Contributor: Mike
Scriptures: Matthew 11:1-19 Isaiah 40:3 Psalm 36:6 John has been imprisoned by Herod, and he sends disciples to Jesus asking if He was the one to come or should they be looking for someone else to deliver the people from the rule of Rome.
Jesus reassures John’s disciples and sends them back to John with a clear message of hope. Jesus then uses this opportunity to talk about His cousin and asked the crowd “what did you go into the wilderness to see?”. A reed shaken in the wind? Were you distracted by other things, did you understand what John was saying? So, what did you go and see, a prophet, but I say to you more than a prophet, because this is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger before thy face which shall prepare the way before Me.
He likens that generation to games that children would play, games similar to what we probably played as children, and He tells us that children would divide into two groups: one 'calling' and the other ‘responding’ pretending to be at a wedding celebration where some would play on a flute and others would dance in response to the music.
But what exactly was Jesus saying, the generation at that time did not dance or mourn in response to what John and Jesus were teaching. They did not correct their hearts to the message of John when they were asked to repent. Nor did they respond to the message of salvation that Jesus proclaimed.
Both of their ministries, in spite of being very different, offended the people of that time, so that they turned on both of them, identifying Jesus and John with characteristics that were not in line with traditional teachings.
Jesus ended all the discourse by introducing us to the mysterious way Wisdom works.
“Wisdom is justified by her children.”
The work of Holy Spirit is not a response to crowds or popular demands. He works in a mystery we don't understand and the works produce "children" of wisdom that justify wisdom's methods.
Whatever way the Spirit or wisdom works, either through the different styles of John's ministry or Jesus ministry, He continues to work, His fruits or children are the evidence of that.
It is the wisdom of God working in your life that has each of us in the right place at the right time. There is verse in Psalms which says
'Thy judgments are a great deep' (Psalm 36:6).
God's judgments are a great deep, how God deals with our lives is full of mystery. It becomes difficult for our mind to understand what is happening, if we are not careful, we could place ourselves in danger of discounting the wisdom of these judgements and even doubting the intelligence behind them.
Because that plan or that blueprint for your life is so great, so deep, so involved, it is hard to understand.
David saw he was curiously wrought in the bowels of the earth; the mystery was in motion before he was born.
God said to Jeremiah, before you were formed, I knew you.
This is the mystery of God's dealings with His people. We do not yet see the completed picture, we cannot comprehend the finished plan or fathom the plot or the mystery because we have not read far enough.
The plot of any story may not become clear until the end of the book. We have to read the last chapter. the last page, sometimes the very last sentence, before we can understand the plot within.
Prayer:
Father we thank you that we were known from before the foundation of the world, we have been placed in this world at exactly the right season, the right place in history for us to grow into your Kingdom. One day the mystery will end and Your Wisdom revealed. We shall see the finished picture and the plan will be complete.