Become Like Children: Greatness in God's Kingdom

Sep 06, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: A Child’s Answer to Fear: Dependence Over Control

A child’s longing to “be a dad” reveals a deeper truth: true strength lies not in self-sufficiency but in knowing where to turn when fear strikes. Like a child running to a parent, Jesus invites us to abandon the myth of control and admit our need. The kingdom belongs to those who stop pretending they have all the answers and instead cling to the One who does. This dependence isn’t weakness—it’s the doorway to receiving grace. Every anxious thought, every midnight fear, becomes an invitation to trust the Father who never sleeps. [28:37]

“See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are!” (1 John 3:1, CSB)

Reflection: Where have you been pretending to “have it all together” instead of bringing your fears to God? What would it look like to approach Him today with the honesty of a child?

Day 2: The Child in the Midst: Redefining Greatness

Jesus stuns His status-obsessed disciples by placing a child at the center—a person with no résumé, no influence, no power to impress. True kingdom greatness isn’t earned through achievements but received through empty-handed trust. The child’s vulnerability mirrors our spiritual reality: we bring nothing but our need. Jesus doesn’t scold our dependence; He crowns it as the path to His presence. Every ladder of self-made importance leads away from the cross where all distinctions dissolve. [31:28]

“Jesus called a child, had him stand among them, and said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” (Matthew 18:2–4, CSB)

Reflection: What invisible “scorecard” do you use to measure your worth? How might releasing it free you to receive Christ’s gift of belonging?

Day 3: Where the Least Matter Most: Seeing Through Christ’s Eyes

The kingdom reverses the world’s values: the grieving, addicted, lonely, and doubting aren’t distractions—they’re the mission. Jesus redefines “important ministry” as drawing near to those the world overlooks. The church thrives not when it chases cultural relevance but when it kneels beside the one feeling insignificant. Every whispered “I’m not worth your time” becomes an opportunity to echo Christ’s relentless love. Greatness here means seeing His face in the forgotten. [35:40]

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:40, CSB)

Reflection: Who in your community feels like “the least” right now? How can you actively honor Christ by seeing and serving them this week?

Day 4: The Shepherd’s Relentless Pursuit: No One Beyond Reach

Ninety-nine sheep aren’t enough for this Shepherd. He chases the one—not because it’s efficient, but because His love defies arithmetic. Every wandering soul—the angry teen, the lapsed believer, the “difficult” sister—matters infinitely. Church discipline isn’t about shaming but reclaiming; not proving we’re right but restoring the lost. The same grace that found us compels us to seek others, not with superiority but with scars of our own rescue. [38:54]

“If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, won’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go and search for the stray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over that sheep more than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.” (Matthew 18:12–13, CSB)

Reflection: When have you felt like the “one” Jesus pursued? How does His persistence with you shape how you approach others who wander?

Day 5: Safe in the Father’s Hands: The Gift of Belonging

Earthly fathers falter, but our Heavenly Father never fumbles. His hands hold us through grief, failure, and shame—not because we’ve earned His grip, but because Christ’s scars seal our adoption. The cross proves no fear is too trivial, no sin too ugly, no doubt too dangerous for His care. To be His child means trading the exhausting work of self-protection for the rest of being known. Greatness here is simply staying small enough to be carried. [44:09]

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:28–29, CSB)

Reflection: What burden have you been clutching tightly, afraid to surrender? How might entrusting it to your Father’s hands deepen your experience of His love?

Sermon Summary

Jesus answers the disciples’ question about greatness by placing a child in their midst. The child has no status to defend, no accomplishments to display, and no seat of honor to claim. Jesus says that unless sinners turn and become like children, they will never enter the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom is not entered by climbing higher, proving worth, or making a name for oneself. The kingdom is received with empty hands.

Jesus does not present children as innocent or sinless. Children, like every person, need rescue and a Savior. The child instead pictures dependence, vulnerability, and the simple trust that knows help must come from outside. Greatness in the kingdom is found not in being above others, but in being brought low before Christ. The foot of the cross levels every resume and gives every sinner the same undeserved mercy.

Jesus also turns the child into a picture of how the church treats one another. The weak, grieving, lonely, ashamed, wandering, and questioning believer is not an interruption to ministry. The least matter most because Christ places them in the middle. The body of Christ is called to stand beside those who feel small and speak the greatness of Jesus, who came not for the impressive but for sinners.

Jesus warns strongly against causing little ones to stumble because sin does not stay private. Sin wounds faith, pulls people away from Christ, and tells the weak that they do not belong. Jesus calls his people to deal seriously with sin, to cut it off, put it to death, and repent. Christ’s purchase at the cross means that he loves his people too much to leave them comfortable with what is destroying them.

Jesus then shows the Father’s heart through the shepherd who seeks the one wandering sheep. The one who has stopped coming, the teenager asking hard questions, the difficult member, and the brother caught in sin all matter. Church discipline is therefore shepherd’s work, not argument-winning work. Jesus gives the keys of the kingdom so that sinners may be restored, forgiveness may be spoken clearly, and lost sheep may be brought home.

The Father knows what to do when his children are scared, lost, weak, or wounded. Christ has come to seek the lost, bear sin, defeat death, and bring his children home. The greatest in the kingdom is the one who knows his need and trusts the Savior who has come to meet it.

Key Takeaways

1. Greatness begins with empty hands [32:26] Jesus overturns the habit of keeping score. The kingdom does not reward those who can prove that they are stronger, more faithful, or more important than others. Childlike faith comes before God without a resume and receives Christ as gift. Such dependence is not spiritual weakness but the very posture of saving faith. [32:26]
2. The least matter most to Christ [35:40] Jesus places the vulnerable person in the center of his church. The grieving member, the lonely senior, the struggling family, and the weak believer are not distractions from real ministry. Christ identifies himself with those who need patient care. Love for the overlooked reveals whether the church is learning Christ’s definition of greatness. [35:40]
3. Sin must be treated seriously [38:34] Jesus speaks severe words because sin damages more than private reputation. Sin can wound another believer’s faith and make the vulnerable feel pushed outside the body of Christ. Repentance does not earn salvation, but it belongs to those Christ has purchased. Christ’s love refuses to make peace with what destroys his children. [38:34]
4. Correction is shepherd’s work [40:20] Jesus commands private, humble pursuit when a brother or sister wanders into sin. The goal is never shame, gossip, allies, or victory in an argument. Restoration, forgiveness, and return to Christ remain the purpose of every faithful step. Forgiven sinners go after one another because the Shepherd first went after them. [40:20]
5. The Father knows what to do [43:53] The Father does not leave his children alone in fear, grief, confusion, or wandering. Christ came to seek the lost, bear sins in his body, rise from the dead, and bring his people home. His Word, his church, and his promises continue to hold his children in his care. Dependence on such a Father is safety, not shame.

## [43:53]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[27:33] - What Do You Want to Be?
[28:37] - Dads Know What to Do
[29:38] - Who Is Greatest in the Kingdom?
[31:28] - Jesus Places a Child in the Middle
[32:26] - The Kingdom Received With Empty Hands
[34:47] - The Least Matter Most
[37:37] - Do Not Cause Little Ones to Stumble
[38:54] - The Shepherd Seeks the One
[40:20] - Correction and Restoration
[42:42] - Every Sinner Is the Child in the Middle
[43:53] - The Father Knows What to Do
[45:09] - Dependent, Loved, and Safe in Christ

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 18:1–14

1. At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” [29:43]

2. He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. [31:23]

3. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” [31:55]

4. “Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” [33:29]

5. “And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” [34:54]

6. “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” [37:52]

7. “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!” [38:17]

8. “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.” [38:32]

9. “And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” [38:34]

10. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” [38:01]

11. “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?” [39:03]

12. “And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.” [39:33]

14. “In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.” [39:33]

Observation questions

What question do the disciples ask Jesus, and whom does Jesus place in the middle as his answer? [30:33]
What qualities of a child are highlighted in this passage, and what qualities are not being claimed about children? [32:04]
What kinds of people can be included among the “little ones” who believe in Jesus and need the church’s care? [35:40]
What does Jesus say the shepherd does when one sheep wanders, and what does this show about the Father’s concern for the one? [39:41]

Interpretation questions

Jesus says that people must turn and become like children to enter the kingdom. How does childlike dependence differ from acting childish, uninformed, or immature? [34:04]
Why does Jesus connect welcoming the vulnerable believer with welcoming Jesus himself? How should that shape the way a church views the grieving, lonely, ashamed, or questioning person? [35:05]
Jesus uses severe language about sin and causing others to stumble. What are some ways pride, impatience, gossip, indifference, or careless use of freedom can damage another believer’s faith? [38:07]
Why is private correction of a sinning brother or sister described as shepherd’s work rather than argument-winning work? What goals should guide such a conversation? [40:20]

Application questions

Where are you most tempted to keep score—comparing your faithfulness, success, knowledge, service, or reputation with others? What would it look like to come before Christ with empty hands in that area? [32:30]
Is there a burden, weakness, fear, or sin struggle you have been trying to manage alone so that others will think you have it together? How might trusting Christ and receiving help from his people be a step of childlike faith? [45:00]
Who in your church or community may feel small, overlooked, or like an interruption—perhaps a grieving person, a lonely senior, a struggling family, or someone with many questions? What is one simple and concrete way you could draw near this week? [36:05]
Have your words, online comments, impatience, gossip, or choices ever made it harder for someone else to feel welcomed among God’s people? What repentance or repair may be needed? [38:11]
What sin has become too comfortable or too easily excused in your life? What might it mean to treat it seriously—not to earn Christ’s love, but because you belong to him? [38:34]
Is there someone who has wandered from Christian fellowship, is caught in sin, or seems difficult to love? How could you pursue that person with humility and care rather than discussing them from a distance? [40:31]
When you feel scared, weak, confused, or lost, what would it look like to remember that the Father knows what to do and that Christ has come to seek, forgive, and bring his children home? [44:25]

Sermon Clips

53s

#FatherKnowsWhatToDo

“When you're scared, your father knows what to do. When you've wandered, he knows what to do. When sin has wounded you or you wounded someone else, he knows what to do. When you're weak and grieving and lonely, When you're confused and carrying a burden, no one can see. Your father knows what to do. He sent his son. Jesus came to seek you when you were lost, to bear your sins on his own body, to rise again so that death would never have the final word and so that you would be brought home to the father. And even now this morning, he continues to call you his own.”

33s

#ChildOfGrace

“You don't have to prove you're the greatest. You don't have to pretend you've have it all together. You definitely don't have to earn your place at your father's table. You are his child, dependent, deeply loved, and safe in the hands of Christ. For the greatest in the kingdom is not the person who has no need, the greatest is the one who knows his need and trust the savior who has come to meet it.”

55s

#GreatnessIsHumility

“And this is hard for us because we're always tempted to measure ourselves against one another. Who does more? Who matters more? Who is more faithful, more successful, most recognized? But Jesus turns the whole question around because in his kingdom, greatness isn't found in being above others. It's found in being brought low before him. Repenting, receiving, and trusting him as a child that trusts a good father. And that's where precisely Jesus meets us. Not at the top of the ladder we are trying to climb, but at the foot of the cross, where every resume is laid out and every sinner receives the same undeserved mercy.”

35s

#ChurchForTheSmall

“We do this together as the church, not because we are somehow their kind of saviors, but because Christ has sent his church to bring his saving presence through his word. There besides the one who feels small, we get to speak of the greatness of Jesus, that he came not for the important and impressive, but for sinners. That he humbled himself even to death on a cross, and that in him no one is too small to matter. It's where the least matters most.”

42s

#LeastMatterMost

“Friends, this changes how we see the church where the least matter the most. That the most important Christian in our congregation may not be the one with the most visible gifts. It may be the the person who is grieving quietly, the one struggling with an addiction, the family barely holding it together, the child who feels unseen, the senior who is lonely, the member who has wandered, the person whose faith is is weak and whose questions are many. The one who needs the most care is not an interruption to the ministry. That person is the very center of it.”

30s

#ReceiveWithEmptyHands

“Now, Jesus isn't saying that these children are somehow innocent or or sinless. Children like all of us are sinners in need of a a savior or in need of rescue, but in pointing out these children, he's saying that the the kingdom of heaven is not entered by by climbing higher, proving yourself or making yourself great. It's it's received with empty hands. It's received as a gift.”

44s

#GuardAgainstSin

“Do not despise them and do not use your freedom carelessly. We shouldn't wound them with our pride or impatience, our cruelty, our gossip or indifference. Jesus' language as you look at that in Matthew is severe because, well, because sin is severe. Sin does not remain private. It damages faith. It pulls people away from Christ. It tells the weak that they don't belong. So Jesus says, deal deal seriously with sin. Cut it off. Put it to death. Repent. Not because your repentance earns your salvation, but because Christ purchased you at the cross. You belong to him.”

31s

#NoOneTooSmall

“But yet, Jesus says the father's not willing to do that, not willing to let one slip away. The sheep who has wandered matters. The person who has stopped coming matters. The brother or sister caught in sin matters. The teenager asking hard questions matters. The member who seems difficult to love matters, or the least matter most.”

36s

#ForgiveAndRestore

“The goal is always forgiveness. The goal is that restoration and bringing that lost sheep home. Jesus mentions even here the keys of the kingdom, that authority to forgive sins and to retain sins are given for the purpose that sinners would be brought back to Jesus, that no one would settle into sin as though it were harmless, that no wounded conscience would lay left without the gospel, that Christ's forgiveness would be spoken clearly and personally.”

56s

#ReceiveTheVulnerable

“Jesus places the child in the middle, the weak one, the vulnerable one, the dependent one. And he says, receive this one in my name as you receive me. See this person as precious, precious enough to die for, precious enough to to seek, precious enough to forgive again and again. And of course, friends, this is good news for for you and for me. Because sooner or later, every one of us, every one of us is that child in the middle one. Every one of us is is weak, wanderers, need a patient nurture, in need of gentle correction, in need of undeserved forgiveness. Every one of us needs a shepherd who doesn't write us off when we are lost.”

59s

#ConfrontInLove

“And that leads directly into the difficult words that Jesus says in Matthew or rather in verses 15 through to through verse 20. Where he tells us that if a brother sins against you, that you should go and tell him his fault between you and and him alone. And these words are are not instructions for for winning an argument or for proving that we are right. They're the shepherd's work. They're how Jesus teaches his church to go after that that one who is who is wandering, whose sin has separated him from the body of Christ. They're not we go to not shame him, not to gather allies or to talk behind her back, not to push someone farther away, but we go in love and with humility, remembering that that you too are dependent on mercy, that we go as one forgiven sinner speaking to another because the goal is always repentance in the body of Christ.”

42s

#DependentAndForgiven

“That child in the middle reminds us what kind of people we are. We are dependent people. Dependent fully on Christ. Dependent but yet forgiven. People who live only because Christ has sought us, carried us, and brought us home. We are those children, dearly loved and safe in Christ. There is no room for pride in Christ Jesus' church. No room for looking down on the weak or for saying that person's not worth the effort. No room for treating someone's struggle as a inconvenience.”

34s

#CareLikeChrist

“He says, this isn't just a a picture, a posture about our posture before god. It's also about how we treat one another in the body of Christ that is the church. Jesus redefines greatness in the reign of heaven as one who is like a child, the weakest, the most dependent, the most vulnerable, and he calls his disciples. To regard needy Christians as the most important people in the room. Worthy of virtually unlimited care and patience and nurture and forgiveness.”

52s

#ShepherdCaresForOne

“Jesus, then, in the midst of this image of a child, gives us another image that those of his day would intimately understand that of a sheep and a a shepherd. A shepherd, in this case, who has 100 sheep, and one of those sheep wanders away. And what does the shepherd do? The world may say things like this, like, 99 out of a 100. That's not too bad. 99%, that's pretty good. The world may say, well, well, that sheep made its own choice. It it wandered away. It can do what it wants. The world may say things, we've got more important things to do like care for the 99 than to worry about the one. But yet, Jesus says the father's not willing to do that, not willing to let one slip away.”

40s

#RepentNotPride

“And to become children is to become naive or immature. It is instead to repent of our pride, to acknowledge our absolute need for God's grace, to stop standing before God as though we've earned any kind of place in his kingdom instead. Receive the salvation he gives in Christ. The one who knows he needs me is greatest in the kingdom. We don't enter his kingdom because we're strong enough, spiritual enough, or mature enough. We come trusting Jesus is the only one that's enough. He he knows what we need.”

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St. Paul Lutheran Church Harlingen, Texas This sermon · AI assistant

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