2005-04-10 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

Matthew 11:16-17 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

In this world, there are three groups of people:

There's a small group that finds God in every detail of life. It seems that everything is useful in leading them to God, and nothing is wasted. They can see the majesty of God in a sunset, in a thunderstorm, in a child's laughter, in a blade of grass, and they even see the majesty of God when going through times of hardship, confusion and despair.

There's another small group, and that's who Jesus is directly addressing in this passage. They continually search for reasons not to see God. They find fault in everything, and nothing makes them happy except finding someone else just like them; someone who they can compete with, to see who can out-do the other in being critical of everything they see. Jesus nailed this bunch by likening them to spoiled children who say, "No, no, no," or, "I don't wanna!"

When the prophet came, saying, "Repent and be baptized," they found fault with the way he dressed ("ewww, a camel hair suit and a leather belt"), with the food he ate ("yuck, grasshoppers and wild honey"), with the words he was saying ("wrath is coming, so bring forth fruits meet for repentance"), and they sure didn't want to climb down into that water with him. They stood together on the banks and said, "He's possessed by a devil." They should have mourned and lamented over their own unconfessed sins, but instead they picked up their toys and went home. They didn't want to play by God's rules. They wanted to "play church" by their own rules.

When Jesus came to them like an ordinary man, they called him a glutton and a winebibber who eats with sinners. He didn't conform to their teachings, and He didn't conform to their idea of what a Messiah should act like. They didn't like hearing that they should love their enemies. They didn't like hearing that their religious traditions were incorrect. They didn't like hearing about the woes of judgment. When they should have been dancing to the piping of grace and salvation, they were spending their time trying to trick Jesus into saying something He'd regret; trying to find fault in everything about Him.

The first small group finds joy and the love of the Father in almost everything, but as for the second small group, well, it seems that nothing will ever make them happy, and joy is pretty much out of the question. Even when they hear the truth, they can't receive it.

That's two small groups, now for the big one. Sadly, this is the one I usually see myself in; the big group that I think Jesus was also addressing here. I qualify for this third group because even though so many things around me could lead me to the Father, I find every reason not to follow. I find fault in the messenger, so I completely lose the message. I get caught up in all the finer points, in all the details, and I miss the big picture. I nit-pick and criticize out loud instead of quietly sorting through it all until I reach the truth, and the result is that I spend more of my time on negativity than I do on hope, on bitterness instead of purity, and I contaminate everyone around me with my unpleasantness. What a dishonor to the One who gave me this life, and this hope of life eternal! What a dishonor to the One who gave His body to be mocked, to be beaten, to be crucified, and paid the price for my sin! What a dishonor to the One whose blood spilled on that hill so long ago; the precious blood of the Lamb. For shame!

And when I do find truth, I only accept what I'm comfortable with. If the truth is compelling me to dance or mourn, I don't want to play today. I just want to sit here. Oh, I'll watch, I might even pipe up every now and then to tell you when you're not doing it right, but I don't wanna play right now. No, no, no, no. If it's not the way I want it to be, I'm not gonna play.

Jesus said He would send us a Comforter, and that tells me that we should be needing One. If I'm comfortable, then I have no need for His Comforter. If I would rather rely on what I'm comfortable with, on what I know, and expect that everything's ok, then I'm not relying on Him, and He told us... (Matthew 7:21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (by their fruits ye shall know them)

Does the "fruit" of my nit-picking and criticizing make me known as a "doer" who will enter the kingdom of heaven? Do I look like someone who's "kingdom bound" because I sit here in a pew on Sundays?

What should we do? Well, after we take the straightjacket off of our minds, and we're free to think, free to be open-minded, here's what I expect you to do: The next time you see me being nit-picky or critical, remember that first small group, and try to see the Father in everything. Then remember the fate of those Pharisees and lawyers in the second group, and try to help me out of there. Help me too see the Father in everything. Help me, please.