Matthew 11

Mat 11:19
The Son of Man came eating and drinking,
and they say,
Behold a man who is a glutton and a winebibber,

Ahhh....

Now I know that
in at least one way,
I am like Christ!

-=-=-

Well, I guess Christ is not going to let me live vicariously off the experiences of the twelve!
I have read through the next four chapters and I find no account of how they fared when he pushed them out into the world.

No, as soon as they are gone, he jumps to the next level.

And with the apostles and disciples gone, it seems like now its just He and Me.

Before I consider the meaning of that, I want to add a personal note.

I have been adrift this week.

I have made a decision to really attempt this project, take a fairly large chunk of scripture each week and spend some time with it and try to discern what it means and how it applies to my own life.

So far, I have done that.

What really happened back then?
What was it like?
How would I have reacted had I lived at that moment in history?

You know what? A month ago I rarely picked up my bible. Now I can't imagine going anywhere without it.

Where before I used it occasionally to look something up, in the past few weeks I have been absorbed, reading entire chapters over and over. If not from my bible then from an internet online bible. I have even printed chapters to carry in my back pocket for situations like this 3-day class I'm in right now, where I don't have access to either of the above.

What has become of me?

Honestly, I am really enjoying this.
Its just that we've covered so much ground so quickly, I can hardly absorb it before its time to move on, and then the next thing is even more powerful.

And the difference is:
This time I'm not just hearing it like I'm in Sunday school.

When I think about what the words mean, I can hardly comprehend what they are saying. It just seems too incredible.

Did he really bring people back from the dead?

Did he really walk on water?

When all of these miracles and teachings are presented so quickly,
I'm overwhelmed.
I'm intimidated.
The implications frighten me.

I am going out on a limb, because to believe that He was really here doing these things is beyond my comprehension.

Mat 11:5
the blind receive their sight,
and the lame walk;
the lepers are cleansed,
and the deaf hear;
the dead are raised,
and the poor have the gospel proclaimed to them.

My logical mind is stumbling over miracles.

I'm tempted to think something like,
"Well, even if walking on water is impossible, I can overlook it because it is not essential to the real core of the message."

But I don't want to start moving in that direction, picking and choosing which parts of the text are essential and which can be mentally discarded.
I want to assume that the book is true and see where it leads me.

I have never thought about the word "faith" much in my life, but for me right now that's what it is. Don't misunderstand, I'm a believer, I'm a christian. But if I'm at a point where all I can do is assume something is true without really understanding how it works, then that takes a leap of faith for me, something I don't have much experience doing.

In these passages I know he is pointing out the fact that some people will find any reason not to believe.

"He can't be the promised one because..."

And I get the impression that everyone who ever knew him would agree that he was different than their expectations.

But this is a struggle for me. My logical mind prevents me from seeing Christ "like a child", I am too busy trying to figure it out.

I read

Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said,
I thank You, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth,
because You have hidden these things from the sophisticated and cunning,
and revealed them to babes.

...and I know I've always wanted to be sophisticated and cunning, that has been a private goal of mine.

But Jesus is calling to me here.

Even though he doesn't come right out and say
"I AM THE ONE"
(because the mob would probably tear him to pieces it was such a forbidden thing to do)
he still finds ways to say it.

Mat 11:27 All things are delivered to Me by My Father.
And no one knows the Son except the Father.
Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son,
and the one to whom the Son will reveal Him.

Let's look at that statement for a moment.
From a legalistic standpoint, no one can accuse him of blasphemy. What has he said in the eyes of the law?
Let's look at it from that standpoint.

"All things are delivered to me by my Father".
Any religious person can make that claim. He didn't step over the boundary of claiming to be God, did he? nope.

"No one knows the Son except the Father."
Only God knows who the Messiah is.
Pure logic no believer can deny.

"No one knows the Father except the Son and those who the Son reveals Him to".
Well, this might have been a new concept to some, but certainly not breaking the law.

So in a legal sense he didn't cross the line, and those not ready for it would just interpret it as a teaching.

but...

To someone who takes a small leap of faith, Jesus has just made the most cosmos-shaking statement - - - HE IS THE ONE.

God has put all things in the hands of Jesus, and no one gets to God but through Him.

awesome.

For me, this chapter is the personal crescendo of the Gospel.

I know he is speaking straight into my heart when in the very next breath he says to me:

Mat 11:28 Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls.
Mat 11:30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

I accept your invitation.
Thank you for promising a light burden.
Please let me enjoy working for you.
I'm looking forward to that "learn of me" part, too.