April 7, 2014

First Thought Series – April 7, 2014 – GA – Matthew 18:1-10 For Radio Amauta

Matthew 18:1-7
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.

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!

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

It is to the kingdom of heaven we are called
To a kingdom where God alone is the King
In that kingdom God is our Father in heaven

Jesus adds, “Therefore whoever humbles himself LIKE this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

There is a kind of humility that God requires from
those who want to be great in the kingdom of heaven.
The kind of humility “LIKE” that little child who is called by Jesus
to come and just stand next to Jesus with no agenda of his own.

Jesus says, “And whoever welcomes a little child LIKE this in my name welcomes me.”  

The kingdom of earth is full of these little ones of Jesus. Whosoever recognizes Jesus in one of His little ones on earth, he recognizes Jesus and welcomes Jesus the son of God himself.

Jesus said, “But if anyone causes one of theses little ones who believe in me to sin, it will be better for him to have a large millstone to hang around his neck and to be thrown in the deepest of the sea.”

We are in this world to stand for Jesus or to stand on our own.
We are in this world to encourage or to discourage these little ones.
We are in this world to welcome or to reject those little ones of Jesus.
Faith is in need of encouragement but sin seeks to discourage.

The discourager is the predator and the little ones are the prey.
The destiny of the discourager is the darkness like that of the
deepest sea in eternal separation from God beyond any hope.
It is a serious matter to make the little ones of God to stumble.

         Jesus says, “Woe to the world because of sin.” Jesus also said, “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones of mine. I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

Woe to them who causes those little ones of Jesus to sin.
Woe to them who even look down to one of this little ones.
Woe to them who make these little ones to hurt and cry.
For they have angels as babysitters with enough power to kill
as many as 185,000 people per night per angel (Isaiah 37: 36)
These angels have access to power should there be need for more.
These guardian angels can, should and must report to their parents,
to the head of the family who is this case is Our Father in Heaven.

Therefore we can confidently say, “If God is for us, who can be against us”. In the same breath we can say, “If God is against us, who can be for us.” And our Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. If God is not willing for these little ones to be lost then they will never be lost.

The will of God prevails always and every time to the glory of His name.

Amen.         

Gerry Gutierrez

PS. I would like to think of me as a little child called by Jesus from among the crowd standing next to Jesus; just standing with His hand on my shoulder as he “Shows and tells” others about childlikeness in a chief of sinners like me.

Please pray that I may “shine for Jesus” as Julie keeps telling me “shine for Jesus”.

Jesus ministries to doctors of the law at age twelve. I like twelve-year-old tykes. I think we all are twelve year olds to God. My children are all twelve year olds to me. My friends are all like twelve year olds to me. We have so much fun…till one of them takes himself or herself too seriously. This is a greeting to my friend’s children.