Jesus: Creator, Savior, Lord and King #50 Jesus, the Family and the Little Ones Matthew 18:1-4, 19

 

Jesus: Creator, Savior, Lord and King #50
Jesus and the Little Ones - Mark 10 / Matthew 18

Introduction: National Sanctity of Life Sunday

Today is National Sanctity of Life Day first declared as a national observance by Ronald Reagan in 1984 on the 11th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade that made abortion legal and accepted in our nation.  Roe v. Wade, was the legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court on January 22, 1973, ruled (7–2) that unduly restrictive state regulation of abortion is unconstitutional. In a majority opinion written by Justice Harry A. Blackmun, the Court held that a set of Texas statutes criminalizing abortion in most instances violated a constitutional right to privacy, which it found to be implicit in the liberty guarantee of the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment (“…nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law”). Of course that law implicitly denied abortion as it is the taking of the life of the unborn without due process. There is no fictitious right to privacy anywhere in the Constitution or Bill of Rights, it was a lie created by a very liberal Supreme Court and finally in 2022 Roe v. Wade was overturned by a barely conservative Supreme Court.

In the original Roe vs. Wade, a woman named Norma McCorvey (1947–2017) pushed by feminists, atheists and racists, instituted federal action against Henry Wade, the district attorney of Dallas county, Texas, where McCorvey resided. She claimed she had been molested but was actually pregnant by a friend she casually slept with. She did not seek an abortion but instead gave up the child for adoption.

In May 2021, almost 40 after Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court agreed to review in its October 2021 term a lower court’s decision to strike down a Mississippi state law, adopted in 2018, that banned most abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. The single question that the Court agreed to consider in the case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, was whether bans on all pre-viability abortions are unconstitutional. Roe vs Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey were overturned (5–4), issued in June 2022, in which Justice Alito rightly wrote in the majority opinion that there is no constitutional right to abortion. Soon after the decision was handed down, several states adopted laws that drastically limited the availability of abortion.

Despite the overturn of abortion on demand, it is estimated that there are still 123 abortion every hour in the United States. In addition, you can now buy a powerful drug over the counter in most states that will terminate a child in the mother’s womb with no medical supervision and this is being down with no long term studies on the damage to the mother’s health.

Now, some say you shouldn’t deal with politics from the pulpit and I would agree that most politics is not worthy of discussion in the Lord’s house much less the pulpit where the Gospel should reign supreme. But the sanctity of human life, the institution of the family or the right to preach the Word and assemble in God’s house are not “just politics” are they?

God and the prophets of the Old Testament and the writers of the New Testament spoke out about these things even reprimanding the rulers of Israel, Samaria, and even Rome.

In this age of “relative truth” where your truth is your truth even if it is a demonstrable lie, there are people, preachers and politician who will tell you that the Bible shouldn’t be considered when it comes to these things or that Jesus never preached against things like homosexuality, transexuals or abortion. To that we answer, of course He didn’t because there was no need in the Jewish society of the first century. The society Jesus was a part of believed the Old Testament was God’s word and the Law given to Moses and the nation of Israel at Mt. Sinai was God’s revealed will. In that law homosexuality and men pretending to be women or women pretending to be men was condemned as sin and an abomination before a holy and righteous God. In such a society women did not seek to kill babies they prayed to God that they might have babies. Jesus did not need to preach against any of these abominations, the people knew what horrific sins against God and society they were.

Yet it is not true to say Jesus never spoke on these things. He actually had much to say about what was God’s will and ideal when it come to man, woman and children.

Jesus’ view on these things is the same as God the Father’s. His teachings do not contradiction the Father or else God is contradicting himself and therefore is no God. The lost world believes that there is no God, but we, who call ourselves Christians know that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit form the Godhead and do not contradict one another, just as the Bible does not contradict itself. What the Bible condemns as sin in the Old Testament was still sin when the New Testament was written and is still sin today.

So, what did Jesus say about the family and about the little ones? Look at Mark 10.

Jesus, Husbands and Wives – Mark 10:2-12

 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. 3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. 5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. 6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 10 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. 11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. 12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

God Made

The Pharisees, once again trying to trap Jesus with question and controversies from their own confusion over the Old Testament and their legalism, ask Jesus, If divorce is okay? Under the debate between the Jews of this time there were two ideas, one a man could divorce his wife at a whim for any reason at all, even being a bad cook or seeing a more desirable woman. The other believed that only infidelity was grounds for divorce.

The point Jesus makes is that the Law under Moses was only there because of man’s sin. Man was going to put away their wives no matter what the law said, but with the law there was some protection for the wife and for the family. Jesus though said, the design for the marriage wasn’t found in Deuteronomy but in Genesis. “From the beginning”

Male and Female - “From the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.” God’s creation, His biological design was male and female. You need not say anything else. If God created humans as male and female, then there is nothing else. If you can’t accept this then your argument is with God.

Marriage - Secondly Jesus said “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.”

For this cause – What cause? the cause of being man and woman, male and female. God created them as male and female and this was the reason for marriage. They are two parts of a whole, that complement, complete one another and become one.

The Ultimatum – “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder”

This is the ideal, this is what we strive for, this is what makes a family. It is designed for the man and woman that God created. And Jesus warns what God has designed don’t corrupt.

We don’t have time to deal with all the problems of marriages, men and women and the family today. The point is here is God’s design, God’s purpose, God’s plan. Don’t ignore it, don’t try and justify sin by subverting it. Instead strive with His power and grace to live up to it and be blessed through it.

What happens when we don’t live up to God’s design?

I can give you the names of men and women that I love and who I know loved the Lord and yet their marriages fell apart and they divorced and remarried. What do you do when that happens? What can we do as a church? Can we ignore divorce? Should we kick out all the people who have been divorced? Isn’t that a little like asking, “Should we kick out all the people that have sinned?”

Divorce as Jesus pointed out was due to man’s failure, man’s sin not God’s will. We should do all we can, and as Holy Spirit filled individuals, we have more power than the Old Testament saints, to be faithful to God, to one another and be able to forgive. Yet, divorce will happen and when it does then we must confess it as failure and as sin before God and pray for His guidance and go on. Divorce is not the unpardonable sin. In this age there is no unpardonable sin.

What does 1 John 1:8-10 say, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

Pick up the pieces of your life with God’s forgiveness and keep serving Him.

There is more that Jesus said as it pertains especially to children, turn to..

 Jesus, Kids and The Kingdom of God – Mark 10:13-16

13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. (What an incredibly beautiful and intimate portrait, Jesus taking up those little ones in His arms.)

In Luke 18:15-17 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them  .

Matthew 18:1-6 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Jesus Blesses and Warns

There are two different events taking place in these passages. First in Mark and Luke, children are brought to Jesus. Parents brought their young children and babies to Jesus so that He could bless them. They believed that Jesus was God’s son, the messiah, the savior of mankind, and of course they would want His blessing upon their children.

In the second event in Matthew, Jesus calls for a young child to come to Him. Jesus then takes this young one, this little one and says, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Jesus in these instances uses the little ones as symbols, as illustrations, Mark 10:15 Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

In both instances Jesus compares a young child to a new believer. Saying that is how we enter into the Kingdom of God, not as fully mature adults but as little children.

It no mistake to put this together with John 3:5-7 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Born again as a little child and so through faith you are reborn and enter into the Kingdom of God.

These little one, both physical and spiritual, are precious in Jesus’ sight. In Matthew 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

He is talking specifically about those little ones who are young in the faith, a new believer and He warns those who are mature to be very careful of causing them to stumble in their new found, newborn faith. God will judge harshly those who hurt His spiritual children.

It is also important that we see both the spiritual and the physical here. Jesus called for a child to come to him. Yes he used that child as a symbol of a newborn believer, but that symbolism is only powerful if we first see the real child that Jesus is holding. In other words what would be physically true of the child with Jesus, shows us the spiritual truth of the new believer.

We baptized Bro. Gideon, not too long ago. We physically immersed him under the water and brought him back up. For which I know he was grateful. That physical action was a picture of the spiritual truth of salvation, “buried with Him in death and risen to walk in the newness of life.” A physical act that showed a spiritual truth.

Jesus is doing the same here. And if Jesus pronounces judgment on the spiritual offense, then it is equally true of the physical offense. In Jesus words anyone who would harm a child deserves the harshest of punishments.

Life is Sacred by God’s Design

What makes an unborn child or any human life sacred? It is sacred because life was created by God and humankind was created in the image of God Himself.

God created us and gave life. Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

God’s gift of life is so sacred, that anyone who purposely and maliciously takes a life must pay with their own life. This and this alone is the only fitting punishment because human life is sacred.

Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

God gives the gift of children.

Psalm 127:3 Behold, children are a gift from the Lord.

Genesis 17:16, I will bless her Sarah and give you a son from her, and she shall be the mother of nations.

Ruth 4:13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.

Boaz, took Ruth as his wife, "And when he went in unto her, the Lord gave her conception." What a profound and plain statement of truth! "The Lord gave her conception." We should understand that no conception occurs ever, anywhere on the face of the earth, through all of human history, that is not a result of God's creative and providential purpose.

God, by His providential design, still makes us.

Job 10:8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.

That word "together" literally in the Hebrew means "together all around," comprehensively, in every sense, You made me.

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.  "I knew you," (Hebrew, yaddah), as a rational creature. I knew you as a person.

Psalm 139:14-16 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.  My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

God says that the sanctity of life begins in the womb

Exodus 21:22–25 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit (her child) depart from her, and yet no mischief follow (the child is unharmed) he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow (the child in the womb was harmed, or killed), then thou shalt give life for life,…

Is a child in the womb a human being, a living soul, a creation of God? According to God’s own word, it absolutely is and His are the only Word is all that matters. He created life, He created man and woman, He covers us in the womb and knits our bodies together. God ordained life to begin in the womb, and we dare not deny that life is sacred.

Conclusion

God’s Promise of Sowing and Reaping

Let’s close with this final word from Galatians 6:7-9 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

This is one of the most foundational verses in the Bible for God’s people in this present world. It is universal in its truth. It is the principle of “Sowing and Reaping” If we sow to the flesh, to this world, to its sin then we will reap corruption, but if we sow spiritual things, things of truth, seeds from the Word of God then we reap life, everlasting life.

And here is the promise, “We will reap if we faint not!” The scripture promises blessings to those who will not faint, but continue to follow, obey and act according to God’s will. In the case of the sanctity of life it means if we refuse to accept the world’s corruption of male and female, its destruction of marriage and especially its acceptance of the death of the little ones, then God will bless those who trust Him and we will reap those blessings in our lives, our nation and in our families.

You can have the blessing of God or we can suffer the corruption of this world. It is a clear choice, and an unalterable consequence. Spirit or Flesh, blessing or corruption.

Please, also keep this at the forefront of our minds and hearts as we strive to sow and reap God’s blessing. When we mess up, when we fail, when we sin, when we rebel, still God is a God of forgiveness and that no matter what has happened there is hope and healing with the Lord. There are still blessings awaiting our confession and our commitment to Him.