Luke 7:31-35 (Matthew 11:16-19)
Suggested further reading: Luke 15:14-24
The hearts of unconverted men are often desperately perverse
as well as wicked. Children at play were not more wayward,
perverse and hard to please than the Jews of our Lord's day. Nothing
would satisfy them. They were always finding fault. Whatever
ministry God employed amongst them, they took exception to it.
Whatever messenger God sent amongst them, they were not pleased. John
the Baptist, living a retired, ascetic, self-denying life, was accused
of being indwelt by a devil (v. 33). Our Lord, with his normal
social habits of eating and drinking, was accused of being a
gluttonous drunkard (v. 34). It was evident that the Jews intended to receive
no message from God at all. Their pretended objections were only
a cloak to cover over their hatred of God's truth. What they
really disliked was, not so much God's ministers, as God himself!
The world has not changed! Is it not a fact that many who
strive to serve Christ faithfully and walk closely with God find their
neighbours and relations always dissatisfied with their conduct? No
matter how holy and consistent their lives May be, they are always
thought to be wrong. If they withdraw entirely from the world, the cry
is raised that they are too exclusive, narrow-minded, sour-spirited
and righteous overmuch. If they go into society and endeavour to
take an interest in their neighbours' pursuits, the remark is soon
made that they are no better than other people and have no more
real religion than those that make no profession at all. Whatever
God's servants do, they are blamed.
The plain truth is that the natural heart of man hates God.
The carnal mind dislikes God's law, God's gospel and God's people.
It will always find some excuse for disbelieving and disobeying.
The doctrine of repentance is too strict for it! The doctrine of faith is
too easy! John the Baptist is too other-worldly. Our Lord is too
worldly. And so the heart of man excuses itself for sitting in its sins. We
must make up our minds that we cannot please everybody. We must
be content to walk in Christ's steps and let the world say what it likes.
For meditation: It is easy to justify disobedience by calling
the excuses we have reasons.
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