I preached recently from Matthew 18. I was actually glad, when my senior pastor assigned the verses, that he stopped before verses 15-18. Then I read the first 14 verses of Matthew 18. Now I can't get these images out of my head.
I believe you can hear the passion come from Jesus distinctly in 2 places in this section. Verse 6, where the alternative of hanging a large rock around your neck and jumping in the ocean is seen as desirable compared to facing Jesus after having caused a little one to sin. I imagine that this conversation to be a time when the disciples could see the face of God in Him.
I believe you can hear the passion come from Jesus distinctly in 2 places in this section. Verse 6, where the alternative of hanging a large rock around your neck and jumping in the ocean is seen as desirable compared to facing Jesus after having caused a little one to sin. I imagine that this conversation to be a time when the disciples could see the face of God in Him.
You know how children take on the characteristics of their parents? I imagine this to be one of those times people could clearly see the face of God in Jesus. This would not have been said lightly. Imagine any parent protecting their children and we begin to get an idea of how serious Jesus is here.
The second place we hear passion ring through is verse 14. He says, “The Father is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”
The second place we hear passion ring through is verse 14. He says, “The Father is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”
Why don’t we have that attitude? Win the lost, at all cost. Are we really willing to lay down our pride and our desires to see lost people come to know God as Savior? The Father is not willing to lose them!
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