Our paragraph topic is: (The inconsistency of the Jews) Part 3.
Christ has told his disciples and the crowd how John the Baptist was characterized by this selfish generation. Now he tells them how they characterize him. In those days there was no daily news broadcast, morning, noon, evening, and night. There were no news stations. There were indeed news anchors, those who knew the latest news and spread that news around. For this is how news traveled in that time, by word of mouth. And the rulers of the time paid handsomely for the latest news. Kings and governors had their people out in the public, seeking to know the latest news so they could report back to their rulers what was afoot.
And the people in authority past judgement on that news, which kept the people in line with their thoughts and beliefs. They characterized John the Baptist as a lunatic. For they said that he was possessed of a devil. Then they chcaracterized Christ as a commoner. Christ told the crowd, Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold a glutton and a wine–drinker, a friend of publicans and sinners!’
So Christ, the Son of Man, the Messiah was characterized as a commoner. He was put down. He was degraded and dishonored. He was classified with sinners and drunks. Christ was considered like a street person. They had to belittle him in order to upgrade themselves. For they were the ruling class of the time. They were the owners of property and wealth, and prestige, and great stature in the community. They did not associate with sinners. They did not associate with gluttons or drunks, or drug addicts, or anyone below their stature in life.
And they did not know that the Messiah had come among them. They wanted everyone to dance to their tune, to mourn to their sorrows. This was the selfish generation. And the news went out about him, despite all the miracles that he performed, all the lame that he made walk, all the lepers that he cleansed, all the blind who's eyes that he opened, and all the dead that he raised. This is how Christ was characterized. So Christ told the crowds. He told his disciples. He wanted them to know how the people of this generation thought of him. He wanted them to see the folly of their ways. He wanted them to know the lack of wisdom that they did not have because they were blind and could not see.
Christ said, "And wisdom is justified by her children." For surely they did not have wisdom. Surely Wisdom did not walk with them nor were they her children. For the wise would see the signs. The wise would recognize the truths that had come to pass from the scriptures. The wise would understand the consequenses of their decisions to ignore the evidence of the times. Widsom did not have children in this generation. She did not give birth to the educated. She did not bring forth the rulers of the time. She did not give counsel to the governers and the wealthy that they my know the wrath that had come upon them.
If Christ came back to earth today and walked among us would you recognize him? If John the Baptist came back and proclaimed the gospel of the Lord would you accept him? We are caught up in a whirlwind world. Our lives take control of who we are and the world controls our lives. On this day, during the celebration of the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, will we wake up to the reality of who we are and step out of the world? Or is this just another day in the life of a christian who dutifully preforms his or her religious functions of going to church. Wake up from the dream world! See the reality of who you are! Be not conformed of this world but be conformed to the life of Christ. For all the sacrifices that he made for you and for me, let this day not be just another yearly celebration. Let this day become a day of recognition, a day of change, a day of awareness of all that Christ gave for our salvation. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Will you love him in return?
Christ has told his disciples and the crowd how John the Baptist was characterized by this selfish generation. Now he tells them how they characterize him. In those days there was no daily news broadcast, morning, noon, evening, and night. There were no news stations. There were indeed news anchors, those who knew the latest news and spread that news around. For this is how news traveled in that time, by word of mouth. And the rulers of the time paid handsomely for the latest news. Kings and governors had their people out in the public, seeking to know the latest news so they could report back to their rulers what was afoot.
And the people in authority past judgement on that news, which kept the people in line with their thoughts and beliefs. They characterized John the Baptist as a lunatic. For they said that he was possessed of a devil. Then they chcaracterized Christ as a commoner. Christ told the crowd, Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold a glutton and a wine–drinker, a friend of publicans and sinners!’
So Christ, the Son of Man, the Messiah was characterized as a commoner. He was put down. He was degraded and dishonored. He was classified with sinners and drunks. Christ was considered like a street person. They had to belittle him in order to upgrade themselves. For they were the ruling class of the time. They were the owners of property and wealth, and prestige, and great stature in the community. They did not associate with sinners. They did not associate with gluttons or drunks, or drug addicts, or anyone below their stature in life.
And they did not know that the Messiah had come among them. They wanted everyone to dance to their tune, to mourn to their sorrows. This was the selfish generation. And the news went out about him, despite all the miracles that he performed, all the lame that he made walk, all the lepers that he cleansed, all the blind who's eyes that he opened, and all the dead that he raised. This is how Christ was characterized. So Christ told the crowds. He told his disciples. He wanted them to know how the people of this generation thought of him. He wanted them to see the folly of their ways. He wanted them to know the lack of wisdom that they did not have because they were blind and could not see.
Christ said, "And wisdom is justified by her children." For surely they did not have wisdom. Surely Wisdom did not walk with them nor were they her children. For the wise would see the signs. The wise would recognize the truths that had come to pass from the scriptures. The wise would understand the consequenses of their decisions to ignore the evidence of the times. Widsom did not have children in this generation. She did not give birth to the educated. She did not bring forth the rulers of the time. She did not give counsel to the governers and the wealthy that they my know the wrath that had come upon them.
If Christ came back to earth today and walked among us would you recognize him? If John the Baptist came back and proclaimed the gospel of the Lord would you accept him? We are caught up in a whirlwind world. Our lives take control of who we are and the world controls our lives. On this day, during the celebration of the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, will we wake up to the reality of who we are and step out of the world? Or is this just another day in the life of a christian who dutifully preforms his or her religious functions of going to church. Wake up from the dream world! See the reality of who you are! Be not conformed of this world but be conformed to the life of Christ. For all the sacrifices that he made for you and for me, let this day not be just another yearly celebration. Let this day become a day of recognition, a day of change, a day of awareness of all that Christ gave for our salvation. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Will you love him in return?
