Morning Reading for March 28

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.


These readings (ISBN: 0 85234 420 1) are copyrighted and made available with permission by
Evangelical Press; 12 Wooler St., Darlington, Co, Durham, England, DL1 1RQ