Matthew
11 reminds me of old fashioned stock car racing. It has been said
that people go to the races to see the crashes. Today we will look
at human nature, faith and the finish line. The chapter begins with
followers of John the Baptist asking Jesus, “Are
you the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
John was in prison and his followers were likely disillusioned.
They wanted to cheer for a winner. Jesus replied, “report…
what you hear and see: The blind
receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed
to the poor“. Somehow we
speed right through that without any excitement. Jesus touched
individual lives and changed them forever. Perhaps the crowd was
also tired of the routine miracles. He asked them, “What
did you go out into the wilderness to see?”
This is a great tune-up question for us too. John shouted out in
the wilderness to prepare for Messiah. Some were curious, some were
looking for spiritual renewal, and some were looking to be
entertained. John simply held up the green flag and pointed. Next
Jesus quotes from Malachi, applying it to John, “I
will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before
You“. Suddenly there is a
fork in the road and a decision to be made.
With
that statement we hear the violent crash and brace ourselves, “the
kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence“.
We remain unaware of the spiritual battle taking place around us.
Satan does not want anyone to come to Christ by faith; instead we are
given shiny trophies and popping champagne to distract us from the
wreckage. Many do not notice the empty tomb, or the lives that have
been repaired. Mid-race, the apostle Paul spotted the way to victory
was in following Christ, “In
Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in
accordance with the riches of God’s grace
that He lavished on us”
(Ephesian 1:9). Friend, are you holding an empty cup? Jesus said,
“Whoever has ears, let them
hear“. Stick around to the
end for the final lap.
The
chapter ends by changing gears, with Jesus describing the people
around Him that just came to watch the spectacle. “To
what can I compare this generation?”
He says, “John came neither
eating nor drinking” and you
did not listen. “The Son of
Man came eating and drinking”
and they called Him “a glutton
and a drunkard“. The miracles
were given to help people believe that Jesus is God. Many of the
Jewish leaders showed a lapse in judgment, “For
if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in
Sodom, it would have remained to this day“.
If you are you stalled, let me give you a push start. Your may have
some dings and dents, but the finish line is ahead. Jesus prayed
publicly, “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“. Today we have
people so wise that they reject the Bible without investigating it.
Others think they have to push the car themselves to win. Here is
the path to victory lane, “Come
to Me, all you 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 easy and My burden is light“.
My friend, today His invitation is for you. It is time to stop
staring at the crashes and finish the race.