18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus. They asked him, “Then who is the most important person in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Jesus called a little child over to him. He had the child stand among them. 3 Jesus said, “What I’m about to tell you is true. You need to change and become like little children. If you don’t, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Anyone who takes the humble position of this child is the most important in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Anyone who welcomes a little child like this one in my name welcomes me.


Do Not Cause People to Sin

6 “What if someone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin? If they do, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and be drowned at the bottom of the sea. 7 How terrible it will be for the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Things like that must come. But how terrible for the person who causes them! 8 If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven with only one hand than go into hell with two hands. It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven with only one foot than go into hell with two feet. In hell the fire burns forever. 9 If your eye causes you to sin, poke it out and throw it away. It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.


The Story of the Wandering Sheep

10-11 “See that you don’t look down on one of these little ones. Here is what I tell you. Their angels in heaven are always with my Father who is in heaven.

12 “What do you think? Suppose a man owns 100 sheep and one of them wanders away. Won’t he leave the 99 sheep on the hills? Won’t he go and look for the one that wandered off? 13 What I’m about to tell you is true. If he finds that sheep, he is happier about the one than about the 99 that didn’t wander off. 14 It is the same with your Father in heaven. He does not want any of these little ones to die.


1.  Why do you think the disciples were concerned about who is the “most important”?

2. What qualities of a child might Jesus be referring to? (Trust? Humility? Dependence? Simplicity?)

3. What does it mean to “change and become like little children”?

4. What would humility look like in leadership? In church life? In family life?

5. Who might the “little ones” represent? (Children? New believers? Vulnerable people?)

6. Why does Jesus use such extreme language about cutting off a hand or foot?

7. What habits, influences, or behaviours in our lives might need “cutting off”?

8. Why is the one sheep worth leaving the ninety-nine?

9. What does this tell us about how heaven and God’s views one lost person?


10. How should this shape the way we treat people who drift away?

11. Are we more like the shepherd — or more like the ninety-nine?