ANOTHER QUALIFICATION IN ENTERING THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN: Text: Matthew 18:1-14 Intro: Mat 5:20 "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

AIM: For us to be converted and become like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven. CONTEXT The disciples asked Him, saying, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” They were not asking how would they be great in the Lord’s standards as to signify their willingness to do it. Mar 9:34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who [would be the] greatest. Philip was even willing to die for his intention to sit on the right side of Jesus.

A commentary said, Peter always say something like, “All will betray you but not me”, “If it is you, allow me to walk on the water”, but denies Jesus with the servant girl because the rest of the contestants were already gone. II. JESUS TAUGHT THEM HUMILITY-V 2-3 He called a child and set him in the midst of them Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. He was telling them and us the necessity to be converted We must be of different mind or thoughts regarding ourselves and the kingdom.

The pride, ambition, and affectation of honour and dominion, which appear in you, must be repented of, mortified, and reformed. You must become as little children. Not foolish as children 1Cr 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. Not being easily tricked as children Eph 4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

As children who desires the His Word 1Pe 2:2 as new born babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby As children who worry not Mat 6:31"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?‘ As children who are teachable Gal 4:1 Now I say [that] the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, Gal 4:2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.

We must be humble as little children Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. They exercise not themselves in things too high for them; and we should in like manner behave As children are little in body and low in stature, so we must be little and low in spirit, and in our thoughts of ourselves. This is a temper which leads to other good dispositions; the age of childhood is the learning age.

III. THIS IS A REQUIREMENT IN ENTERING THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN Without this, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Their quest was who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven but with that ambition of ours we would not even enter the kingdom. The danger of pride and ambition is it could throw us away from the kingdom. Hag 1:9 "[You] looked for much, but indeed [it came to] little… Pride threw the angels that sinned out of heaven, and will keep us out, if we be not converted from it.

They that are lifted up with pride, fall into the condemnation of the devil To prevent this, we must become as little children, and, in order to do that, must be born again, must put on the new man. IV. THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN-V 4 He who humbles himself as a child The humblest Christians are the best Christians, the greatest Certainly those to be most respected and honoured in the church are the most humble and self-denying. For though they least seek it, yet they best deserve it.

If there is a contest in the kingdom of heaven, it should be the contest of humility as to who is the most humble. Sad to say, this is not happening in the church. We still contest for the greatest in the world’s standards. V. CHRIST CONCERN FOR THE CHILD OR THE HUMBLE The humble might fear that nobody would receive them but Jesus backs them up Whoever receives a little child in My name receives Me. Another fear why people does not humble themselves is they might get abused. Such were some of us. Afterward he repented. When he repented he went; that was the fruit meet for repentance. The only evidence of our repentance for our former resistance, is, immediately to comply, and set to work. See what a kind Father God is; he resents not the affront of our refusals, as justly he might IV. THE SECOND SON WHO REPRESENTS THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE The other son said better than he did Promised better than he proved His answer was good but his actions bad.

Mat 18:6 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Ezek 34:20 'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD to them: "Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. Ezek 34:21 "Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad. Mat 18:10 "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

Jam 4:6 But He gives more grace Jam 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. VII. A VERY GOOD TRAIT OF THE HUMBLE-V 10-17 They take heed not to despise the little ones-v 10 They seek and save the lost-v 11 They go to the mountains to seek the lost-v 12 They are the ones who do the hard work-v 12 He rejoices on one who was found than on 99 who wasn’t lost-v 13

They do not want the little ones to perish-v 14 They are the ones who makes ways to reconcile and win the lost-v 15 They don’t gossip to others the mistakes of a person but tell him personally-v 15 CHALLENGE: Are you like a child in terms of humility? The greatest in the kingdom of God are the humble ones, what is your aspiration?

CONCLUSION: Mat 18:3 and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Mat 18:4 "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.