Monday after the Festival of the Transfiguration of our Lord
Posted on February 3, 2020 by under
Scripture: St. Matthew 11:11-24 (NKJV)
11:11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
16 “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 and saying:
‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not lament.’
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”
20 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, 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. 22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”
Devotion
When it comes to sinful people who think they are not so sinful, it seems impossible for anyone sent from God to reach them, much less please them. Such was the case with John the Baptist. All the more sadly, it was also the case with the Lord Himself. Both John the Baptist and Jesus preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins to the people. Same message, two very different personalities.
The result was both John the Baptist and Jesus were mocked by the people and received personal attacks as the result of their preaching. Should we be surprised? No. When one thinks they are doing well in the sight of God, as did the Scribes and Pharisees, one isn’t going to warm up to the idea of having to repent. If you think you are basically a good person, why the personal attacks against John and Jesus? Well, the answer is quite simple. God’s law is clear that God’s standard is perfection and nothing less. It’s impossible to refute God’s clear Word. So rather than attack the message, the only option left is to attack the messenger.
Such has been the case throughout history. God sends people to proclaim His Word of Law, and people rebel against the messenger. They do this because they do not want to hear that they aren’t “basically good.” Thankfully, God has not left our hearing up to us. Out of His grace and mercy the Holy Spirit works faith in us to believe what God says in His Law and to lead us to repentance. Once convicted, the Holy Spirit brings the peace of knowing all our sins are forgiven for Jesus’ sake.
We pray: Heavenly Father, grant us ears to hear Your Word always. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
