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Inclining our ears

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Title: Inclining our ears


1
Inclining our ears
  • My dog Puggles knows when to incline her ears
  • eat treat meat
  • To her, these phrases suggest that something good
    is about to come
  • More seriously, we are to incline our ears to all
    of Gods word (Proverbs 22)
  • However, there are some phrases in the Bible that
    should really catch our attention

2
Keys to the Kingdom
  • Except you do _______, you shall not enter the
    kingdom of heaven
  • Matthew 520
  • Luke 133
  • John 33
  • This leads us to the core text of this lesson
  • Matthew 183

3
ReconsideringAs a Little Child
4
Matthew 181-4 (NASB)
  • 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and
    said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of
    heaven?"
  • 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him
    before them,
  • 3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are
    converted and become like children, you will not
    enter the kingdom of heaven.
  • 4 "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he
    is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5
What did Jesus mean?
  • Given the importance of this statement(i.e.,
    you will not enter the kingdom of heaven), it
    behooves us to understand what is meant!
  • Many different views and interpretation of this
    from many commentators, including brethren
    (almost as many as 1 Corinthians 1529)
  • From Voices from the Past that Still Speak
  • The innocent trust of a little child, the
    willingness to believe completely and without
    question that which is told him, is one quality
    essential to true discipleship.
  • As a Little Child Christianity Magazine,
    September 1998

6
What others have said (be skeptical)
  • Matthew Poole
  • Little children know not what dominion meansThey
    are not ambitious, they are not given to boast
    and glory, and to prefer themselves before
    others.
  • Bishop Ryle
  • Children think humble of their own strength and
    wisdom They do not seek great things in this
    world!
  • Charles Simeon
  • A child has no solicitude about earthly
    distinctions. He leaves others to contend for
    power and pre-eminence.

7
What others have said (still skeptical)
  • Dr. John Gill
  • Children have a humble and modest opinion of
    themselves and are not envious of one another.
  • Albert Barnes
  • Children are to a great extent destitute of
    pride, ambition, and haughtiness.
  • B.C. Caffin (from Pulpit Commentary)
  • A child has no hypocrisy no desire to seem other
    than he isa child is modest and does not aim at
    display and show.

8
Thesis of this talk
  • A challenge to the views of these commentators
  • Do the commentaries of men contradict the
    observed nature of children?
  • Do the commentaries of men contradict other
    passages of Scripture?
  • What age is the child under consideration in this
    passage?
  • Is there a universal principle being taught that
    all could agree is essential?
  • Two conclusions
  • Important universal principle (coming up soon)
  • These must have been single men with no children!

9
An experiment to try at home
  • During the next birthday party or holiday event,
    assemble several toddlers in a circle with a
    popular toy in the middle
  • Step back and observe.
  • Did/were they
  • prefer themselves before others
  • leave others to contend for power and
    pre-eminence
  • not envious of one another
  • Even among the best behaved children, it is most
    likely that someone will be crying before this
    experiment is over!

10
Look familiar?
  • The artwork on this refrigerator may be quite
    modest compared to yours at home!
  • Our children love for us to prominently display
    all things that they have created and do
  • Do you have a photo scrapbook with newspapers and
    other accomplishments?
  • Mommy, look at me
  • I can see to the beach
  • Does this match the commentators view
  • a child is modest and does not aim at display
    and show
  • destitute of pride, ambition, and haughtiness.

11
The Verdict
  • The observed nature of children does not support
    the statements made by these commentators

12
A clarification
  • The Bible does say
  • We should prefer others to ourselves
  • 1 Corinthians 1024 Matthew 2026-27
  • We should not focus primarily on great things of
    the world
  • 1 John 215-16 Philippians 220-21
  • We are not to be envious
  • Galatians 521
  • We are to be humble and modest
  • Colossians 312-13
  • The argument here, however, is that perhaps
    children are not the best representatives of
    these qualities
  • Hence, our Lord may have been referring to some
    higher principle

13
Children in the Scriptures
  • Children are not mature to handle meat
  • Hebrews 513-14 1 Corinthians 31-21
    Corinthians 1311
  • Children will believe a lie
  • Ephesians 414
  • Not Noble Searchers (Acts 1711)
  • believe completely and without question that
    which is told him
  • An embarrassing story

14
What about the age of the child?
  • Does the age matter?
  • What are the differentiating characteristics of
    an 8 year old, 5 year old, toddler, and infant?
  • Strong suggestion that Matthew 182 refers to an
    infant
  • Parallel passage (Luke 1815) babies /
    infants
  • Greek word paidion, as used in these verses,
    often refers to an infant
  • Matthew 28 uses same word Herod searches for
    the Child
  • If this is so, the previous commentators seem
    even more off of the mark

15
What do you see here?
I see helpless dependence!
16
The things that can steal our dependence
  • Misplaced pride can lead us to an overwhelming
    false sense of security (Proverbs 617 1618)
  • Too big for his britches
  • Edging
    God Out
  • Lets observe a few examples (1 Corinthians 106)
  • Now these things happened as examples for us, so
    that we would not crave evil things as they also
    craved.

17
The things that can steal our dependence
  • Money
  • A mans life does not consist in the abundance of
    his possessions (Luke 1215)
  • Safety and comfort in some of the things riches
    can buy
  • Rich Young Ruler
  • Luke 1819-24
  • 1 Timothy 617-18
  • Dont look down your nose but be generous

18
Disclaimer
  • I tell the following story with some reservation.
    The purpose is not for "piling on" the poor
    fellow, but to encourage us all to refocus our
    priorities.

19
An American Dream (?)
  • December 26, 2002 -315M (113)
  • Largest lottery winner in history of USA
  • Andrew Jackson Jack Whittaker Jr. is a fine
    man, people say, who can doubt it? He devotes
    himself to work, family and God.
  • Associated Press, December 2002
  • Gave 7M to local preachers and built a 4M
    building for the Church of God
  • Gave 20M to charity to feed the poor of West
    Virginia

20
Two years latera life in shambles
  • Multiple cars stolen
  • Robbed of 545,000 while at a topless bar
  • Ordered to rehab after two drunk driving charges
  • Charged with attacking a nightclub manager and is
    the subject of two lawsuits for fracases at a
    racetrack and bar. but it gets worse

21
The spoiling effect of riches
  • September 2004
  • 18 year-old friend of grand-daughter found dead
    in Jacks home when he was out of town
  • December 2004
  • This December, same grand-daughter found dead
    after a drug overdose
  • Police found her body two-weeks after death under
    an old red van turning to rust in an overgrown
    yard.
  • Buried Christmas Eve

My old hometown newspaperthe Wheeling News
Register
22
A recent assessment
  • From USA Today (December 26, 2004)
  • And everyone agrees on his problem too much
    money.
  • Whitaker said Brandi had lost most of her old
    friends. They want her for her money and not for
    her good personality, he complained. She's the
    most bitter 16-year-old I know.
  • What a strange reversal of circumstances this
    story compels us to have sympathy on a
    multi-millionaire
  • The next time you are tempted to think money
    would fix everything for you, remember Jack
    Whittaker. And focus your dependence again on the
    Lord.

23
The things that can steal our dependence
  • Money
  • Remember Jack Whitaker
  • Popularity, good looks and athletic prowess
  • Cliques and circles dependent on maintaining
    position within peer group, regardless of
    consequences
  • Younger people a great blessing you have with
    this church family
  • James 44
  • Proverbs 3130
  • 1 Peter 43-4

24
Tragedy of a Young Athlete
  • June 17, 1986
  • Picked 2 in NBA Draft by Celtics
  • June 19, 1986
  • Died of a cocaine overdose several reports state
    a first time use
  • And we wonder how Len Bias can become a
    born-again Christian one month, then, the next
    month, drop dead of a heart attack with cocaine
    in his system. Washington Post, June 21, 1986

25
The things that can steal our dependence
  • Money and Power
  • Remember Jack Whitaker
  • Popularity, good looks and athletic prowess
  • Remember Len Bias
  • Education and Intelligence
  • Intellectual snobbery and elitism
  • What I learned from my parents/grandparents
  • 1 Corinthians 118-31 (v20, 27)
  • 1 Timothy 620

26
The Wisdom of Bertrand Russell
  • Nobel Prize Winner in 1950
  • Considered the greatest logician of the 20th
    century
  • Debater of this age (1 Cor. 120)
  • By the worlds standards, one of the most
    accomplished scholars of our time
  • Staunch atheist
  • we humans are just an accident in a backwater."
  • Pioneer of Secular Humanism
  • In 1957, wrote Why I am Not a Christian

27
Russells Mistaken Conception of the
KingdomCommentary on Matthew 1628
  • For one thing, He certainly thought that His
    second coming would occur in clouds of glory
    before the death of all the people who were
    living at that time. There are a great many texts
    that prove thatHe says, There are some standing
    here which shall not taste death till the Son of
    Man comes into His kingdom and there are a lot
    of places where it is quite clear where He
    believed that His second coming would happen
    during the lifetime of many then living.
  • Bertrand Russell, Why I am Not a Christian,
    pg. 16
  • Matthew 1125
  • you have hidden these things from the wise and
    learned, and revealed them to little children.

28
The things that can steal our dependence
  • Money and Power
  • Remember Jack Whitaker
  • Popularity, good looks and athletic prowess
  • Remember Len Bias
  • Education and Intelligence
  • Remember Bertrand Russell
  • Misplaced pride can lead us to an overwhelming
    false sense of security

29
Daily Application
  • How to deal with success?
  • Humbling ourselves
  • James 410
  • Holding our thoughts captive
  • 2 Corinthians 105
  • Preferring others to ourselves
  • Philippians 23,5
  • How to become/stay dependent?
  • Hit Rock-bottom
  • Prodigal son (Luke 1516-20)
  • Have a prayerful and thankful heart
  • 1 Thessalonians 517-18

30
Summary
  • Some questions to ask when considering Matthew
    183
  • Do the commentaries of men contradict other
    passages of Scripture?
  • Do the commentaries of men contradict the
    observed nature of children?
  • What age is the child under consideration in this
    passage?
  • Is there a universal principle being taught that
    all could agree is essential?
  • More information
  • Slides and a corresponding paper are available
    at
  • www.gray-area.org/bible-lessons

31
Wont you come?
  • Now is the time of salvation (2 Corinthians 62)
  • Wont you come?
  • The water is warm
  • Wont you come?
  • The Father has been waiting for you (Luke 1520)
  • Wont you come?
  • Submit to obedience to walk in newness of life
    (Rom. 64) and clothe yourself in Christ (Gal.
    327)
  • Wont you come?
  • With a pierced heart, come as a little child

32
Acknowledgement
  • The core idea for this talk came from a related
    sermon that I heard by Ed Miller (from Rhode
    Island) on November 21, 1998. Eds comments at
    that time prompted me to look further into this
    key principle taught in Matthew 181-4.
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