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Matthew 11 verse 7 the Bible reads and as they departed Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John what went ye out into the wilderness to see a reed shaken with the wind the title of sermon tonight is into the wilderness we'll have a look at what this what this phrase is about what does it mean to go into the wilderness what did these people aim to see when they went into the wilderness so let's look let's pick it up from verse number one there Matthew 11 verse 1 the Bible reads and he came to pass when Jesus had made an end of command in his 12 disciples he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities just the first thing that I want to point there verse number one kind of feels like it's part of the previous chapter it kind of is because Jesus Christ sends out his 12 apostles into every city he gives them power to cast out devils to heal the sick to go and preach the gospel so he sends out his 12 but even though he sends out his 12 we see that Jesus himself departs thence to teach and to preach in their cities now let me say something about this okay if we look at Jesus Christ as our ultimate example if we look at Jesus Christ as the chief Shepherd as the Good Shepherd all right as it were the pastor the pastor of the sheep even though he sends his 12 to go and preach the gospel he himself goes out into every city into every town to teach and to preach all right so when I look at a passage like this I'm encouraged as a pastor not only should I be telling people to go out and do the great works of God not only should I tell my congregation the need to go and preach the gospel but if I'm not doing that if I'm not setting a good example within my own church then I'm not doing I'm not following the steps that Jesus Christ has left us here in verse number one but let's keep reading verse number two now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ he sent two of his disciples you see John the John here is referencing John the Baptist and we know about John Baptist he came and prepared the way of the Lord he came and prepared the way for Jesus Christ that many would come and believe on Jesus Christ and we see we pick it up here that he's in prison we see this great prophet of God in prison and we know what the reason for that is if you know okay Herod the tetrarch or Herod his name is also Herod Antipas you know John the Baptist had preached against it because he took his brother's wife and he preaches against him so Herod takes him and puts him into prison because he doesn't want to hear the Word of God now if you're curious about who this Herod is this is the son of Herod the Great and if you remember who Herod the Great was at the birth of Christ Herod the Great tried to kill baby Jesus remember that when he when he put in order to kill all the children that were two years old and under that was Herod the Great he ends up dying if you remember when they when Joseph takes his family to Egypt and so they come back out of Egypt but this is now Herod that the tetrarch his son he'd taken his his brother Philip's wife and so we see John the Baptist in prison it says there in verse number three and said unto him this is this is a message that John the Baptist is sending to Jesus Christ and he said unto him are thou he that should come or do we look for another yeah John the Baptist came to prepare the way of the Lord and now we have John the Baptist in prison he's discouraged and he's asking Christ are you the Christ are you the one that I came to repair the way for and what I want to bring to your attention there though even though John the Baptist is a great man and yes in the in the following chapter a chapter we'll see how great this man was but even he in the face of persecution even here here um he being thrown into prison had doubts of Christ even he got to a point where he got discouraged he got backslidden and he didn't know is this true the Christ that I had come to prepare the way and let me just tell you this you might find yourself in a position where you're discouraged you might find yourself not reading your Bible anymore not truly seeking the Lord he seemed so far away and you're wondering why is the Lord so far well you know what is wrong with me am I saved and you start asking these questions you start having doubts about your faith but let me say this is normal this is a normal part of life and this is why God gives us the example of John the Baptist a great prophet of God and even he had doubts you know and let's keep reading there verse number four had those Jesus replied to reply to the disciples of John the Baptist says Jesus answered and said unto them go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see the blind receive their sights and the lame walk the lepers are cleansed and the death here the dead are rised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them now what I love about verse number five okay is this you might not ever help a blind man see like physically okay you know you know Jesus Christ has not given you those powers okay you may never see the lame walk you may never cleanse the leper you may never make the deaf here you may never raise the dead as it were but one thing you can definitely do in this list is at the end of it and the poor have the gospel preached to them so Jesus Christ even amongst all these great miracles of healing the sick and doing all these things Jesus Christ names preaching the gospel among that okay so I don't want you to ever feel like man I wish I had these powers look you have a great responsibility Christ has given you the gospel to preach to your families your friends in the neighborhood and that's just as mighty as the works of raising the dead and and you know making the blind to see and all these other things guys you've been given a great privilege to do the works of God of preaching the gospel and this is how Christ this is what Christ uses to encourage John the Baptist hey I am the one that is Christ I am the Messiah I am the one you've come to prepare the way look at these amazing works that we've done all right now if you're wondering what is Jesus Christ quoting you don't need to turn though I'll read it to you quickly he's quoting the book of Isaiah I'll just read it to you it's Isaiah 29 verse 18 it says and in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book and the eyes of the blind shall see out of out of obscurity and out of darkness the meek also shall increase the joy in the Lord and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel hey who's the Holy One of Israel that's Jesus Christ you see these poor rejoicing in Jesus Christ why because we have the context of the New Testament they're rejoicing because they've had the gospel preached out to them they believed on Christ they've been saved they know their eternal home in heaven and so what Jesus Christ is telling John the Baptist hey this is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy this is the fulfillment of what Isaiah spoke about yes I'm a fulfillment of that prophecy but so are you John the Baptist he's encouraging John the Baptist look at verse number six and then he says and blessed yeah we're reading from Matthew 11 guys if you want to turn there Matthew 11 verse 6 it says and blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me so saying John the Baptist look don't be offended and yes John the Baptist was offended he was in prison you know I thought he's doing the great works of God why do I find myself here but here's a reality guys of the Word of God we must be believers that are non compromising when it comes to the Word of God you know I've got to be a pastor a preacher that will not compromise what the Word of God says if that means I could potentially be cast into prison for preaching the Bible then so be it now my flesh doesn't want to say that okay in my flesh I'd rather be protected I'd rather always know that I'm safe okay I don't want to be thrown into prison in my flesh okay but this the new man the Spirit of God that indwells in us it wants the Word of God preached without compromise it wants the Word of God preached even if it offends the authorities even if it means it brings persecution again amongst believers so be it okay this is a reality of the of the scriptures hey we've been given the great privilege of our sins forgiven eternal homes in heaven you know if we're cast into prison for the Word of God look it's just a temple thing you know the things that matter are what's eternal the rewards in heaven that God has prepared for us so it's encouraging don't John the Baptist in verse 6 don't be offended in me John and then verse number 7 look look at verse number 7 and as they departed Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John so just in case these multitudes are like man this John the Baptist has really failed the Lord and you know what why is he doubting what why is what's going on just in case here we see how Jesus uplifts John the Baptist okay look at it verse number 7 what went ye out into the wilderness to see a reed shaken in the wind so Jesus here sells the multitudes because a lot of them were disciples or followers were listeners of John the Baptist and John came preparing the way the Lord he pointed him to Christ so then they went from John the Baptist and went following Christ it's a great thing okay so he goes what went ye out into the wilderness to see why would you go into the wilderness it's a place without luxuries it's a place that's lacking food and resources why would you go out there he says and it says a reed to see a reed shaking in the wind did you just go to the wilderness to look at a wheat that's been moved by the wind is that what you went to see you know and what I'm reminded of here is that John the Baptist is not obviously is not the reed shaking in the wind okay and as believers as preachers of the Word of God we ought not to be people that is tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine and we ought to be believers that are established that are strong that hey you may need to hear some wilderness preaching in your life you may need to hear some rough preaching your life but hey it's the rough preaching it's the wilderness preaching that can change your lives it's the wilderness preaching that will help you mature and grow and be a greater Christian let's keep reading verse number seven sorry verse number eight and what we when you had to see what did you go to illness that's all about John the Baptist a man clothed in soft raiment did you go to the wilderness to see a man clothed in soft clothing you know silky clothes you know fancy clothes is that the guy you went to see in the wilderness no this is behold they that wear soft clothing are in the king's houses hey it's the it's the rich it's the powerful it's it's it's the kings and and the king's house that wears the soft clothing you didn't go and see him hey how was John the Baptist dressed remember he had camel skin he had a leather go to a leather belt you know around him you know he was like he was a wild man a rough man he ate our honey and locusts I mean this guy ate insects okay for his nourishment this I mean I don't have any of you I've been to I've been to Bangkok in Thailand and for for work and you know on the on the streets they sell insects you know to eat it's like you know and they challenged me can you eat this I know I'm not gonna eat that we had a challenge for work like a team a team building till team bonding thing and I wouldn't I just pretended to eat it I didn't need I couldn't do it I'm just not as rough as John the Baptist but I got I got to work toward that okay I got to work that but this is John the Baptist doing great works have got a rough man eating insects eating honey and let's keep reading their verse number line but what when he had to see a prophet yeah I say unto you and more than a prophet this guy's even this man that you came to see is a great prophet and yet he's a prophet of the wilderness okay he doesn't have the luxurious church building he doesn't have the luxurious clothing he doesn't have the long robes okay but you went out to see him because you wanted to hear the preaching of God's Word you wanted to see someone strong you wanted to see here some wilderness preaching you wanted to to know who the Christ was and he he pointed you to me you went there to get baptized and do all these things and then he says in verse number 10 for this is he of whom it is written behold I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee now what I want you to do guys is keep your finger there in Matthew and turn to Malachi chapter 3 please turn to Malachi chapter 3 this is really this is really important if you can turn there Malachi chapter 3 okay Malachi chapter 3 because what is Jesus speaking about here in verse number 10 I'll just read verse number 10 again for this is he of whom it is written where is it written Malachi chapter 3 behold I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee now I just want you to notice what Malachi 3 one says look at this it says behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me who let's read it again behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom you split you seek shall suddenly come to his temple even the messenger of the Covenant whom you delight in behold he shall come saith the Lord of hosts hey who did John the Baptist come to prepare the way for the way of God of me God says of me and Jesus Christ is calling us from the book of Malachi here in Matthew chapter what are we chapter I'm getting confused guys 11 Matthew chapter 11 and so so he's telling the people hey John the Baptist was this prophesied messenger and he came preparing the way of God okay this is Jesus Christ affirming his deity affirming that he is the Lord God Almighty okay so we see that Jesus Christ lifts up John the Baptist and one thing I want you to understand here is that John the Baptist was depressed he was down he had doubts but how does Jesus respond does Jesus criticize him they say John the Baptist you're an idiot why discouraged why you let down no you see he encourages John the Baptist he speaks well of him and guys the same thing for you you know you and your spiritual walk might be let down you might be discouraged you might be backslidden and you might be ashamed to come before the Lord and say Lord help me encourage me but it's exactly what God wants to do for you it's exactly what he wants to do he wants to encourage you and speak well of you speak highly of you okay he wants you back on your feet encouraged preparing yourselves preparing the way of the Lord how yourselves doing the work that God has left us to do okay we've all been given work by our Lord God to accomplish and look at this number 11 go back to Matthew Matthew 11 please verse number 11 Matthew 11 verse 11 and look look what Jesus says about John the Baptist verily I sound to you among them that are born of women they have not risen a greater than John the Baptist that's that's amazing words all right I mean among them that are born of women that's all the men that have ever existed of all the people that ever existed he says John the Baptist is the greatest okay and there we have John the Baptist in prison okay but he's in prison for preaching the Word of God all right now look what it says here and some people struggle with it with a second part of this verse it says not withstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he so some people get this confused but let me explain this very simply okay John the Baptist the greatest man that ever lived as far as Jesus Christ is concerned okay the greatest man you can be greater than him okay and how you say how can I be greater than him by just being the least by just playing being the least in the kingdom of heaven okay say look if all you do in your life is get saved you hear the gospel you get saved you have you you know you have the foundation of Christ in your life you know what when you get to heaven you're gonna have the greater riches you're gonna have greater honor you're gonna have a greater life than the great things you can accomplish on this earth okay so I want you to think about this perspective it's not saying that John the Baptist is the least in the kingdom of heaven it's not what it's saying it's just saying the being the least in heaven is better than all the success you can have in this life okay that's what it's saying so of course look I don't think any of us if John the Baptist by Jesus standard is the best I don't think any of us are going to be greater than John the Baptist in heaven okay but being the least is still better than being like the best pastor on this earth okay this this temporary life that we have in comparison to eternity is very small it's very insignificant okay this is why God has given us our lives so we can focus on eternity so we can be well this is gonna be awesome in heaven and build our treasures there then our focus would not be on just temple things we wouldn't be just be focusing on how much money we can make in this life but we can be focused and on the treasures that we can have in heaven because that's where it's gonna matter that's where that's where eternity is that's what matters in the long run okay heaven verse number 12 and verse number 12 guys I don't know I'm gonna give you my best shot at this all right verse number 12 and I'll be honest with you verse number 12 for me has been something I've only learned a few months ago okay but let's look at verse number 12 it says and from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffered violence and the violent take it by force say what is that about okay now I'll give you just one quick thing that I've heard people struggle this verse a lot okay now that I understand that I don't think it's that confusing but people really struggle this one teaching I've heard is they're talking about the Roman Empire they're saying the kingdom of heaven that's the kingdom of Israel and you know since John since the days of John the Baptist the kingdom of heaven or Israel suffers violence because of the Roman Empire being being under the authority of the of the Gentile nations that's something that I've heard but that makes no sense at all okay the reason it doesn't make any sense it says verse 12 and from the days of John the Baptist okay so Roman Empire if you know your history before John the Baptist they were ready they already had control over that land okay so doesn't make sense that it's from the days of John the Baptist but I think the key here to understand here in verse 13 is this it says for all the prophets and the law prophesied until John okay now verse 13 when it says for all the prophets and the law what are we talking about we're talking about the Old Testament Scripture okay the Old Testament Scripture there's two ways to look at this that the Old Testament Scriptures and we know that at the end of the Old Testament it prophesies of John the Baptist coming into the world to prepare the way of the Lord that's one way to look at it that the law and the prophets the prophets and the law prophesied until John meaning they prophesied of John that was the last thing they prophesied of that's one possible scenario of looking at this the other way of looking at this is that all of the Old Testament were until John the Baptist because when you look at John the Baptist he was the last Old Testament prophet and then we have Jesus Christ who had his death and resurrection brought in the New Testament okay so we see that John the Baptist in that sense is also the last of the Old Testament prophets now let's understand what's going on here guys keep your finger there keep your finger there turn to Galatians chapter 3 please this is a bit of a Bible study but let's look at this Galatians chapter 3 verse 21 Galatians chapter 3 verse 21 so we know this is about the Old Testament verse 13 made that clear okay for all the prophets and the law prophesied until John what is God's purpose for the law what is God's purpose for the commands and the laws that God has given us in the Old Testament it's it's found here in Galatians chapter 3 verse 21 Galatians chapter 3 verse 21 it says is the law then against the promises of God God forbid for if there had been a law given which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the law now let me just quickly talk about a false doctrine that's out there some people say that the Old Testament Saints the ultimate prophets were saved by works they were saved by keeping the law that's such a ridiculous teaching because we know that no flesh can be saved by keeping the law and verse number 21 makes it clear right it said there for if there had been a law which could have given life meaning that no amount of law keeping can give anybody any life okay let's keep reading verse number 22 but the scripture have concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe hey how do we get the gift of faith or how do we believe how do we how do we are how are we no longer under sin by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ verse 23 but before faith came we were kept under the law shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed now look at this verse 24 wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith but after that faith is come we are no longer under a schoolmaster so what is the purpose of the law of the prophets and the law what's the purpose of the Old Testament it says that we see ourselves as sinners okay we see ourselves as sinners it's the schoolmaster that will bring us to Christ because it's when you realize that you're a sinner when you realize you've come short of the glory of God that's the point when you realize I need a Savior I need Jesus Christ he died for me it's a free gift it's my faith great this is good news I'm gonna believe on him all right say what does this have to do about the violent taking it by force we'll get there all right turn to Genesis 21 now Genesis 21 verse 25 Genesis 21 verse 25 I just want to compare scripture with scripture here because a lot of people struggle with that verse okay but I believe I have the answer now so I want to tell you I want to tell you guys what that is go to Genesis 21 verse 25 because when we compare scripture with scripture it really helps us understand some maybe cryptic words or cryptic verses in the Bible Genesis 21 verse 25 now look at this and Abraham reproved Abimelech now just quick history Abimelech was the king that wanted to marry Abraham's wife and Abraham kind of lied it said oh that's my sister they were that it was his half-sister or something like that okay but that's Abimelech and then now they want to they want to have peace okay they want to they want to have a covenant between the two of them it says and Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away hey that kind of sounds like what we saw before about the the violent take it by force the kingdom of heaven by force okay do you notice here that Abimelech's servants had violently taken away a well of water that Abraham wanted to use for his you know for his servants for his flocks and if you get the context of this the reason why Abraham's upset about this is because Abraham himself dug this well it was Abraham's well and Abimelech's servants had tried to take it away had oh you know from from from Abraham so what I want to explain to you there is violently taking something away was something that belonged to someone and then they stole that away and Bible uses the words violently taken away can you guys turn to Leviticus now Leviticus chapter 6 verse 1 Leviticus chapter 6 verse 1 Leviticus chapter 6 verse 1 the Bible says and the Lord spake unto Moses saying and look at this if a soul sin and commit a trespass against the Lord and lie unto his neighbor in that which was delivered him to keep or in fellowship or in any or in a thing taken away by violence or have deceived his neighbor so we have here in Leviticus some other sins some other crimes that can be committed and if your neighbor's given you something but you've taken that away you've stolen that away it's something the neighbor cannot use did you notice that it said or in a thing taken away by violence taken away by violence okay because the word violence means violates you know when you steal something from someone you have violated that person they cannot use that object that they once had you violently taken that away now go to the book of Deuteronomy please Deuteronomy chapter 16 or 28 sorry Deuteronomy chapter 28 you're not far from there Deuteronomy chapter 28 verse 31 I just want to show you the consistency of the Bible and then we'll go back to Matthew 20 Matthew 11 Deuteronomy chapter 28 verse 31 now look at this and by the way Deuteronomy chapter 28 starts off by God blessing Israel God says to Israel if you keep my commands if you follow after me then I'm gonna bless you okay but then he says to Israel if you disobey my commands you break my commands you move away from me then I'm gonna curse you what we're reading here in verse 31 is part of that curse part of the curse that God would put upon the people of Israel and it says in verse 31 thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes and that shall not eat thereof thine ass that's your donkey shall be violently taken away from before thy face and shall not be restored to thee thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies and thou shall have none to rescue them so do you notice there that part of the curse of God is that a man's donkey there shall be violently taken away okay now let me just just think about this guys you know we've gone through the exercise for a reason do you think when someone violently takes something away do you think that's a good thing or a bad it's a bad thing okay someone's still in something that belongs to another it's a curse of God as it were as well okay and so we definitely see that as a negative thing go back to Matthew 11 please Matthew 11 Matthew 11 now I'm gonna read to you from another passage a parallel passage in the book of Luke I'm just gonna read to you from Luke 16 verse 16 once I've read this we can start putting it all together Luke 16 verse 16 it's very similar it says the law and the prophets were until John since that time the kingdom of God is preached and every man presseth into it okay let's under Luke 16 16 is easier to understand okay let's look at this it says that the law of the prophets were until John so we know it's from the days of John the Baptist since that time the kingdom of God is preached why because when John the Baptist came on the scene Israel was in a really dark spiritual place okay there were ungodly rebellious people it's John the Baptist that came and prepared a new generation to follow after Christ to serve Christ to believe on Christ this is why John the Baptist is so important in the New Testament all right now it says when the kingdom of God is preached and every man presseth into it you see here's the truth of the of the Bible every man wants to go into the kingdom of God every man wants to be saved every man wants to know how can I make myself right with God and as soul winners you're gonna say no that's not true because I knock on their doors and they say I'm not interested look that's what they ignorantly say to you that they are not interested but the honest truth is they would want nothing more than to know exactly what they must do to be saved okay so the Bible said there in Luke 16 every man presseth against it yeah into it everyone wants to know okay and this is why it's so important that we be people that preach the gospel because people out in our community want to know how do I make sure I enter the kingdom of God but what has Satan done Satan set up his false religions the false Gospels the works based Gospels the other Gospels the other Jesus's the other spirits you know the other so-called Christian churches that are leading people to hell okay but notice every man wants to know what do I need to do to go to heaven the devil and his minions you know make sure that it's it's clouded it's difficult to understand so when you go back to Matthew 11 let's understand this now Matthew 11 verse 12 Matthew 11 verse 12 and from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffer violence and the violent take it by force what's going on here we have John the Baptist wanting to preach the gospel what do we have we have violent people and if you've read your Gospels you know who these people are it's the Pharisees it's the Sadducees it's the scribes it's the rulers the people in a fiery the people that were leaders in temples in synagogues these were the violent that would take away the kingdom of heaven from those that are trying to press in to know the truth you see this is the battle that we all have guys we have the truth of the Word of God every man wants to know it okay and I it's up to you are you gonna take it to your community or not because here's what's going on you've got the the Jehovah Witnesses you've got the Mormons you've got everyone else out there trying to get their gospel out as it were you know that they're they're violently taking away that kingdom and then and they're replacing it with something else they're replacing it with something difficult they're placing it replacing it with something evil okay so they will be blinded from the truth of God's Word so this is how I understand that verse if you guys have been wondering is that hey these people are working against John the Baptist against on baptism and you'll know that if you've read all your gospel you you'll know that there are plenty of people trying to blind the eyes of people that are wanting to trust on Jesus Christ it's the same today back in Matthew 11 verse 14 Matthew 11 verse 14 I better hurry up Matthew 11 verse 14 and Jesus says and if you will receive it this is Elias that's Elijah which was for to come he that hath ears let him hear sorry he that hath ears to hear let him hear so I won't go I had a whole thing here but basically just very just very quickly summarize this John the Baptist did not recognize himself as the fulfillment of prophecy as as Elijah coming before I'll read it to you quickly in in Malachi 4 5 it says behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse actually this is really important let me touch on this point okay why was John the Baptist so important before Christ came it just said it there in Malachi 4 5 5 by verse 6 it says lest I come and smite the earth with a curse you know what if John the Baptist did not come before Christ Christ would have turned up and be like look at this wicked nation just smite them with a curse it's just gonna destroy the nation of Israel because their hearts were so darkened was so turned against the Lord that the Lord would just come and smite them with a curse this is why John the Baptist had to come as a forerunner and get a new people prepared to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ but here's the thing the Bible the Old Testament calls John the Baptist Elijah and we know that Elijah and the Old Testament was a prophet but then when Elijah is asked the question you Elijah he says no but then when Jesus says Jesus says yep that was Elias that was yeah that was Elias which was to come now that's not to say that Elijah got reincarnated okay it's not like Elijah was back physically in that form okay but that John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah he was very similar to Elijah okay well if people knew Elijah they saw John the Baptist they go man this is this is like the same guy you know have you ever you know has anyone ever said to you you know you remind me of such-and-such you remind me of this person you remind me of that person it's kind of the same thing I remember when I went went to um one of my old churches victory Baptist Church like the first time I went there you know I didn't know anybody and there was a lady just kept looking at me just kept looking at me I'm like why is she looking at me at the end of service she came out to me and said can I just ask who your parents are so I gave my parents name I knew it I knew that you were the son of you know Ernesto you know and she only knew me as a little like she knew me as a little baby I've never met this lady before before that you know she knew me as a little baby but for some reason none of my my appearance or my mannerism reminded her of my dad of you know of my father so it's kind of the same thing when John the Baptist came on the scene it's not like he was Elijah reincarnated it's just that he was so similar to Elijah and so he came in that same spirit in the same power of Elijah but yeah I had a whole other thing to cover there we'll move on verse number 16 please Matthew 11 verse 16 and this is another passage of scripture that I've never really been able to really grab ahold of what's it saying there but I again I have an answer now it says verse 16 but where unto shall I like in this generation it is like unto children sitting in the markets and calling unto their fellows and saying we have piped unto you and you have not danced we have mourned unto you and you have not lamented and if you're looking at that going what is that about then yeah that's where I was okay but the next verses kind of help us understand that look at verse number 18 he goes for John came neither eating nor drinking and they say okay these are those that take the kingdom of heaven violently by force those Pharisees those Sadducees wherever they were it's them okay for they say he hath a devil say why did they say that John the Baptist had a devil because this guy was in the wilderness he wasn't eating and drinking he was in the locusts okay he was a wild man and these people would say he's of the devil but look at verse 19 the son of man referring to Jesus Christ himself he goes came eating and drinking hey I'm going in I'm going in I'm invited to feast I'm going in and eating I'm drinking and they say what do they say about Jesus behold a man gluttonous and a winebibber a friend of publicans and sinners but wisdom is justified of her children so they criticize John the Baptist because yet he was without he wasn't feasting he wasn't eating and drinking right he was in the wilderness but Jesus Christ comes and you know the stories many times he's invited to people's houses they feast and they eating he's eating he's drinking you know and they criticize Jesus you know they say gluttonous they say you know he eats too much or he's a winebibber he's a drunkard they say about him okay these are false accusations made about Jesus Christ and what Jesus Christ is saying here it's kind of like for some people you know you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't it's what he's saying okay it doesn't matter what John the Baptist was like they would still criticize him Jesus comes you know doing things differently they criticize him okay now if we backtrack there in verse number 17 just to help us understand that and saying we have piped unto you and you have not danced we have mourned unto you and you have not lamented it's like these people are never satisfied okay they they pipe they play music but you're not dancing okay it's like John it's like John the Baptist why aren't you eating and drinking you know and you're not doing it and then to Jesus why are you eating and drinking okay that they're being critical it doesn't matter what they do they're never satisfied we've with the response of the people of God and the only thing that I want to take out of this passage just for your for your understanding is you can't make everybody happy okay and this is a realization that I've learned as a pastor okay of a church obviously in Queensland and here I just had to realize you know I love you guys I do I love the Brethren you know I don't travel down from Queensland every week just for myself okay I do it for you guys I really do love you but I realize that I can't make everybody happy okay and I just have to make sure that I'm doing what God has asked me to do I've got to make sure that I just preach the Word of God all right and if you pipe and I don't dance well so be it all right that's just the way it is like you can't make everybody happy and that's what Jesus Christ is saying that these guys are just never satisfied no matter how the the prophets of God act or behave they will never accept the prophets of God okay let's keep reading verse number 20 now this is really important okay because before I before I read that I'll just say to you guys have you ever have you ever been told by people you know shouldn't Chris I'll say shouldn't Christians be like told like shouldn't I have tolerance that they say doesn't Christianity teach tolerance okay because here's the thing we preach against abortions we preach against homosexuality we preach against sins okay we preach against things that that God teaches us and people will say well where's your tolerance doesn't Christianity teach tolerance and you know what it does teach tolerance it does but it's right here in this passage let's look at it what does Jesus Christ teach this number 20 then began he to abrade the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not so you see Christ was going around cities doing great works but many of them would not repent many of them would not believe on Christ look this is in verse 21 well once you are chosen well once you Bethsaida hey these are Jewish cities these are Jewish towns Jesus says to them well unto you for if the mighty works which were done to you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes now Tyre and Sidon if you don't know these are Gentile cities so it's saying well to you Jewish cities because if I did these works in these Gentile cities they would have repented okay and you guys know you've not done that okay and then it says in verse 22 but I sent you now here's the word it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment then for you there's the tolerance now let me just read to you quickly from Luke 6 17 I just read this to you very quickly and he came this story in Jesus and he came down with them and stood in the plain and the company of his disciples and a great multitude of people out of all Judea and Jerusalem so that's the Jews and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon that's the Gentiles which came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases so this is true you know Jesus did not go to the Gentile cities he was focused on Jerusalem in Judea but when the Gentiles heard of Jesus Christ they're like we've got to go and see him we got to go and then they went to hear him they were healed of their diseases this is true Jesus Christ was able to do mighty works amongst the Gentiles as well so it's criticizing these Jewish cities where they have Jesus Christ there and it says look it's gonna be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment then for you hey look there's come in a time when every man is gonna be judged by God now if you're a believer praise God you're not gonna be judged for your sins you're not gonna be judged for rejecting Christ okay you're gonna be judged for the works that you've done for Christ and Christ will reward you okay you're not gonna have to answer for your sins because Jesus Christ already nailed those sins on the cross 2,000 years ago okay your past present and future sins you know praise God we're not gonna be judged for our sins we'll be judged by our works okay so try to make sure your works have eternal value okay it's gonna matter when you stand before God but for the non-believing they're gonna stand before the great white throne judgment of God they will also be judged by the works say why are you gonna be judged by their works because they believe they can be saved by their works they believe hey I'm a good person I've done my best for God and God's gonna judge their so-called goodness next to the law of God next to the perfection of God and they're gonna come short okay they're gonna come short and they're gonna be thrown into the lake of fire but notice that on the day of judgment for the non-believing cities it's gonna be more tolerable for some than for others okay meaning that hell is not this equal place okay it's not like equal suffering in hell for those that had the greater opportunity those these people in these cities where Christ did his amazing works but they still rejected him it's gonna be more tolerable for the city that didn't have Christ there okay and they still didn't believe but because they've had the works done they're gonna suffer a more terrible punishment okay it's gonna be more tolerable for the ones that didn't have the opportunities as other people now I want you to consider this you know this is really important because you know I have children many of you guys have your own children you know we go to church we grow up into church our children go to church and I want you to make sure you never neglect your children okay I've been in church my whole life how many times have I seen children go up into teenagers they want nothing to do with church you know how many children do I see grow up and want nothing to do with Christ they grow up and they're not even saved okay they've had the opportunity to hear the gospel they maybe you heard it week in and week out sometimes parents we let down our kids we think oh we're just bringing to church and they're gonna get it no parents we need to invest our time into our children because if our children hear the gospel they come to church they hear the good news but they don't believe it they reject it reject it reject it hey they might get to a point when they stand before God and it's gonna be more tolerable for others than it is for them okay it's really really important let's keep reading verse number 23 and that Capernaum this is another Jewish city which are exalted unto heaven shall be brought down to hell so we know this judgment is the judgment to hell here okay we brought down to hell for if the mighty works which were have been done indeed had been done in Sodom it would have remained until this day we know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah we know that Christ rained down fire and brimstone on these cities okay and destroyed them okay that reprobate city but you know before they got to that point Christ says if I came did the works in Sodom they would have repented okay before they got to that point of rejection to Christ okay and look I mean how bad is Sodom Gomorrah and yet for Capernaum it's gonna be worse for the non-believers in Capernaum their suffering in hell is gonna be worse than for those that die that perished in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah so we see yes the Bible teaches tolerance it's about hell okay it's how bad you know how tolerable hell be for some people you know for those that were you know you know exceedingly wicked for those that had the opportunities but they still rejected Christ hey their suffering in hell is going to be so much worse than for others that maybe just ignorantly went about life you know whatever and and died a relatively reasonable person I suppose they're still going to hell but they're not gonna suffer they it's gonna be more tolerable for them than it is for those that had the opportunity let's keep reading verse number 25 verse number 25 and at this time Jesus answered and said I thank thee Oh Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou has hid these things from the wise and prudent and has revealed them unto babes even so father for so it seems good in thy sights so the wise and prudent that Jesus speaking of here that was obviously that generation that is critical of John the Baptist critical of Jesus Christ but he says look the Father has allowed this to be revealed unto babes hey what's he talking about you see for us to receive Christ for us to know what the Word of God says okay we can't be wise and prudent in our own eyes we can't be that way we've got to be like babes we've got to have the humility of little children you know parents you tell your child something and they'll believe you you know children out there kind of wondering you know dad said this is that true is that no if you tell your children something they'll just believe it okay it's the same thing when we learn about the gospel all of us if you've been saved all of us had to get to a point of humility and go well that's the word what the Word of God says that's what it says I guess I have to believe on Christ I realize that I can't be wise and prudent I can't be puffed up I can't be prideful I can't get myself to heaven I have to lower myself and accept what Christ has done unto me hey but this is the same thing even after you're saved you know even as a preacher when I study my Bible to bring your sermon I've got to come as a little babe okay because it gets things get revealed to babes things get revealed to those that have humility if I come here trying to impress you with my wisdom and and my understanding in my and my studies that's not what it's about you know I'm trying to come and preach the Word of God to you and I try to come with humility because I you know I've got a fear like as far as God is concerned you're like the best people in the world you're like you're like you're the best people okay you're the children of God and God says to me can you feed my children I mean think about how scary that is like for a minute if you're going to think about that right put it this way and you probably don't even care about the Queen of England but let's say you were chef and you were hired to cook a meal for the Queen of England okay and you were just you probably don't care because you're a believer you're like whatever okay but if you were just a worldly person you're like you're gonna be nervous aren't you you're gonna be afraid you're gonna be you're gonna be like man I hope this person you know enjoys my cooking I hope it I hope I don't mess it up hey when I come preaching to you it's the same thing you know the Word of God is is the food of the spirits it's the bread okay it's a bread for the spirit and when I come preparing a sermon it's the same thing I know you guys in God's eyes are the most important people in the world okay you're his children and he's like can you feed them please I'm like oh man I realize now just how important the job is as a pastor as a preacher okay but the only way I'm going to get the the wisdom of God the insight and the food to feed your spirits is by being a babe by being humble and hearing from the Word of God let's keep reading verse number 27 and we're just we'll just wrap it up now but verse 27 I want to expand too much on these verses says all things are delivered unto me of my father and no man knows the son but the father neither know if any man the father saved the son and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him you see the only way to the father the only way to the father is through the son for the son by through Jesus Christ and of course John 14 6 Jesus saith unto him I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto the father but by me you see these these Jews these people that rejected Christ they wanted to make it to the father but they didn't want to do it through the son Jesus Christ was coming doing great works you know teach them great things often himself and they still rejected him and it's just reminding hey without me we have a son you're not going to make it to the father let's keep reading verse 28 and this is a promise for us guys this is the promise for us okay verse 28 says come unto me all ye that labor and a heavy laden and I will give you rest okay so first thing if we want to apply this to salvation again how many people say you've got a labor to get saved you've got to do the heart the good works you've got to try really hard you've got to try to stop sinning you've got to go to church you've got to get baptized you've got to do this you've got to do that you've got to keep that sacrament you got to keep that sacrament no okay labor into heaven is not going to get you there Jesus says come unto me all ye that labor and a heavy laden and I will give you rest you see salvation has been completely paid for by the works of Jesus Christ all that's required from us is to rest in him to rest in the in the work that he has done and once you've done that once you've been saved verse 29 Jesus says take my yoke upon you hey what's a yoke something that that's that puts two things together Jesus Christ wants to work with us take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in the heart and you shall find rest unto your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light so how do I serve the Lord how do I do the works that God has left me to do is it gonna require a lot of my time is it gonna require a lot of my effort no his yoke is easy okay his burden is lights okay all you need to do guys is spend time with the Lord all you need to do is be praying okay be speaking to the Lord all you need to do is open his word and read the Bible okay all you need to do is come to church and sit down and praise the Lord and then listen to preach and now all you have to do and this is the hardest part is go out there and preach the gospel to this lost and dying world yes it's a little hard on the body sometimes okay but really you're repeating the same great news you know that you've received that you've enjoyed receiving and you're just feeding that to other people okay so the yoke of God is easy he doesn't want us you know laboring hard look Jesus done all the hard work and when you when he asked you to labor with him he says it's a yoke you're working with him you're learning from him okay so I hope that gives you a good understanding of Matthew chapter 11 if there's anything that I felt like I skipped for a lot of things that I had prepared just to save time but if there's any questions if you feel like I haven't covered something clearly enough please let me know after the service okay let's