Matthew_18_10-14_Manuscript.docx

Devotional

Day 1: God Knows and Pursues You Personally

God’s love is not a distant or abstract concept; it is deeply personal and intentional. In a world that often measures worth by numbers, achievements, or popularity, God’s heart is moved by the individual. The parable of the lost sheep shows that God is not content with losing even one of His children. He knows each of us by name, sees our struggles, and values us not as part of a faceless crowd, but as beloved sons and daughters.

Your worth is not found in blending in or standing out among others, but in being personally known and loved by the Father. He pursues you when you wander, rejoices over you when you are found, and assigns His angels to watch over you. Rest in the truth that you are never overlooked or forgotten by God.

Luke 12:6-7 (ESV): “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Reflection: When was the last time you felt unseen or overlooked? How does knowing that God personally values and pursues you change the way you see yourself today?

Day 2: Contempt Begins in the Quiet Corners of the Heart

Despising others rarely starts with words or actions; it begins in the hidden places of our hearts and minds. The way we think about fellow believers—whether we see them as burdens, annoyances, or less important—shapes how we eventually treat them. Jesus calls us to examine our inner attitudes, not just our outward behavior, because the seeds of contempt are sown long before they bear visible fruit.

God’s command is clear: do not look down on even one of His children. This means being honest about the subtle ways we may judge, dismiss, or devalue others in our thoughts. By inviting God to search our hearts, we can begin to uproot these attitudes and replace them with His love and honor for each person.

James 2:1-4 (ESV): “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ while you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there,’ or, ‘Sit down at my feet,’ have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

Reflection: Who is someone you tend to overlook or judge in your heart? What would it look like to begin seeing them through God’s eyes today?

Day 3: Humility Frees Us to Honor Others

True humility is not thinking less of yourself, but seeing yourself rightly in light of God’s grace. When we recognize that apart from Christ we have nothing to boast about, we are set free from the need to compare, compete, or look down on others. Humility opens our hearts to serve and honor those around us, following the example of Jesus who took the lowest place for our sake.

Embracing humility means letting go of pride, self-importance, and the desire to be first. It is a daily choice to remember that all our worth is a gift from God, not something we have earned. As we humble ourselves, we become more like Christ—willing to serve, quick to forgive, and eager to lift others up.

1 Peter 5:5-6 (ESV): “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”

Reflection: In what situation today can you choose humility instead of seeking recognition or being right? How might this change your interactions with others?

Day 4: Repenting of Subtle Forms of Despising

Despising others is not always loud or obvious. It can show up in small ways: withholding a welcome, ignoring someone’s needs, refusing to resolve a conflict, or holding onto unforgiveness. Sometimes it hides behind pride in our knowledge, background, or preferences. God calls us to recognize these patterns, repent, and actively pursue reconciliation and service toward every believer, no matter how different or difficult.

Repentance is more than feeling sorry; it is turning away from old habits and moving toward love and unity. This means taking practical steps—seeking forgiveness, making amends, or reaching out to someone we have avoided. As we do, we reflect the heart of Christ, who never withholds His welcome or grace from us.

Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV): “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

Reflection: Is there someone you have been avoiding, ignoring, or withholding forgiveness from? What is one step you can take today to move toward reconciliation or welcome?

Day 5: Resting in God’s Secure Love, Not Self-Worth

The world’s messages about self-worth are often confusing and exhausting, urging us to prove our value through achievement, appearance, or approval. In Christ, we are set free from this endless striving. Our worth is anchored in God’s unchanging love and choice, not in what we do or how we compare to others.

This freedom allows us to stop chasing self-importance and instead pour ourselves out in love and service. When we know our value is secure in God, we can die to ourselves, let go of anxiety about our place in the world, and live with confidence and peace. God’s love is the foundation that holds us steady, no matter what the world says.

Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV): “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

Reflection: Where do you find yourself striving for approval or self-worth? How can you rest in God’s secure love for you today, and let that shape the way you love others?

Sermon Summary

of the Sermon**

This sermon addresses the contradictions in the world’s wisdom regarding self-worth and contrasts it with the clarity and depth of God’s wisdom as revealed in Matthew 18:10-14. The world offers conflicting messages about value, but Jesus teaches that every child of God is uniquely and deeply valued by the Father. The focus is not on self-esteem or self-worth as the world defines it, but on the immense worth God places on each of His children—so much so that He assigns angels to their care and pursues each one who strays. The parable of the lost sheep illustrates that God’s love and attention are not just for the group as a whole, but for each individual believer. The sermon challenges the church to reflect God’s view by never despising or looking down on any fellow believer, but instead humbling ourselves, recognizing our own unworthiness apart from Christ, and serving others as Christ has served us.

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Key Takeaways

1. God’s Value of the Individual Child The parable of the lost sheep is not about the masses, but about the value of the one. God’s love is not generic or impersonal; He knows, chooses, and redeems each child individually. This means that your worth as a believer is not found in being part of a crowd, but in being personally known and loved by God, who will not lose even one of His own.
2. Despising Others Begins in the Heart Before contempt is ever shown in action, it takes root in our thoughts and attitudes. Jesus’ command to not despise even one child of God calls us to examine our inner posture toward others. The way we think about fellow believers—whether we see them as valuable or as burdens—will inevitably shape how we treat them, making it essential to cultivate a heart that mirrors God’s valuing of each person.
3. Humility as the Antidote to Contempt The only way to avoid looking down on others is to embrace true humility. Recognizing that apart from Christ we are nothing, and that all our worth is a gift of grace, frees us from the need to exalt ourselves over others. When we see ourselves as the lowest, we are liberated to serve and honor others, reflecting the humility of Christ who served us to the uttermost.
4. Practical Ways We Despise and How to Repent Despising a child of God can take many subtle forms: withholding welcome, ignoring the impact of our actions on others, refusing to resolve conflict, or withholding forgiveness. It can also show up in pride over doctrine, background, or personal preferences. The call is to recognize these patterns, repent, and actively pursue reconciliation, welcome, and service toward every believer, no matter how different or difficult.
5. Freedom from Self-Worth Anxiety The world’s obsession with self-worth is ultimately unsatisfying and contradictory. In Christ, we are freed from the need to establish our own value, because our worth is secure in what God has done for us. This freedom allows us to die to ourselves, stop striving for self-importance, and pour ourselves out for others, knowing that our value is eternally anchored in God’s love and choice.

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide**

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### Bible Reading

- **Matthew 18:10-14**
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one who is straying? And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. In this way, it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.”

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### Observation Questions

According to Jesus in Matthew 18:10, what specific command does He give regarding “these little ones”?
What does the parable of the lost sheep (verses 12-14) reveal about the shepherd’s attitude toward the one sheep that goes astray?
In the sermon, what are some examples given of how believers might “despise” or look down on other children of God?
What role do angels play in showing God’s value for each of His children, according to verse 10 and the sermon?

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### Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus emphasize the value of the individual child of God rather than just the group as a whole? What does this say about how God views each believer?
The sermon says that despising others begins in the heart, before it ever shows up in actions. Why is it important to examine our thoughts and attitudes toward other believers?
How does true humility, as described in the sermon, protect us from looking down on others? What does it mean to “see ourselves as the lowest”?
The world offers many messages about self-worth. According to the sermon, how does God’s view of our worth differ from the world’s, and why is this important for how we treat others?

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### Application Questions

The sermon lists practical ways we might despise other believers, such as withholding welcome, ignoring someone, or refusing to resolve conflict. Think about your own life: is there someone in the church you have avoided, ignored, or failed to welcome? What is one step you could take this week to show them they are valued?
Are there subtle ways you might look down on other believers—maybe because of their background, appearance, or lack of knowledge? How can you catch yourself in these moments and choose humility instead?
The sermon challenges us to serve others as Christ has served us. What is one specific way you can serve a fellow believer this week, especially someone you might not naturally gravitate toward?
When was the last time you refused to forgive or avoided resolving a conflict with another believer? What would it look like to repent and pursue reconciliation, as the sermon encourages?
The world tells us to focus on building our own self-worth, but the sermon says our worth is secure in God’s love. How does this truth free you from anxiety about your value? Is there an area of your life where you need to stop striving for self-importance and instead pour yourself out for others?
The sermon says that humility is the antidote to contempt. What is one practical habit you could develop to remind yourself of your need for God’s grace and to see others as more important than yourself?
Is there a “lost sheep” in your life—a believer who has wandered or feels left out? How can you reflect God’s heart by reaching out to them this week?

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Sermon Quotes

The world’s wisdom about self-worth is full of contradictions. It tells you that you’re enough on your own, but also that others need you. God’s wisdom, however, gives us a clear and consistent understanding of our value.

Jesus commands us: never look down on any child of God. Every believer is to treat every other believer as valuable, as having great worth—never with contempt, never as less important.

God values each of His children so much that He has angels standing ready in His presence, waiting for a command to come and aid any one of them. That’s how much the Father treasures His children.

The parable of the lost sheep isn’t about the masses, but about the value of the one. God’s love is so personal that He pursues each individual child, rejoicing over every one brought safely home.

If you are a child of God, you are not just one of the masses. God chose you individually, Christ died for you personally, and the Spirit made you alive. You are beloved by God as His child.

Who are we to not value someone whom God values so much? If God treasures His children, how could we ever see another believer as not worth our time, energy, or forgiveness?

We can despise a child of God by ignoring them, refusing to welcome them, or not caring how our actions affect them. To live without concern for others is to see them as of little value.

Our hearts are creative in their pridefulness. We can look down on others for their background, culture, economic status, or even their understanding of doctrine. But God calls us to see every child of His as valuable.

I can’t look down on someone from below. When we look down on others, we’re exalting ourselves. But without Christ, we are nothing. Our worth is found only in what God has done for us.

I am free to be nothing, because my worth isn’t found in what I think of myself, but in what God has done, does, and will do for me out of His great love and grace.

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