05 Finishing the Story - Who's Seeking Who?

Finishing the Story Pt. 5: Who's Seeking Who? 10-11-2026 1) True greatness is HUMILITY. "1At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:1–4, ESV) · Humility isn't belittling yourself, it's FOCUSING on Jesus. "5Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5–11, ESV) 2) Like the angels, we ought to be FOCUSED on God. "10"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 18:10, ESV) "1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1–2, ESV) · Little ones are Jesus' DISCIPLES. The "little ones" in Matthew 18:10 are Jesus's disciples—believers marked by humility—not literal children. The context is the disciples arguing over who is greatest in the kingdom, and Jesus responds by placing a child among them, then warning against despising anyone who is humble or lowly in status. The phrase "these little ones" appears throughout Matthew 18 and consistently refers to believers, as in Matthew 18:6, where it means "those who believe in me." Early church fathers like John Chrysostom and Origen read it the same way—Chrysostom said Jesus calls "little ones" not those who are really little, but the humble and modest. Modern commentators like D.A. Carson and Leon Morris agree: the term means disciples, though it doesn't exclude actual children, since Jesus just used a child as the model. · There are no GUARDIAN ANGELS. The second half of the verse—"their angels always see the face of my Father"—is the most debated part. The majority view, held by the Pulpit Commentary and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, is that these are guardian angels assigned to believers, and the highest-ranking ones at that. A minority view, argued by B.B. Warfield and Carson, is that "their angels" refers to the spirits of deceased children now in God's presence. Either way, the point is the same: the least significant believer has the highest heavenly representation. Warfield's essay is titled "The Angels of Christ's Little Ones," His case against guardian angels runs on three fronts. First, Scripture never teaches permanent individual guardians — angels appear on specific missions, like to Hagar or Manoah, not in unbroken attendance. Second, the Jewish background doesn't support it either; Tobit and the Targums show temporary or general ministry, not lifelong personal guardians, and claims of a widespread first-century belief are anachronistic. 3) The humble do what's RIGHT, not what's profitable. "12What 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? 13And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." (Matthew 18:12–14, ESV) · God is SEEKING the lost "19We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19, ESV) · I should be DOING SO as well. · God REJOICES over every lost soul that's found.