Every time I turn on the radio, all I hear about abortion is condemnation and judgment. What about those of us who made the tragic mistake/choice to abort our baby and are now living with the pain, guilt and shame? We are offered no hope. I feel so unworthy, helpless--and that I’m going to hell. I might as well kill myself. I believe in God and Jesus, but I can’t live with myself anymore. I murdered a baby and I don’t deserve to live.

God bless you. And thank you. If it weren’t for you being obedient to God, I might not have been alive today, thanking you. Your caring, concern and love touched me. No one has ever reached out to me in that way. As I write this letter, I am uncontrollably weeping, but with tears of joy.

1. The Context: Jesus Himself Was A Child of The King. 17:24-27.
   1. “At that time” in 18:1 draws us back to the end of chapter 17.
   2. Jesus is the Son of the King, and thus should be exempt from the tax. V.v. 25-26.
   3. The proof that Jesus is the incarnate child of God the King is found in the miracle of the coin in the fish’s mouth. What a way to pay your taxes! What an unmistakable sign of deity! Each child that is born should remind us that the God-Man was also born into our world to save us from our sin as Adam’s sons.
   
   
2. The Child Is A Model of the Greatest In the Kingdom of Heaven. V.v.. 1-4.
   1. “The disciple came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’” V. 1.
   2. Jesus’ Answer in v. 4 says, “Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Note the child’s characteristics:
      1. Called and placed by Jesus to stand among the disciples. V. 2.
      2. Humble--”Whoever humbles himself like this child.” V. 4.
      3. A Model--”I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” V. 3.
   3. To Jesus, a child is like a sacrament--a sign or model of spiritual grace and truth. Just as a Christian looks at the Lord’s Supper and sees spiritual truth, so when we look at children we should see a sign of what it is to be like to be in Christ’s Kingdom. Just as no Christian could choose to destroy the Lord’s Supper, let us never choose to destroy the child in the womb who pictures the truth and grace of Christ.
   
   
3. The Child Brings Christ. V. 5.
   1. “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.”
   2. A child brings the presence of Christ to us. Every child in the fellowship of the Gospel can be named “Christopher”--the Bearer of Christ.
   3. Just as the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper brings Christ to us, so does a child who comes in Jesus’ name. Just as a Christian receives the Lord’s Supper, so we should willingly receive the child that is yet to be born. Jesus said that what we have done to the least of His brothers, we have done to Him. (Mt. 25:40.)
   
   
4. The Child Has A Purity That Is More Valuable Than Life. V.v.. 6-9.
   1. “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believes in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” V. 6.
      1. If the innocence of a child must be protected, how much more his life!
      2. The enormity of the crime of corrupting the youth is seen in the fact that Jesus declares it a preferable option to be drowned at sea than to face the judgment that awaits those who defile His covenant children. Here again we see why we must plead for grace. Who alive has never aided the development of sinfulness in a child? We all are sinners, and thus give sinful influences.
   2. We must prepare for God’s judgment, by dealing radically with our own sinfulness.
      1. Judgment is coming because sin is inevitable in a fallen world.. V.v. 7-8.
         1. “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin!” V. 7.
            --What are the sins that make abortion a viable option? Sexual irresponsibility, greed, disregard of life, rebellion to the authority: God’s Word and parents, etc.
         2. “Such thing must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!” V. 7
            --Thomas Jefferson was right when he declared, “I tremble when I remember that God is just and His judgment will not tarry forever.” There is a payday someday!”
      2. We must deal with sin radically in light of eternity. Jesus uses hyperbole to make His point.
         1. “If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.” V. 8. To do the right thing may cost us in this temporal world, but it’s worth it in light of the eternal consequences at stake.
         2. “And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” V. 9. Why did Jesus say this twice? Perhaps He was following the pattern found in our Bible reading for this week in the case of Joseph’ interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream, “The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.” (Gen. 41:32.) To do the right thing is often costly, but it is worth it, Jesus says in light of eternity. How we need grace for forgiveness for where we have failed. How we need grace so we can obey! (Cf. Jn. 15:5.)
         3. Just as the Sacrament requires self-examination, let us examine ourselves in terms of our impact upon the purity of each child in our lives. If we are pro-life, then we should be pro-spiritual life for our children.
   
   
5. The Child Is To Be Honored Because Their Angels Are Closest To God. V. 10.
   1. “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in Heaven always see the face of My Father in Heaven.”
   2. There are enough angels for each child to have a Guardian Angel! (See Rev. 5:11 where over 100 million are around the throne in Heaven alone.) God does not look down on the little child. Nor should we.
   3. Children are like Sacraments because they bring us into connection with the very Throne in Heaven. The unborn child is valuable because the angel that cares for him is looking upon the very face of God!
   
   
6. The Child Is Sought For By The Father Because He Desires The Child’s Salvation. V.v.. 12-14.
   1. “In the same way your Father in Heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” Just like a lost sheep that is sought and then rejoiced over when found, so is the Father’s care for the child.
   2. It is our Gospel-hope that the little ones rejected by their earthly parents through abortion are received by their Heavenly Father into Heaven. Let us seek to save the children’s earthly lives & their eternal souls.
   3. Children are like Sacraments because both are greatly desired by our Lord. (Cf. Lk. 22:15.)