PENTECOST 17, A – September 7, 2008

SCRIPTURES – Psalm 92; Ezek. 33:7-9; Rom. 13:1-10; Matt. 18:1-20

Well, school is back in session again, and you know something? According to things like test scores, graduation rates, and crime statistics, schools have declined significantly since the days when I was in school. I suppose that there are many factors that play into this. Many solutions have been tried, with varying degrees of success. Still, our schools are in trouble, and this is not good.

I have a solution, one which has never been tried before. When the school year begins and the students gather, the youngest child in the class should be brought forth and made the teacher for the year! Put him or her in charge, and go from there.

Does this sound foolish? Just as foolish did Christ’s answer seem to His disciples’ question, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He put a little child in their midst and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Now, that’s foolish! What great things can a little child do? But, Jesus was quite blunt: “unless you [disciples] turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Why not? Well, right before this His disciples had been arguing among themselves about which of them was the greatest. They were obviously more important than others, they thought, for they were Jesus’ closest disciples! They would surely have influential positions in His kingdom. Who would have the most important position? Who would be the greatest? Christ pulled them up short. They needed to repent of their self-righteousness! “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

We all need to listen closely, for we all need to repent. Jesus is speaking to us: “unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Why not? What is it about little children, what difference is there when compared to us, that causes Jesus to take notice of and commend them as examples of greatness in His kingdom? Is it that they are innocent, pure and holy? Oh, please! What child is innocent? Sure, there is an innocence about a little child, a naïveté, a lack of knowledge and experience of bad things. Innocence, yes. But, innocent? Come on!

q   Just ask three little children who have dirtied their new clothes in a mud puddle how this happened, and what answer will you get? “I don’t know! I didn’t do anything!”

No, children are not innocent. They are quite good little sinners. They can lie, be selfish, get angry and jealous and hurt others with the best of them.

It is not innocence that Jesus commends in little children, for which He calls them the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Rather, it is their acceptance of their need, their dependence.

q   If a little boy falls and skins his knee, what does he do? He immediately gets up and runs to his mother’s arms. He knows where his help is.

Little children trust their parents completely and implicitly. They do not doubt their parents’ love or their willingness to help. Their life depends on them, and they are fine with that. They depend upon their parents so completely they don’t even think about it.

This is how they are also with God, and how we are to be. We need Him! We must be with Him and have Him. We must have our Savior, Jesus! We must, or we will die. Without our good and gracious God and His full and free forgiveness in Christ, we will surely die and go into the eternal fire of hell. For, we are sinners, sinful through and through. But, Jesus is our Savior! He bore our sins and gave His life for us! With Him, all of our sins are forgiven; none remain to condemn us. If we believe this, we will yearn to be here in worship, where our precious Jesus comes to us with His forgiveness and life. We will run to Him as a child with a skinned knee runs to his mother. And, we will bring our children and share this love from our God in His worship with them.

 

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night… For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.” So says Psalm 92, today’s Introit. Is this your attitude: “Thank God, we get to go to church today!” Our children learn from us. If we are glad to be here; if we are happy in worship; if we pay close attention to God’s Word, and don’t talk and distract others or daydream or keep checking our watches and look bored; then, our children will also be happy to be here. Then, when they are older and they find worship less desirable, you will be able to teach them more about how God wants them here, how they need Him, and how He is present to bless them in this Service. It all starts when they are young.

 

“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.” Take to heart what Jesus here says. How precious are His little children to our heavenly Father! How beautiful is their faith! If you look with the eyes of Christ, if you listen to His words and believe them completely, letting them teach you and guide you in your life, you will see this. God will give you a heart of faith like theirs. He will also help you to stand up and proclaim their preciousness to a world which really doesn’t believe this, and to spineless politicians who say how precious little ones are while at the same time allowing, and even defending, the abortion of the littlest and most defenseless by the millions, thereby turning our government from being “God’s servant for your good,” His servant to protect life, to an agent of death.

 

Jesus stands with His little children. He holds them up as the greatest of all. Let us become like them. With them, let us sing that simple, yet profound, confession of faith we learned as children:

 

Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong; they are weak but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me, He who died heaven’s gates to open wide.

He has washed away my sin, lets His little child come in.

Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so. (LSB #588)