The Offensive Yoke (Matthew 11)
July 5, 2020
As we live in a world that is so full of wickedness, do we wonder if God is in control? Is it possible for a mature Christian to have doubts and struggle with belief in God and Christ? How could that happen?
Today we are going to look at a text that reveals this possibility, helps us understand what is going on, and helps us overcome doubts so that we can rest in God's promises.
The Story
John's Doubt
Matthew 11:1--3 (ESV) --- 1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
We begin by seeing Jesus continuing his work of teaching and preaching the good news of the kingdom. He did not send out his 12 disciples so that he could take a break. In verse 1, we see that Jesus goes into their towns while they go into all of the other cities.
Then, we read that John hears about Jesus while he is in prison, and he has his disciples ask this very odd question, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" This is especially odd when we consider John's role earlier in the book. John baptized Jesus with a recognition that Jesus was much higher than John. Now John hears about Jesus going everywhere and healing everyone. Apparently, John was expecting something a little different.
Matthew 3:11--12 (ESV) --- 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
John was expecting Jesus to lay the hammer down. There should be judgment and hellfire and brimstone! If Jesus is the Christ, why isn't he fulfilling the expectation John had from his study of the Old Testament? When he reads the Old Testament, all he sees is a people worthy of destruction. God repeatedly points out their faults, but he patiently waits until a final judgment day. John was looking for that because when that came, all of those who are faithful will be blessed, and God will destroy the wicked.
Isaiah 35:4--6 (ESV) --- 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
Maybe this is a text that John had in mind as he questions Jesus. But John was focused on a small part of the text. Can you imagine how encouraging these words would be for John while he is in prison? He was probably hoping in these words and expecting to see Jesus come in and save him with judgment. Remember that John lived in the wilderness. He was looking for that wilderness to become a spring of water and life.
Jesus Responds
Verse 4 begins Jesus' response to John's question. Notice how he uses Isaiah 35 to help John's disciples see what he is doing.
Matthew 11:4--6 (ESV) --- 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Jesus tells them that a taste of God's blessings are already being poured out on mankind. Jesus is working to reverse the curse of sin. Jesus tells them to watch him work. Then he goes out and heals the blind, the lame and the lepers. He shows them how he can bring the dead back to life. What do they think now? Is Jesus the Messiah or not? Of course, he is. No one has been able to do the works that Jesus can do. God is working through him as he has never worked through any man before. But what about the vengeance? Jesus doesn’t say anything about that right now.
What Is The Offense? (7-19)
Notice Jesus' words in verse 6, "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me." Isn't it amazing that Jesus healing people and doing good for people is offensive? But in doing this work, Jesus is fulfilling the Old Testament and helping people see the real character of God. Why would people be offended by this? There are multiple reasons, and Matthew helps us see them in the rest of this Chapter.
1. Where Is The Judgment?
Matthew 11:7--15 (ESV) --- 7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered 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 accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Jesus held John in high regard. He was steadfast in his faith. He was willing to sacrifice the comforts of life to fulfill his mission. He was the prophet of all prophets. Jesus says there has been no greater prophet in the history of the world. He is Elijah.
We just studied Elijah, so we know how Elijah preached to king Ahab. He was zealous for the Lord. He wanted Israel to suffer so that they could understand who God was and how horrible their sin was. Do you remember when God took Elijah up on the mountain and told him to come out of the cleft in the rock? God sent an earthquake, fire, and a strong wind that would have killed Elijah if he had stepped out, but God was not in any of those. Then, God sent a whisper, and Elijah was able to understand the nature of God. This is John's moment to understand as Elijah did. He was full of zeal and wanting to see judgment, but Jesus was more of a whisper than an earthquake, wind, or fire. John hoped for salvation from Herod, but he would find salvation after this life.
a. The Kingdom Was Losing
Verse twelve should stand out to us. Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. Other translations struggle to translate these phrases. What do they mean? In this context, Jesus is trying to point out why John is having so much trouble with Jesus' work. God's people seem to be suffering, and the enemy is still in control of so much evil. Jesus warned his disciples about the persecution they would go through as they taught and healed. John is in prison for speaking the truth. It does not seem like God is winning. This kingdom is not happening, and people are hardly finding salvation. Do we see how John expected this kingdom to be like all the other kingdoms that have ever existed? The world has imposed its false view of the kingdom on John, and he was buying into it. They were telling him that he won't be saved and he was starting to believe it.
b. Jesus Did Not Dominate
Notice the way that Jesus did his work in verses fourteen and fifteen. He says, "If you are willing to accept it," and "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Jesus does not force anyone to do anything! What a wimp! The Jews were expecting a leader to dominate, not serve.
2. Why Don’t You Meet Our Expectations?
The fourth reason why people might take offense at Jesus is laid out in verses 16-19.
Matthew 11:16--19 (ESV) --- 16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 17 “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 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 at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
Notice that the people are offended because God's prophet and Messiah refuse to do what they want them to do. He and John refuse to conform to their will. But Jesus says that John came in complete righteousness in the eyes of men and God, and they said that he has a demon. He was so different from the society that they could not accept him. Jesus then calls himself the Son of Man (codeword for Messiah), and he says that he came eating and drinking. This means that he did not pursue an ultra pious life in the wilderness like John. He lived an ordinary life, and they were offended by that. They called him evil because he befriends tax collectors and sinners.
There is no way to win with people. They always find some reason to reject the messengers of God. Why? Because they refuse to submit their will to God's will. They want a prophet who mourns as they want him to mourn. They want a Messiah who dances the way they want him to dance. They have no care for the ways of God because they are entirely focused on themselves.
Judgment Is Coming (20-24)
In the next section, Jesus reassures everyone that there will be a judgment. The judgment is building up as these people refuse to listen and submit their will to God's will. This generation is more privileged than any generation that has ever existed because of the miracles done in their day.
Matthew 11:20--24 (ESV) --- 20 Then he began to denounce the cities where 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 done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
He even goes so far as to say that they are worthy of greater judgment than Tyre and Sidon or Sodom. Jesus is compassionate and willing to do so much for people while living on earth. But if they refuse to repent and learn from his example, they will be judged.
Many here today have heard all of these words, but you have no idea what Jesus has been talking about. Some have no clue why evil is allowed to go on in the world. Maybe your doubts about God are rooted in your system of judgment. You say, "If God were real, he would judge those evil people," "If God were real, he would set up the kingdom in this way," "If God were real, he would dominate everyone so that we wouldn't suffer," or "If God were real, he would satisfy our desires, give us what we want, and make us happy." It is understandable to doubt God and be temporarily fooled by these deceptions. The greatest man to live until Jesus was deceived in this way. But Jesus declares judgment against those who refuse to repent at a later time. We have no say in God's timing.
Jesus Thanks God? (25-26)
But Jesus does some things in the following verses that are quite odd.
Matthew 11:25--26 (ESV) --- 25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
In front of everyone, Jesus thanks God for hiding all of these things from the wise and understanding. Then he thanks God for revealing them to "little children." Isn't that odd? Jesus thanks God for his wisdom. He has brought about a salvation that the proud will never accept. God will not force men and women to believe and repent. He will give them the opportunity to do so, and if they refuse, there is no doubt that they are worthy of judgment. This makes the judgment process very easy. The proud and rebellious will not get in.
This may seem like a cold thing to thank God for, but we notice that God has found a way to help the poorest and weakest of mankind. Remember the opening words to the Sermon on the Mount? Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, those who mourn, and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. This is who God wants to receive the blessings he has promised. The stubborn and proud will not come in. They will be offended by such a message.
Think about how offensive this whole thing is. Jesus is saying that he will save them and bless them, but they must admit that they need salvation. How does any of that make sense? To those who are wise and understanding, it does not make any sense at all. They will reject it because they are too proud to accept what Jesus is offering. They don't want to be saved. They want to save themselves.
The Invitation Remains (27-29)
Look at the final words from Jesus on this topic of being offended by Jesus.
Matthew 11:27--30 (ESV) --- 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
These last words are at the core of all Christianity. Jesus is calling for everyone to come to him. Notice that Jesus does not call everyone to come to his philosophy on life or his commands and teaching. Jesus calls for everyone to come to him to find rest for their souls. He is what everyone needs. He has a yoke to place on you, but it is more comfortable than the one we are currently wearing. You might say, "I don't have a yoke at all right now." But we are all wearing a yoke. Maybe your yoke is your desire to be popular or good enough for other people to like you, so you overcommit. Perhaps your yoke is some status symbol so that everyone believes that you have control of your life, so you work three jobs and have gobs of debt or "financial security." It could be a system of righteousness that you know deep down you are failing to keep. We work and think that surely God will see us as good people because we do this or that, but don't we see, that's us playing music for God expecting him to do what we want. We might pass the morality test of our society, but we will never be worthy of entering God's presence until we give up our heavy burdens and fall down at the feet of Jesus.
Application
This man who the world sees as too compassionate or too judgmental is actually the perfect amount of both. He is the Messiah, the savior of the world, and he asks each of us to stop being stubborn and offended by his message. He knows that our yoke will never give us the result we want. He will not harm us or do us wrong. He loves and cares for each of us.
Conclusion
Are you doubting God's Messiah? We see John go through a period of doubt when he was suffering, but Jesus shows him the nature of God. God shows his strength through forgiveness and mercy. If judgment comes upon any of us listening to this message, it will not be because God was unmerciful. He has shown us his grace and mercy. No one here will force you to accept it. But it is up to you to choose it. Will we accept or reject his grace?
Are you burdened and overwhelmed with the weight of your sins? Jesus takes those sins off of your shoulders and nails them to the cross. He will do that every day for the rest of our lives. "His mercies are new every morning." (Lam 3:23) Is your soul tired of seeking satisfaction in this world? Jesus does not give us the temporary satisfaction we think we need. He gives us the ultimate soul-satisfying relationship with a creator and an understanding that gives our lives purpose.
Do you need a savior? Don't be offended! Come to Jesus and submit today.