Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete shows that greatness in the kingdom of God comes through humility, not ambition. The disciples argued about who was greatest, but Jesus placed a child before them and taught that we must become like little children. He calls us to humble ourselves, cut off offenses, and deal with sin seriously. True greatness is serving others, not promoting ourselves.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14
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Scriptures used in this lesson:
Matthew 18:1–4, Mark 9:33–37, Luke 9:46–48, Romans 8:28–29, 1 Chronicles 11:3, Colossians 4:15, Numbers 16:1–3, Numbers 16:28–33, Philippians 2:5–8, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Matthew 18:5–7, Matthew 18:8–9, Matthew 18:10, Genesis 48:16, Daniel 3:25, Daniel 6:22, Acts 12:15, Hebrews 1:14, Matthew 18:11, Matthew 18:12–14,
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Chapter 18: Little Children or Big Men
This is chapter 18, verses 1 through 14. Let’s read the introduction and focus on the question before us.
Today, we are dealing with whether it is better to be like little children or like big men and women. The disciples asked who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. That question sets the direction for everything that follows.
The Lord’s idea of greatness is not the same as theirs. I have to ask if it is the same as ours. Is our view of greatness in the kingdom of God the same as His? He gives a drastic warning to anyone who scandals His little ones, yet He also says scandals must come. I want you to say it – scandals must come. If we are going to avoid them, we must perform serious surgery on ourselves. We also have to consider whether we have a personal guardian angel and why the shepherd rejoices more over the one than the ninety-nine. All of that is in the first fourteen verses of chapter 18.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Chapter 18 breaks down into three sections. The first is about being a little child or a big man or woman – verses 1 through 14. We can choose ambition or humility. The second section covers church discipline – verses 15 through 20. That includes binding and loosening, as well as the church’s authority. It connects to Peter receiving the keys to the kingdom and to the Lord saying He will build His church. Discipline is always the last resort.
The third section is the unforgiving servant – verses 21 through 35. We touched on that in a previous study during the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus taught that as you forgive, you will be forgiven. We saw what happens to the one who refuses to forgive, and we will look at that again next week.
Now we come back to the first section – little children or big men – verses 1 through 14. The disciples came to Jesus and asked who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. To understand what He is teaching, we need to look at the parallel in (Mark 9:37) and then read Mark 9:33 through 37 to get the full picture before we deal with it in detail.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Matthew 18:1–4
1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Mark 9:33–37
33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,
37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
What I want us to see is that the disciples were arguing. They were disputing among themselves about who was the greatest and who was the most important. That is the focus as we read (Mark 9:33).
In that passage, Jesus came to Capernaum and asked them what they had been disputing about along the way. They kept silent because they had been arguing about who should be the greatest. That was the issue – who is the greatest, who should be first.
He then sat down, called the twelve, and told them that if any man desires to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all. The way to be great in the kingdom of God is to be a servant. That is the principle. What I want to emphasize is that the disciples were literally disputing among themselves about who was the greatest.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
These three are parallel: Matthew 18:1-14, Luke 9:46-48, Mark 9:49.
Luke 9:46–48
46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,
48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
There arose a reasoning among them about who should be the greatest. They were comparing themselves. One could say I do this, and you do that, so I must be greater. They were reasoning it out among themselves. That is what is happening in (Luke 9:46-48).
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Jesus perceived the thoughts of their hearts. He took a child and set him by Him. Then He said that whoever receives that child in His name receives Him, and whoever receives Him receives the One who sent Him. He made it clear that he who is least among you will be great. The way to greatness is to be the least. The way up in the kingdom of God is down. If you want to rule, you must serve. If you want to be great, you must become the least. That is the whole principle, and it runs opposite to the way the world thinks.
The disciples came to Jesus while they were disputing among themselves about who was greatest. He addressed that issue directly. I believe we do the same thing today. In (1 Corinthians 1:12), some said they were of Apollos, some of Cephas, and some of Paul. We may smile at that, but churches still struggle with the same spirit. We are all learning how the kingdom of God operates, how His government works, and what we are to do.
If we desire to be great in the kingdom, we must understand that greatness comes by being least. A mighty man or woman of God must become a servant of all. The way up is down. We must become like a child. The Lord makes this clear, and sometimes it is painful. His Word gives us barometers and thermometers to measure ourselves. It functions like a mirror. We look into it to see if we reflect His image. That is how we examine where we stand concerning greatness in the kingdom of God.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
The Set Man Principle
Number two, I want to address why this dispute arose. I believe it centers around Peter. In chapters 14 through 19, his name is mentioned more than a dozen times. He is highlighted more than the other disciples. Peter walked on the water. He asked the questions. Jesus told him He would build His church on him. Peter went up the mountain of transfiguration. He spoke about building the huts. He dealt with the tax collector. Peter was told to catch the fish with the money in its mouth. It was always Peter.
The other disciples had to notice that. They might have thought Peter was the favorite. The other apostles may have compared their works to his. They could have asked why he was singled out. When Jesus said He would build His church on Peter, how did they feel? That kind of emphasis could easily lead to disputes and arguments. Jesus would have sensed that lack of unity immediately.
There was a clear emphasis on Peter in those chapters. If we can see it in the text, they surely saw it walking beside him. That likely stirred the question of who was greatest. Peter was first among equals. He opened the kingdom to Jews and Gentiles. Peter was not placed there by men but by the Lord. He was the set man among the twelve. They were equals, yet he was first among them.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
First Among Equals
The Lord always works with a set man. There are equals, but there is also first among equals. If the church could grasp that principle, much arguing and dissension would disappear. When that principle is not understood, division follows. The question becomes whether God places ministry or whether men do. That tension fuels disputes when the order of God is not recognized.
We have to understand that true ministry comes from God. If He gives a man, that man becomes first among equals. He cannot be voted in and out. When God places ministry, He intends for it to remain until He moves it. If we ever grasp that it is not man who places ministry, but God, the church could accomplish much more.
Some say they do not want to follow a man. Yet God has always worked through a man. He sets a man in ministry and gives him direction. Then He gives that man a vision. The people catch that spirit and move together in unity. Before that unity comes, there will be arguing and dissension. Offenses must come. We move through the disputes and reasoning until we conclude that it is the Lord’s church and that He will build it. If man puts the leader there, it will collapse. If God placed him, it will stand.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
This principle is vital to the whole church. We cannot argue and remain divided while expecting to accomplish kingdom purpose. Unity must come from recognizing that God is doing the work. I am not doing it. I could not do it even if I tried.
God does not always reveal everything ahead of time. Moses was sent to deliver Israel, and yet met severe testing along the way. Abraham left, not knowing all he would face. The Lord calls people and sends them to fulfill His purpose without explaining every trial in advance. He did not tell me everything I would face either. We walk it out by faith and remain faithful to the call.
God’s principle is always first among equals. That pattern runs throughout Scripture. It is not accidental. It is how He orders things.
We can see this even in the Trinity. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are equal. Yet there is first among equals. That order exists within God Himself.
The same principle appears in (Romans 8:28-29). Jesus is the firstborn among many brethren. There are many brethren, but He is first. That is the pattern – first among equals.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Romans 8:28–29
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Now, that’s not to say that we’re equal with Jesus. I’m just projecting the principle here. There’s always the first; there are many brethren, but there’s the first, and that was Jesus Christ.
Now, the Old Testament. In Numbers 27, 15-23, Joshua was appointed the designated man among many elders. There were many of them. Many elders, Joshua was just one of the elders, but he was appointed the set elder, the set man to replace and to come after Moses.
Also in Deuteronomy 1:9–18 there was Moses and the other elders. Moses was an elder, but he was the first among many other elders. In Exodus 18 17:26, there was Moses and the judges, the same thing. Moses was a judge, but there were many judges.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
In Joshua 7:6-8, and in verse 10, Joshua was the leader, but the elders were with him. We see in 1 Samuel 15:30, Samuel is among the elders; in 2 Samuel 5:3, Samuel and the elders anoint David as king; and in 1 Chronicles 11:3, Samuel and the elders anoint David as king.
1 Chronicles 11:3
3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.
There was David among the elders. In 1st Kings 8:1 and 3, Solomon was among the elders. In 2nd Chronicles 34:29, Josiah is among the elders. We see in Ezra 10, verses 1, 8, and 14, Ezra is among the elders. In Ezekiel, there was Ezekiel among the elders, and in Acts 24, there were the chief priest and the elders of the Sanhedrin.
All of that comes from the Old Testament pattern. Every one of those leaders was raised up and anointed by God. Others recognized the mantle of leadership on them. The set man always worked with the elders. Yet there was always first among equals.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
New Testament Pattern
There was never a one-man show. There were twelve apostles, but there was Peter. It was not Peter’s show. He was simply first among equals. That is how we see God’s government flowing. In our fellowship, we function with elders because that is scriptural. Still, there is first among equals. No one is better than another, but God sets one to be first.
In the New Testament, this is clear in (Acts 1:14), (Acts 2:14), (Acts 2:38), (Acts 3:4-25), (Acts 4:8-12), and (Acts 5:1-11). Those passages show Peter functioning as the set man among the apostles.
The other apostles understood that the Lord had placed Peter in that position, and they flowed with it. When Peter left Jerusalem and went to Antioch, James became the set man. This is seen in (Acts 12:17), (Acts 15:1-2), (Acts 15:6), (Acts 15:13-22), and (Acts 21:18). God moved Peter, but He replaced him with James. There is always first among equals.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
We also see Paul with the elders at Ephesus in Acts 19:10-11 and Acts 20:17-35. Then in 1 Timothy 3, Timothy is shown with the elders. He is spoken of as the first bishop of the church at Ephesus. Paul sent him to an already established church, and Timothy became the set man there.
Titus functions similarly in Titus 1:5: he ordained elders and served as the first bishop of Crete. In Philippians 1:1, 2:25, and 4:18, Epaphroditus is mentioned alongside the bishops and deacons. He is called a messenger, which means apostle. He was an apostle after the ascension of Jesus Christ. Scripture mentions about fifteen apostles after the ascension.
We also see Nymphas and the church in his house in Colossians 4:15, which shows the same pattern: elders functioning together with a set man.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Colossians 4:15
15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
Nymphas was the set man in his house in Colossians 4:15. He may not have been over the entire church, but he was set in that home gathering. In Romans 16:3-4, Aquila and Priscilla served as teachers in a set position. In Revelation 1:11-20, Revelation 2-3, and tied with Acts 20:17, the letters are addressed to the angel stars of the churches. That angel represents the set person at the local church.
If the Lord wrote a letter to a church, it would follow His order of authority. It would go to the set man and then flow downward. That is how His purposes work. The set man is not superior to the elders. He is first among equals. God raises these men up and places them in position, and others recognize that mantle.
When the set man principle is not recognized, arguing and reasoning follow. It causes disputes. People begin to question decisions and compare leadership. Division comes because unity is broken. Instead of moving as one, everyone tries to determine who is greatest. This is the same spirit seen when some followed Cephas, some Peter, and some Paul.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
The church must understand biblical government. God places His ministry. Elders function together with a set man. I do nothing without our eldership. They protect me, and we share responsibility. When that order is ignored, it brings division and death.
This principle is sovereign. It cannot be reasoned away. In Numbers 16, Korah and his company rebelled against Moses. They challenged the authority God had given him. That rebellion shows what happens when the set man principle is rejected.
Numbers 16:1–3
1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
God had put Moses and Aaron in their positions. They did not appoint themselves. The Lord placed them there. Moses was simply walking out what God had assigned to him.
When Korah challenged that authority, God instructed Moses to have them bring their incense and meet at the tabernacle. The test was simple. If Korah and his company died a normal death, then Moses was not the set man. If the earth opened and swallowed them, then it would be clear that God had placed Moses where he was.
Numbers 16:28–33
28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
The ground opened, and Korah and his company were swallowed up. His family and two hundred fifty leaders went down with him. That happened because they did not recognize the set man principle. When that principle is rejected, arguing and reasoning always follow.
I believe the church is growing beyond that. We are tired of arguing. We are tired of disputing, and we want to know what the Word says and walk in it. When ambition drives us, and we ignore God’s order, we end up like the disciples asking who is greatest.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Humility and Cutting Off Offenses
Jesus answered that question in (Matthew 18:2-4). He placed a child in the middle of them. He said that unless we are converted and become like little children, we will not enter the kingdom. Greatness comes through humility. It is not about importance or recognition. It is about humbling ourselves and doing what we are called to do.
The word converted means to turn or twist around. It is not the same as repent. Repent means to change the way you think. Converted means to turn from self-exaltation. We must turn from ambition and exalt the kingdom instead.
Jesus said He came to seek and save what was lost. He did not come to make Himself great. That is seen in Matthew 18:11. He humbled Himself and became a servant, as shown in Philippians 2:5. That is the pattern. Greatness in the kingdom comes through humility and service, not self-promotion.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Philippians 2:5–8
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Do you see it? Unless we humble ourselves and become like a little child, we will not even enter the kingdom. Yet we act as if we are bringing it. The commentary I quoted says they were arguing about who would be greatest, as though they were already assured of being in the kingdom. If they continued exalting themselves, they would not even enter.
Many people may think they are advancing the kingdom while trying to make themselves great. The Lord says we must humble ourselves as a little child. A child is simple. A child is honest, obedient, and unpretentious. He is just himself. He does not try to be something he is not. That is what the Spirit is saying. Find your place and do what you are called to do. Stop trying to be greater than another.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Humility is something we choose. It is not something we wait for God to force on us. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, we are told to humble ourselves. That is our responsibility.
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
It says we must humble ourselves. Humbling is something we do to ourselves. The word humble means to bring low in the heart. It does not mean outward humiliation. It means lowering ourselves inwardly.
The disciples were arguing about who was the leader. The Lord said the leader is the one who lowers himself and does not exalt himself. Greatness comes by becoming little. The way up is down. If you cannot serve, you will not rule. If you cannot humble yourself, you will not enter the kingdom. That is the principle He is warning us to understand.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
The kingdom of God operates opposite to the world. In the Lord’s eyes, a great person serves others. In the world’s eyes, a great person is served. His idea of greatness is not ours. True greatness is measured by service.
Jesus said in Matthew 18:5-7 that whoever receives a little child in His name receives Him. Whoever offends one of these little ones would be better off with a millstone around his neck and drowned in the sea.
Matthew 18:5–7
5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Don’t mess with my people who humble themselves and become like a little child. It will not go well for you.
Then verses 8 and 9 say that if your hand or your foot offends you, cut it off and cast it from you.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Matthew 18:8–9
8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
The point is how serious this is. We must deal with what causes us to stumble. The alternative is destruction. He is calling us to take responsibility and remove whatever stands between us and life.
How many options do we have? We have two. We can cut and pluck, or we face hellfire. Cutting and plucking hurt. It is painful. Yet it is far better than the alternative. God is calling us to deal with ourselves.
The responsibility is personal. If your hand or foot offends you, you cut it off. The pastor cannot do that for you. I must deal with myself, and you must deal with yourself. That is how the kingdom of God comes into our lives. When snares appear, and we remove what causes us to stumble, we prevent those snares from taking us again.
The seriousness is conveyed by using body parts as examples. Hand, foot, eye – it is that serious. The snare will come. If someone struggles with adultery and has not dealt with it, the snare will trap him. If he has cut and plucked, he can walk past it. The principle is to avoid becoming a scandal.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Each of us must handle our own weaknesses. We can help one another, but in the end, I must cut and pluck in my life. There are only two choices – remove what offends or face destruction.
We sometimes get upset about teachings like the “any-minute” rapture. Yet becoming a Christian is more than praying a prayer, shaking a preacher’s hand, and signing a card. There is cutting and plucking involved. According to what I just read, we cannot live any way we want and expect to make it. This is serious to the Lord.
It requires pruning. In John 15, we are the branches, and He is the vine. The Father cuts and prunes. The Lord wants us to deal with ourselves. The problem with any minute rapture teaching is that it can encourage escape rather than overcoming.
What I am saying is that the issue is not simply whether the rapture is true, but how it has been presented. To me, the greater danger is the belief that we can live any way we choose and still make it into heaven. That is the bigger lie.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Believing a certain view of the rapture will not send someone to hell. However, believing that we can commit sin without dealing with it is dangerous. The Lord says we must cut it off and pluck it out. If we refuse to deal with ourselves, the result is destruction. That is why I see this as serious. We must remove from our lives what is not kingdom material.
Angels and the Little Ones
Then in verse 10, Jesus says to take heed that we do not despise one of these little ones, because their angels always behold the face of the Father in heaven. That shows how precious they are to Him and how carefully we must treat them.
Matthew 18:10
10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
He specifically says the little ones have angels. That passage has always given me difficulty. When you read it, it can sound like every person has a guardian angel.
Many translations use wording that supports that idea. Some say they have angels. Others say they have their guardian angels. The picture presented is that these angels are always before the Father.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
However, when I study angels throughout Scripture, I do not find clear teaching that each person has a specific personal angel. In Genesis 48:16, Jacob speaks of the angel who redeemed him from all evil. An angel protected him. One angel seemed to minister to him. Yet the text does not say that this was a personal angel created exclusively for Jacob.
Genesis 48:16
16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
There are other Scriptures like Daniel 3:25, the fourth man in the furnace.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Daniel 3:25
25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Was the fourth man in the furnace an angel sent to them? Was it a guardian angel? Or was it a Christophany – an Old Testament appearance of Christ? That question remains.
In Daniel 6:22, Daniel said that God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths. An angel delivered him. Yet the passage does not say that it was Daniel’s personal guardian angel. It simply says that God sent His angel.
Daniel 6:22
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
An angel came and delivered Daniel, but it was not presented as his personal guardian angel. It was God’s angel sent to minister.
In Acts 12:15, when Peter was in prison and later appeared at the house, those praying said it must be his angel. That statement is recorded, but it does not clearly establish the doctrine of a specific personal guardian angel.
Acts 12:15
15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.
The angel released Peter from prison, and he went to the house where the saints were praying. Rhoda answered the door. When she told the others, they said it must be his angel. That is the only place where that phrase appears, and it does not clearly establish a personal guardian angel. It simply says an angel released him.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Hebrews 1:14 gives me the most clarity.
Hebrews 1:14
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
It says angels are ministering spirits sent to minister for those who are heirs of salvation. That passage does not teach that each person has a specific angel assigned only to him. I cannot find clear proof in Scripture of a personal angel for every individual.
What I do see is that angels protect, help, and minister for us. In that light, when Jesus speaks of their angels before the Father, I understand it as angels in general ministering on behalf of the heirs of salvation. Those angels stand ready before the Father. That shows how serious it is to mistreat His little ones.
I see it in that light rather than as a specific personal angel assigned to each individual. Angels are a wonderful study. I have studied them before, but I have never been able to prove that each person has their own named guardian angel.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
At times, I have wished I could know his name or recognize him clearly. Yet I have never seen him. Still, I know angels have been present because Scripture says they minister. I could not have come this far without their help.
The Shepherd and the One Sheep
Matthew 18:11 says the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
Matthew 18:11
11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
Then He moves into the illustration of the shepherd. He asks why the shepherd rejoices more over the one sheep than the ninety-nine. That is what we will look at next week.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14 How to Serve and Not Compete
Matthew 18:12–14
12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
We will look at the shepherd next week when we gather again. For now, I want us to bow our heads and let the Spirit minister. The message about cutting and plucking has ministered to me. I believe the Lord is dealing with His people and calling us to deal with ourselves.
If the Spirit has spoken to you about specific things that need to be cut out, then respond. I see areas in my own life that need attention. I have preached that the Lord chisels away what does not look like Him. Tonight, I see that I am responsible for doing some of that chiseling on myself.
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14
Matthew 18 Verses 1-14
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