Matthew 11:16-30
[16] “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: [17] “ ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' [18] For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.' [19] The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” [20] Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. [21] “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. [22] But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. [23] And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. [24] But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” [25] At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. [26] Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. [27] “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. [28] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Talk
Roof Raising Rhetoric
Matthew 11:16-30 Introduction
Title = Straight, strong and convincing talk - but mine is 3 R's!
There is a tendency by us and others to have Jesus fit our understanding and preconceived ideas of who he is and what he is like and that doesn't really work well. When we look and listen, we must hold in our thinking the he is the eternal son of God, Lord, creator, saviour and king of eternity - and of course a friend we are on first name terms with - Jesus!
1. Reflection on society - vv 16-19 [16] “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: [17] “ ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' [18] For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.' [19] The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”
In this case the critics of the message of the Kingdom first spoken of by John The Baptist and now being taught more fully and comprehensively by Jesus. He says they are like children in a playground and setting up a 'loose, loose, can't get it right and please' scenario. The music is bright, you won't dance. The tune is sombre and you won't mourn. - no winning.
John the Baptist had a frugal lifestyle and he was deemed as demonic; Jesus goes and joins in feasts and banquets and is called a glutton and drunkard. - no winning / no pleasing some, at least.
Has anything changed?
If and when people are against the good news of Jesus and the kingdom there is nothing you can say and do that will get you / us anywhere.
They'll knock the church / Christians / the bible etc with anything that's disparaging and usually far from the truth. Fault finding rather than truth seeking! I am sure you have come across it and in the next section we see it from another angle altogether.
2. Rough on the locals - vv 20-24 [20] Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. [21] “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. [22] But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. [23] And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. [24] But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.
I note that this section is not included in the cycle of readings, only what comes before and after - the compilers don't want you thinking about tough words from Jesus on a Sunday morning - well, we are going to!
Jesus said it and it is important on 2 counts:
• Jesus calls people to repent and follow him and that those who reject are under condemnation - Romans 8:1 states the reverse Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, And the passage goes on to say how we are being changed as we live in the sovereignty of God and the Holy Spirit who adopts us a his children.
• It is good for us to remember when people don't want to hear or know about Jesus that he was rejected too and actually by some of those who were the closest to him. He lived in Capernaum for a time and had healed people - they had known the power, presence and love of God but even then didn't want to know! We looked at Jesus prayer in John 17 a few weeks ago, I go back to v 14: I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. And a little earlier the same evening there in the upper room on the night before the cross John 15:19: If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. I also recall that the three parables of Luke 15 - lost coin / sheep / son were told because his critics (Pharisees and teachers of the law) accused him of eating with eating with tax collectors and sinners!
Jesus can speak a little bit 'rough and tough' - so let's get away from 'gentle Jesus meek and mild' because he isn't in the way we often use those words!
Back to these verses and what he says about the places where he has been ministering and that his words are uncomfortable, we can also remember that love and justice are two sides of the coin which reflects the image of God.
Finally on this section: when it came to the cross Jesus bore in his body, once and for all, our sin so we can be called to repentance and faith, receive purification from sin and be deemed righteous and therefore able to enter the presence of God now and in eternity.
3. Revelation to his followers - vv 25-26 [25] At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. [26] Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. It follows on and brings us to something that I think we'll be looking at next week from another angle and of course the phrase 'little children' are those who humble themselves, whatever their background, and listen to and receive Jesus.
The Pharisees and teachers of the law thought they knew it all and that only they got it 'really right' - Jesus begs to differ and is on and continuing on his disciple training course. We saw last week in Acts 4:13 that when Peter and John were cross examined after the healing of the lame man by these self-same critics and opponents of Jesus When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Jesus did a good job and do you know what? He still does!
4. Reality of the Father and the Son- v 27 [27] “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Again, it follows on and these words are a bold declaration but fully in accord with the message of Jesus in the Gospels. I go back again to the upper room and to another passage we looked at a while back, John 14:6: [6] Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” No wonder so many people wriggle and squirm and will throw out anything to discredit all things Christian because once you start to acknowledge statements like this to be true, well, atheism, agnosticism, cynicism start to collapse and fall apart.
5. Refreshment for life and service - vv 28-30 [28] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
I haven't said this for a bit but now seems a good time to do so as it is all through this passage and that is that so much, if not all, of what Jesus says centres on him and the Father through him! Come to me . . . And I will . . . . 7 occurrences of I / me / my in just 3 verses!
Next, I wonder how these verses are seen. Is Jesus saying - when everything is bad and falling apart come to me and I give you some rest? I certainly think that is all part of it but not all of it.
The 'more' is that this is a general invitation to all in all circumstances and like all that Jesus says it is about our starting and ongoing relationship with him. He seems to be saying with me you'll be in a better state all round and we'll keep tweaking it when it goes out of shape!
Observe the following: • The world and life without Jesus is wearying and we get loaded with a lot of unnecessary baggage - burdens. • At the heart Jesus says learn from me, take on who I am and what I give for life, caring and service in the Kingdom then we receive not just rest, but rest and refreshment so we can continue. • Then there is the phrase by which I suggest we get misled - I am gentle and humble in heart. The word for gentle is that which was used for an animal that had been tamed and with reference to humble, Jesus humbles himself - see Philippians 2:5-11.
In his book 'Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe' C S Lewis casts Jesus as the lion called Aslan. When asked by Lucy if he is safe she gets the answer, “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” Jesus is the King and he is all loving but as we saw earlier not to be trifled with.
• Then we have the other part about Jesus' yoke and his burden. If you have your bible look at v 30 - easy and light - now that sounds good, we can just chill. No! • Remember what a yoke is. It is used to carry whatever and go round you neck and shoulders. Jesus the carpenter says it is well fitting. It won’t rub and cause sores and blisters it's carved and moulded to fit. Light means well balanced. Not 5kg and 10kg but 7.5kg on each side!
Boats, planes, ships and lots of other things have to be well balanced or they sink, crash or wear out. Even car wheels are balanced to maximize tyre wear!
• Jesus 'burden' is that of the good news about him and the Kingdom with focal point at the cross and resurrection. Then, with all our other cares / anxieties / burdens whatever, we listen to Peter's encouragement: 1 Peter 5:6-7 [6] Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
[7] Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Then, in response to the invitation from Jesus we follow and keep on following him: your kingdom come, your will be done . . . . Conclusion No messing with Jesus. He's the best friend we can have and so much more. Many have been using this time of lockdown, and now by many of us more reserved freedom, as a time to get closer to Jesus and understand a bit better all we are when we are in him and our prayer is that we continue in that. Trusting, following, receiving at the gracious and loving hand of our Heavenly Father. Refreshed and renewed to continue from where we are to wherever we end up through it all. He sustains - bread / water / vine / light / good shepherd etc. And we shall conclude our time this morning reflecting on John 15:1-17 - below
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