Sermon - Matthew 11 - Reject or Accept - Littleby Baptist Church - June 2, 2019
When
Jesus sent the Twelve it was all about learning to trust God to provide and
that He would guide them and empower them to carry out what they were sent to
do. With the seventy-two they not only need to trust God but they needed wisdom
and innocence. They needed to be wise to avoid the traps of the devil and
innocent to show the world that they belong to Jesus.
One of the key things from last weeks verses was that we need to be praying for the Lord to send more workers into the harvest. When we think about it, if we are out tending to the harvest, sharing the Gospel, winning souls for the Lord, we are being used by God to add to the workers. Every person who accepts Jesus as Lord is a worker. Our prayers need to start with our lost friends and family accepting Jesus, but continue with them being used by God to share the Gospel in a mighty way.
The task before us is challenging, and the devil will do anything he can to trip us up. We need to trust in God and depend on Him to carry out His will.
Open you Bibles to Matthew 11 as we continuing our walk through Jesus’ life.
Matthew 11:20-24
“20 Then he proceeded to denounce the towns where most of his miracles were done, because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago. 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. 24 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.””
OUCH!
I for one never want to be on the receiving end of something like this coming from the mouth of our Lord. Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum had been the focus of Jesus’ ministry so far. Miracle after miracle had been performed in them. People had been healed, demons cast out, needs provided for, the Gospel had been preached, and still the people in these towns rejected Jesus.
Tyre and Sidon were pagan cities that worshipped fake gods. Jesus was saying that if the miracles He performed in Chorazin and Bethsaida were performed in Tyre and Sidon the pagans would have turned from their ways and embraced Jesus. The pagans would have turned from their sinful ways, but the Jews who had witnessed the miracles and heard Jesus preach did not. The pagans would have accepted Jesus while the Jews were rejecting Him.
Pretty sure most of you know all about Sodom.
Ezekiel 16:48-50
“48 “‘As I live—the declaration of the Lord God—your sister Sodom and her daughters have not behaved as you and your daughters have. 49 Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had pride, plenty of food, and comfortable security, but didn’t support the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did detestable acts before me, so I removed them when I saw this.”
Sodom was a deplorable city filled with sinful people. Sodom was so far gone that God wiped it from the face of the earth. Yet here Jesus says that if the miracles performed in Capernaum were performed in Sodom the people would have repented and the city would have been saved.
Three worldly cities would have repented and turned to God if they had witnessed what three Jewish cities had seen. Completely lost people would have turned to the one true God, while those who our Lord came to visit turned Him away.
Reminds me of something found in Matthew 9.
Matthew 9:10-13
“10 While he was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 Now when he heard this, he said, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Those that reject Jesus will receive something worse that Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom. Those that reject Jesus will be cast into the depths of Hades. Rejecting Jesus results in weeping and gnashing of teeth, agony, lostness, and death.
Reject Jesus and you are heading towards a bleak ending, but there is hope. The message of grace and mercy is within reach.
Matthew 11:25-26
“25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, because this was your good pleasure.”
Thank you, Father, for hiding these things from those who think they are wise, those who are self-righteous, prideful, arrogant, those that think they are better than everyone else.
Thank you, Father, for revealing the truth to those who are innocent, faithful, humble, honest, to those who are willing to submit as a child submits to their parents.
Thank you, Father, that while there are those who will reject the miracles and the message there are others who thirst for what is being offered.
Jesus is thanking God the Father for bring people to Him that accept all that He is offering, even in the midst of those who are rejecting Him. Even today, Jesus is thanking the Father for each of us sitting here today who are humbly seeking Him while many in the world reject Him.
If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord, He is thankful for you. As thankful as we are for all that He has done for us. As Thankful as we are that His death has paved the way for us to spend an eternity with Him, that His sacrifice has wiped away our sins, and that He has given us His amazing love. We are thankful for all He has done, and He is thankful that He gets to spend an eternity with you.
Matthew 11:27
“27 All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal him.”
All things have been given to Jesus. He is Lord of all.
Daniel 7:14
“He was given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; so that those of every people nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.”
Jesus’ kingdom has no end.
Matthew 28:18
“Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.”
Not some or partial, but All Authority have been given to Jesus.
John 17:1-2
“17 Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you gave him authority over all flesh, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him.”
The Father has given everything to the Son. A kingdom without end and authority over all of creation. Even authority to grant eternal life.
This is the gift given to all those who accept Jesus.
Matthew 11:28-30
“28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
We may be weary from our trials, burdened with our sin, lost from the choices we have made, and weak from the constant battles we face. Regardless of what it is Jesus is calling to us and saying, ‘Come to Me.’ Do not reject what I am offering. Accept the gift of grace and you will receive so much more.
You may be worn out, beat down, lost, feeling like you cannot climb out of the hole you are in, and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is saying… come to Me, He will give you rest, He will give you His strength, He will wipe away the burden of you sin, He will give you His Love, His Peace, and His Joy. He will set you free from all that is holding you back. His ‘yoke is easy’ and His ‘burden is light’. Walking through life with Jesus is so much easier and lighter than walking through it on your own.
On one hand you can reject Jesus and experience a horrible eternity, or on the other hand you can accept Jesus and know that He will give you rest, peace, and ever lasting life.
Sadly, there are many people who are blind like the Pharisees. They do not see because of their pride, the reject Jesus because they think they do not need Him, their self-centeredness is keeping them from being set free.
We must pray that everyone we know will see the truth and Accept Jesus before it is to late.
God Bless,
Robert
One of the key things from last weeks verses was that we need to be praying for the Lord to send more workers into the harvest. When we think about it, if we are out tending to the harvest, sharing the Gospel, winning souls for the Lord, we are being used by God to add to the workers. Every person who accepts Jesus as Lord is a worker. Our prayers need to start with our lost friends and family accepting Jesus, but continue with them being used by God to share the Gospel in a mighty way.
The task before us is challenging, and the devil will do anything he can to trip us up. We need to trust in God and depend on Him to carry out His will.
Open you Bibles to Matthew 11 as we continuing our walk through Jesus’ life.
Matthew 11:20-24
“20 Then he proceeded to denounce the towns where most of his miracles were done, because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago. 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. 24 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.””
OUCH!
I for one never want to be on the receiving end of something like this coming from the mouth of our Lord. Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum had been the focus of Jesus’ ministry so far. Miracle after miracle had been performed in them. People had been healed, demons cast out, needs provided for, the Gospel had been preached, and still the people in these towns rejected Jesus.
Tyre and Sidon were pagan cities that worshipped fake gods. Jesus was saying that if the miracles He performed in Chorazin and Bethsaida were performed in Tyre and Sidon the pagans would have turned from their ways and embraced Jesus. The pagans would have turned from their sinful ways, but the Jews who had witnessed the miracles and heard Jesus preach did not. The pagans would have accepted Jesus while the Jews were rejecting Him.
Pretty sure most of you know all about Sodom.
Ezekiel 16:48-50
“48 “‘As I live—the declaration of the Lord God—your sister Sodom and her daughters have not behaved as you and your daughters have. 49 Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had pride, plenty of food, and comfortable security, but didn’t support the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did detestable acts before me, so I removed them when I saw this.”
Sodom was a deplorable city filled with sinful people. Sodom was so far gone that God wiped it from the face of the earth. Yet here Jesus says that if the miracles performed in Capernaum were performed in Sodom the people would have repented and the city would have been saved.
Three worldly cities would have repented and turned to God if they had witnessed what three Jewish cities had seen. Completely lost people would have turned to the one true God, while those who our Lord came to visit turned Him away.
Reminds me of something found in Matthew 9.
Matthew 9:10-13
“10 While he was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 Now when he heard this, he said, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Those that reject Jesus will receive something worse that Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom. Those that reject Jesus will be cast into the depths of Hades. Rejecting Jesus results in weeping and gnashing of teeth, agony, lostness, and death.
Reject Jesus and you are heading towards a bleak ending, but there is hope. The message of grace and mercy is within reach.
Matthew 11:25-26
“25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, because this was your good pleasure.”
Thank you, Father, for hiding these things from those who think they are wise, those who are self-righteous, prideful, arrogant, those that think they are better than everyone else.
Thank you, Father, for revealing the truth to those who are innocent, faithful, humble, honest, to those who are willing to submit as a child submits to their parents.
Thank you, Father, that while there are those who will reject the miracles and the message there are others who thirst for what is being offered.
Jesus is thanking God the Father for bring people to Him that accept all that He is offering, even in the midst of those who are rejecting Him. Even today, Jesus is thanking the Father for each of us sitting here today who are humbly seeking Him while many in the world reject Him.
If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord, He is thankful for you. As thankful as we are for all that He has done for us. As Thankful as we are that His death has paved the way for us to spend an eternity with Him, that His sacrifice has wiped away our sins, and that He has given us His amazing love. We are thankful for all He has done, and He is thankful that He gets to spend an eternity with you.
Matthew 11:27
“27 All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal him.”
All things have been given to Jesus. He is Lord of all.
Daniel 7:14
“He was given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; so that those of every people nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.”
Jesus’ kingdom has no end.
Matthew 28:18
“Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.”
Not some or partial, but All Authority have been given to Jesus.
John 17:1-2
“17 Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you gave him authority over all flesh, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him.”
The Father has given everything to the Son. A kingdom without end and authority over all of creation. Even authority to grant eternal life.
This is the gift given to all those who accept Jesus.
Matthew 11:28-30
“28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
We may be weary from our trials, burdened with our sin, lost from the choices we have made, and weak from the constant battles we face. Regardless of what it is Jesus is calling to us and saying, ‘Come to Me.’ Do not reject what I am offering. Accept the gift of grace and you will receive so much more.
You may be worn out, beat down, lost, feeling like you cannot climb out of the hole you are in, and the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is saying… come to Me, He will give you rest, He will give you His strength, He will wipe away the burden of you sin, He will give you His Love, His Peace, and His Joy. He will set you free from all that is holding you back. His ‘yoke is easy’ and His ‘burden is light’. Walking through life with Jesus is so much easier and lighter than walking through it on your own.
On one hand you can reject Jesus and experience a horrible eternity, or on the other hand you can accept Jesus and know that He will give you rest, peace, and ever lasting life.
Sadly, there are many people who are blind like the Pharisees. They do not see because of their pride, the reject Jesus because they think they do not need Him, their self-centeredness is keeping them from being set free.
We must pray that everyone we know will see the truth and Accept Jesus before it is to late.
God Bless,
Robert
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