Is anyone looking for any remnant willing to pray for the experience of childlike awe and wonderment again? Matthew 18:1-6

Matthew 18:1-6 Amplified Bible

Rank in the Kingdom

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ² He called a little child and set him before them, ³ and said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent [that is, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, live changed lives] and become like children [trusting, humble, and forgiving], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴  Therefore, whoever ^[a]humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ Whoever receives and welcomes one ^[b] child like this in My name receives Me; ⁶ but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble and sin [by leading him away from My teaching], it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone [as large as one turned by a donkey] hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

What does Jesus mean by saying we need to “change and become like little children”?

One clue we have here is that Jesus is responding to the question “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

And he replies, “Whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

In the books about Jesus and his disciples (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), we find the disciples often argued over which of them w,as greatest.

They seem to have been a competitive group.

And they were thinking of greatness in terms of leadership, knowledge, ­power, influence, and other things.

So Jesus is telling his disciples they need to repent, stop staring at their image in the mirror, put that mirror away and change their attitudes about greatness and surrender their worldly ambitions become lowly and humble like little children.

Jesus’ followers need to set aside any claims to their selfish ambitions and to realize that, just as little children depend on parents and caregivers, we are all totally dependent on God for all our current needs and all of our future living.

Here’s another thought.

(sermon illustration) A man in his sixties said,

“Last week my four-year-old grandson said he wanted to be a firefighter when he grew up.

I replied, ‘And when I grow up, I want to be a four-year-old boy again.’

My grandson stared at me with wide, wondering eyes.”

Have you looked around at God’s world with “wide, wondering eyes” lately?

That’s something I long for when I hear the word repentance, that summons us to change and become like a little child.

A Prayer to Experience Childlike Wonder …

Matthew 18:1-3 English Standard Version

Who Is the Greatest?

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ² And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them ³ and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Have you ever noticed how often children are excited about something simple?

They can splash in a puddle, sing a song, or laugh at a silly joke over and over without getting bored.

They often feel amazed, as well, by lots of experiences – such as playing with a pet, watching a sunset, and eating their favorite foods.

But somewhere along the way, when those children grow up, they can lose their sense of wonder.

As adults, they often focus too much on responsibilities and routines, missing out on the wonder happening around them. Their lives shrink down to the level of their to-do lists, even though God wants them to enjoy much bigger lives. 

Have you lost your sense of wonder, too?

If so, Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:3 invite you to reclaim a life lived in childlike wonder, the key unlocking the kingdom experience he wants us all to enjoy. 

You can start by choosing to live a life of humility.

Doing so can help you learn much more about God’s wondrous love and power.

When you’re humble, our perspective expands, allowing us to see how God is infinitely big, is also close to you, because you’re one of His beloved children. 

Standing in awe of God expands your ability to trust him, so you can rely more on God’s strength working through your life.

Just like children have faith that what a trusted person tells them is reliable, Jesus wants you to trust and rely on his promises to you.

You don’t need to try to go through any complicated analysis that leads you to doubt or worry about what Jesus tells you.

When you have childlike wonder, you can just look forward to Jesus keeping his promises. You can expect the best from God in any, all, circumstances you face. 

When you stop and wonder at the magnitude of how God has saved your soul for eternity, it becomes far easy to trust him with your life right now.

1 Corinthians 15:55-58 Amplified Bible

⁵⁵ O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin [by which it brings death] is the law; ⁵⁷ but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose].

God conquered death, can’t he conquer any situation where you need his help?

Wonder changes your focus away from your challenges and toward God’s immeasurable power.

It gets you excited about what amazing way God will show up for you next! 

Childlike wonder leads to joy.

Children find joy in the extraordinary wrapped up in the ordinary – and you can do so too, at any age.

Consider the Christmas season.

As an adult, it can be stressful because of pressures with time, money, and family issues.

But remember the pure joy you felt during the Christmas season as a child.

Jesus invites you to focus on the simple yet profound wonder of the Gospel: He loves you so much that he made the ultimate sacrifice to save you!

When you truly wonder at what this good news means, that can give you lasting joy that nothing can take away. 

So, let wonder become part of your worship.

Become like a little child again by letting go of trying to be the adult in charge of everything and putting your trust in your amazing Father, God. 

Let’s Pray:

Dear God, I confess that I’ve let my life shrink down to the level of my to-do list. I’ve focused so much on my routine and responsibilities I’ve lost the simple joy and open-hearted trust that comes from living in wonder of you.

Please change my heart. Reawaken the spirit of the child within me so I can fully enter into your wonderful kingdom here on earth.

I pray that wonder will lead me to humility. Help me to stand in awe of your unlimited love and power, so I can see how much I can really depend on you to help me with whatever I need.

I choose to depend on you completely.

Let me reflect on the miracle of Jesus saving my soul and everything you’ve already done in my life, and let that inspire me to expect the best from what you will do next. Let me stop over-analyzing and simply believe your promises.

I pray that wonder will restore my joy. Please help me strip away distractions and fully appreciate the simple truth of your love.

Let me feel the excitement of being your child, discovering the wonder of your work in my life every day.

I want to live a life full of wonder and gratitude as I experience your amazing presence! Amen

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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