Become Like Children: Jesus Comes Down to Save

Sep 06, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Holding a 50-pound dog in the muck

A child runs to safety when afraid, clinging to what’s secure. Jesus invites us to stop pretending we’re self-sufficient and collapse into God’s arms like a scared child—or a 50-pound dog burying itself in a lap. Greatness begins when we admit we’re powerless to save ourselves, that our trophies and comparisons crumble under sin’s weight. God doesn’t ask us to clean up first. He meets us in the mess, soaked in sweat and shame, and says, “I’ve got you.” [47:06]

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.”
(Psalm 40:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been pretending to “hold it together” instead of running to God’s lap? What messy part of your life needs to collapse into His arms today?

Day 2: When trophies can’t reach the valley

We polish achievements like trophies, hoping they’ll prove our worth. But Jesus leaves the mountaintop of “success” to crawl into valleys where trophies can’t go. The disciples argued over greatness while missing the Messiah bleeding for them. Our promotions, kids’ accolades, and church growth metrics become hollow when we realize Christ’s definition of greatness: becoming small enough to need a Savior. [51:30]

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”
(Matthew 18:1-3, ESV)

Reflection: What “trophy” have you secretly compared to others this week? How might laying it down free you to receive Christ’s gift of smallness?

Day 3: The Shepherd leaves the 99 for the 1

Religions demand upward climbs; Christianity announces a descending God. While we tally church attendance or career wins, Jesus abandons the “99” to wallow in mud for the one. Your worst moments—the addiction, divorce, bankruptcy—are where His boots sink deepest. Greatness isn’t in growing crowds but in the Shepherd’s knees scraping rocks to carry you home. [50:46]

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.”
(Luke 15:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: When have you felt like the “lost one”? How does Jesus’ muddy pursuit reshape how you view your current struggles?

Day 4: Spaghetti stains and turned-out pockets

We armor up for church in pressed clothes and “fine” lies while starving for grace. Jesus wants your bathrobe days, your overdrawn accounts, your unmasked grief. The kingdom belongs to those who come with spaghetti-stained shirts and empty pockets, trusting that brokenness—not togetherness—unlocks Christ’s healing. [54:05]

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
(1 John 1:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: What mask do you wear most often at church? What would it look like to show up this week with one authentic struggle exposed?

Day 5: God climbs down ladders to claim you

We scramble up career ladders and spiritual checklists, but God descends. He leaves heaven’s perfection to enter our flooded homes, sweaty weddings, and pastors’ envy. Your value isn’t in rungs climbed but in the Son who climbed down to the cross. You’re great because He knelt in your dirt and said, “Mine.” [50:14]

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”
(Philippians 2:5-7, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been striving upward instead of resting in Christ’s downward reach? How does His descent redefine your purpose today?

Sermon Summary

Comparison keeps a scorecard running in the human heart. Weddings, jobs, promotions, churches, and kids can all become ways of asking, “Who’s the greatest?” The disciples bring that same question to Jesus in Matthew 18, after Peter has received a big confession and a new name, and after Peter, James, and John have gone up the mountain while the others stayed behind. The question is not just theoretical. The disciples want to know which one of them is at the tippy top.

Jesus answers their hunger for greatness by putting a child in their midst. A child knows what to do when things get scary: a child runs to mom or dad and wants to be held. Jesus calls His disciples to become like that child, not because children are naturally perfect, but because children know they need somebody. The kingdom begins when the scorecard gets dropped and the need for a Savior gets named.

Christ has already told His disciples that He will suffer, die, and rise again, yet their eyes keep drifting toward rank, status, and trophies. The text turns greatness upside down: the least are those who know they cannot save themselves. Trophies do not mean a thing before God, because no accomplishment, promotion, or rung climbed on the ladder can make a sinner right with Him.

The Good Shepherd image presses this truth even further. Every religion apart from Christianity says people must climb up far enough for God to receive them. Jesus says the opposite. The Shepherd leaves the ninety-nine up on the mountain and goes down into the valley, into the muck and mire, to find the lost sheep and lift it out. Christ does not wait for broken people to clean themselves up. Christ comes down to them.

The enemy uses scorecards in both directions. Comparison either says, “I am better than that person,” or, when sin gets exposed, “At least I am not as bad as that person.” Both lies keep sinners from simply receiving grace. Christ calls His people to stop pretending they are fine and to bring their real mess into the church. Depression, financial trouble, sin, and failure are not reasons to hide from the body of Christ; they are reasons to come and be held up by the grace Christ gives through His people.

Christ makes His people children of God through His life, death, and resurrection. Christ also sends His children toward brothers and sisters caught in sin, not to keep score or win an argument, but to call the lost back to grace. The cross remains the place where greatness dies and needy children receive mercy again.

Key Takeaways

1. Drop the scorecard before God. [47:57] Comparison makes life into a contest that nobody can finally win. Every trophy eventually looks small beside somebody else’s bigger trophy. Christ does not measure His children by rank, achievement, or appearance. Grace begins where the need to prove greatness ends. [47:57]
2. Childlike faith knows its need. [46:54] A scared child does not build a résumé before running into a parent’s arms. Childlike faith does not mean childish faith; it means honest dependence. Sinful hearts cannot rescue themselves out of the muck and mire. Christ calls for the kind of faith that says, “I need You.” [46:54]
3. The Shepherd comes down into mess. [50:14] Upward mobility may be useful in a career, but it cannot save a soul. The Good Shepherd does not demand that the lost sheep climb back up the mountain. Christ comes down into the valley, finds the wandering one, and lifts that one out. Salvation rests on His descent, not human ascent. [50:14]
4. Bring the real struggle to church. [53:45] The enemy tells struggling people to isolate until they can get themselves right. Christ tells broken people that this is the place to struggle, because everybody is a mess in need of grace. Honest need gives the body of Christ room to bear one another up. Pretending to be fine can keep grace at arm’s length. [53:45]
5. Grace sends children toward children. [55:26] Christ does not merely rescue individuals and leave them alone. Christ works through His children to seek brothers and sisters caught in sin. Loving correction is not another scorecard. God uses it to remind wandering children that grace is still calling them home.

## [55:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[21:39] - Opening Prayer
[35:53] - Losers Finders and Comparison
[36:22] - Keeping Score in Everyday Life
[37:34] - Comparing Churches and Success
[40:26] - The Disciples Ask Who Is Greatest
[42:55] - Jesus Brings a Child Forward
[46:36] - Becoming Like a Child
[48:31] - The Lost Sheep and the Shepherd
[49:27] - Christ Comes Down to Save
[51:30] - The Two Directions of Comparison
[53:07] - Stop Pretending Everything Is Fine
[55:26] - Grace Restores the Wandering Child
[56:08] - Receiving Grace at the Cross

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 18:1–5
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.’” [46:54]

Matthew 18:10–14
“‘See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.’” [50:20]

Matthew 18:15–17
“‘If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.’” [55:46]

Observation questions

What question do the disciples bring to Jesus, and what object lesson does Jesus use to answer them?
What does a scared child normally do, and how does that picture help explain what it means to become like a child before God? [46:46]
In the lost-sheep picture, where are the ninety-nine, and where does the shepherd go to find the sheep that wandered away? [50:20]
What steps does Jesus give for responding when a brother or sister is caught in sin, and what seems to be the hoped-for outcome?

Interpretation questions

Jesus says that the one who humbles himself like a child is greatest in the kingdom. How is this different from trying to become “great” through achievement, recognition, or being better than others? [47:35]
Why is it important that the Shepherd goes down to find the lost sheep rather than waiting for the sheep to find its own way back up the mountain? [49:29]
Comparison can make a person feel superior, but it can also make a person excuse sin by finding someone who seems worse. Why do both directions of comparison keep a person from receiving grace? [51:43]
Matthew 18:15–17 begins with going privately to a brother or sister. How does that first step show that correction is meant to restore someone rather than shame or defeat them? [55:34]

Application questions

Where has a scorecard been running in your heart lately—work, finances, appearance, marriage, parenting, church involvement, or something else? What does that scorecard tell you about yourself or other people? [39:35]
When you feel afraid, overwhelmed, ashamed, or exposed, do you tend to run toward Christ like a child runs to a parent, or do you try to prove that you can handle it alone? What would honest dependence on Him look like this week? [46:48]
Is there an accomplishment, promotion, trophy, title, or reputation that has begun to feel like proof that you are doing well before God? How does the cross free you from needing that proof? [51:30]
When you become aware of your own sin or failure, are you more likely to hide, fix yourself first, or compare yourself with someone who seems worse? What would it look like to simply name your need for a Savior? [52:07]
Is there a real struggle—depression, financial pressure, conflict, temptation, grief, or sin—that you have been carrying alone? What might it look like to let a trusted brother or sister in the church help bear that burden with you? [54:38]
Is there someone in your life who may be wandering or caught in sin? How could you take a humble, private, and caring first step toward that person without turning the situation into a scorecard or an argument? [55:46]

Sermon Clips

42s

#ChildOfGodGrace

“And so he comes, today again, to bring you grace, to reaffirm that you are a child of God, not because of how pretty you are or how many trophies you have or how many rungs on the ladder you've climbed. You're a child of God because God loves you, enough to send his son to save you and you belong here. I don't care where you are on this journey, I don't care what you're caught up in sin. God loves you and he says, I'm willing to come down into the muck and mire and lift you up.”

40s

#SafeToStruggle

“If you're struggling, this is the place to struggle. We're all a mess. That's what Jesus is saying in this text. You all are broken by sin, and what you need is me, my love for you. Become like a child. Know that you can't save yourself. I am the one who saves. And so he comes, today again, to bring you grace, to reaffirm that you are a child of God, not because of how pretty you are or how many trophies you have or how many rungs on the ladder you've climbed.”

37s

#GraceNotComparison

“Right? But that's the comparison shopping we do in this world and Jesus is saying in this text, stop it. Let it go. Remember, I come to you. I came to you and claimed you as my child. I make you a child of God. That's my job. Through my life, my death, my resurrection, I come down to you and pull you up out of the muck and mire. That is what makes you great, being a child of God, saved by grace.”

43s

#SavedNotByScorecards

“Look, it is good to get a promotion, and it's good to love that your kids are doing well, but scorecards don't belong because none of the things you do in this life are gonna save you. Jesus is telling you, I come to you. I find you in your mess and I lift you up out of it. is what it is to be great, to know that I need a savior and that he has come for me.”

39s

#GodGoesDown

“I go find them. See, we want to be upwardly mobile, and every other religion in the world says, you must be upwardly mobile in order for God to save you. Every religion in the world outside of Chris Christianity says, if you do enough good things, then maybe God will love you. If you are good enough, then maybe he will forgive you. What Christianity says and what Jesus is saying is become like a child and know that you can't save yourself because God instead of calling us to be upwardly mobile is saying in this text, I go down to you. Notice what the text says.”

39s

#GiveUpTheScorecard

“Know that you can't possibly save yourself. What he's saying is give up the scorecard. Stop comparing yourself to everyone else and know that what you need is me. You need my life, my suffering, my death, my resurrection for you. Jesus has talked about the fact that he is going to suffer and die and rise twice in the last couple chapters here. And the disciples are just missing that, And he's telling them, I have come to save you. You desperately need me. If you want to be great, know that you are the least, that you can't save yourself. That is who you are.”

34s

#ComeAsYouAreChurch

“That's why I keep telling you we need a dress code. We need a dress code in our church. Right? If you are depressed, how should you come to church? Bathrobe and slippers, that's right. You should show up and maybe there should be a spaghetti stain on it to show people I am depressed and I need my brothers and sisters in Christ because Jesus comes down to me through you to lift me out of this muck and mire.”

38s

#BeRealAtChurch

“What do we do instead? We tend to dress up and look our best and pretend, and we come to church and people says, How are you doing? And you say, Fine. When most of the time, you're lying. If you're struggling, this is the place to struggle. We're all a mess. That's what Jesus is saying in this text. You all are broken by sin, and what you need is me, my love for you. Become like a child. Know that you can't save yourself. I am the one who saves.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Shepherd Of The Valley Church WDM This sermon · AI assistant

What does becoming like a child require?

How does Jesus redefine greatness and humility?

How should Christians restore a brother in sin?