with Pastor Smith

With Pastor Smith.

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Why Are We So Hard To Please? Part 3

And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. Luke 7:29, 30

Jesus turns His attention from His disciples to the religious leaders of His day.

And the Lord said, "To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying: 'We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not weep.' Luke 7:31, 32.

Here Jesus refers to the games played by children in the wide open areas of the marketplace on the days when the market was empty. Much like today children's games imitated the real life events they saw adults participating in. The two games Jesus is referring to are the game of "wedding" and "funeral." In Jesus day these two events would truly have been two of the most fascinating events for children to observe. Funerals were accompanied by paid wailers, and musicians. Weddings as well employed musicians, and were also accompanied by many distinct ceremonies that would have made good sport for children to imitate.

The picture of the religious leaders of His day that Jesus offers is one of a group of children gathered in an empty marketplace calling out to one another. A game of wedding is purposed, and turned down by the group. Next a game of funeral is purposed, and just like the game of wedding it too is turned down. The question Jesus is bringing to light is "why?" Why don't the children want to play the games purposed? Is the answer is not because the games are not fun, or interesting. The games must have been fun and interesting to children because they were popular games, and children played them very often. So was it because the children were bored, over entertained, or tired of games? No.

The children do not want to play funeral because no one wants to be the dead body (the worst role to play.) Could you imagine being a little child and having to lay perfectly still while your friends danced around you, weeping and whaling; composing outrageous choruses of unrestrained mockery. All this would go on while you could not move a muscle. It would be pure torture for a child.

Likewise the children did not want to play wedding because they could not agree on who would play the role of bridegroom (the role to play that is the most fun.) One can only picture what fun it would have been to play the role of the bride groom in the wedding game. As the groom it would be your job to lead the wedding procession, and to start the riotous tumult of celebration by crying out with a loud shout.

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by all her children." Luke 7: 33, 34.

Jesus uses the example of the wedding game, because of it's similarities to His ministry. Like the children in Jesus story the religious leaders of Jesus day did not want to play the wedding game because they all wanted the control and honor of being the bride groom for themselves. There could only be one bride groom in the wedding game, and like obstinate children the Pharisees and lawyers would rather not play the wedding game, then play the wedding game and allow Jesus to have the honored position of bride groom. To allow Jesus to do so would mean they would have to admit their own unworthiness, and Jesus worthiness. This admission would take them out of the privileged position in society that they valued so much. Sinful men reject Christ, because they truly desire to rule over their own lives, and do not want Christ to rule over them.

Jesus uses the example of the funeral game because of it's similarities to John the Baptists ministry. Like the headstrong children who did not want to play the funeral game the self-willed religious leaders of Jesus day refused to take part in John the Baptists ministry. They turned down the ministry of John the Baptist because none of them wanted to be the dead body. Johns ministry was one of "preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" Luke 3:3. In order to take part in Johns ministry the Pharisees and lawyers would have to admit they were sinners, dead and unclean. They did not want to do this. To admit their own need for a "baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" would mean they would have to admit their own unworthiness. This admission much like the former one would take the Pharisees and lawyers out of the privileged position in society that they valued so much. They valued power, and the riches of this world over a right relationship with the true and living God.

Reason 3: There is no pleasing some people, because the problem is not in what they see, but what is inside them. 

Like ill-natured children the Pharisees and lawyers were unable to be pleased. There is no pleasing some people, because the problem is not out side them, but inside them. This self centered attitude that we have as children can often follow us into adulthood. When it does an individual often finds problems with everything around themselves, unable to see that the problem is inside them. 

Application: If you have a constant dissatisfied attitude with things around you, then you might have a real inward problem.

The problem is sin, and the answer is trusting in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins. 



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