TEXT:

‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling citiesof Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel’ (Matthew 2:6 NLT).

It’s a shame when Christians let the least thing upset and trouble them, forgetting who they are and what they have in Christ. Jesus said worrying will not add anything to our lives but will more likely have the opposite effect. ‘Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?’ (Luke 12:25-26 NLT).

Our text is about a fulfilled prophecy made hundreds of years earlier, that Bethlehem, although insignificant compared to other larger cities, would be important because out of it would come the Messiah. That which was called the least, became greater.

There are several significant scriptures that contain the word “least” and these form the basis for Today’s Teaching.

1. Don’t let the enemy put you down – ‘How then will you repel one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen?’ (Isaiah 36:9).

The enemy did not realise this insult would stir the God of Israel into action and it only took one angel to destroy the entire Assyrian army of 185,000 men. If we submit to God, we can resist the devil and he has to flee (see James 4:7). Demons are in fear of Jesus, that’s why He has given us His name to cast them out. The Bible says, ‘No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us’ (Romans 8:37 NLT).

2. Don’t have the wrong perspective of yourself

If we allow the enemy to intimidate us, then we will have the wrong perspective about who we are in Christ. There are several incidences in the Bible where this happened.

A. The Ten Negative Spies – ‘But we were like grasshoppers in our own sight’ (Numbers 13:33). What a difference to Caleb and Joshua who said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it’ (Numbers 13:30). One saw the possibility, the other saw themselves negatively and fear paralysed faith.

B. Gideon – ‘The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valour’ (Judges 6:12)

His response, ‘How can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest … and I am the least in my father’s house’ (Judges 6:15). God stated the positive and Gideon responded with a negative! Although Gideon saw himself as the least, he did, with God’s enabling, win a great victory!

C. Paul – ‘For I am the least of the apostles’ (1 Corinthians 15:9)

Although Paul could never forget how he had persecuted the church, he did not sink into depression. Instead, he laboured more abundantly than all the other apostles, because he believed in the grace of God.

It’s not what you were that really matters, it’s what you are and whether you will fulfil the role God has planned for your life.

3. Appreciate the privilege you have in Christ – ‘But he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he’ (John the Baptist) (See Matthew 11:11).

Many prophets prophesied about the coming Messiah, but it was John the Baptist who announced His arrival, when he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world’ (John 1:29. Amazingly, Jesus declared that the least in the kingdom of God was greater in privilege than John the Baptist.

John lived and died under the old covenant, but for Christians, we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus (see Ephesians 1:3-14). The more we appreciate those blessings, the more likely we are to talk about them to others.

4. Be careful to practise what you preach – ‘So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven’ (Matthew 5:19 NLT).

This is what set Jesus on a collision course with the Pharisees, ‘So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach’ (Matthew 23:3 NLT). One of the charges the world accuses the church of is hypocrisy. People who attend church but don’t live like a Christian should. While that is no excuse for someone not to attend church, we need to minimise the number of occasions that people can say that of any group of Christians.

We must be careful also, not to teach that certain lifestyles are acceptable when the Bible says they are not, simply to avoid appearing out of sync with the world. God’s word has not changed down through the centuries, nor should the churches’ stance on these issues.

5. Strive to reach your potential – ‘Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches”’ (Matthew 13:31-32)

How big will you allow God to be in your life? In the parable of the Sower, the seed that fell on the good ground produced 30, 60 or 100-fold increase. Jesus said, ‘He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much’ (Luke 16:10). We need to grow from spiritual babies to maturity. Then we shall produce fruit, more fruit, much fruit and fruit that remains.

6. Recognise that blessing people is really the same as blessing Jesus – ‘The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”’ (Matthew 25:40).

Even the giving of a cup of cold water will not go unnoticed or unrewarded (see Matthew 10:42). The Bible also says those who are quick to offer hospitality to strangers, have even entertained angels unawares (see Hebrews 13:2).

The more we know we are blessed, the more we will want to be a blessing. God can take us from feeling we are the least, to being the most effective, if we let Him.