Mathew 18 - 20 - Meditation of Kevin Samuel Premkumar
There are a lot of topics in this passage. The disciples came to Jesus and asked him who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. In response Jesus called out to a little child who was standing among them and said that people who humble themselves like this innocent child are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow him. It is not that money is evil, the love of money is evil. The love of money is like an idol that makes you waste time on serving your money, rather than serving the Lord. It deviates us front the path of wisdom and knowledge and distracts us from our spiritual living. That is why Jesus said that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
I didn't seem to understand this at first, because according to my experience, little children are the most stubborn, most impudent and most selfish beings in all of the planet, and for this reason, sometimes I despised them. But now I realize that it's just my attitude towards them that matters. Although little children are naturally self-centered, they have nothing to be blamed or accused of: they are innocent. Now I wish I was a little kid, so that I can be seen as innocent in the eyes of Jesus.
The Bible says that for someone who leads others into temptation and sin, it is better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied to their neck. When Jesus says this, he clearly means that our Father in heaven hates those who lead his sheep away. Hence, we should not be a stumbling block in others' lives.
Then Jesus gives a parable of the lost sheep. Supposing that a field where sheep graze is like the kingdom of heaven, a shepherd had 100 sheep, all which grazed in the same field. Now suppose one of them wanders away, the shepherd, being a good shepherd, will go after it, tearing down any forest or mountain or ravine that stands in the way. He will kill any wolf, fox, bear or beast to come for the sheep. And when he finally finds it, he will bring it back to the field in his arms, and he will be happier about that one sheep than the other 99 sheep who hadn't wandered off. This pictures God, the sovereign shepherd of his people, who will come looking for every lamb that he has lost.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked him how many times he should forgive his neighbors and enemies. Then he asked the Lord if seven is times is enough. In response to him, Jesus tells him to forgive not seven times, but seventy-seven times. This means that we should forgive one another freely and willingly without the expectation of receiving something in return. We should forgive limitless.
Then Jesus gave this illustration: a servant owed his master ten thousand talents. A talent was the highest currency value in Israel at that time. It was like the lifelong earnings of a single man. The master ordered for the servant it be imprisoned and sell all his possessions including his land and his family until he pays back every penny. Then the servant pleaded with the master to have mercy on him and to be patient so that he can pay every part of his debt in his time. The master took pity upon the servant and released him of his debt.
The Bible says that for someone who leads others into temptation and sin, it is better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied to their neck. When Jesus says this, he clearly means that our Father in heaven hates those who lead his sheep away. Hence, we should not be a stumbling block in others' lives.
Then Jesus gives a parable of the lost sheep. Supposing that a field where sheep graze is like the kingdom of heaven, a shepherd had 100 sheep, all which grazed in the same field. Now suppose one of them wanders away, the shepherd, being a good shepherd, will go after it, tearing down any forest or mountain or ravine that stands in the way. He will kill any wolf, fox, bear or beast to come for the sheep. And when he finally finds it, he will bring it back to the field in his arms, and he will be happier about that one sheep than the other 99 sheep who hadn't wandered off. This pictures God, the sovereign shepherd of his people, who will come looking for every lamb that he has lost.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked him how many times he should forgive his neighbors and enemies. Then he asked the Lord if seven is times is enough. In response to him, Jesus tells him to forgive not seven times, but seventy-seven times. This means that we should forgive one another freely and willingly without the expectation of receiving something in return. We should forgive limitless.
Then Jesus gave this illustration: a servant owed his master ten thousand talents. A talent was the highest currency value in Israel at that time. It was like the lifelong earnings of a single man. The master ordered for the servant it be imprisoned and sell all his possessions including his land and his family until he pays back every penny. Then the servant pleaded with the master to have mercy on him and to be patient so that he can pay every part of his debt in his time. The master took pity upon the servant and released him of his debt.
As the servant walked out, he found one of his own servants who owed him a few hundred denarii. A denarii was like a day's wage in those times. He seized the servant immediately and demanded him to repay his debt. His fellow servant pleaded with him to be merciful, but the arrogant servant did not listen. He jailed his servant and kept him there until he paid back the debt. Now, some of the master's other servants witnessed this and reported it to the master.
The master was furious as he had mercy upon his servant who owed him a large debt, but the same guy wouldn't forgive a fellow servant who owed him a small debt. He immediately imprisoned the unmerciful servant until he paid back every coin that he owed his master. Such is the kingdom of God. Do for others as you would like them do to you. If you forgive your brother, then the Lord will perhaps forgive you if it is a forgivable sin. However, if you do not forgive your neighbor, neither will your God forgive you.
Later a young man came to Jesus and asked him what the path is to go to heaven. Then Jesus recited the commandments God had given Moses at Mount Sinai. The man said that he'd been following all of these commandments and asked Jesus what he lacked. Then Jesus told him to give up all his wealth and riches to the poor and follow him. Then the man walked away sadly, because he was very wealthy.
Later a young man came to Jesus and asked him what the path is to go to heaven. Then Jesus recited the commandments God had given Moses at Mount Sinai. The man said that he'd been following all of these commandments and asked Jesus what he lacked. Then Jesus told him to give up all his wealth and riches to the poor and follow him. Then the man walked away sadly, because he was very wealthy.
Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow him. It is not that money is evil, the love of money is evil. The love of money is like an idol that makes you waste time on serving your money, rather than serving the Lord. It deviates us front the path of wisdom and knowledge and distracts us from our spiritual living. That is why Jesus said that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
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