Whereunto Shall I Liken This Generation?
PARTIAL sermon: FULL PDF HERE
Luke 7:24-35
Jesus was very sarcastic at times. He sarcastically called the Pharisees “blind leading the blind” (Mt. 15:14), and white-washed sepulchers (Mt. 23:27). He also likened them to straining at gnats and swallowing camels (Mt. 23:24).
In our text, Jesus uses a sarcastic scenario to compare how the generation of Pharisees and lawyers rejected “the counsel of God” (v. 30).
I. The PICTURE (vs. 31-32).
Jesus gives a “picture” of what the generation of the Pharisees and lawyers are like.
A. The participants. The illustration is of children (probably teenagers) who sit (idle / loitering) in the shopping place (mall).
Here they sit bored. How easily children become bored. Some children get bored if they are left unstimulated for 3 minutes!
B. The playing. So, with nothing better to do they mimic playing at marriages and funerals. At a marriage they would pipe happily for people to dance, at a funeral they would play something sorrowful and people would weep.
They call to one another, “We have piped unto you, and you would not dance.” They soon get bored with that, so they play funeral—“We mourned to you, and you won’t not cry.” But they soon get bored with both! What a picture of this generation!
It would be like watching a funny movie and no one laughs. You put on a tear-jerker type of movie, and they still remain unmoved. They won’t laugh and won’t weep. Nothing pleases them.
C. The parallel. The Pharisees and lawyers were like that. They would play a lively song, but God wouldn’t dance to their music. They would play a sad song to God but He wouldn’t weep. Likewise, when God plays music that is lively and joyous, to Him, they sit bored and indifferent.
II. The PREACHERS (vs. 33-34).
Jesus’ interpretation of the picture.
Jesus associates the ministries of John and His own to this picture—John and Jesus were diverse in character. John came one way and Jesus came another way— but they were both rejected.
John came living a life of abstinence and warning of judgment. The world rejected his message saying he had a devil.
Jesus came living like most people and mingled with publicans and sinners. The world rejected Him also, calling Him excessive and a drunkard!
Characteristics of “this generation” toward John and Jesus:
A. Lack of response.
There was no pleasing “this generation.” No matter who delivered the message it was still rejected.
They wanted what they did not have and, what they were given, they did not want—They were given John the Baptist, the greatest prophet born of women, but they called him demonic. They were given Jesus, “the Son of man,” and called Him a glutton and drunk.
B. Lack of respect—v. 33. Don’t expect this generation to respect you if you stand for God and warn of God’s judgment.
C. Lack of reverence—v. 34. “This generation” still thinks Jesus was just another sinner like themselves.
PARTIAL sermon: FULL PDF HERE
One Reply to “Whereunto Shall I Liken This Generation?”
Great message. Thanks