When Jesus Turned Up the Heat, Part 1

Today on Insight for living an alarming message from Chuck Swindoll thought about it, but it does play time. The grain would charge the people living today will quickly reject the message message of hope and reassurance is denied by rejected by by the very people Jesus came to reach down through the center of religious art is often depicted Jesus with a gentle smile welcoming eyes, perhaps holding a small lamb.

He appears tender, meek and mild likely preferred these docile images of Jesus because it suits our self-interest in serving a God who is compassionate and forgiving today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll reminds us that these snapshots of Jesus are true failed to illustrate the broader range of his character.

There are moments when God's justice is dramatically displayed in anger and review.

Chuck titled today's message when Jesus turned on the heat return of the word of life today in Matthew chapter 11 will be reading 15 verses right in the core of the chapter. Not easy to understand, and I can assure you.

Not easy to preach. I'm referring to Matthew 1112 through 26 Matthew 11 verse 12 begins in from the time John the baptizer began preaching until now the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing that could be rendered. The kingdom of heaven has suffered from violence and violent people are attacking it for before John came all the prophets and all in the law of Moses. Look forward to this present time. And if you're willing to accept what I say. He is a larger one. The prophets said would come. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. What can I compare this generation is like children playing a game in the public square.

They complained of their friends.

We played wedding songs and you didn't dance so we played funeral songs and you didn't mourn for John didn't spend his time eating and drinking, and you say he's possessed with a demon, the Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks and you say is a glutton and a drunkard and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners. But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles because they have not repented of their sins and turn to God what sorrow awaits quarterly and Bethsaida. For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon their people would've repented of their sins long ago clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show the remorse I tell you Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you and you people of Capernaum, would you be honored in heaven no, you will go down to the place of the dead, for if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you at that time Jesus prayed this prayer over father, Lord of heaven and earth. Thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever for revealing them to the childlike yes father it please you to do it this way, the Lord open our eyes to understand in our hearts to accept what is written is study the book of Matthew with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures.

Studies by going to Insight world.org/studies another message from Chuck titled when Jesus turned up the heat there.

Some days I would love for someone else to preach in my place. This happens when I come to a section of Scripture that is complex and hard to understand be so convenient to call in sick not to be recovering at home watching a game on television is your down here laboring over this past remind me of a humorous story. I learned years ago of a brilliant geologist who was really a recluse and he wrote many books he was sort of the star in his field. His discipline was envied by many because of his mental acumen and he therefore sort of stayed to himself, but the public continued to want to hear from him personally and he got under little pressure to finally put together a summer full of speaking engagements anyone from one to another to another. Yet another house was always fact the crowd was was large and he was off and was really small, standing upfront as he would stand and deliver these flawless lectures on this complicated subject, but about halfway through the journey he got really sick of hearing himself giving the same old talk Eddie said to his driver one day that you know why I am so weary of the same talk the drivers and I'd sit through every one of them I could do it for you.

The support over the next service stations.

They pulled in.

They'd exchange clothing. He dressed up like a scholar and and the scholar dressed up like a driver put on the Got behind the wheel and drove into the next outdated nor different than ever seen the man before introduced himself and finally walked into this massive hall packed with people I was driver set up on the microphone and delivered it flawlessly. It was without one error in the scholar dressed up like a rubber setting of the side looking and smiling that you agree to this. We do this again. When he finished, the crowd just exploded with a plot that set up in the master of ceremonies walked back to the bike. Exhibit 1BC number do something of number done before over the floor for questions you have any questions for the scholar design and one man down from us in the present. Yeah, I've been wondering for a long time. How do you justify your radiocarbon dating method.

In light of the universal deluge that abruptly changed all geological specimens from the antediluvian era. Until then, all and by the way, you might mention how that impacted the laws of thermonuclear dynamic small beads of perspiration broke out forward. The man walked up to the mic. He said that such a simple question. I'm gonna let my driver answered for you when I come to Matthew chapter 11. I don't think anyone sees simple and I can't find a driver so I'll give it my best. What's the subject that Jesus is dealing with these the Messiah. He's offered the kingdom of heaven to people who don't want it. It all began with John the baptizer. You may recall who came out of the wilderness as the forerunner of the Christ of the Messiah and he did his job will he stepped up faithfully carried out his responsibilities and then went a little too far with Herod Antipas and as a result you may remember from our last time he was thrown in prison and there he stayed in Jesus on his own. Having talked about how great Tron is addresses.

Further, the subject that these people were rejecting lose his audience. What you won't find them mentioned by name in verse 12, where our passage begins, but you will see them appear at the end of verse seven are right in the middle. John's disciples were leaving, and as that happened. Jesus began talking about him look at it to the crowds so the people he's speaking to would be sort of a mishmash of men and women, some following him to get their bellies full of food. Others coming out of sheer curiosity and there were others who were really wondering what this was all about. And certainly there were skeptics say will have none of this. Who could even say for sure. He's Messiah. In spite of the fact that Jesus had done the work of Messiah Penta spoken the words of Messiah. They wanted nothing to do with it. So his people who were listening, nor for the most part unbelievers.

As I read the verses before us.

I get the feeling that Jesus takes off the gloves and turns up the heat. He's put up with them for a while and now it's time for them to hear it straight from his mouth. They are responsible with the information he has been giving him and they must respond or they will never know the joy of what he has to offer them. He says in verse 12. From the time John the baptizer began preaching until now the kingdom of heaven. I believe it could be read has suffered from violence by violent people.

It is not been well received. It is not been embraced. There were those who have viciously attacked the message and want nothing to do with it before John came all the prophets and the law of Moses. Look forward to this present time. They had spoken of it. They had written about it.

Another we find ourselves in the here and now you want nothing to do with it. And if you're willing to accept what I say.

He is Elijah meaning he speaks is one like unto Elijah, the one the prophet said would calm anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand the words you will need to have the same kind of forcible devotion to follow the teaching that the majority of you in your own vicious and forceful way or rejecting the messy and denying what I am offering. It's a deeply emotional and passionate word of warning fact he says in so many ways also hear these words must heed them. I think there's a word for our own times in this as well. On the last time you thought about it, but it does plague me at times that the great majority of people living today openly reject the message of Christ.

Some simply shove it and walk away. Others viciously attacked as we have seen in terrorist attacks. When the terrorists tell the Christians the sound of their feet and to deny Christ. Those courageous enough to do so stand and refusing to Don to deny him or some on the spot. This is nothing of ancient history. This is today as well. This message of hope and reassurance in Jesus case the kingdom of heaven that is literally offered to the Jews is denied by and rejected by an attack by the very people Jesus came to reach to touch we witnessed the same today. He goes on. Not only is there the vicious and violent attack on the message that he offers.

Please observe that there is sort of a game played and he refers to them as that we can verse 16 to what can I compare this generation.

Marie click carefully, like children playing a game in the public square, complaining to their friends. We played wedding songs and you to the dance.

We played funeral songs and you didn't more think it's a direct slam against John the baptizer who came out of the wilderness looking weird sounding strange, but a message that cut like a hot knife through butter. As he told them to repent. As he spoke of the one who was the Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world and he is not. He said to himself. I am not the one that I come to tell you of the one in John faithfully did that you want to do was play your wedding day.

John wooden sing and dance and the not come along and I declared the message in you want me to follow along your plan for fasting in morning, and I don't do that we don't live our lives according to your rules, but according to God's rules in your like petulant pouting children.

You want nothing to do with it because we're not doing it your way.

It's clearly a slam against the baptizer and the Messiah. You want us to play your games and we won't. And because we don't look at what they did next. They call the names did you notice that when we read it earlier.

Verse 18. John didn't spend his time eating and drinking, so you gave him a name is a demoniac. No one dress like that would be in his right mind.

No one sounding like that would be a mature adult. He's weird must be a demon he's demonized and then I came in. Matthew had a party and I sat down with his table for the meal with all of Matthew's friends, a mixture of unbelievers that Matthew once shouldered with and had a career alongside oven. He wanted me to be there and so I came among them in the up summer outcasts. Yes, some drank too much. Some use words that you don't consider worth hearing not sent among them. But you had no idea of my message to them. However, you're busy calling me a glutton and a and a drunkard. All I am is a is a barfly and inebriated troll. That's how you see me these are strong words spoken of those people understanding their exposed. You want things your way. You will not conform to this agenda. I can assure you, your agenda means nothing to me what I have to say is a message for all of you to hear and heed you criticized. You walked away from it is her serious charges. What a series of rebukes all of those today who think of Jesus as meek and mild heaven really digested.

Matthew 12 Matthew 1112 26 is a strong words because they would not heed his message. He told them the truth about what they think Eddie is through. He hasn't finished beginning at verse 20. He begins to denounce towns that had seen a lot of him and watched him work and heard him teach and witnessed his miracles. He names them for us what the verse says Jesus began to denounce the towns note this, for he had done so many of his miracle because they hadn't repented of their sins and turn to God. Woe to you court seen woe to you that SATA wolves you, Capernaum lies soy lies soy. The words are repeated and they are anguishing words of sorrow, not anger. He's heartbroken. No, maybe you about now you're you're missing it because were not familiar with these places so this gives me a chance to turn to the maps all I just been waiting for this opportunity recently and now we have a chance to do it.

Go back to the map of the ministry of Jesus in the back of your Bible, I see three people turning to the back of their Bibles come on folks turn back there, take a look at the map and I'll show you the towns then I'll explain why I call them triangle of evangelicalism is that evangelical triangle of the towns when you're at the right map to see three large bodies of water.

The Mediterranean is on your left. To the west. The Dead Sea is the larger body of water inland down south in Judea.

If you go north of the Jordan River you will come to the small body of water called the Sea of Galilee. Look at the sea of Galilee. Let your eyes study the north end. Look up at the top of the Sea of Galilee. You will find coursing you will find Bethsaida and you will find Capernaum see them. He's talking about those three talents know why because this was the area where Jesus spent much of his time and performed many of his miracles was interesting. Nowhere else to reread anything significant or hardly the name coursing and Bethsaida only here now read of Capernaum, because that's sort of his home away from home for Peter live and his mother-in-law live with them is where Jesus called the disciples along the shore.

The northernmost part of the Sea of Galilee is where Jesus Kept returning to after he had done ministry elsewhere.

So we read of Capernaum, but Bethsaida and coursing are virtually unknown. Why is that significant will am reminded of the last verse in the Gospel of John.

Many other things Jesus did and taught which are not contained in this book if they were all recorded right down to the last detail.

The world could not contain the books to put it bluntly, we know much less then we know more of what Jesus did and said that we wish we really know very little. Only what is revealed in the Gospels of Mitch in time to time in the letter you're listening to Insight for living Chuck Swindoll titled today study in Matthew chapter 11, when Jesus turned up the heat to learn more about the ministry of insight for living.

Please visit us online@insightworld.org it's alarming to hear these words of Jesus as he faced off with an audience who failed to understand the fragility of life and the cost of discipleship and there's much more from this passage we need to explore together and insight for living. We remain committed to teaching these principles, no matter how difficult or unpopular they might be. In fact, we resolve to take these commandments of Jesus far beyond our own borders were men and women have less access to clear Bible teaching than we do. It's a mission to bring the hope in light of the gospel to all 195 countries of the world that were calling vision 195.

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