马太福音18:1-20

恩惠、平安从父神和救主耶稣基督归于你们所有变成小孩子的样式被带进天国的人。阿们。

成年人的世界是复杂的，经历多了心就变得麻木，自私自利，处处要作头，跟小孩子比起来就没那么单纯；当然我们并不是说小孩子出生时没有罪，事实上我们都是生在罪中。主耶稣在这里拿小孩子作比喻，也是按照人的常识判断——大家都知道小孩子不懂事，不懂成年人的世界、游戏规则，论资排辈等等。门徒们问耶稣说：“天国里谁是最大的？”（太18:1）耶稣说：“我实在告诉你们，你们若不回转，变成小孩子的样式，断不能进天国。”（太18:3）

然而，不管我们成年人多么想要蜕变到童年，做小孩子时的无忧无虑，不需要经历那么多的人情世故，甚至尔虞我诈，互相碾压，人的恶毒、尖酸刻薄等等，但我们知道，时光无法倒流，童年不在。这些是我们的真实感受，但也是我们的渴望；渴望的不仅仅是环境和年龄的改变，更加是自己的脱胎换骨，多少时候，我们也会头脑清醒不自觉地发出悔恨的叹息——自己怎么变成了这个样子，常常发牢骚、脾气暴躁，对人不友好，对家人、配偶毫不客气，充满了鄙视的眼光和语气。许多人，说实话，也会讲，没有办法，谁家的日子都是这样过的。

我们是没有办法，但主耶稣说“你们要变成小孩子，进天国”，不是要我们绝望，好像我们成年人必须靠着自己素养和品德的修炼，达到了一定程度，像小孩子一样单纯，然后就有资格天国了。不，不是这样，我们要记得主耶稣跟尼哥底母所说，“你们要重生”，这个一样道理。尼哥底母听了第一反应，“怎么重生，难不成要退回母亲的肚子里重新生出来？”我们靠自己怎么能够回到过去，回到童年，变成小孩子的样式？

在我们不能，但在主耶稣凡事都能，进天国如同骆驼穿过针眼。马太福音19章，门徒们问：“这样谁能得救呢？”耶稣说：“在人这是不能的，在神凡事都能。”（太19:26）怎么样重生？靠着圣灵和水。怎么样变成小孩子的样式？我们今天的洗礼圣诗怎么唱：“天父欢迎所有孩子藉着圣子进他家。天父恩赐他的救恩，生命永恒已赎回。小孩子们快过来，天国正是你们的，生命和爱我赐予，怜悯赦你罪。”我们藉着信靠天父上帝的独生爱子，圣子耶稣基督——那位由圣灵感孕，童女马利亚生出的圣婴耶稣，祂为我们的罪，成年人的伤痕累累，满身是扎人的刺，就是我们这些骄傲、处处想要为大的罪人钉死在十字架上，流血舍命，用自己的血洗净我们的污秽——就成为天父上帝的儿女，中文我们翻译成儿女，其实英文不就是说成为天父的小孩子们吗？ “凡接待耶稣的，就是信祂名的人，他就赐他们权柄作神的儿女/ Children of God。”

Sheila，在座的各位已经受洗的弟兄姐妹们，我们都是藉着耶稣基督成为了天父的小孩，有那一位小孩子的样式，就是耶稣基督的样式，真正的圣婴，一直毫无瑕疵，没有罪。我们受洗就是披戴基督了，祂的样式就是我们的了，祂的性情和品格就是我们的了，我们在洗礼当中已经领受了一切丰富的恩赐，包括神的灵，就是圣灵。保罗在提多书中说：“我们从前也是无知、悖逆、受迷惑、服从各样私欲，和宴乐，常存恶毒嫉妒的心，是可恨的，又是彼此相恨。但到了神——我们救主的恩慈显明的时候，祂便救了我们；并不是因我们自己所行的义，乃是照祂的怜悯，藉着重生的洗和圣灵的更新。圣灵就是神藉着耶稣基督——我们救主厚厚浇灌在我们身上的。”（提3:3-6）

既然我们已经成为小孩子被带进天国来，被带进神的家，就是基督的教会，我们就要谨慎，不要绊倒身边的其他小孩，“绊倒人的事是免不了的，但那绊倒人的是有祸了了。”我们在神的家中作小孩子，要互相呵护、爱惜，体贴软弱的，不要骄傲自大。事实上，我们成为教会的一员，在神的家中，很多很多时候并不是那么容易相处，就好像你自己的家庭，如果有小孩子，两个三个，听说两个最难带，哈哈，你就深有体会。小孩子相处，做父母的最伤心的事就是看小孩之间争竞斗殴，事实上做父母最需要的就是如何把爱和饶恕带进家庭的环境中，孩子们的相处当中。神的家中也是一样。

我们不要绊倒人，要常常帮助身边的肢体，在信心上坚固成长，软弱的要扶持。同时，我们也自己对付自己身上的罪，有时候这个过程很痛苦，就好像主耶稣用的比喻，把手脚砍掉，把眼珠子挖掉那样不可思议地艰难，痛苦。但是如果不对付自己的罪，那我们就更麻烦了，因为我们是要面对将来的审判，是天国永生，还是地狱永火。

每一个小孩都是珍贵的，每一个得救的基督徒，神家中的儿女都是宝贝，“你们要小心，不可轻看这小子里的一个；我告诉你们，他们的使者在天上，常见我天父的面。”（太18:10）虽然我们不会向天使祷告，但主耶稣清楚告诉我们，有使者（天使）服侍我们，时常等候天父上帝的差遣来保护我们。如果你熟悉我们路德会的小问答，你会发现路德教导我们，或者让我们教导自己的家庭和儿女如何祷告呢？其中早祷晚祷的最后一句话就是：“求天父差遣圣天使保护我们，使那恶者，就是魔鬼，没有权势辖制我们，阿们。”可见我们每一个基督徒，每一位神的儿女是多么宝贵，不能轻慢对待。就像我们做父母的总希望孩子们能够融洽相处，时常彼此饶恕，心存怜悯，互相扶持，当然还有，“常回家看看”，用到教会，就是“不可停止聚会。”主耶稣甚至应许说：“你们中间若有两个人在地上同心合意地求什么事，我在天上的父必为他们成全。因为无论在哪里，有两三个人奉我的名聚会，那里就有我在他们中间。”（太18:19-20）

教会是神的家，是真理的柱石，是圣灵的殿，更是罪得赦免从天上临到地上的地方。主把赦罪的权柄赐给了教会，就是信徒聚集成群，过教会生活的地方。“我实在告诉你们，凡你们在地上所捆绑的，在天上也要捆绑；凡你们在地上所释放的，在天上也要释放。”（太18:18）这权柄赐给了教会，藉着教会的牧师实践出来，并不是要辖制我们，更不是要彰显牧师个人的威风或者地位，一切都是为了服侍我们，好好在神的国里作小孩子，对付罪，也彼此帮助对付罪。我们基督徒的身份，基督徒的生命，基督徒的生活都不是单个、独立、自我的，总是在教会中实践出来。就像如果孩子们没有父母，你能想象吗？你能想象没有父母的孩子如何长大，以及长大后会如何吗？几乎不敢想象社会会糟糕到什么样子，所以你看，至少在美国，总是会有代父母foster parent/parents履行这个父母的角色。教会也是一样，求主帮助我们，怜悯我们，让我们不仅以上帝为我们属灵的父，也以教会为属灵的母亲，时常在主的话语中得到滋养，在弟兄姐妹们的彼此相爱和互相饶恕中过基督徒的生活，在悔改和赦罪中不断地得到洁净，作神的小孩，直到永远。奉耶稣基督的名。阿们。

Matthew 18:1–20

Grace and peace to you all from God our Father and our Savior Jesus Christ, who have been brought into the kingdom of heaven by becoming like little children. Amen.

The adult world is complex. As we experience more, our hearts become numb, selfish, and eager to take the lead everywhere. Compared to little children, we are not so simple or pure. Of course, we do not mean that children are born without sin; in fact, we are all born in sin. Here, the Lord Jesus uses a child as an illustration according to human common sense—everyone knows that young children do not understand adult things, the ways of the adult world, its rules, or seniority and rank. The disciples asked Jesus, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matt. 18:1). Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:3).

Yet, no matter how much we as adults long to return to childhood—to the so-called carefree days without the complex ways of human society, intrigue, mutual crushing, malice, sharpness, and harshness—we know that time cannot turn back and childhood is gone. These are our honest feelings, but they are also our deep longing: longing not merely for a change in circumstances or age, but for a true transformation within ourselves. How often, in moments of clear-headedness, do we involuntarily utter sighs of regret: How did I turn out like this?—frequently complaining, short-tempered, unfriendly toward others, and showing no gentleness to family and spouses, filled with contemptuous looks and tone. To be honest, many people simply say, "There is nothing we can do; everyone's life is lived this way."

We may have no way out, but when the Lord Jesus says, "You must become like little children to enter the kingdom of heaven," He is not driving us to further despair—as though we adults must rely on our own self-cultivation and moral effort to reach a certain degree of child-like simplicity before we are qualified for the kingdom of heaven. No, that is not it. We must remember what the Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus: "You must be born again." It is the exact same question with the same force. Nicodemus’s first reaction was, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, again?" How could we, by our own strength, return to the past, return to childhood, and become like little children?

What is impossible for us is possible with the Lord Jesus, for whom all things are possible—beyond that a camel passing through the eye of a needle. In Matthew 19, the disciples asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26). How are we born again? By water and the Holy Spirit. How do we become like little children? Consider how our baptismal hymn sings today: "The Heavenly Father welcomes all children into His house through the Holy Son. The Father bestows His salvation; eternal life is redeemed. Come quickly, little children, the kingdom of heaven is yours; life and love I give, in mercy forgiving your sins." By trusting in Heavenly Father God's only begotten and beloved Son, the Holy Son Jesus Christ—the Holy Child Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary—He died on the cross for our sins, for the scars and sharp thorns of us adults, these proud sinners who everywhere desire to be great. He shed His blood and gave His life, cleansing our filth with His own blood, so that we might become the children of the Heavenly Father—in Chinese we translate it as "sons and daughters," but in English, does it not mean becoming the children of the Heavenly Father? "To all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."

Sheila, and all brothers and sisters present who have been baptized, we have all become the Heavenly Father's little children through Jesus Christ. We have the likeness of that Child—that is, the likeness of Jesus Christ, the true Holy Child, who has always been blameless and without sin. In our baptism, we have put on Christ; His likeness is ours, and His nature and character are ours. In baptism, we have received all His rich gifts, including the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. Paul says in Titus: "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior" (Titus 3:3–6).

Since we have already become little children and have been brought into the kingdom of heaven—into God's household, which is the Church of Christ—we must be careful not to cause any of the other little children around us to stumble. "Causes of stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!" As little children in the house of God, we ought to care for and cherish one another, showing consideration for the weak, and not being proud or arrogant. In fact, as members of the Church in God's household, living together is often not so easy—just like in your own home: if you have two or three children (they say two are the hardest to raise, haha!), you know this deeply by experience. When children get along, the saddest thing for parents is to watch them compete and fight. What parents need most is to bring love and forgiveness into the home environment and into the children's interactions. It is the same in God's house.

We must not cause others to stumble; we should regularly help the members around us to grow strong in faith, upholding those who are weak. At the same time, we must deal with the sin in ourselves. Sometimes this process is very painful, just like the metaphors the Lord Jesus used—cutting off a hand or foot, or gouging out an eye—unimaginably difficult and painful. But if we do not deal with our sin, we will be in even greater trouble, for we must face the coming judgment: either the eternal life of the kingdom of heaven or the eternal fire of hell.

Every little child is precious. Every saved Christian, every child in God's household, is a treasure. "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven" (Matt. 18:10). Although we do not pray to angels, the Lord Jesus clearly tells us that there are angels who serve us, constantly waiting to be sent by God the Heavenly Father to protect us. If you are familiar with our Lutheran Small Catechism, you know how Luther teaches us—or how he has us teach our families and children—to pray. The final sentence of both the Morning and Evening Prayers is: "Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." From this we see how precious every Christian, every child of God is; we must not treat one another lightly. Just as parents always hope their children will live together in harmony, forgiving one another often, harboring mercy in their hearts, supporting each other, and of course, "coming home often"—which, applied to the church, means "not neglecting to meet together." The Lord Jesus even promised: "If two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them" (Matt. 18:19–20).

The Church is the household of God, the pillar and foundation of the truth, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and above all, the place where the forgiveness of sins comes down from heaven to earth. The Lord has bestowed the authority of the keys—the authority to forgive sins—upon the Church, which is the place where believers gather to live out their church life. "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matt. 18:18). This authority is given to the Church and exercised through her pastors—not to lord over us, much less to display the pastor's personal prestige or status, but entirely to serve us, so that we may live well as little children in the kingdom of God, dealing with sin and helping one another deal with sin. Our Christian identity, Christian life, and Christian walk are never solitary, independent, or self-centered; they are always lived out within the Church. Imagine if children had no parents or home—can you picture it? Can you imagine how children without parents or a home would grow up, and what would become of them? It is almost terrifying to think how bad society would become. That is why, at least in America, there are always foster parents stepping in to fulfill that parental role. The same is true of the Church. May the Lord help us and have mercy on us, so that we not only have God as our spiritual Father, but also the Church as our spiritual mother—constantly nourished by the Word of the Lord, living the Christian life in mutual love and forgiveness among brothers and sisters, continually cleansed in repentance and the forgiveness of sins, and remaining children of God forever. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.