"Who is the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"

“Who is the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

 

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.  “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “            Matthew 18:1-4

 

The disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, were still anticipating an earthly kingdom, when they posed the question:  “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  And they, like most people today, were wondering just what great positions they would have in the kingdom of heaven. 

 

 Jesus then took a little child, who had no rights according to the Law and stood him in the middle of the group.  And told His disciples that they needed a change in their thinking.  Because GREATNESS in the kingdom of heaven was not based on good works or words, but on a CHILDLIKE HUMILITY OF SPIRIT. 

 

Jesus indicated that they were concerned about the wrong thing, they should have been concerned about SERVING the Lord, and not asking about positions in the kingdom.  In other words, they should have been concerned about the one IMPORTANT thing, their service to Him, which is truly an act of humility, the act of being a SERVANT, and NOT the SELF-GRATIFYING act of being the GREATEST or having the GREATEST position in the kingdom of heaven.

 

Many people today, don’t want to be considered a ‘SERVANT,’ but they desire to be the ‘GREATEST’ of all in the kingdom of God.  They exude an air of being better than anyone else, and deserving of the position of being the ‘GREATEST.’   When in all actuality they are the least, because of their SELFISH, SELF-CENTERED desires to be the ‘GREATEST.’

 

The Lord Jesus Christ warns that unless, you are converted and become humble as a child, you will NOT enter the kingdom of heaven.  Doing the GREATEST works and saying the GREATEST words will not get you there.  You MUST come to Him with a HUMBLE heart and a CONTRITE spirit.  Jesus then says that the one who comes to Him with this kind of heart and spirit will be considered the GREATEST in the kingdom.

Many reject the thought of being humble, because they consider humbleness a sign of weakness, but in the eyes of our Lord, it is a sign of GREATNESS.  If you have not come before God with a HUMBLE heart and a CONTRITE spirit then you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, and instead are headed for Hell, where there is NO humbleness just heartache, pain, torment and torture throughout eternity.  But you NOW have the opportunity to turn things around and come before God with a HUMBLE heart and a CONTRITE spirit and CONFESS your sins to Him, asking Him for His FORGIVENESS, BELIEVING with ALL your heart that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you before God, then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and begin SERVING Him with a CHILDLIKE HUMILITY OF SPIRIT.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!