Matthew 18:5……Ready

Matthew 18:5……Ready

18:5 “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. (and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.-(Luke 9:48b) (For Complete Expository See Book)

Extended Sermons

“Teaches those who have received God’s grace & mercy will extend that same grace & mercy to others.  (If Jesus received us the way we are, can we not receive people the way they are.)” → Received people, receive people. Having a sense of our own failures and sinfulness helps us respond rightly when hurt and mistreated by others. It moves us from a place of hate and bitterness, to one of compassion and forgiveness. When we’ve been touched by God’s grace and the Gospel has penetrated our hearts it will change the way we see people. When you see the homeless, the drug addict, the alcoholic, and people who are far from God do you reach out to them or do you hesitate and walk a way?  If you can’t show grace & mercy to others, or are always withholding it, than you know what, you probably don’t really understand grace & mercy if your always withholding it. Do you remember when God received you when you didn’t deserve it. How foolish, drifting, and a nuisance you were. When we reflect on how Jesus received us—imperfect, unworthy, and often misguided—it challenges us to extend the same grace to others. He did not wait for us to become flawless or accomplished before welcoming us; instead, He embraced us in our flaws and saw the potential within. This act of divine acceptance reminds us that we, too, are called to open our arms wide, welcoming individuals not because they meet our standards, but simply because they are beloved creations of God. It is easy to judge others through the lens of their imperfections, but true humility begins by acknowledging our own. Do you remember the moment God extended grace to you when you least deserved it? The kindness you received despite your shortcomings? That memory should inspire us to mirror His compassion, to see others not as nuisances or problems but as souls worthy of love and care. After all, the measure of greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven is not in possessing power over others but in serving them with an open heart. So today, let us strive to receive people with the same heart that Jesus does—not as projects to fix or problems to tolerate, but as individuals to honor and uplift. Let us see the best in them, nurture their gifts, and remind them of their worth. For in doing so, we are living out the love and compassion of Christ, creating ripples of acceptance that can transform hearts and lives.

“Calls for helping others regardless if they can repay us or give something in return. (Will you serve whether you profit from it.)” → God wants people who will love, serve, and give and don’t care of who get’s the credit. Are you only concerned for others with it’s advantages to yourself. Is service a transaction for you? When you give and when you serve do you do so to receive back sometime in the future. Are you serving openly with no strings attached? Or is one of those things where I scratch your back and you scratch my back? Since I did this favor they owe me now. Are you only concerned for others with it’s advantages to yourself.  We often only help those who are on our level or who we can get something from. Most of us walk around in life with an antenna. We meet somebody and within the first five seconds we think how they can help us. How can I get further in my life because of you. And if they can do something for us, do they have any connections, can they help me climb the corporate latter. And if they do, well then I got time for you. And if not, if they’re going to be a drain and trickle charge on our battery of life and where I’m going, then I don’t have time for that, and I need to get away from that. What if Jesus would have looked at us and said “Well if I can’t gain something from you, than I don’t want to have you.” Image if He did none of us would be here. Ladies have you ever been asked out on a date and the first thing you do is find out if they have a car or even a job? And when they don’t you back out as politely as possible. Or maybe you’ve brushed off a co-worker advances, but when you find out they’ve made manager you start rethink it.

“Even today, all people should feel they belong regardless of their age, race, gender, religion, history, or background.  All people should feel welcomed no matter how strange, odd, and quirky they may be. All people should feel welcomed regardless of how annoying, irritable, or draining they may be.”→ What little one in your life is God calling you to reach out and touch today? What insignificant person around you and you’re sphere of influence is God putting on your heart right now that you might need to reach out too and show the love of Christ too? Maybe it’s that person who’s always sitting alone at church you need to go sit next too and talk too. Maybe it’s your difficult neighbor you need to be more accommodating too. Maybe it’s that annoying coworker you need to respond with love rather than frustration. Maybe it’s someone in a nursing home or retirement facility who needs company. Maybe it’s that obnoxious waiter you still need tip well.  Maybe it’s that uncle who’s always draining you with their long-winded conversations you need to be more patient with. Maybe it’s that Walmart employee who’s rude you need to empathize more with. maybe they’re having a bad day or struggling with personal issues.

“This is not just about making space. It’s not about making sure that there are enough door host and greeters welcoming people in. But about a church culture that makes people feel they belong, by associating and interacting with them” → We can open the door and say, “Come on in!” But if we don’t combine that with a culture of love and acceptance that says “You belong here”. Our welcome may fall flat and come off as contrived and unauthentic. We develop all kinds of habits when going to Church,  parking in the same area, going in the same door, following the same route to our small group room, sitting in the same place. We naturally gravitate to people we know when we go to a church service. Many people sit with their immediate family members, particularly if they have young children or want to worship together as a unit. Some may choose to sit with friends or acquaintances from the church community. Others simply sit in the same seat every Sunday anticipating in seeing the same people around them each week. Some choose seats away from people that are overly excited in their worship, raising their hands, shouting out hallelujahs, praise the Lord, too embarrassed to be next to them.  Many churches have a time set aside in the worship service for people to greet one another. For most church members, those three to four minutes of shaking hands and speaking to someone constitute friendliness. To guests, it often comes across as contrived and inconsistent with what they see beyond the “official” welcome time. Which visitors or church members do you gravitate towards?

Additional Notes & Applications

Teaches how Jesus will not have us do something He hasn’t already done Himself.

Teaches rather than see the best in ourselves, where to see the best in others.

Warns against turning people away simply because the don’t serve our personal agendas or meet our meet our preferred statuses.

Teaches when you serve others who can’t repay you displays a heart that’s been rescued by the Gospel.

Calls for patterning and reflecting Jesus’ love for others and what He would do,

Teaches how as representatives of Jesus we’re to do things the way He would do it.

Teaches when we help others we’re living out the love and compassion of Jesus.

Teaches how were never more like Jesus than when were serving others.

Teaches how the Gospel is not to be withheld from anyone, but shared with everyone.

This can be both an encouragement for believers in how much God cares for us. And also a warning in how far we fall short in the way we see each other, treat other, and behave toward each other.

(All Notes & Sermons are free to use, but not to be published in any form without the written permission of the author)