23 Jun 2015
Matthew 18:1-4
Matthew 18:1: “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
Many people today would not dare to ask a question like that. They are convinced that there is no such thing as ‘least’ or ‘greatest’ when it comes to Heaven. As they say, “there are no big I’s or little U’s”. What this ends up meaning is “Hey, I can do whatever I want because in Heaven it won’t matter. So I’ll just live it up now. I’m saved and going to Heaven, so it’s not like it matters.” That is why people hate the idea of Heavenly rewards – it means that the way we live our life really does matter. People would much rather believe that it didn’t, so they could live as they please.
Notice that Jesus does not say “What are you talking about? No one in Heaven is any greater than anyone else. You are greatly mistaken.” Instead He says this:
Matthew 18:3: “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.”
Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven? The humble ones – the ones who make much of God and little of themselves. The ones who accept Jesus and humbly obey Him. Those are the great ones.
In another place Jesus expands on this idea, saying that those who obey God and teach others to do the same are great, while those who disobey God and teach others to do the same are the least. The basic idea is the same: it all centers around obeying God, and making much of Him and little of ourselves.