Matthew Chapter 11
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Matthew Chapter 11 (Christ’s Affirmation)
Matthew Chapter 11 (Christ’s Affirmation)
Intro
James covered at the end of last chapter Christ giving His disciples the great mission, the mission we should still hold too to this day.
Pay attention to the title of this lesson. There are 2 different meanings of the word affirm.
1. To state as a fact; assert both strongly and publicly.
2. To offer someone emotional support or encouragement.
So as we read through Chapter 11, I want you to remember both of these definitions. Were gonna look at a couple of things throughout.
And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.
Christ is continuing His ministry after giving His disciples the commandments of their mission.
Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
This is John the Baptist, remember the forerunner for Christ.
John sends 2 of his followers unto Christ. 2 of the men following Johns ministry which is the ministry leading to Christ’s.
Now remember, John the Baptist was imprisoned before Christ went to Galilee.
Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
We will see more details on John’s imprisonment later on in
Matthew chapter 14, Mark chapter 6, and Luke chapter 3
But just for context purposes we see in Matthew chapter 4 that John is cast into prison when Christ leaves for Galilee.
And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
Basically these 2 disciples are point blank asking Christ, “are you the Messiah we have been awaiting, or is their another to come?”
It is important to pay attention to how this situation is playing out, John heard about Christ and His ministry in prison, John is then sending 2 of his students, the ones who are practicing his ministry to go out and verify that this IS the one they are seeking.
Remember John was about 6 months older than Christ, his mother Elizabeth and Christ’s mother Mary were cousins, but we only see it documented with John and Jesus interacting twice before this moment.
The first time being when they were both in their mothers wombs and John jumps in his mother’s womb, and she was being filled with the holy spirit. recognizing this was the child of God,
This can be referenced in Luke 1:41-44
and the 2nd occurrence is when John baptizes Christ in the Jordan river. Which was before the start of Christ’s mission on spreading His ministry. And the dove came down and John heard the voice of God.
John knows who Jesus is. It is very obvious that John knows this IS Christ.
How I'm reading this from John is a trust but verify situation, John knows the gospel, he has been preaching it paving the way, remember he is locked in prison, he is hearing rumors of Christs works and gospel so he isn’t just “verifying” Christ is the Messiah that has been prophesied.
Remember John was the son of the prophet Zechariah. So he was very well knowledgeable in scripture and divine prophecy.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion;Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem:Behold, thy King cometh unto thee:He is just, and having salvation;Lowly, and riding upon an ass,And upon a colt the foal of an ass.
First event prophesying the messiah,
Christ being born just, and in the flesh leading to the ultimate sacrifice and our ticket into the kingdom of heaven.
Christ to be crucified
And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim,And the horse from Jerusalem,And the battle bow shall be cut off:And he shall speak peace unto the heathen:And his dominion shall be from sea even to sea,And from the river even to the ends of the earth.
Second event prophesying the messiah, That second coming of Christ where he comes in on the stallion. after the tribulation. Every tongue will confess and every knee WILL bow to Him.
So it is most likely that John is trying to get some reference on which event is taking place here. whether it be the first event from prophecy or the 2nd.
We are still awaiting that 2nd coming of the Messiah, at the 7th trump AFTER the tribulation period, After Satan’s portrayal of Christ.
And also maybe not just for Johns sake but even more so his followers sake. He is trying to give them that first hand witness to what has been prophesied. Them witnessing what he has been preaching first hand from Christ.
Trust but verify,
Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Christ is referencing His works from the past few chapters of healing the sick and casting out the demons.
But He is also telling Johns disciples to bring John back the information, because what is taking place here, again, is the same thing John has been preaching, paving the way for, that was also prophecies all the way back in Isaiah,
And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Christ referencing Isaiah’s prophecy
And he shall be for a sanctuary;But for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel,For a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken,And be snared, and be taken.
And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
Christ is asking them about John when he went into the wilderness spreading his gospel, Was he like a reed shaken with the wind?
In other words, was John just letting the wind guide him and his beliefs? Blowing around him and his mindset all freely,
Or was he focused and dead set on his journey with Christ and his works, paving the way for the Messiah.
This verse helps set the foundation for why John was sending his students to see if this was the Messiah, Not that John was questioning Jesus, but that he was questioning whether this was the first or second coming.
But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
Does anyone remember what John was wearing in the wilderness?
And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
John wasn’t dressed in king’s clothing and “pampered luxury”
He wore camel hairs and leather, he ate locusts and honey, he wasn't pampered, he was a brute, focused on his works with God.
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
Now wait a minute, this is Christ himself saying that John was more than a prophet, and he even portrays it in this verse as calling John a prophet is almost like degrading
For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
of whom it is written,
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
John the Baptist was a great man in the flesh from him following his will of God and fulfilling divine prophecy, paving the way for Jesus,
God had this planned out from the beginning. John was one of God’s elect, and like we went over Thursday night, John followed God’s guidance.
but pay attention to that last part there.
The lowest person in the kingdom of heaven is still greater than John the Baptist.
Nothing or No one in the flesh can be greater than what's in store in the kingdom of heaven.
and some people may say, “well what about Christ” Christ IS the kingdom of heaven, He is the living word,
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
The kingdom of heaven is constantly at war
Look back to the Garden of Eden, what has been happening since then?
The violent constantly trying to corrupt God’s rule and His plan over us, Planting the serpent seed, abortions, corruptions.
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
Conditional, IF YOU RECEIVE IT
There were divine prophets leading up to Christ all the way until John,
Isaiah and John were preaching the same message,
This has been leading up to Christ.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
This doesn't just mean those who aren’t deaf,
Those who have ears, meaning those who have the ability to read, learn, and understand God’s word, let them hear it,
If you have the ability to read and understand, you are held accountable for your relationship with God, and for furthering your ways in the word of God.
But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
Christ is giving us a simily here.
This generation, hanging out and about with one another like children,
And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
Lamented meaning mourn with grief.
Christ is saying, this generation, when He celebrates they don't celebrate, and when He mourns they don't mourn.
And quoting pastor Murray here, they don't know come here from sick’em.
blindly wondering about. not paying attention to Christ. letting what he says go in one ear and out the other.
Just like a child does,
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Being hypocritical
How much do we see this same thing in today’s time.
No matter what goes on, people try to justify themselves rather than the word of God to be their justification.
Something we are going to go over at the end, but it’s important to strive to stay away from self justification and use Christ’s justification.
The difference between objective and subjective truths.
And it is something we are going to constantly battle with, I'm guilty of it more times than I'd like to admit but it is something to self evaluate and stay away from.
Lets the word of God justify you, and if it doesn’t change your ways.
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
The cities that do not receive His word after hearing it, moving on to witness to others.
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Chorazin, Bethsaida,Tyre, and Sidon being different cities, or places in Palestine
If the people in Chorazin and Bethsaida had spread their witness of Christ and His miracles unto Tyre and Sidon, they too would be repented and under Christ.
Tyre and Sidon were more powerful gentile cities.
Chorazin and Bethsaida were towns near Capernaum where Christ started His ministry.
But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
Why would these gentile cities be judged more lenient than the cities who witnessed Christ?
Because in other words “they did not have ears to hear” they never witnessed Christ’s gospel because the ones who DID, did not repent from their ways and follow the Gospel they had witnessed and reflected that light onto others.
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
Remember Capernaum was the basis or start of Jesus’s ministry.
If the works Capernaum have received had been done in Sodom, the popular reference city for corruption, That city would not have been done away with.
But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
Because these cities had firsthand witness of Christ, where Sodom did not.
We actually talked about this many times before, but the difference between the people in this time and us today, is that we have many many more examples to follow.
Once you receive Christ, have faith and perform works unto Him, spreading His light onto those in darkness.
Christianity is not a traditional religious practice, Following Christ is a lifestyle,
It is a complete transformation on mindset and way of life.
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Those of you who have ever raised pets, or children, know that it is a lot easier teaching younger fresher minds new things, than it is teaching those who are “wise” and have been stuck in their ways for years.
and Jesus is telling them, He is thankful that God didn’t rush His plan.
Remember this plan has been in the working since the beginning. and Christ is acknowledging that unto these people.
Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Although he just referenced God, he is letting these people know, that if you have seen Him, you have seen God, you know Christ, you know the Father, and Through the Son, Christ, then the Father, “God” is revealed.
There is an ALL knowing or totality of existence there.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
that “yoke” here isn’t an egg yoke, they were the heavy wooden bars used for tying horses or ox together to push the plow together.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Being a follower of Christ isn’t about laborious traditions like they did for the Jewish leaders at the time.
Is it hard sometimes? Yes, but overall it is about being loving and peaceful and reflecting Joy onto others, that light of Christ.
Conclusion:
Looking back at the title of this lesson, “Christ’s Affirmation”
Remember there are 2 definitions of affirmation,
1. To state as a fact; assert both strongly and publicly.
2. To offer someone emotional support or encouragement.
The coolest thing about this chapter, is that I feel like Christ did a perfect example at both of these definitions,
He was explaining the facts to these multitudes publicly, but also strongly, not straying or contradicting what he says, but in a way that gives them and us now that emotional support and encouragement on how we should reflect Christ’s light onto others after it has been shined upon ourselves.
Something to also take away from this chapter,
We saw it in verse 19 in this chapter,
As men and women in the flesh, we tend to lean towards self justification, and trying to twist the word of God into making ourselves out to be the good guy,
We have to remember it isn’t about “us” in the word of God, it is about striving for the “word of God” to live in us
The word of God should be our justification, If it makes you uncomfortable then that means it’s time to self evaluate and make changes and use the word as our guideline,
We can’t be hypocritical, we have to remember, it isn’t about us, it is about Christ. Period. again keeping our center of attention on faith and works unto Him and reflecting His light onto others, not ours.
Matthew Chapter 11 (Christ’s Affirmation)
Matthew Chapter 11 (Christ’s Affirmation)
