November 10, 2019 – The Greatest of All Time

Matthew 18:1-5

When I was growing up (ahh the 70’s), I remember my father loved watching heavy weight boxing on tv. I have to admit, for a time, that I enjoyed the sport to some degree, though I no longer follow it at all, and have even less awareness or interest in the sport known as ‘ultimate fighting’.

As much as my father enjoyed watching the heavyweight fighters in the ring, I can also clearly remember his dislike for Mohammed Ali’s braggadocio found in (not his skill in the ring) his proclaiming himself ‘the greatest of all time!”

That just didn’t fly with dad.

“Be great!” is all right, … “but be humble about it.”  I think that was his thinking.

In Matthew 18, we find the disciples asking Jesus who will be the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.  I’m sure they knew the answer was ‘Jesus’.  I think they were asking for ‘shot gun’ rights in the Kingdom to come.  Were they becoming jealous of Peter?  Were they jockeying for power?

Jesus teaches a lesson about the all importance of humility in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Taking a child in his arms, he instructs His disciples that unless they change their thinking and values, and become like little children, they will never even enter the Kingdom of heaven, … and oh yeah, those who do humble themselves as children … in the Kingdom … are considered great!

All those who humble themselves, and live in humility, are citizens of heaven … and in Christ … will ‘rank high in God’s kingdom. (The Message)

Humbling ourselves before God and our fellow men is not the road to success that the world teaches, but it is the way of Christ, the way of the cross.

The key is to see ourselves rightly before God, and our fellow man.

We are ‘saved to serve’.  To humble ourselves,  draw near , and love – as Jesus did … as Jesus does.

Check out Philippians 2: 1 – 11 …

… and go in peace.