Matthew 18:1-6 – Simple Salvation – Bible study

Matthew 18:1-6 Simple Salvation The Bible is a wondrous Book. It contains revelations so deep that theologians who have studied the Bible for decades cannot comprehend them; but at the same time, it is so simple that a child can understand them. After spending more than six months preaching from the book of Revelation, I thought it would be nice to read a message that Jesus preached both to and about children. This is message where Jesus wanted to illustrate a simple truth, so He brought a child into the middle of the group and used him to help some sin-hardened adults to understand how to be saved. You can think what you will, but I believe that since Jesus had children present, He preached simple enough that even the child could understand! The title of this mornings message, Simple Salvation. Lets consider three truths. I. The Consummation (Completion) A. \#3\ What is the desired consummation, ending, finale, completion of the human life? It is to arrive at the kingdom of heaven. 1. The term "the kingdom of heaven" is a term to describe heaven. 2. It is the goal (or should be) of every person to end up in heaven. B. The term is unique and important. 1. Just like the Bible uses many names for salvation, to describe it and make it easy for us to understand it, so the Bible uses many terms for heaven. 2. This term is used 32 times in the Bible. 3. Every time it is used, Matthew uses it! 4. It is comparable to another term, "the kingdom of God," but there are some differences. a. The kingdom of God is used 69 times. b. It is used in every gospel and some of the epistles. c. The kingdom of heaven describes the location of heaven while the kingdom of God describes the Ruler of heaven. 5. Where is heaven going to be? a. There are presently three heavens: the sky, outer space, and Gods home. b. There are also three words used to describe heaven. (1) One means the celestial heavens (Gods abode). (2) One means middle of the heavens (I suppose that would be outer space). (3) The most common is this word. It means sky but seems to be applied to Gods abode too. c. It is interesting that in Revelation 21, John sees a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem. d. That New Jerusalem comes down from God out of heaven (Gods abode) and apparently hovers in the sky above earth. e. Interestingly, New Jerusalem is what John spends most if not all of his time describing! (1) Foundations of precious stones – New Jerusalem (2) City foursquare – New Jerusalem (3) The gates of pearl – New Jerusalem (4) streets of gold – New Jerusalem (5) city with no night – New Jerusalem (6) Place where the Lamb and God abide – New Jerusalem f. Most of what we imagine when we think of heaven is New Jerusalem, a city that abides in the sky! g. I am not saying that New Jerusalem is all of heaven there is, but it does appear that Matthew version of heaven was a kingdom in the sky! C. As I said, the Bible is a Book both very complex and very simple so you might not understand what I am about to say. 1. Heaven is a place so difficult to enter into that most adults will not; yet it is so simple, a child can do it. 2. How can that be? Matt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. a. This Bible passage is showing us that the difficulty with heaven is not the journey but in selecting the right road. b. Heaven is not difficult because it takes great physical energy and mental powers to enter in. (1) It is difficult because it takes great discernment to enter into it. (2) Yet, that discernment is so simple, that most children can do it. 3. what road do we need to be on? John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. a. Here is another term for heaven. It is called "the Fathers house." b. Those who arrive there will have rooms like mansions. c. Jesus was telling His disciples that He was going back to heaven and Thomas asks a good question, "How can we get there?" d. Jesus said, "I am the Way." e. You are going to have to take the Jesus Road! D. How do we do that? That is what He was explaining in our text. II. A conversion is required and condition must be met. Both of them are spoken of here and so I will speak of them both together. A. \#3\ A Conversion Is Required "except ye be converted" 1. Some thing has to change within a person or he can never go to heave. a. Some thing is wrong with you. b. Dont get mad. Some thing is wrong with all of us. 2. There are actually many things wrong with us but let me speak about two. a. We think we are all right. (1) We are not. We are far from it. (2) We think that because we compare ourselves with others. 2Cor 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. (3) The problem with comparing ourselves with others is twofold: (a) That is a corrupt standard. i. Anyone who says, "Im a good person" is using a corrupted standard. None of us are good. 2. All of our rulers are broken! Measuring tape with a missing inch. (b) We do it with corrupt sight. We always see ourselves better than we are. b. When we realize there is some thing wrong with us, we think the solution is to become a better person. 3. The only way to see ourselves as we are is to let the Holy Ghost compare us to Jesus Christ. 4. So in order to see ourselves as we are, we are going to have to be converted. 5. That leads us to the condition that is required. B. \#4\ We must humble ourselves. 1. Humility is not the condition required to go to heave. a. Humility is the condition required to see ourselves as we are. b. In this text, Jesus never revealed the condition of how to be saved and go to heaven. c. Why not? Because the crowd He was speaking to was not ready for it! d. They lacked the humility necessary to even see themselves as they are. That is why Jesus brought the child out! He was trying to show them what they were missing. e. This group, even though called disciples, was worried about being the greatest in heaven. Jesus told them they needed to be concerned about even getting to heaven! 2. So this crowd was not a humble crowd. a. If they werent humble, what were they? They were hardened! b. Hardened is the Bible condition in which most people find themselves. themselves Mr 3:5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. Mr 6:52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. c. What is hardened? That is when you are stubborn, argumentative, head strong, or rebellious. d. Most of the world is like these group of people Jesus was talking to. e. They want to argue about religion, but they do not want to see themselves as they really are. (1) They find fault with others, with churches, with Christians, and with faith, but they cannot see their own! (2) As long as they remain in that conditionlacking humilitythey will never be saved and never end up in heaven. (3) A conversion is required and a condition must be met or they will perish! C. What are the conditions of salvation. Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 1. Make Jesus your Lord, Master, Owner. 2. Believe what Jesus did for you on the cross. III. \#6\ A Caution A. The caution is do not become an offense. 1. The word offense means stumble, trip, fall. 2. Dont become a stumbling bock, a person that makes people trip or stumble on their destination to the kingdom of heaven. 3. Many people are not going to make the ultimate destination. Dont you be the person that stops them. B. Dont trip yourself. 1. Humble yourself and come to Jesus Christ. 2. Three things can keep cause you to trip. a. Disbelief – Refusing to believe what is obviously true. (1) I have no problem saying Jesus Christ is obviously true. (2) People do not use science to disprove God. They refuse to believe the obvious first then attempt to use science to prove themselves correct. (3) The things that are prove Gods existence and goodness. (4) The Bible proves God is the one and only God. (5) Jesus Christs resurrection, as the Bible gives it, proves that Jesus is the Savior of the world. b. Disobedience – Refusing to repent, to humble yourself. c. Delay – Believing everything but waiting too late to accept it. C. Dont trip others. 1. If you want to go to hell, go alone. 2. Dont drag your friends, your co-workers, your family. 3. How? a. Dont try to sow seeds of doubt. b. Dont try to encourage sin. c. Dont mock the righteous. D. Dont trip a child. 1. God loves everyone, but He has a special place in for the weak and frail ones, like children. 2. He said it would be better for someone to hang a millstone around his neck and jump into the sea than to trip a child. 3. If that were done to me, I would experience at least three things. 1. fear 2. helplessness 3. doom 4. Yet, the fear, helplessness, and doom one might experience in that situation is nothing compared to what a person will experience if they trip a child. 5. You say that God is mean. No, God is just. You are the mean one if you trip a child. If you will let him, a child will be saved and go to heaven. Why? Because salvation is so simple. Just tell a child that Jesus loves them, died for them, and wants them to be His and a child will jump into the arms of Jesus. Why dont you try that today?