“There’s Nae Pleasing Some Folk!” When the imprisoned John the Baptist sends messengers to Jesus Christ with profound and significant questions, Jesus sends these messengers back with answers which we need to hear clearly in these present days. Look at what I am doing, and go back and give John a full report, and Jesus quotes from Isaiah Chapter 35 verse 61, appealing to Johns knowledge of the Old Testament. We are studying this passage in Matthew Chapter 11. Do read it carefully and prayerfully because it is highly relevant and apposite. John had to learn that Jesus was going to carry out His Ministry - His Way - as the Father wanted Him to. Verse 23 is so important. Never be offended or huffed at what Jesus is saying and doing. Then Jesus springs to Johns defence. John may have had doubts about Jesus, but Jesus Christ had no doubts about John. John was no spiritual weakling. John was not blown around by popular opinions and flimsy fashions. John was no softie who could be easily silenced. John could not be swayed and persuaded by Jerusalems political pressures, as they tried to get him to cool things down. John did the work God wanted him to do - ending up in prison - being beheaded. When you sign up as a soldier of Jesus Christ you do not receive a certificate saying that you will be kept safe and trouble free! Jesus says that John was more than a prophet. Jesus takes care of Johns reputation. John was fearless, bold, courageous, fiery, uncompromising and holy. When we come to verses 16 to 19, we read of a critical spirit. Jesus illustrates from children playing – two groups of children – one group is fed up. They have been trying to get other children to play with them – playing weddings and playing funerals. These are what the children would see mostly in the street. We played for you, and you did not dance, and you did not mourn, and you went into the sulk and you would not play. They would say, “No – I am not playing.” A spirit of criticism is very different from wise criticism. A critical spirit shrinks a person’s life, because you can never please that person. It is a sour and negative attitude. This is something we need to get rid of as soon as possible. There is a phrase in Scotland – “There’s nae pleasing some folk!” It does not matter what you do, others will never be pleased, and they will run all over the place looking for satisfaction, and they never find it! In verses 20 to 24, we read of where the people just ignored what he had been doing. Some may think Jesus’ comments are pretty severe. Capernaum had become Jesus’ headquarters, or adopted home town, following his being rejected in Nazareth. What an extraordinary thing for Jesus to say. All they had done was just ignore Him! It will be more tolerable for Sodom. They just got on with the business of life, and they had been listening to the voice of God, who had blessed them, and who had come for them, after sending a forerunner John, and then God sent His Son, and they more or less said, “All of that matters nothing to me!” Circumstances have not changed all that much today and the needy hard heart of man remains basically the same as it was in Jesus’ day, and Isaiah’s day, and Ezekiel’s day. You don’t go out and criticise the preacher. You just go out and ignore whatever was said – whatever God said through His Word. When we come to verses 28 to 30, is this not an amazing word of encouragement following this conversation about John’s disappointment and Jesus’ ministry? Whatever your condition, the solution is always, come to Jesus. Come to me. If you are weary or burdened, come to me, and I will give you rest. Yes, I have a yoke for you. Come put your head in one side of the yoke. My head will be in the other side of the yoke and we will plough up and down the world’s fields together. As we serve alongside Jesus, and with Jesus, we learn lessons we would never have learned anywhere else in the whole world. Jesus may have made the smoothest yokes in Nazareth, but it is still a yoke. Come, put your head in the yoke and discover for yourself that his burden is light. (This weeks Word from Scotland - previous articles may be found at Studylight.org or liveasif.org - do have a wee search!)
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 16:15:29 +0000
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