The Refusing Generation

Today I’m sitting with Matthew 11:16–19 and 1 Corinthians 1:24. Christ and John the Baptist “played the flute” to preach the gospel of the kingdom, but the Judaizers “did not dance” for the joy of salvation. They “sang a dirge” to preach repentance, but the Judaizers “did not beat the breast” for the grief of sin. The righteousness of God required them to repent, but they would not obey. The grace of God afforded them salvation, but they would not receive it.
John came to bring men to repentance and to cause them to grieve for sin—he had no taste for eating and drinking. Christ came to bring salvation to sinners and to cause them to rejoice in it—He had the joy of eating and drinking with them. But because John lived in a strange and peculiar way, not eating and drinking in the regular way, they said, “He has a demon.” And they called Christ a gluttonous man and a wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.
Christ is not only the Savior, but also the friend of sinners. He sympathizes with their problems and senses their griefs. In verse 19, the Lord said, “And wisdom was justified by her works.” Wisdom is Christ. Whatever Christ did was done by the wisdom of God, which is Himself. This wisdom was justified—vindicated—by His wise works, His wise deeds.
Some authorities read “children” instead of “works.” The kingdom people are the children of wisdom. We justify Christ and His deeds and follow Him as our wisdom. We know when to eat and when not to eat. We recognize the playing of the flute and the singing of the dirge. We know when to rejoice and when to repent. We, the kingdom people, the children of wisdom, have the wisdom to discern when to repent and when to rejoice.
But the rejecting generation is absolutely foolish. If you play them a song, they do not respond. If you sing them a dirge for repentance, they do not respond to that either. They are stubborn and foolish, and they lack wisdom.
Lord, make me one of the children of wisdom. Let me hear the music and respond. Let me mourn when You sing the dirge. Let me rejoice when You play the flute. Let me not be numb or indifferent. Let me be awake.

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