A Word To The Wise

Intro

Bible Passage: Matthew 11:19–29

-We are continuing our series in Matthew this morning; “Kingdom Living in a Peasant Age” picking up where we left off last week in chapter 11.. and the title of today’s message is “A Word To The Wise”

-Now when I was younger, very self-assured, very “arrogant” as some like to remind me.. I thought I knew everything there was to know. The pinnacle of human achievement and wisdom had found it’s resting place within my then 16 year old mind.

-Or so that’s what I assume my not-yet-fully developed brain was thinking.

-I also had this wonderful habit of perhaps being a little condescending.. because again I was on top of this mountain looking down at those around me. I was deaf to genuine feedback because at the end of the day, I just knew better. Why would I need to take advice from someone else? Take the time to carefully listen or heed warning..

-I recall a particular day when I was feeling especially elevated, naive and full of pride mostly, but I somehow thought it a “wise” decision to engage my own father on this point.. He had asked me to help with something, yet in my understanding it was beneath me.. I was no longer a child, I wasn’t here just to take orders, I had better things to accomplish than what my father desired of me. My own work would bring forth more fruit. And I’m sure I so eloquently articulated that point with words fueled with sarcastic disdain.

-His response? I’ll never forget.. He held up a finger and said “A Word To The Wise”…

-Now to be honest, I haven’t the faintest clue what he said after that. I’m sure it was a warning, a piece of much needed instruction in that moment. But I didn’t hear it. I subconsciously rejected the wisdom because I knowingly rejected the vessel who revealed it. He could have stated it in the most loving, genuine, concerning way.. demonstrated it perfectly with his actions or an illustration but it was never going to click because it was NOT something I was truly seeking. I was content in my own perception, unresponsive to his words.

-Now in reality, if my father was saying “A Word To The Wise” even a fool knew that meant, change your course of action immediately or else you’ll be met with the wrath of the Father imminently..

-In this particular case, keep mouthing off and you’re about to get smacked..

-Now I’m not here today to provide commentary on the ethics of corporal punishment, but I can say that there are moments when I do believe we ALL need a metaphorical and perhaps even violent jogging of our faculties to reveal the reality of what’s taking place. A wake up call, a word to the wise.

-And that’s exactly what I believe Jesus is setting up here in Matthew 11.. He outlines a stark and startling contrast with the goal of revealing what true wisdom is all about.

-Before we proceed there in verse 20, lets briefly consider some of the Scriptures touched on last week; namely where we see Wisdom on Trial by the generation that surrounded Jesus.

1. Wisdom’s Trial

Matthew 11:16–19 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a song of mourning, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a heavy drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ And yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

-Pastor Norman likened this scene to children playing a game, and some weren’t playing correctly. They weren’t meeting the expectation of how it should go.

-So who are the children in this analogy? Scholars have taken different perspectives on this passage.. some believe the message is that the generation Jesus is referring to are the children, ploy-fully trying to get the other children to bend to their ever-changing expectations. Others would suggest that it’s actually Jesus and John who embody the children calling out..

-Adopting this second perspective, it would be then important to note that the word for calling out here is used quite formally, as a public address rather than a playful call. It’s primarily used in the New Testament when someone is addressing a crowd, specifically during a trial. Pilate calls out to the crowd in Luke 23 to release Jesus, or Paul in Acts offering a defense on his behalf.

-Some commentators have also pointed out the dualistic potential of the marketplace.. not only the center upon which life revolved, but notably also where the court sat.

-What seems just like trivial child’s play perhaps holds more significant weight then initially assessed.

-Could this be an allusion to a mock court scene, one upon which the generation that surrounded Jesus and John actually thought THEY were the judges, the ones who made the rules, issued the verdicts.. but in fact it was quite the opposite and they had missed the true call of wisdom to be responsive, repent, and return to life in Christ?

-Jesus and John here perhaps have called out in every possible manner, from the song of joy to the song of sorrow, the prophetic to the triumphant, from the wedding to the funeral.. the extreme high and low, the fullness of the spectrum of life, choice, and opportunity..

-Yet this generation REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE.

-“Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds” ..to show oneself truly wise would be to heed the call.

-But they were unresponsive. Unmoved.

-If it was indeed Wisdom on trial, it’s defense would ultimately reign supreme in the court of heaven over the court of public opinion. And it’s essential to understand that to some degree as we move into the next set of verses, because without that context what Jesus is about to say next may seem out of place, harsh, and easily misunderstood.

-It’s the vindication over those who make these accusations, those who claim to be wise in their own estimation, the reality of authority on display, an issued verdict.. it’s Wisdom’s Judgement.

>> WORK ON THIS SECTION <<

—ADD analogy of response and playing with kids??

— proceeding verses explore those who wisdom has been hidden from vs revealed too.. those who rejected vs. those who accepted

—Wisdom will be vindicated over those who make accusations.. judgements..

2. Wisdom’s Judgement

Matthew 11:20–24 “Then He began to reprimand the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that occurred in you had occurred in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that occurred in you had occurred in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment, than for you.”

-Here we find the end result of an unmoved generation. Sentencing fitting the crime. A people who had Wisdom among them, yet in turn, left Wisdom rejected.

-Woe to you. The prophetic lamentation that marks actions and attitudes that have aligned themselves AGAINST the will of God.

-The mock court of the children’s game is now played out in all seriousness.

-These three regions mentioned were all centrally located north of the Sea of Galilee where the heart of Jesus’ earthly ministry took place. Here Jesus claims they would find a fate worse than these accursed Old Testament cities, centers of hostility to the things and people of God because of their pride filled and foolish response.

-The result of rejecting Wisdom is serious. And to be clear, it was their unresponsiveness rather than their uncertainty that led to the declarative statements here. They witnessed many miracles of God on display, yet they remained unimpressed and unchanged because they knowingly dismissed the vessels that carried this truth and power.

-For these Jewish cities had been places of divine revelation, yet the Word was met with opposition by the same privileged people God had carried out of Egypt, leading and providing for them each step of the way throughout their history.

-God once again displayed His power, this time through His son, fulfilling each and every promise made.

-Jesus went out declaring and demonstrating, calling people to Repent! To change, shift, start anew.. put off the former things, be like a new wineskin.. refreshed and ready to receive with humble hope.

-yet they chose to continue with the status quo as if nothing was different

-Woe to you. Jesus’ ministry had brought forth further opportunity and privilege for them.. but to quote the esteemed philosopher Stan Lee, “With Great Power comes Great Responsibility”

-With much given, much is expected as Luke describes it. Yet since it did not meet the expectations they had, it was ignored and they would bear the full weight of responsibility for their response.. or lack there of.

-Because of this unresponsiveness and disdain in the face of revelation, they became akin to those Israelites in the wilderness, those towards whom it was declared that they shall NOT ENTER MY REST*

-For those who have remained unmoved despite witnessing the miracles.. the displays of His power.. the works of His hands.. it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgement.

-And if Jesus reprimanded the generation of His day, what does that mean for Today? Do we find our own responsibility compounded with the abundance of knowledge and freedom we have been granted? Yet so many Christians remain unmoved when presented with the truth and Wisdom of His Word. Year after year finding it making no lasting impact on their lives.. content to do their own thing while only superficially engaging God.

-Many express awe or reverence for the things of God yet never seem to find themselves personally involved with the work of God. They remain convinced in their own mind that have sufficient understanding, no need to have consider a change of heart or mind. There is no place for learning or growth.

-We like the generations before us all the way back to the time of Genesis in the garden have been predisposed to draw close towards our own understanding, we desire to take from the tree of knowledge, decide for ourselves what is good and evil, put our own authority above God’s.

-We confuse conviction with condemnation, wisdom with deception, and trade God-derived truth for Manmade philosophies and understandings.

-Like the people of that time so depraved that we somehow rationalize in own mind that we can exalt ourselves to heaven by way of doing right in our own eyes.

-Be exalted to heaven?? Those words here echo Isaiah 14 and the Babylonian King .. “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ “Nevertheless you will be brought down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.”

-Loftiness in one’s own eyes gets you nowhere closer to heaven.. Self-righteousness is a disease that plagues those who claim to know ultimate truth in their own hearts yet have become blind and deaf to the things of God. Pride then the fall, utter inflation that leads to utter destruction.

-Wisdom is hidden from such people. It calls out with no response.

-We see this same imagery elsewhere in Scripture.. particularly in Proverbs with wisdom calling out in the marketplace, that if these people would just turn, revelation would find them, yet they refused. I highly recommend taking the time this week to explore Proverbs 1 and reflect upon the interconnectedness of the scene that plays out there..

-And so Jesus continues after this portion of judgement to explain that there is indeed another way, the way of accepting and embracing the call of Wisdom on account of the one who is calling out to us..

-It’s Wisdom’s Revealer

3. Wisdom’s Revealer

Matthew 11:25–27 “At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son determines to reveal Him.”

-It’s Jesus, the son, who plays the role of the revealer.

-One commentator highlighted the unique word for praise here literally means to confess or to “make known”.. the praise here is to make known.. it’s a declaration.. a revelation..

-Jesus opens here by revealing many things, starting with Father, Lord of heaven and earth.

-Referring to God as Father isn’t uncommon, and Jesus Himself even instructs the disciples to pray this way.. but what’s unique in this case is that it’s the personal form, MY father, Abba.. vs. the more commonly expressed OUR Father. It’s familial, it demonstrates intimacy and connection. He follows this with a common Old Testament phrase, Lord of heaven and earth which is filled with reverence and awe of God’s place in the universe.

-By beginning this way, Jesus highlights both the respect AND personal connection He has with the Heavenly Father, one that we too can share in.

-He continues to expound about how God has hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to infants.

-These things.. likely referring to the paths of life, God’s plan unfolding with John as a foreteller and Jesus as the fulfiller.

-This contrasts starkly with previous verses demonstrating what happens when you place your own wisdom and knowledge over the things of God.. paths of destruction.

-Note Jesus is not disparaging wisdom and knowledge, in fact there are many other passages that speak to the necessity of these things.. Jesus Himself grew in wisdom and stature.. Yet we find these things revealed to infants.. a word that also can be translated as simple. Not foolish, but unburdened.

-We should have a simple faith that God, the Lord of heaven and earth, has the authority, divine wisdom knowledge, and ability to lead us down the paths of life if we would only but trust Him.

-Now we know from the previous verses that not all infants or children automatically come to this understanding, it is for those whose eyes are opened because their hearts are ready to accept the truth. They heed the call. Unlike the other children Jesus and John were calling out to before, the ones who remained unmoved and refused to participate, we are to be like those who obediently respond, and in that response true wisdom will be revealed through Christ.

-For the Father and Son are unified, and it is through the Son that the way to Father is made known. A glorious Christological revelation that confirms Jesus’ legitimate role in God’s redemptive plan. A role that has long been foretold, a union that existed before the foundations of this earth were formed. THE Word of Wisdom. Again, I encourage you to explore these truths further in the wisdom literature, proverbs 8..

-But by the way of this relationship, Jesus reveals that we are fully known by our Creator, the one who formed us, but now also that WE can respond and personally know this Heavenly Father.

-A beautiful picture of this contrast is unveiled later in Matthew 21 where we see the two opposite responses on display..

New American Standard Bible (2020) Chapter 21

15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant, 16 and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘FROM THE MOUTHS OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF’?”

-They religious leaders became indignant. Pride filled. Wisdom was hidden from them. But the children? They responded in Praise..

-So far within this passage we see both the revealing and concealing activity of God. We saw the reality of judgement towards those who failed to respond corresponding to the concealed truth, and here we see there’s an opportunity TO participate, to respond, and thus engage with God’s revealing work.

-Back to the idea of Children’s games.. It’s almost as if Jesus is playing a game of COSMIC hide & seek.. except He’s standing right in front of you, but you’re too busy counting with your eyes closed to notice. You’re not playing the game in the way in which it was intended. Instead, content in your own blindness, you somehow rationalize that this is the better way to approach things.

-Perhaps in some ways we are fearful of being known by God.. shame filled or struggling to accept ourselves in the light of the God who created us. Or perhaps we are paralyzed with no desire to know God personally, because if we do, He might instruct us to let go of those things that we selfishly want to cling onto.. lead us in directions we are not willing to go.

-We need renew our truth that His design, knowledge, and wisdom is greater than ours. Let us be like those children, fully accepting of what is being presented with child-like faith. Not staying in that place of childISH faith, but growing and ever maturing as we imitate Christ by following in His steps..

-Let us recognize it is through Jesus in which God’s truth is revealed, therefore let us be restored to Him so that we may partake in His wisdom together this morning.

4. Wisdom’s Restoration

Matthew 11:28–30 ““Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.””

-How do we walk in Wisdom’t restoration? It’s simple. We draw near to Christ.

-Come to Me. Open your eyes to see all that has been revealed so that you may receive the promised rest in the way of life.

-You see, Jesus is the ultimate source of wisdom, the well that will never run dry.

-But we need to open our eyes and seek Him to find the rest for your soul.

-Rest for your souls.. a connection with Jeremiah 6..

Jeremiah 6:16 (NASB 2020)

16 This is what the Lord says: 

“Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, 

Where the good way is, and walk in it; 

Then you will find a resting place for your souls. 

But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

-Just as those in Jeremiah’s time refused to walk in the way of life, a decision that led to exile, today we are presented with the same proposition. Will you refuse to walk in His way, a choice that certainly will lead to eternal exile? OR will you take His yoke upon you.

-When we come to the imagery of the yoke.. we often get this mental picture of Jesus paired with us.. like two animals working together to progress towards something together. But I’m not really convinced that’s what’s occurring in this particular passage.

-Here the yoke is a means of placing oneself under the service, obedience, and subordination of Christ. Translation? He’s the one with the reins controlling the cart or plow.

-Put on His yoke and “learn from me” Jesus says. This places an emphasis on His instruction and our obedience, receptiveness.

-Putting on His yoke means submitting your life to Him and His direction. You are assured that this yoke is designed specifically for you, it will lead to paths of fruitfulness, and will not be inundating or exhaustive like the legalistic regulations imposed by the religious leaders of that day or today..

-And you will find rest for your souls..

-This promised rest is a transition point to what Jesus will engage with next, the Sabbath. And I’m becoming increasingly convinced Kingdom rest is not about absense of activity as much as it’s about staying obedient to labor righteously under the careful hand of the one whose yoke is comfortable, and whose burden is light.

-For us to enter this rest, we must be ready to receive instruction, eager to learn and mature, contently working in the Kingdom fields with Jesus as our guide.

-Although we are still in the peasant age, we labor for the King of Kings with full imminent expectation of His return. We are to live out our role in His Kingdom right here, right now.. for we have a humble and gentle Ruler who freely offers revelation to those ready to perceive it.

End

-As we end this morning and the musicians come up..

-Will you allow your soul to receive instruction? Or will wisdom continue to be concealed by a heart and mind with no room for correction.

-Let us adopt teachable hearts and minds, putting off all the heavy and burdensome yokes of our own invention, condescension, and preference.

-I think of my own role as a father attempting to teach and mature my daughter now, while she’s a child, willing to receive the knowledge I have to offer. Often she’ll approach with an object in hand, curious, seeking me out intentionally to inquire what it is, what it does, how can it be of use.

-And a good father desires to instruct.. but can only do so insomuch as the child is willing to learn.

-I do not look forward to the day when my daughter is older and perhaps, like her father before her, develops her own self-justified sense of what’s right and wrong, as I fear I will become the one desperately calling out to provide a word to the wise..

-But ultimately, my only hope is that she, like all here today, will continue in simple faith to trust and voluntarily submit their lives and the fullness of their understandings to Christ, vindicated by their deeds in turning back to Him as He shapes us into imitators of this Word, forever growing in the things of the Lord, His wisdom and truth.

-I genuinely hope that we do not miss the restorative opportunity this morning to allow the Holy Spirit to clear out the places and spaces within our lives that we have allowed to harden, to become woefully self-assured, and blind.. that He awakens us, however abrupt, to the reality of our folly.

-Let us repent from those snap judgements, the prideful convictions masquerading as truth, the unresponsive hearts unwilling to yield to His Spirit, the contempt we secretly hold for for our own brothers and sisters in Christ.. those internal conversations that lead to mockery over planting seeds of life.

-Guilty on all accounts. But I am so grateful that my heavenly Father, the Lord of heaven and earth, has offered me a fresh Word of Wisdom today.. one that I will be sure to carefully listen and follow. An invitation to turn back to the one from which all Wisdom is derived. THE Word of of Life who graciously calls out.. “come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

-Let us pray

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