Flashback Episode — Simple, Child-like Faith: Matthew 18:1-11

As we continue moving through Jesus life as recorded in Matthew’s gospel, we come to passage in Matthew’s gospel where the disciples ask Jesus a question, and mixed in with Jesus’ response is a warning that we all should pay attention to.

Our passage is found in Matthew’s gospel, chapter 18, and we will read it from the New International Version. Starting in verse 1, Matthew tells us that:

¹ At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

² He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. ³ And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Let’s pause reading our passage here, because I want to draw our attention onto something amazing. As this passage opens, some of the disciples come to Jesus with what seems like a simple and innocent question. These disciples want to know who the greatest in the kingdom of heaven is.

Perhaps something was lost in translation, or perhaps Jesus simply reads more directly into this question, but when I think about who the greatest in the kingdom of heaven is, I am left answering God, and this would include God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I would picture the Godhead as being the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

It’s possible Jesus would see things in a similar way, however, because He knew the follow-up question would be about who comes next, Jesus simply skips over God and answers this other question.

It is also possible that the disciples really want to know what characteristics God values from those living in heaven, and Jesus decides to answer this question as well.

While the disciples likely didn’t expect Jesus’ response, I’m sure it definitely challenged their way of thinking, because Jesus calls a child over to them and uses this child as an example of what we should be like. One of the other gospel writers who included this event implies that Jesus called over an infant or a toddler, which emphasizes His point even more. If we don’t recapture certain aspects of children, then we will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

What aspects might Jesus be referring to?

When I think about the answer to this question, I would have to conclude that faith, trust, love, and a desire to be obedient. When I think about my children at the age that this child may have been, I can see how these characteristics are clearly visible. While I am not a perfect dad by any stretch of the imagination, I know that when I looked into the eyes of each of my children at this age, their eyes showed love, trust, and faith. Also at this age, while it was sometimes annoying for my wife and I as parents, each child wanted to help and do things for themselves even if it would have been easier had mommy or daddy helped.

I believe God wants all of us to experience the same type of trust when we look at Him. While life is more complex as an adult than it is as a child, our spiritual lives are not meant to be complicated. Instead, a simple faith is a more significant faith, and a simple trust in God is a profound trust in God.

This passage then shifts over to warning about those who cause others to stumble. Jesus shares some pretty harsh words towards them. Let’s continue and read the warning Jesus shared. Continuing in verse 6, Matthew tells us that:

⁶ “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.

⁷ 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! ⁸ 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. ⁹ 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.

¹⁰ “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. (And then some manuscripts add or exclude verse 11, which says: ^[11] For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.)

In this passage, Jesus challenges those who cause “little ones” to stumble. He says some pretty harsh things about them. In the context of this passage, Jesus could be referring to literal children, as well as those who are childlike in their faith and those who are new to the faith. We can understand this challenge from quite a number of different angles, and the more angles we have, the more challenging this challenge becomes.

However, I believe Jesus is calling all God’s people to a simple, trusting, faith – specifically a faith that believes that the best is coming and a faith that doesn’t need all the answers.

The only other section of this passage that I want to focus on briefly is Jesus’ challenge that it is better for us to enter life with only one eye or one hand or one foot. While this makes an interesting mental image of lots of disabled people in heaven, I believe Jesus is reemphasizing that we shouldn’t let anything cause our faith to stumble, even if it is a part of our bodies.

For the record, I don’t believe there will be injured or disabled people in heaven because Jesus has promised us new bodies that haven’t been tainted by sin. Our new bodies will be perfect, and while I have no idea what perfect means in this context, I am left having faith that I don’t need to know now, because when the time comes, I will be more than happy with the results.

When we have questions that challenge our faith, we shouldn’t let the questions shake what we believe. If the question can be answered, then great. However, if the question does not have an answer, or if the answer is something that can only be known after history has come to an end, then we should leave the question unanswered and hold tightly to our simple faith.

God has given us enough evidence for His existence and enough evidence to show us His character. It is up to us to open our eyes to the evidence He has given and to have faith that looks past the doubt and into the promises He has given to us about our future with Him!

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first in your life and purposefully place your faith, hope, trust, and belief in Jesus and what He accomplished for each of us when He came to this earth to face the cross.

Also, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself to learn, grow, and strengthen your relationship with God. Through prayer and Bible study, we can know what God is really like, and we can fall in love with Him like He has fallen in love with each of us!

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or abandon where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!