(Originally posted here)
Today’s Bible reading passage was in Matthew 18:1-14. Here Jesus is asked a question on who is the greatest in heaven. Jesus replies saying that the greatest in heaven is the one who is humble like a child. He will be child like dependent and vulnerable. He even states that one cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven without having a child like heart.
He then describes those who stumble these children keeping them from being with Jesus. He states that they should be cast into the sea with large stone tied on their neck. He continues stating that if there is anything causing a disciple to stumble of his own person, they should cut it off. For example, if your arm keeps you from coming to Christ, cut it off. If you eyes keep you from coming to Christ pluck it out.
Jesus even speaks about angels and how they minister to his disciples (his children). Angels commune with God the Father and thus God the Father even keeps watch over his children by means of His angels.
He ends the section with a parable of a shepherd leaving the majority of his flock (99 sheep) to find the one sheep that had gone astray. Jesus teaches that there is great rejoicing when the lost sheep is found. God is clear on his will towards his children: he will not let anyone of them perish and that is due to the shepherd that he has sent, His only Son, Jesus Christ.
Many wonder why God allows sin in our lives. But in reading this passage, I see that God provides so many means to keep one from stumbling or sinning. He provides angels. He provides the greatest shepherd. He provides under shepherds. His own disciples are commanded to keep each other from stumbling.
We are called to be humble but we are also called to be discerning. We must stay away from stumbling blocks. These stumbling blocks can come from us (our sinful hearts) or from the outside (the world). Thus we must be disciplined to not stumble. We must be disciplined on looking for stumbling blocks and avoiding them.
To summarize we are called to:
- receive new believers
- lead new believers properly towards Christ
- do not let your own persons lead you to stumble, cut sever them from you
- remember the ministry of the angels towards believers
- rejoice when a straying believer returns
- remember God will not let any of his children perish
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