Article for Sunday July 9, 2023
Matthew 11:25–26 25At 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; 26yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
Jesus just got through preaching about the sins of Capernaum. Jesus declared to them that their sins were worse than the people in Sodom. We know that Sodom and Gamora were destroyed by God for their sin. Now Capernaum might face the same fate or worse and find themselves falling into the bottomless pit.
It seems like Jesus turns the page. Instead of talking about Capernaum Jesus switches modes and starts a prayer of thanksgiving to His Father in heaven. Jesus thanks the Father for hiding His will from the wise and understanding. These wise and understanding that Jesus is talking about are those who are of the worldly ways and rely on their own wisdom and understanding.
We need to be careful to stay away from those self-proclaimed and worldly experts. We have many who think they know how everything works and they do not. We have many who use their idol status and swollen egos thinking that makes them experts, at least in their own minds.
These who lie to us and themselves are not who we should be listening to. Though many feel they for some worldly reason must. These who lie are not the wise, understanding, or experts that we should trust. Rather these are the worldly ways that want to devour all whom they can to share in their sorrowful fate in the bottomless pit. The sad part is they don’t know the danger they are in, and they don’t care what danger they put you in. Likewise, be very careful who you put in charge. Most will use your ignorance for their own benefit and lead you astray.
Jesus thanks the Father from hiding the truth from those who would find a way to exploit the truth. Jesus also thanks the Father for revealing the truth to all the children. The children are those who are who are poor in spirit, the meek, those who hunger for righteousness, and those who acknowledge their sinful nature. These are those who look up to God for guidance, and salvation as a child looks up to a parent.
Matthew 11:27 27All 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.
All of the true understanding of the will of God the Father has been given, handed over to the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. And here we see that Jesus is God as He knows the Father’s will, and the Father knows the Sons will because they are the one and only true God.
Jesus also lets us know that He shares this great knowledge and heart of the Father’s will with all of whom He chooses. This is the knowledge we gain from the word of God and specifically the knowledge of the gospel.
Life is not based on science, though science has its place. Life is not based on the law though the law has its place. Life is also not based on our work though our work has its place.
Life is based on the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who came to save us from eternal death. Jesus is the life because Jesus is the way. Jesus is the way because Jesus is the truth. And Jesus is the truth because Jesus is the only way to eternal life.
Matthew 11:28–30 28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
We who carry the heavy burden of our cross are the children of God. Our cross is our sin that we have acknowledged to ourselves and to God. Now we carry our cross and Jesus says to us that we should also take up His yoke. For the unbeliever the yoke would be added weight, but for the believer it is not.
The yoke that Jesus tells us to take up is the gospel and we know the gospel is the forgiveness of sin. So, the yoke Jesus tells us to take up is a lightening of the burden of our sins. We are forgiven, our cross is no longer heavy laden, and we no longer have to suffer the heavy burden for our sin.
We actually have every reason to celebrate, we have every reason to praise, thank, and give glory to Jesus Christ. Our burden of caring our cross has been taken up by Christ. Jesus carried the weight of all our crosses. Christ Jesus died to give us the gospel of repentance and forgiveness. Jesus then made it known to the poor in spirit, the meek, and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, through His resurrection, we too, will be raised from the dead. Christ Jesus made it possible and probable to share in the inheritance of eternal life. Amen.
Written by Pastor Curtis May