Sermon Tone Analysis
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December 7, 2014
*Intro* – The Dec 7, 2009 SI named Yankee SS Derek Jeter “Sportsman of the Year”.
A pix showed Jeter from the back walking down the hallway toward the Yankee locker room.
He is pointing up at a sign that says, “I want to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee.”
If you’re a baseball fan, you can relate.
But believers have something far better to wake up to every morning: “I want to thank the Good Lord for making me a Christian.”
It doesn’t get any better than that.
It ought to set our hearts aflame with joy every day.
We already seen how the 72 returning disciples rejoiced in serving, success, security and far and away most importantly, salvation.
But in vv.
21-24 we get an insight in the mind of our Lord.
V. 21, “In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit.”
This is the only place where Jesus is said to rejoice.
And it comes at a time when His heart is heavy in anticipation of the death that shortly awaits Him.
Yet He rejoices – or better, exults!
Great joy just bubbled up from within Jesus even in the midst of sadness.
So what was it that set the spirit of Jesus aflame with joy amid extremity?
Same for us.
*I.
The Sovereign Pleasure of the Father*
V. 21, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will [pleasure].”
What is the first thing you see here?
The sovereignty of God which dwarfs the arrogant ambitions of man.
Notice Jesus addresses God as “Lord of heaven and earth.”
Those who are wise in their own eyes are going up against the One who made it all in the first place.
They have no hope of winning.
Those who deny His creative genius will one day find that He hid Himself from them.
Tragically, the beauty of the gospel is hidden from those who arrogantly pit their wisdom against God’s revelation in Christ.
But Jesus can rejoice because “yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”
Everything is happening according to God’s will.
Jesus is overcome with joy at that thought even tho it will cost Him dearly.
And it is not just God’s will; it is His gracious will.
It is a will that distributes unmerited favor all over the place.
Thank God His will is gracious.
If God’s will were merely just, we’d be up the creek without a paddle.
We’d have gotten what we deserve long ago.
But His will is full of grace.
So Jesus rejoices the Father is graciously in control.
Note the gospel is hidden from the wise and revealed to little children.
Does that mean that if you’ve got an IQ over 120 you’re done for?
All Ph.D’s are out?
No geniuses need apply?
Is Christianity only for the dim-witted?
That’s not the point.
Paul was one of the brightest men of his time, and he came to Christ.
Luke was a medical doc and he came to Christ.
So what is Jesus point?
The answer is in Prov 26: 12) “Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
The issue is not IQ! Jesus is talking about people who think they have all the answers vs those who know they don’t.
Those who listen to God vs those who reject Him.
You don’t have to put your brain on the shelf to become a Christian; but you do have to submit to the greater authority and wisdom and will of God.
If you will not do that, there is no hope.
You are not wiser than God, but if you insist that you are, He will show Himself greater by hiding from you a gospel even the simple can get.
“The wise and understanding” are those who leave God out of the equation.
There’s no wisdom apart from “the fear of the Lord.”
Human wisdom makes up its own rules – and then tragically believes them.
A popular talk show host is a perfect example of man indicting God with his own supposed wisdom.
In his autobiography he says, “If God the Father is so all-loving, why didn’t He come down and go to Calvary?
Then Jesus could have said, “This is My Father in whom I am well-pleased.”
How could an all-knowing, all-loving God allow His Son to be murdered on a cross in order that He might redeem my sins?” Thought that was a clever question, no doubt!
He says this as tho he could better plan and execute redemption than the Triune God.
Salvation isn’t that complicated, but it will never be understood by those who will not humble themselves.
It is to those who come as babes – not IQ-challenged, but those who accept that God is wiser than them, that the Father reveals “these things.”
Those who come as spiritual babes, trusting in what God has said, will prevail.
They will gain understanding that the wise in their own conceits will never have – not until it is too late.
In Mary’s wonderful prayer of praise to God in Lu 1:52 she says, “he [God] has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate.”
That’s what Jesus is talking about here.
Paul asks in I Cor 1:20, “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
It is a principle that plays out over and over in Scripture.
Remember Esther?
She eventually saves her people, Israel, at great risk to her own life, right.
Great story, but there’s a subplot.
The Persian King Ahasuerus promoted a valued advisor named Haman to #2 in the land.
Everyone cow-tows to Haman -- except a Jewish man named Mordecai who, out of respect for Jehovah will not bow.
Haman hates that and gets the king to issue an edict to kill all Jews, just to get one man.
One night he is so overcome with rage he decides to build a gallows and get the king to let him hang Mordecai early next morning.
BUT That same night the king can’t sleep either.
He has the court journal brought to read, and it reminds him of how months before Mordecai has saved the king’s life from a conspiracy to kill him.
Mordecai has never been properly rewarded and the king decides to fix that.
Next morning Haman arrives at court, gallows ready and loaded for bear.
But before he can say anything the king asks how he could reward someone he delights in.
Thinking the king desires to reward him, Haman pulls out all the stops.
Dress him in royal robes, give him a crown and parade him through the streets proclaiming his honor as you go.
Do it up right!
The king says, “Right, Haman.
See to it.
That’s what I want done for Mordecai!”
And that’s just the beginning.
That night Haman accidentally falls against the queen at a party she’s giving.
The king accuses Haman of sexually assaulting his wife and Haman is soon hanging from the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.
What’s the point?
God resists the proud and exalts the humble.
He reveals Himself to those who seek Him with all their heart.
But He hides from those who are wise in their own conceits.
That’s God’s sovereignty, and you can’t change that!
But you can do something about your proud heart this morning.
James 4: 6) “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
It is His gracious will to give Himself to those who give themselves to Him.
Jesus rejoices in that.
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