True Greatness

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we are going to take a look at the following passage of scripture.

Matt 18:1-4 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

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.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus teaches his disciples that true greatness is to become humble before him just like the little child did in His example. True greatness starts with humility before God.

We talked a little bit about conversion the other day but I want to discuss it for a little while again because Jesus teaches that it’s a requirement to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Conversion is a process of changing or causing something to change from one form to another. I think about the many conversion vans that I’ve owned in my life. They take a normal van and convert it into a small RV for traveling. Think about how a person will completely alter the interior of that vehicle and change it into something liveable. Someone is involved doing that change on that van. They are transforming it into something different.

The truth is that God wants to do a work on us and change our lives into something new and better. In order to undergo that process, we have to be humble before Him like the little child. We need to submit to the things that He teaches us in the scriptures so that He can change us from a sinner into a saint. God wants to change that old person that we used to be.

He does this first of all through His grace and mercy, followed by our daily submission and humility towards the things that he teaches in his scriptures. When we allow him to mold us and shape us we can start to undergo that change.

Conversion is the fact of changing one’s religion or beliefs. Christianity is about changing opinions that we have held throughout our lives and then following the teachings of Christ. It’s a process in which somebody changes over to a new belief.

Think about solar power for a moment. When I was a child I was fascinated with solar cells. They take the suns energy and change it into heat and electricity. I think I was about 10 years old when I got my very first solar cell. Christianity is taking the power of God’s only begotten son and allowing him to convert our minds. God’s Holy Word is that solar cell that converts us into what God wants us to become. In order to do that, we have to submit and humble ourselves before him daily.

Mark 10:14-16

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.

People begin to accept Christianity at different stages in their life. Some people have known the holy scriptures since their birth. Some people go through a conversion when they’re 25 or 30 years old. There are yet some that don’t even get converted till after 60 or 70. In order for all of us to go through that change, we all have to become children once again.

This process of becoming a child all over again is spoken of by Jesus in the following passage of scripture.

John 3:1-7

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

² The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

³ Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

⁴ Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

⁵ 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.

This passage is about being reborn as a child once again in our hearts and in our minds. In this world each of us were born through a mother and her amniotic sack. We were born through her fluid. Christians undergo a new birth and that is what baptism is all about. We are baptized through the fluid of water and submersed. The difference is that this time we do it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are reborn through him in the spirit.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Baptism is a very first step because it’s beginning a new life and becoming a child all over again and being reborn.

1 Pet 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Baptism is the very first step into the Christian Life. It is not the end but rather, the very beginning. Baptism is similar to going the first mile in the marathon but you have yet to complete the next 25 miles in order to make it to the finish line.

Christianity is about a daily walk with God. It is about daily submission to His will. It’s a process that he is taking us through, like a caterpillar who is eventually able to fly. If we are going to make the decision to become a Christian we need to become like a child in our hearts and our minds once again.

As children growing up in this world, we listen to the things that we were taught and we listen closely and receive them. As a child each of us learn the ways of this world. Christianity is about learning the ways of another world. It’s about being taught of the things of the Kingdom of Heaven. When we truly become a Christian in our Hearts we are supposed to submit to the things that we are being taught. We are supposed to do it with a humble and a submissive heart. I’m sure for a lot of people it’s going to go against everything that you were taught in the past, but it will be for your Eternal benefit.

1 Pet 2:2 ² As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

A little child needs milk in order to survive so it can grow up and become stronger and mature. This is why you want to come to the church and listen to the teachings of scripture so that we can do it it and eventually become the people that God is changing us into. I really don’t believe this is a difficult concept to understand.

Each day people go off to college for 4 to 8 years and sometimes even longer to become something different than they were in the past. They may become a doctor or a lawyer or even a County Sheriff. Through education they become something that is different than what they used to be.

God wants to change us. The church is like a Spiritual college that helps us to reform and to change the ways that we used to live so we can let our lights shine through goodness righteousness and Truth while here upon this Earth. The path of true greatness begins with Christ and eventually leads to eternal life. The thing that we need to do is learn to listen.

Think about a little child who listens to their parent when they warn them. They listen to the things that there are told when they are very young. No matter how old physically each of us may be, we have to become a child all over once again so that we can hear God’s Will and purpose for each of us.

Matthew 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Notice how the Lord teaches here about understanding with the heart. This is a result of true Faith towards Him. Our heart has to break before God. It has to open up and you have to allow Christ inside. He is the door of our salvation. We have to receive the things that he wants to give us. In order to do that our hearts need to crack and be contrite before him and humble as a child. Let’s talk a little bit about this word humility.

The greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven are those who humble themselves before God like a little child.

Humility is an attitude in your heart and your mind of submitting and surrendering to God’s will to be done both here while here upon the Earth as it is in heaven. If we are going to walk in humility with God, we have to remind ourselves that we are not in the lead, we are followers. We do not follow our own path and desires but rather the path of Christ and what he wants us to become.

True humility before God is going to result in submitting to the teachings of scripture. Jesus did the will of the heavenly Father perfectly and never ever in his life made a mistake. He’s God’s only begotten son. He leads each of us on that path that leads to eternal life.

Matthew 23:12 ¹² And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

When you lift yourself over the teachings of Jesus Christ you will be abased. That is the truth. God is Not mocked. If we come to Him in humility He can forgive us. When we convert and submit to His way and His teachings it can eventually result in being lifted up in glory with Him.

1 Pet 5:6-7

⁶ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

⁷ Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

God wants to lift us up. God wants to put us on the road of true greatness but before that happens we first must be humble before him.

I have always taught my family that God is a rewarder. God will and can lift you up but it begins with humility as a child before him. The first thing you need to do is get down and submit to his desires before he can raise you up to the place he wants you to be.

This is an important lesson today that I want us all to think about. Lord willing we’ll talk to you some more tomorrow till then bye-bye everybody.♥️

tlkjbc.wordpress.com