s judgment is so severe that it is better for them to stop leading a flock in God’s name, to cut themselves off from the flock and stop looking at those they lust after. Jesus calls them to submit to him and those he places in authority and be cleansed from their sins.

Once again, Jesus asks: So you want to be great? Be like me? Care about the sheep who have left the flock. The shepherd in Jesus’ parable has one hundred sheep, but one wanders away. What does he do? He leaves the ninety-nine and goes in search of the one.

Jesus declared: “If he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.”

What a beautiful picture of the heart of God. God is not satisfied simply because the majority are safe. God cares about the one who is missing. The one who has wandered. The one who has become discouraged. The one who has drifted away. The one who has lost faith. The one who no longer comes to worship. The one who feels that he or she no longer belongs. The one who has been hurt by the church.

God goes looking for the lost one. And that has enormous implications for the church. A congregation must never become so comfortable caring for those who are already present that it forgets those who are absent. The mission of the church is not simply to maintain the ninety-nine. The church has a Shepherd who goes looking for the one. And if we are followers of that Shepherd, we should have the same heart and to walk with him into the world to look for the lost.

The verses that follow go to the heart of how people become lost sheep. Often, they are driven away from a congregation and even the Church of Jesus Christ because someone has hurt them deeply. Victims of a sin perpetrated by a brother or sister in Christ mostly stay silent, avoid the one who has sinned against them, and look for a way out of congregational life. They want to disengage and flee rather than confront the situation and the one who sinned against them. Jesus says: “Go ahead, follow your instinct; flee, but flee to me.

Jesus says, pour out your heart to me. Tell me about your pain. Tell me about the grudge you carry. Let me help you see that the one who hurt you is a lost sheep and is in danger of wandering away from me and the flock. I want to use you to bring them back to their senses and to keep both of you in my flock. Ask me to go before you and soften the heart of this sinner. 

Pray that I take your mind, and their mind, and plant seeds of contrition, repentance, love, forgiveness and reconciliation in them. Pray that when you come together that your interaction, your words, your conversation, will cause the seeds I planted to bloom and grow and bear fruit. The fruit being that both you and your antagonist will be humbled, will see how each of you contributed to the situation that has separated you, be moved to contrition, repentance, and to be able to forgive and be forgiven. Then there can be true reconciliation and a new path forward.

Jesus warns us that a one-on-one conversation with your antagonist may not immediately lead to contrition, repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation. If that happens, Jesus says don’t’ give up, rather, seek the support, counsel and help of one or two others. Tell them the situation and then you and your witnesses come to me. Pray that when you come together with your antagonist that your interaction, your words, your conversation move all to contrition, repentance, and forgiveness. Then there can be true reconciliation and a new path forward.

If even the counsel of the one or two witnesses who accompany you does not move your antagonist to repentance, Jesus’ still urges you not to give up yet. He calls you to take the matter to the whole congregation. Have the whole church pray that when you come together that your interaction, your words, your conversation move all to contrition, repentance, and forgiveness. Then there can be true reconciliation and a new path forward. 

However, if the antagonist refuses to listen even to the whole congregation, they should be told to leave. An open and notorious and unrepentant sinner cannot continue in the congregation. There can be no interaction with the antagonist after their removal from the fellowship of the congregation. 

But this is not the end. The Good Shepherd will still be looking for them. The Apostle

Paul, provided an example.

Paul learned that a man in the Corinthian congregation was engaged in sexual immorality. It was of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. (1 Corinthians 5:1-13). Paul heard that the congregation did not mourn this sin and rebuke the sinner but tolerated it. Paul’s instruction. Unless he repents, kick him out. The congregation did. He was thrown out for the purpose of coming to repentance. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church Chapter 2 verses 5-11 indicate that the man repented and came back. Paul encouraged the congregation to forgive him and let him back into the flock.

Jesus concludes this section with one of the most beloved promises in the Gospel: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” We often hear this verse when only a few people have gathered for worship or prayer. And it certainly assures us that Christ is present even when our numbers are small. But in this context, Jesus is speaking specifically about the Christian community dealing with difficult matters—sin, conflict, forgiveness and reconciliation. 

In other words, Jesus is saying: “When you gather in My name—even in the midst of difficult relationships—I am there.”

What an encouragement that is. Jesus is present not only when everything is going well.

He is present when we are struggling.

He is present when we disagree.

He is present when relationships need healing.

He is present when we do not know what to do next.

He is present when a congregation is facing uncertainty.

He is present when two Christians are trying to find their way back to one another.

And His presence changes everything.

Matthew 18 gives us a remarkable picture of Christian community.

It begins with humility and continues with protecting the vulnerable.

It calls us to seek the lost.

It teaches us to confront wrongdoing with love and calls us toward reconciliation.

And through it all, Jesus promises His presence.

So, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus!

He is the greatest because he humbled himself and became a mortal human being. He is the greatest because he dealt with both our sin and our death. 

He took all our sins on himself and he suffered and died for our sins. On the third day he rose from the dead to eternal life. 

He is the greatest because he promised that all who believe in him will not perish but have eternal life. 

He’s the greatest because he invites Christians in conflict to believe him with a childlike faith. 

The one who has forgiven us of all our egregious sins gives us opportunities to be like him, to deal with sin and sinners, to offer an opportunity for contrition and repentance and to forgive those who have sinned against us. He promises to hold our hand through the process from hurt to healing and then reconciliation. 

Do we really believe this?

It’s never too late. 

Amen.

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