The Parable Of The Children In The Marketplace - [Matthew 11:16-19]

Stephen Hawking, Atheism, and the Claim That Theology Is Unnecessary

Well, I have good news for you this morning. It turns out that You know for those of you who'd like to say well, I'm no theologian turns out theology is unnecessary. The study of God is unnecessary. You know who says so.

Heathens, that's pretty harsh for 903 in the morning. We like to call them pagans here. Well, let's see probably. Allegedly the smartest guy in the world Says theology is unnecessary. Stephen Hawking world famous Physicist who controversially argues in a new book that God did not create the universe now.

I want you to you know normally this is no big news, but I thought this was interesting how he argues for this he says. Kind of takes a step back. Says God may exist, but science can explain the universe without the need for a creator.

Now listen to how he explains it. I Guess me. I'm not smart enough to understand this given the existence of gravity the universe can and Will create itself from nothing. He says gravity and quantum theory causes universes to be created spontaneously out of nothing.

The idea behind this is called the M theory which he says allows there to be many universes that were created out of nothing none of which required the intervention of God and That's because if there are many universes one will have.

One of the universes will have laws of physics like ours and in such a universe something not only can But must arise from nothing. Therefore he concludes. There's no need for God to have played a part.

I mean R .C. Sproul used to joke, you know that the idea behind Atheism and evolution was that you know nothing created everything. You know those kind of things something came out of nothing and here we have it a scientist saying it's a fact.

I guess I'm just not that smart. Sounds pretty stupid. Nothing existed and then everything sprung into existence. Smartest man in the world, what's that? He's definitely got a feudal mind. There's no doubt about that.

I don't like like you to invite you to open your Bibles this morning. Matthew 11. We're gonna be looking at verses 16 and 19 and a little bit at Luke 7. It's just interesting because I'm gonna give away number one the problems of mankind never change.

Look at question number one in our true or false quiz true or false since Jesus is talking to that generation. He says this generation, but obviously it's that generation because we're not in that generation anymore the parable has no relevance today and The answer obviously is false.

And the reason it's false is we listen to smart people like Steve Hawking Speaking foolishness and we realize that the heart of man over centuries has really not changed at all the things that They struggled with then.

You know, they might be more sophisticated. I mean here the Pharisees the scribes the legal establishment or the religious establishment of Jesus's day just thought that they were better than everybody else by virtue of their adherence to What they perceived as the law, but it really was just a bunch of man-made rules.

But today people are smarter Than They were back then because they don't they're not all hung up on that God thing. They can come up with theories about gravity spontaneously bringing everything into existence.

I don't even understand that. You know. The key though is to understand that there are the potential for many universes out there and then once you understand that Then the idea that you know, some universes spontaneously came out of nothing is a natural I guess so, but you know since we don't know about anything outside of our own universe.

We wouldn't know about that. So that'll be in his next book. But I digress. Yeah, no. Daniel says he has to counter known physical laws today to make that statement and Pam says no he doesn't because he doesn't you know he's the Unquestioned.

Hey, I mean, I'm sure he does in some kind of way, but he just says listen, you know. Well, let me just back up because I was reading about science this week because you know. People are always arguing about what science is and what it isn't and science is supposed to be what?

There's a word that they use well objective. Observable or falsifiable. In other words, if you put out a theory, it's supposed to be able to you know ultimately either be proven or disproven or repeated or whatever you're supposed to be able to falsify it or not falsify it and I when it comes to the Big Bang, you know and all these other concepts.

I'm just like, how do you how do you prove that? Of course, we know the answer is you can't but I don't know how that qualifies as science. Anyway. We are digressing. Let's go ahead and read this parable.

The Children in the Marketplace and the Rejection of John and Jesus

And I chose it because I thought this is really kind of an unusual parable. Verse 16 of Matthew 11. But to what shall I compare this generation it is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates.

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 look at him a Glutton and a drunkard a friend of tax collectors and sinners.

Yet wisdom is justified. By her deeds. I read that and I'm going well, that's quite plain. So a little bit of fun, you know. What has not changed? Between the generation that Jesus was addressing and our generation today.

Stephen Hawking. Pharisees. What do they have in common? Stephen their sinfulness and their willful disbelief and that is so important. Willful disbelief. You know people sometimes will say that if they had enough evidence.

They believe some of us want to believe that if we could make a compelling enough argument that anyone would believe. The truth is if we examine the pages of Scripture, what do we know? We know that Jesus performed many miracles and that everyone who saw those miracles Believed.

No, no, they didn't sinners love. Their sin that has not changed. Unbelievers are not neutral toward Christ or the gospel. And in fact, they will continuously make up absurd theories. Religions whatever why because they're holding down the truth.

They don't want to accept the truth that is right in front of them. There are no seekers. We know that from Romans 3. There are only different reasons for rejecting one writer says this. Talking about the differences between then and now or the similarities.

He says it's no different today. Of course God has many messengers with many varying gifts. Some are powerful speakers who can move a crowd to tears. Others are intellectual. They make a careful case for Christianity and present many powerful proofs of the gospel.

Some teachers are outgoing talkative people oriented. Others are retiring and thoughtful. Some write books others lead music or movements or music. Still others speak on radio or appear on television.

Some are old and teach the wisdom of their years. Some are young and proclaim the truth with youthful vigor. Some are analytical. None of this matters to a generation of determined sinners who say in opposition.

This one is too loud. Well, that one is too quiet. This one is too intellectual. That one is too superficial. In other words, they're always gonna find a reason to attack the messenger and ignore the message.

But when God changes someone's life He God leaves an unmistakable mark. Said this to somebody this week if there is no change in someone's life. There is no salvation. No change no salvation. Let's kind of set up the situation here for this parable.

John the Baptist's Ministry and the Rejection of His Baptism

Would somebody read Luke 7? Versus 24 to 30. Luke 7 versus 24 to 30. Who is that? Okay, go ahead. Yes. So The Pharisees and lawyers that is experts in the law. Rejected the baptism of John they rejected him.

Why did why did the messengers of John the Baptist come to Jesus? Does anybody remember yeah, go ahead to see if he was the one who was promised because he had been performing a lot of miracles cut a lot of people's attention and so this is the situation where they've.

The leadership has rejected John the Baptist in his baptism. And so he's addressing the people about these ministries and about the rejection of these ministries first John the Baptist and then His own ministry is rejected by them.

Question number two true or false in this parable. We learn Christians should not listen to flutes or dirges. I hear laughter, but I don't hear any answers. I think I've stumped you. Yeah, that's obviously false.

Verses 16 and 17, but to what shall I compare this generation? This is this is the whole point this generation the people that he's addressing the people who have rejected John the Baptist and The ministry of Jesus that's he's saying you want to know what these people are like you want to know what these leaders are like.

And he says he goes on it is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates. We played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We sing a dirge and you did not mourn. Jesus sets up this parable to explain what these religious experts and these Pharisees the the lawyers what they were really like they were like children.

They wanted something or they were never happy with what God Presented to them. They wanted something else. They thought they were sophisticated. They thought they were wise. They were the smart people of their age.

They prided themselves on their knowledge of the law of God. But the Lord is about to make their spiritual immaturity clear. He declares it right there. Let's talk for a minute about the marketplace. The Greek word is Agora.

There's a town in California called Agora Hills very nice place to live. If you can afford it. But what is it Agora a marketplace? What is it? What was it? Congregating area where there's an exchange of ideas.

I mean in In Syracuse, Iowa my wife's hometown. There's a little market or a town square. I really like, you know, Iowa because there is a literal town square. It's an absolute square. You know, that's all there is to the town but town square.

But it's it's a gathering place is a place where everybody would come together. It's defined this way it's a former public square where people gather for trade or for talk as in Athens when Paul engages the people in the middle of town and The idea being that is it is a place where everybody would congregate would come together.

So What do we have here? Why is this a parable? It's a parable because what is a parable? It is a real-life situation that he uses Jesus uses to illustrate a spiritual point. So here is a situation that everybody would understand all the people gathering in the town square in the marketplace.

For their various daily activities and he says look just as when we all gather, you know. Here's the shopping center over here. And here's the debating going on over here and here's this that and the other thing and here's the place where the children go and play.

These spiritual leaders don't respond. Appropriately, they are stubborn just like children when they should dance. They don't when they should mourn they don't they are Resistant to the truth is the spiritual truth that he's talking about here number three true or false.

John the Baptist had good reasons for what he ate. It's kind of tricky. What's he a Levite close? He took the Nazarite vow, so yeah. One of those it's he lived in the wilderness all that's true. He took the Nazarite vow, but that's not really the point.

Look at verse 18 for John came neither eating nor drinking and They the religious leadership said he has a demon. When they say, you know, what what do we picture in our heads when Jesus says John the Baptist came?

Neither eating nor drinking. What pops into our heads. What pops in my head anyway is well, I Hear here's when I hear John the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking. I picture him coming out of the wilderness.

Dressed like a wild man with his hair all crazy. You know and he's got Locusts in one hand and you know. What's that honey on the other? I mean he's just kind of if people are like, you know, this is this is a prophet.

This guy's wild. But that's not really what he's saying here when he says John the Baptist came. He's summing up the entire ministry the whole period during which he ministered. Let's look at Matthew chapter 3 verses 1 to 9 and we'll kind of get a Flavor of that and who wants to read that Matthew 3 verses 1 to 9.

Bruce. Okay. So there you have it the gentle loving ministry John the Baptist. He came out like a rocket, you know, it just laid into him. He didn't you know, he didn't go to all the right schools know all the right people, you know.

Set up some kind of survey in the neighborhood and then go out and find out what people wanted. He just showed up preaching repentance. But here's a question for you. It says if we look back at Our text this morning.

I Want to make sure I get it right Matthew 11 Verse 18 it says That he John came neither eating nor drinking. What does that mean? Does that mean that he wasn't eating anything? He wasn't a glutton and he wasn't a drink.

He wasn't partaking in the finer things of Jewish life, he wasn't eating delicacies. He wasn't going to the five-star four-star fast-food restaurants. I mean he was. He was not doing any of that stuff.

Yes, yep, he was kind of the yeah, that's a good point he was really. Because the idea of eating would have the idea of fellowship kind of joined with it. So he was basically just his his was just a preaching ministry.

But the larger point was that his was a very Spartan very unassuming a very plain Ministry he lived a very strict. Here's a word for you ascetic life not aesthetic but ascetic. The difference is aesthetic.

Is that which is pleasing to us or has a certain quality about it? Ascetic means what a sc e t e t ic. What is that? What is that? Austere good word austere. Well, let's put it. Yeah a very self-denying kind of existence.

You know, I mean he didn't even go to TJ Maxx. I mean this guy was you know, he was dumpster diving. I mean, he just didn't didn't care about any of that stuff. Was there another hand? Yeah, Brian yeah, and I think that probably is true and It's just he did not Care he did not plan about things like clothing food.

Whatever just trusted the Lord because his focus he was singularly focused on Preparing the way for the Lord on preach of the gospel of repentance. On proclaiming the arrival of the kingdom. That's what he did.

And what was the response to? John the Baptist from the religious establishment have a quote here from Leon Morris. He says instead of seeing the serious purpose behind all that he John the Baptist did They preferred to notice that he was different and put the difference down to demon possession.

Jesus said he had a that they said of him that he had a demon so John's asceticism which delivered him from the love of food that characterized all too many was ridiculed as The meanderings of a maniac they thought he was crazy or demon-possessed.

Nobody would be so self-abasing so indifferent to The comforts of life as John the Baptist without being demon-possessed. He had to be nuts. Well, he he was different. But he was different enough to draw attention to his ministry but the hard-heartedness The sinful hearts of the Pharisees and scribes caused them to attribute his ministry to the work of a demon.

Ultimately what would what we could say this that John was just he was too serious for them. He was too devoted for them. They just thought he was kind of he was out there. I mean, you know, we're strict and we have our rules and everything.

But this John the Baptist guy. He's really he's out there. Yeah, he did. He put them to shame. Number four. True or false Jesus talked about food to illustrate the problems with John's ministry. I Don't know what that means.

Don't even ask me, you know. That's false there's a really nothing to do with anything whoever wrote that should be fired. Oh, sorry his point. His point was that John's spiritual strength was not pleasing to them.

And yet he says in verse 19 look at verse 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking and They say look at him a glutton and a drunkard a friend of tax collectors and sinners. So they didn't like John's way of living he was just too too strong to you know kind of Virile and Wilderness Lee and you know all that kind of stuff.

He was just kind of out there. They condemned John even though he was living by the strictest standards took Nazarite vow. Yet they also condemn Jesus. What? For Not living by the standards that they set says you're never satisfied.

Somebody can be too strict. They could be too lax. You're just never happy. You don't dance when you should dance. You don't mourn when you should mourn when when John the Baptist showed up. They should have been mourning when Jesus showed up.

They should have been dancing. They didn't either one. Unlike John Jesus ate regular food. Yet Instead of claiming at this point that he had a demon they just complained about his companions and his habits.

Of course, they would later say what? He had a demon that seemed to be a pretty common attack. He has a demon. Why would they call him a glutton? It was incidents I think like Luke 6 when they're walking through the field and they eat on the Sabbath he and his disciples are Actually just says the disciples hungry, so they eat.

Jesus did not conform to their standards. Therefore slandering him was apparently acceptable. Just fine Drunker that's self-evident what that means just someone given to irresponsible. Drinking, but I think it's more interesting this idea of friend of tax collectors.

We talked about tax collectors from time to time. But they were ultimately considered Traitors. They were spiritually unclean because they had constant contact with Gentiles and if you were a Jew and you're in constant contact with Gentiles you were automatically ceremonially unclean.

One dictionary says this that in the synoptic Gospels that is Matthew Mark and Luke. Which is the only part where they're talked about the only part of scripture where they're talked about they are not holders of the tax farming Contracts themselves.

In other words, they're not the people who are directly responsible for collecting the Taxes. I found this interesting, but they are subordinates hired by them. The higher officials were usually foreigners.

But their underlings were as a rule taken from the native population. In other words tax collectors were Jews who worked for Gentiles to make sure that the Jews paid their taxes. Hired thugs and they were hated and they say he's a friend of tax collectors.

You can't get any lower than that also says that he's a friend of sinners and In the pharisaic view a Jew who is not religious or does not observe Jewish traditional rules is a sinner so basically. We already know this.

Jesus hung out in their minds with the scum of the earth. He was associated With the flotsam and jetsam the refuse of society. Why did he do that? Because they're the ones that need it. The healthy don't need a physician.

It's the sick if we look at Luke 15. That's exactly what he addressed in those three parables in that chapter the lost coin the lost sheep and the lost son. What was the point of that? He said, you know to summarize kind of those three parables in a couple sentences.

He said basically you people religious leaders. Don't value what God values. God is delighted when people come to faith and you guys don't care. You're not about saving people. You're about condemning people.

Kissed marker says this the wisdom of John the Baptist when he insisted on repentance and of Jesus when he held out hope of salvation. Even to those with whom many in Israel would have nothing to do. Was shown to have been fully justified by what it actually accomplished in the hearts and lives of those who by sovereign grace.

Gave their proper response to both of these preachers. In other words John the Baptist had his way of doing things. God ordained means Jesus had his own way of doing things. The Pharisees weren't happy with either one and yet they were both used of God.

God didn't use the Pharisees. I think I skipped a page here. I know I did. Let's look at number five on the quiz. True or false. It turns out dancing is approved by the New Testament. Who even cares what the quick answer that one is objection?

Irrelevancy. Number six. A proper understanding of this parable would lead us to a have a lower view of the IRS. Some of you're saying that's not possible. Be. Have a better grasp on the thinking of unbelievers.

See review our dietary habits to make sure we're on the Lord's diet. D. Rejoice and mourn at appropriate times. B is the correct answer. This is the issue. Unbelievers are never satisfied by the things of God.

They will always find a way to dismiss or suppress the truth. It doesn't matter how it's packaged doesn't matter if it comes out of the wilderness. Dressed in crazy clothing eating locusts and honey. And it doesn't matter if it comes in the form of the humblest man who ever lived just working among the outcasts to try and present the truth to them.

Doesn't matter. They're not happy. What did the Pharisees and scribes want Jesus to do what they would do conform to them? What do unbelievers want the church to do today? Conform to them. It's the same thing number seven true or false.

Wise Christians are careful when choosing their companions. True, but totally irrelevant. Number eight. True or false you can tell a lot about a man by the company he keeps. See, I wanted everybody to say true.

Guess you could tell us. Let's put it this way. I'm gonna say false. You can tell something about a man by the company he keeps. But you can't tell everything. Otherwise, what would we say about Jesus?

We'd be like Pharisees, oh look at him. Hangs out with tax gatherers sinners. No hope for him. Number nine true or false. The truth is differentiated from error by its results. True. Look at verse 19.

Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds. Wisdom is justified by her deeds. Kissmacher in his book on the parable said this. Wisdom represents God's wisdom. According to Matthew the divine works of Jesus are proof of God's wisdom.

You think of a passage that might talk about that tell the truth and shame the devil. Pastor Mike's been in 1st Corinthians. So let's go there at 1st Corinthians chapter 1 verses 20 to 30. Some of you may remember way back when two or three months ago when we were here.

1st Corinthians chapter 1 verses 20 to 30 and who would like to read that 1st Corinthians chapter 1 going once when Oh will Thank You will worldly wisdom says what worldly wisdom says that everything came from nothing.

Worldly wisdom says if you live a certain way, you're good enough. You're good enough for God, that's what the Pharisees taught. You'll be all these rules. God will accept you. God says I'm gonna send you a guy who looks absolutely insane out of the wilderness to teach the truth.

I'm gonna teach you a guy who breaks or I'm gonna send you a man who will break all the many of the religious norms. With regard to associating with those that were considered unclean with regard to the Sabbath all these man-made rules.

That you guys have all made up. He's gonna set you right and guess what? You're not gonna accept the man the shocking man out of the wilderness and you're not gonna accept the humble man who corrects your errors.

You're not gonna accept anything. I send to you my wisdom is Better than your wisdom, but you don't want to accept it. Leon Moore says the wisdom Jesus taught was not meant as a topic for debate in religious or philosophical schools.

It was something to be lived out and it is proved right in the works his followers do. This is a by their fruits you will know them situation. Wisdom does not need people to commend her. For the deeds of those who accept her vindicate her.

In other words. Those who are saved display the wisdom of God as they obey him. You want to know how great? The truth is watch how it transforms people's lives. No change no salvation. No truth no change.

The truth. God's wisdom changes people's lives. Number ten true or false the proof is in the pudding. I Don't know why. What does that even mean? I should have looked at I it is true, especially my wife's chocolate pudding, but I digress.

Let's let's look at Luke Chapter 7 verse 35 because the parable ends slightly differently in Luke and he says. Yet wisdom is Justified by all her children. Luke 7 verse 35 right now Luke's version. Wisdom is vindicated by her children not by her deeds.

But what would that mean you know if I if you if you look at The theological offspring well, let's just kind of back up a little bit. I say that Liberals have never built a seminary. Which is generally true?

What happens is for example Fuller is probably the most one of the most liberal seminaries in the United States, and it was? Built by a fundamentalist who was very strict with regard to obeying the Bible and Preaching the Bible, but he sent mr. Fuller sent his son Daniel To England to get his terminal degree, and it wound up being terminal for Daniel.

He came back not believing in the inerrancy of Scripture came back joined the faculty. That disease kind of spread and over a very short period of time Fuller became completely liberal. What's the point there.

Ideas matter and they are fleshed out they show themselves in generation after generation if you look at Mike and I talked a little bit on no compromise radio this week about this So-called hipster Christianity movement, and you read about it.

I don't know you you read about it in Christianity today, and you just go. The only thing that's missing from complete worldliness in this so-called hipster Christianity is One thing and that's sexual sin, but everything else is exactly the same and you just go.

Who can think this is a good idea? Let's be as much like the world as we possibly can and still call ourselves Christian and of course even if they are Christians. What are they then teaching their children?

What what are the fruits of that ministry in other words going to be if you get as close to? You know error as you possibly can while still staying in the truth, then what happens to the next generation?

The airs expand. I mean I think the greatest delight any parent should have is when they look at Their children and think you know what? My kids have a better life than I did in Terms of spiritualness you know in terms of home life in terms of other things.

And I'm thankful for that. Wisdom is justified by all her children. She sees God's wisdom is personified here her children the children who the people who have believed the truth and their lives same kind of idea as Justified by her knees justified by her all her children.

Those who are children of God act like children of God. So again the proof is in the pudding. The commentator writes this the context seems to imply a distinction between those who accepted Jesus wise teaching and those who did not.

In other words the wisdom of God is proven right by the faithful actions of those he saves or his children. Who inhabits the kingdom of God? Those who are transformed to be his subjects. Not those who live according to their own standards like the Pharisees.

But those who are saved by the sovereign grace of God who then respond to the father in obedience. Now what happens to those who do not and will not repent? Listen to James Montgomery Boyce. I read this and I just thought this is brilliant.

This first part is obvious, but let's. They will perish at the judgment as Jesus explains. In fact, let's read Matthew 11 verses 20 to 24. I'll just read that. Then he began to denounce the cities Where the where most of his mighty works.

Jesus's mighty works had been done because they did not repent. What are you Corazon? What are you Bethsaida? For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon. They would have repented long ago.

And sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you it would be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon. Then for you and for you Capernaum. Will you be exalted to heaven? You'll be brought down to Hades for the mighty works done and you had been done in Sodom.

It would have remained until this day. It would not have been destroyed by God. But I tell you it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you. In other words these people saw all the miracles of Jesus and they did not believe and Therefore their judgment is going to be great.

They will be. They will in fact be banished to hell, but listen to what voice says he says. Don't let that happen in your case if you are rejecting Jesus Christ as your Savior is. Not because the gospel has not been taught or because thoughtful preachers have not defended it.

It is because you do not want to repent of your sin and trust Christ instead of clinging to your own faulty character and weak works. He could have said these exact same things of the Pharisees. You want to cling to your own standards and believe that you're gonna be good enough.

You're not. It's all gonna be burned away and you're gonna be exposed. You excuse yourself by pretending you are wise to do as you are doing too wise to be taken in by any cheap religious claims. But you are not wise.

If you think you are you are the greatest of fools. The only wise course is to abandon any attempts to save yourself and repent of your sin and commit yourself to Jesus. Jesus says in the last verse of this section wisdom is proved right by her actions.

That is as true today as it ever was and Isn't as true in spiritual matters as in the mundane matters of life. If you are a wise person, you will act rightly and acting rightly means a turn from sin and follow Jesus.

God presents his truth. He presented through John the Baptist through Jesus. People reject it. Why. Because they're too smart. They're like Stephen Hawking. They're too self-righteous. They're too smart to believe that there's a God or they make up their own God.

The God I believe in is thus and such. Our job is twofold. First of all to present the truth to those who are in disobedience and secondly to live that truth out. In the first case we present the truth to people with the hope just as Jesus did that they will repent.

That God will unstop their ears that he'll open their eyes that they will see the truth that they will hear the truth that they Will flee to the cross and our second purpose our second Obligation as it were is to live out that truth.

So that when people see us they will say I know the difference that God has made in that man in that woman in that child. Wisdom is Justified by her actions by all her children those who are the sons and daughters of God.

Exhibit that in how they live. Let's pray our father you have indeed Shown your grace to many here today. To many. Across this world and throughout the ages untold millions and billions father when we think of the name of Christ being dragged through the mud by people who would make a name for themselves burning the Quran or Engaging in other foolish acts father.

We are disheartened. The Lord we know you are able to work even through the most difficult circumstances we know that there are many people even today. Many faithful men across the world who will stand up.

And say thus saith the Lord and read and teach from your word. Father we pray that you would Bless the preaching and teaching of your word today. That many would hear it and be transformed by it and would be trophies of grace.

Even vindicating wisdom by their own lives your wisdom in Christ's name we pray. Amen.