WHAT MIGHT JESUS SAY ABOUT OUR GENERATION?

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear.

"To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge
and you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by her actions."

Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.”

Matthew 11:12-26

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

If Jesus were to return today, what would He say about this generation?

It’s a question we should always think about.

Why?

Because if we would consistently think about it, I think we would continuously be reminded of how much we need to be proactive in carrying out our part of the Great Commission. For Jesus does not expect a passive approach taken toward evangelism but a proactive one.

Our scripture today affirms that.

For as Jesus continues to preach and teach in the towns of Galilee, we see Him speak about those who boldly went forth as spokespeople for the Lord. He said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear.”

For ages, God had sent special messengers to share His word and will with others. The prophets, including Ejijah, prophesied until John and then John carried on their work until Jesus came at last…the awaited Messiah…the kingdom of heaven now come to earth and forcefully advancing so that forceful men could lay a hold of it.

So how well are we today in laboring for Jesus and the gospel? Could we consider ourselves as forceful men and women who are ensuring the gospel is forcefully advancing whereever the Lord might have us?

What might Jesus say about our generation?

He didn’t think to favorably about the One He was trying so hard to teach. We know this because of His words. Back to the scriptures where we read Jesus saying, "To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge and you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' But wisdom is proved right by her actions."

John first had come to announce the pending arrival of Jesus, the One who would “baptize…with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Matthew 3:11b) But the Jews for the most part chose to not believe and respond. They thought John was crazy.

Then Jesus did come, just as John has prophesied. And yet, despite His consistent display of holy power, the Jews for the most part rejected Him too, eventually falsely accusing Him of blasphemy and seeing that He was executed.

Indeed, Jesus was not happy with the generation which He entered the world in.

Need further proof of that?

Just read on in this passage. For Jesus “began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent”. Specifically, He said:

"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

Obviously, the people had made the wrong choice in not accepting Jesus. And obviously, he wasn’t very happy about it.

Again…what would Jesus say about our generation? About our cities? Our communities? Our neighborhoods?

Friends, if Jesus is going to say positive things about our generation…if we want to find ourselves in His favor, then we had better see ourselves as we are…helpless like little children without Him…dependent on Him in every way. For it is the Father’s good pleasure…and accordingly the Son’s pleasure…to reveal to the humble spiritual truths that disclose their will and way for us…a will and way that takes us into their favor.

With Easter about to dawn again, may we resurrect our efforts for Jesus as He lives again…risen from death to life. It will be the right first steps to allowing Him to speak well of us today and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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