More frequently than anything else, the people of God are called children -- children of promise, children of the day, children of the light, beloved children, dear children, and children of God. We can rejoice in the wonderful truth that, through Christ, we are God's own children adopted through grace. We enjoy God's love, care, protection, power, and other resources in abundance for all eternity.
But there is another side of our being children, In Scripture believers are also referred to as children in the sense that we are incomplete, weak, dependent, immature, unperfected, childlike qualities that believers demonstrate as they mutually develop into conformity to the fullness of the stature of Jesus Christ.
This chapter is a single sermon by our Lord on the specific theme of the childlikeness of the believer, speaking directly to the reality that we are spiritual children with all the weaknesses that childhood implies. Everyone who enters the kingdom does so as a child. This is the single greatest discourse our Lord ever gave on life among the redeemed people in His church.
Questions/Things to Consider:
- Throughout this chapter, how is the concept of childlikeness demonstrated? How is it displayed in the various parables in this chapter?
- What does it mean to be humble? How can we know we are humble? Why is it so difficult for us to be humble & become like a servant to others?
- Why is the forgiveness advocated by Christ so rare? Why is it so hard to forgive?
My study guide closes with several truths, including this about being like a child:
A little child is simple, dependent, helpless, unaffected, unpretentious, unambitious. Children are not sinless or naturally unselfish, and they display their fallen nature from the earliest age. But they are nevertheless naive and unassuming, trusting of others and without ambition for grandeur and greatness.
The study guide also includes a prayer to recite when someone says something or does something against you that seems unforgivable:
O God, put in me the heart of forgiveness, so that I may commune with You in the fullness of fellowship and joy and not experience the chastening that comes when You don't forgive me because I won't forgive a brother or sister in Christ. May I remember that for everyone who sins against me I have many, may more times sinned against You. Yet You have always forgiven me. At no time has any of my sin caused me to forfeit my eternal life; therefore, no one else's sin should cause them to forfeit my love and my mercy toward them.
* Above notes taken from: "Matthew: The coming of the King", John McArthur, 2007
2 comments:
This is a test message as I have had problems getting messages to post. You are doing a great job and reading for depth and understanding, picking a chapter apart is more difficult than just listening.
Thanks, Karen! It looks like your post worked. Sorry you have been having trouble with it. ~ Joani
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