Crippled in the Kingdom

Today’s reading is Matthew 18.

Jesus makes a surprising shift as we read into Matthew 18:8. In vss. 6-7, He was warning the disciples against causing someone else to stumble. In vs. 8, He warns about our own stumbling. In fact, He is so concerned about our own stumbling, He provides some of the most shocking teaching in all of the New Testament.

If your hand or foot causes you to stumble, cut them off and throw them away. If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. It is better to enter the kingdom crippled than to keep your body whole and miss the kingdom.

On the one hand, we learn we are so valuable to God, He wants us to be in the kingdom no matter what it costs. We need to see our own eternal life as valuably as God does. Even our hands, feet, and eyes are not as important as the life God would give us in His kingdom. On the other hand, we must not simply take these statements out of the context in which Jesus said them. The specific sin we are in danger of committing in this context is being a stumbling block. Is there something that we value in our own lives more than we value the little ones who have turned to Jesus? Even if it is our own hand, we should cut it off and throw it away. Anything that would make us sin, that would make us a stumbling block needs to go. We should receive and welcome these little ones, but despise all temptations and stumbling blocks no matter how important they are to us.

The arrogant and prideful demand to keep their hands, feet, and eyes, despising these little ones. The humble become like children and care so much about others, they despise and cut off whatever will get in the way of the salvation of these little ones no matter how personally important to them. This is a tall order. But remember, all things are possible with God.

Tomorrow’s reading is Matthew 18.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. Why is it hard to picture being crippled in the kingdom of heaven?
3. Why is it difficult to value the salvation of other people over our rights, possessions, opportunity, time, etc.?
4. What advice would you give to help us value other people above our “hands, feet, and eyes”?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?