No Excuses

No Excuses No Excuses Michael Morse / General CrossFit / Reject; Childish; Unbelieving Generation; Unbelief; Wisdom; Success; Ministry / Luke 7:31-35 Excuses are used by people to excuse themselves or their behavior or choices. Excuses are a cover for the heart though. The religious leaders had excuses for why they rejected Jesus and John, but their truth was they decided to reject the message. Their excuse was the who and the how, but the reason was really the what of the message and the excuses covered it up. Jesus and John didnt change their how or who to accommodate because they knew it didnt matter who or how, it was the what being rejected. The message will not change just because it is rejected. Introduction - Excuses 1. People who want to work out but dont have a lot of excuses a. I cant work out because I am not motivated - or I need someone to train me i. Also them - I dont work out because my trainer keeps trying to motivate me b. Working out is hard i. cant we work out without sweating ii. If you change the workout and make it too easy well - then its not work and it wont work c. The excuses are a cover for the reality i. We use the excuses to excuse ourselves ii. We dont really want to work out - or get fit or in shape iii. We make excuses instead - to cover the truth 2. Luke brings us to a fairly obscure parable of Jesus a. This is not a parable that most anybody would pick out and say - yeah thats my favorite or yeah I know that one b. This parable (like all of Jesus' other parables) has a great important truth for us this morning i. You have to see through the excuses to know the truth of the matter ii. Jesus with this parable shows us that He sees through the excuses - and knows the heart of why › SLIDE Luke 7:31-32 CSB 31 "To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to each other: We played the flute for you, but you didn't dance; we sang a lament, but you didn't weep! › SLIDE Luke 7:33-35 CSB 33 For John the Baptist did not come eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon!' 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' 35 Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children." › SLIDE why does Jesus give us this parable? To answer --- The Question › SLIDE Luke 7:31 CSB 31 "To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 1. Interesting questions that Jesus asks about the people and this generation - here based on the previous verse - 30 › SLIDE Luke 7:30 CSB 30 But since the Pharisees and experts in the law had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves.) a. The Pharisees - the religious leaders and the experts in the law - rejected John, Jesus and the plan of God for themselves. i. Ultimately - rejected salvation and the plan for salvation - because they rejected Jesus and John b. Matthew records this same questioning - but only Luke records the second question of Jesus i. What then should I compare the people of this generation ii. What are they like? 1. the people refers to not only the Pharisees, but any who follow them in their rejection of the message of John and Jesus 2. Generation - from the word geneas and means - literally generation. Its a Hebraism used in a negative sense of the current hearers - who see and hear God's truth - but refuse to respond favoritively or appropriately 2. This question is a probing question that goes beyond Jesus day a. This question is asked in such a way to show that this is an ongoing situation with each passing generation i. This is a question that Jesus is asking of today's generation - who hear the message of Jesus - the gospel message of salvation and reject it b. Why does this generation reject the gospel message? › SLIDE Jesus is asking - what in the world is going on with these people that they would reject the Gospel message c. This is an important question - the consequences for rejecting the gospel are severe and eternal i. Jesus is asking this question - but not because He doesnt know the answer ii. Jesus is asking this question because He wants us to see something 1. Jesus is speaking to people who would be the ones to bring the message 2. Jesus is also speaking to those who would hear the message and reject it › SLIDE - Jesus answer this question by giving us An Accurate Description › SLIDE Luke 7:32-34 CSB 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to each other: We played the flute for you, but you didn't dance; we sang a lament, but you didn't weep! 33 For John the Baptist did not come eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon!' 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' 1. So how does Jesus describe these people or this generation? a. He says they are like children - they act like children i. Not the good - faith of a child either ii. Jesus says they are not child-like rather they are childish 1. These supposed religious leaders and others who would reject this message are capricious children 2. Literally brats b. Look at how He describes their actions - they are like children sitting in the marketplace calling to each other i. Marketplace - an area of town of great activity - a public mercantile establishment would be setup 1. Shops and markest would line up 2. This would be the area for a. commerce b. public speaking, teaching, debating c. Official and legal business ii. Children would be in the market place and they would hang out together in the open and unused areas. 1. They would gather and play together - usually pretend - much like kids today a. They would play wedding or funeral i. Its just like it sounds - they would pretend they are celebrating a wedding 1. They would play music and cheer and be loud and walk in a line together around the marketplace dancing and having a good celebration ii. Or they would pretend it is a funeral 1. They would weep and cry out mournfully - singing songs of sorrow and mourning b. These were the two most celebrated occasions of festivity iii. Jesus said they are like children calling out to each other - complaining because they didnt join in when they were supposed to 1. These religious leaders and people who reject the gospel are like childish children who are upset that people are not reacting and responding to them playing a. Their desire is to control the action - but they arent doing what they say they are supposed to b. They were spoiled children playing a game i. one group of kids gave the signal to play wedding - but they didnt act appropriately ii. They then gave the signal to play funeral - again they didnt respond in the appropriate manner c. Frustrated they cry out because the others refused to play their games 2. Jesus then connects His parable to what is happening - that makes this an accurate description of the ongoing situation of the generations a. He says "For John the Baptist did not come eating bread or drinking wine" and you say 'He has a demon' i. They rejected John's message because he was too stern too harsh, to rigid 1. I mean this was a tough guy who lived super holy - He preached a turn or burn message b. On the other hand - the Son of Man (a title from the prophecy of Daniel by the way) has come eating and drinking and you say 'Look a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners' i. They rejected Jesus message because He was too loose - in identifying with sinners and the like He became labelled among them c. Jesus says this current generation is like these children - who complain because it is not how they said or determined they wanted it - they didnt play to their music i. Such are children where everything is a complaint or excuse and nothing can please them › SLIDE Those who dont want to - will always have an excuse ii. These children - these religious leaders, the ones who heard John and Jesus and rejected the message blamed the messengers - but ultimately rejected the message 1. The message was what they didnt like - both men came preaching the same message - Jesus was the messiah and salvation has come 2. They also didnt like that the message of salvation was being preached to sinners and Gentiles 3. Jesus and John wouldnt accommodate the whims and wishes of the religious leaders so the generation rejected them and their message a. The blamed the messengers - but it was the message they rejected i. The excuses just covered the heart that they rejected the message ii. Different people and styles - same message - still rejected › SLIDE No matter who brings the message or how it is presented it wouldnt be accepted because it was the truth of the message being rejected › SLIDE The answer to the message being rejected isnt to change the message Just like you dont make the work out easier - or you take away the power for it to work b. The rejection of the gospel message was not due to the form of its presentation i. The people of the generation were like children complaining and finding fault - the Lord and John refused to bow to the pressures › SLIDE The Answer › SLIDE Luke 7:35 CSB 35 Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children." 1. Wisdom is personified - similar to the proverbs a. Wisdom here is referring to God's way - in verse 29 › SLIDE Luke 7:29 CSB 29 (And when all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged God's way of righteousness, because they had been baptized with John's baptism. i. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge › SLIDE Proverbs 1:7 CSB 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. › SLIDE Proverbs 9:10 CSB 10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. b. Why are the Pharisees rejecting the message - they reject God's way and God's righteousness i. They refuse to admit the truth of their need for forgiveness and salvation ii. They mask this in finding fault and excuse within John's ways and Jesus' ways › SLIDE People who want to avoid the truth of themselves find something in the preacher to criticize, so they can justify themselves for not listening 2. God's wisdom is not frustrated by the arguments and excuses of one who is rejecting Him a. Jesus says there is no pleasing people - the message is the message b. God's way is vindicated by those who follow Jesus and John's same message and are changed › SLIDE Do not change the message for anyone - its the only message needed - to change it removes its truth and power to change lives Conclusion 1. People have excuses for why they dont believe and respond to the Gospel message a. When this happens there can be a strong desire to change in response to the excuses › SLIDE Jesus told this parable to bring to light the obstinate disposition that will reject any approach because of the message - that we are sinners in need of forgiveness from God - through Jesus death on the cross b. There are those out there frustrating themselves i. Trying to be relevant, engaging, seeker friendly - etc ii. They will tire themselves out - the excuses are just that excuses to cover a heart that will not believe the Gospel 1. Success in ministry is not dependent on whether people accept or reject - but is the message correct and true 2. Vindicated by the results of lives changed c. Worse yet there are those who compromise truth i. To not offend ii. to win over iii. to be P.C. iv. to be relevant d. It is a hard message no matter who brings it or how they bring it - dont seek to change it because its hard; dont be childish - quit playing games - Communion › SLIDE 1 Corinthians 11:23-24 CSB 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, "This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." › SLIDE 1 Corinthians 11:25-26 CSB 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 9:13 PM February 29, 2020.