Luke 7:31-35; This Generation

If you have your Bible and you're there in Luke

Luke 7 · chapter mention

chapter 7, we're going to read today verses 31 through 35.

So today we add.

The third piece to the discussion of that began with

John's disciples. John's disciples come to Jesus after the healing

of the widow's son, and they want to know, John

said to his disciples, ask Jesus this question, are you

the one that's to come? So then we have Jesus

answering their question, they leave, Jesus gives this discussion about John,

and now we have this little similitude between that's directed

at the self-assured Pharisees. And we're still somewhere, you know,

in the precincts of Maine, somewhere in southern Galilee, Jesus

is having all this. These last three passages that we've read,

of course, all go together, but I've broken them up

into pieces. So all of this is one discussion. Jesus

is speaking all at one time here. Sometimes I think

when we go from Sunday to Sunday and we do

pieces of dialogue, we think, well, this is the next

week or this is some other day. Well, no, this

is just the pastor trying to break stuff down into

its individual parts. But Jesus is still there somewhere around

Nain and preaching this. So this is not an unfamiliar passage.

We have this also in Matthew's Gospel in chapter 11,

16 through 19. Now there are just a few differences

between Luke's version and Matthew's version. And just as I

say a few and they're minor. In Matthew's Gospel we

have it instead of they as Jesus begins this discussion.

We have in Matthew, mourn instead of weep at the

end of the passage, as we do in Luke. In Luke,

John has the Baptist, John the Baptist. In Luke, it's

John the Baptist, and Matthew is just John. So those

are just a few of the minor things here. Also,

in Matthew's gospel, it's works and And in Luke's gospel,

it's children. So wisdom is justified of all of her children.

That's Luke. In Matthew, it's wisdom is justified of all

of her works. So just a few differences between those

two passages. So why don't we read, beginning there in

verse 29. I'm sorry, in verse 31.

31.

And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the

men of this generation? And to what are they like?

They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace and

calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you,

and ye have not danced. We have mourned to you,

and ye have not wept. For John the Baptist came

neither eating or drinking wine, And you say, He hath

a demon, a devil. The Son of Man has come

eating and drinking, and you say, Behold, a gluttonous man

and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But

wisdom is justified of all her children. Father, help us

today as we consider Christ's words here, that you would

apply this to our hearts. Father, speak to us and

call today the many who are, as our song said,

far away. So we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. So

Jesus really gives us a commentary, I think, on verses

29 and 30. In verses 29 and 30, he talks

about the result of John's ministry. Many and the publicans,

they received John. They heard him and they justified God.

That is, John the prophet speaking truth. to the people

and they justified God by saying he's right God is

speaking and I need to repent and then there was

the other group and the other group they didn't justify

God they actually justified themselves and they said well I

don't need that I don't need what John has and

they were not baptized by John so I think what

we have here in 29 through 30 is a little

commentary by Christ on those two things those two results

of John's ministry And it's really a very lively word

picture of children, children at play. I was fortunate when

I was in Israel to live there in the city

of Jerusalem for several weeks. We had a little flat

there in South Jerusalem, a little neighborhood, and we would

take buses and taxis and go wherever we wanted to go.

And of course, We had to study there in the

old city. There was a lot of that. And so

one particular day, we were in the old city, and

our professor said, okay, I'm done with you guys. You

can have the rest of the day, which never happened.

And he just walked off, just left us there. And

we're standing there by one of the gates of the

old city, and we just thought, well, we'll just wander around.

Everybody else is wandering around the old city. And so

we're standing there and there was a souk that went

down one of those city streets. A souk is a marketplace.

And so we just were like, hey, let's just go

look and see what they have for sale. And they

had everything. I mean, when you go into one of

these places, the streets are old and, of course, so

they're narrow. And you've got shops on one side and

you've got stalls and stands and And they're selling everything

from fried bread, which was very delicious, to jewelry. I mean,

you can find anything you want in these suits. And,

of course, there's always the money changers stand, or usually

those are stores, and they're very official. And so people,

of course, are there from all over the world, Japan

and Korea and America and South America and Europe, and

they've all got different currencies. So the money changers are

very busy. and you go and you change your money

for the new shekel, and then you can buy whatever

you want to buy. I was privileged, though, to go

to a second marketplace. It was more Arabic than it

was Jewish, and it was underneath the temple platform. So

we had visited the Dome of the Rock, and we left,

and we went down some stairs, and to go back

to the old city, we had to travel underneath the

temple platform, and there was an Arabic market. And, of course,

everybody had been to the temple or to the Dome

of the Rock, and they were going home. And so

they would funnel them through this marketplace. Very smart. And

they did it with machine guns. So, yeah. So when

we left the Dome of the Rock, everybody had to leave.

I don't know what it was that day, but everybody

had to go. And so there were guys there. They

weren't dressed up like military people. They had on T-shirts

that said, I love New York, and they had jeans

and sneakers, and they had submachine guns. And so they said,

you know, you're going this way. And, of course, you said, yes, sir.

You know, tell me which way to go because I'll

go that way. And we walked into this market, and

we had to walk through the entire market, and I

mean to tell you, Grandmas and grandpas and moms and

dads and children and babies everywhere. It was lively. And

just like in the Jewish marketplace, there was everything you

wanted to buy. Food and clothing and jewelry and you

name it, they had it. And everybody wanted you to

stop at their stall because they knew we were Americans.

And so we're trying to make our way through. And

children were running around. in between the stalls and in

between the shoppers, and it was loud and it was happy.

It was a very happy place. And so I think

when Jesus gives us this parable, this is not really

a parable, but it's a story, it's this, as I say,

it's a word picture. This is something that every one

of his listeners would have known about. They would have said,

oh yeah, well I have that in my town. Or, oh, yeah,

I see that in the city of Jerusalem. Or, yeah,

because it's something that was very common. These children were

there with their families, and they were trying to sell,

and the children didn't care about that. What they did

care about was playing with their pals, probably cousins and neighbors,

and everybody was there, brothers and sisters. So Jesus paints

this picture for us, and he says he's going to liken.

Notice that in verse 31. Where unto shall I liken

the men of this generation, and to what are they like?

Now this is also a difference between Matthew and Luke.

Luke doubles the question. Matthew just asks the single question.

Here we have it doubled. Where unto then shall I

liken the men of this generation and to what are

they like? So we're really focusing in then on what

these people are like. Anytime that I see... This word generation,

I always think of Solomon's description of the four generations.

Do you know that passage? In Proverbs chapter 11, 11

Proverbs 11 · chapter mention

through 14. Why don't you turn there real quick? I

want you just to eyeball that for me real quick.

Proverbs chapter 11. Let me get over there too. I've

Proverbs 11 · chapter mention

got it in my notes, but I want to look

at it again. Proverbs chapter 11. 11 through 14. Now,

Proverbs 11 · chapter mention

Solomon gives us four generations here. Number one, in verse,

did I get that right? Oh, I'm in chapter 10,

no wonder. I think I got my reference wrong. No,

it's Proverbs 30. That's it. Wow, pastor. Proverbs 30. Yeah. Sorry.

Proverbs 30, 11 through 14. I did some doubling there myself,

didn't I? Proverbs 30, 11 through 14. Now, here are

the four generations. There is a generation that curses their

father and doth not bless their mother. There is a

generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet

not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, oh,

how lofty their eyes and their eyelids are lifted up.

There is a generation whose teeth are as swords and

their jaw teeth as knives to devour the poor from

off the earth and the needy from among men. So

there are your four generations. Jesus says, how shall I

liken the men of this generation? So which generation is it?

I'll let you decide that as we proceed through the passage.

I'll give you my answer at the end. And then

I'll ask you what yours is just so we see

if we're close together. So as we proceed through it,

just keep your eyes on these four generations and see

if you can tell which one Jesus may have been

referring to here. Okay. Verse 32. They are like unto

children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another. This, again,

the marketplace is the place where children love to gather

because there are all kinds of sights and sounds and

mom and dad's there and all their friends. But everybody

came to the marketplace. It was the social media platform

of that day. All the people, all the things were there.

All the things said there were not private but were

very public. And even if, I'm sure, even if you

tried to whisper things, In the marketplace, somebody would hear you.

Someone could hear what you had to say. It's eminently public, open,

and accessible. John and Jesus both had their ministry in

public settings before both public and Pharisee. It didn't matter.

They were always out. John in the river or in

the wilderness preaching and people were gathering. It was very

much open. He wasn't doing that in a closet. And

Jesus too. He was traveling around Galilee and he was

doing his miracles and preaching and teaching and going into

the synagogues. It was very public. He wasn't doing anything

in a closet. And so when Jesus says, I will

liken them unto the children sitting in a marketplace, this

is that open, active, public space. Very social. Everyone sees it.

And what are they doing? They're calling to one another.

And they're playing this game. Notice, we have piped unto you,

and you've not danced. So here's game number one. They're

playing the wedding game. We've piped, and you've not danced.

This is what happened at a wedding. Notice the children

are doing what children always do. This first group was

playing this wedding game, and maybe they were dressed up

like bride and groom. Maybe somebody had a little thing

on their head. A little girl had a little thing

on her head, and she was the bride, and the

boy had a little thing, and he was the groom.

And everybody was, you know, they were dancing around, and

maybe even one of them had a little flute and

was playing some nonsense song, but everybody was hopping to

the tune. Right? These are children. They're doing what children do.

All dressed up, playing at dance. You know, maybe they're

thinking this is the reception and the gaiety of it

and the dancing and all that. It's a happy time,

and they're playing this little game. Jesus says these are

what they are like. They're like children playing the wedding game. However,

their companions refuse to play along. Notice that on the

other side of the marketplace, the children are playing the

funeral game. And the funeral game, he says, we have

mourned and you have not wept. So on the other

side of the market street were the other set of children,

but they weren't playing wedding, they're playing funeral. And maybe

they had a pipe, or maybe they played to some

sort of mournful little dirge, you know, somebody had enough

to know how to play a slow, sad sound. You know,

and maybe they were even dressed up. Maybe someone, you know,

they found some black crepe or something and put on

their heads, and they were acting like they were following,

you know, a body going to the funeral, to the grave.

Who knows? These are children, so they're doing whatever children do.

So you've got on one side the wedding game, and

on the other side you've got the funeral game. They're

all dressed up, perhaps, and they're doing what children do. However,

their companions on the other side who are playing the

wedding game refuse to play along. So that's the picture.

And then notice how Jesus takes that and gives us

verse 33. For John the Baptist came neither eating nor

drinking wine, and you say he hath a devil. Okay,

so these are the people that are playing the funeral

or the wedding game. John wasn't. John wasn't. John came preaching.

And he came preaching a message of repentance and turning

from sin to God. Yeah, so John represented the children

who were mourning. And they didn't live delicately. He didn't

live delicately, rather, but he ate desert food. He had

desert fare. He lived in a harsh place. His clothing

was harsh and different. It wasn't beautiful. It was sad-looking.

You wouldn't put John on a poster to recruit anybody

for anything, right? John wasn't playing that game. Charles Simeon says, Nevertheless,

the truth is that we have imbibed notions... which we

do not like to have controverted and have adopted practices

from which we will not recede. And that's exactly what's

going on here with these Pharisees. They didn't want anybody

to come to them with the truth of their sin.

The gospel is, ladies and gentlemen, rejected by men for

this very reason yet today. They don't want to be

told that they are sinners. Nobody does. We like what

we like and we want to like it. As long

as we can like it. And we don't want anybody

to tell us any different. You know the old saying

that children say, you ain't the boss of me. Right?

Nobody wants to hear it. They don't want to hear

about repentance. They don't want to hear about God's just

wrath against sin. So, they don't weep over their sin

because they don't want to believe the lie. They don't

want to have any sin. Just like the proud Pharisees,

they were assured that they were okay. They wanted to

dance the wedding tune. They wanted to be happy. I

don't want to think about that. And so what did

they do with John? To justify themselves, they can't say

that the message is wrong because they knew it wasn't wrong.

So they say the man is wrong. Notice this. He

hath a devil. Men still pick At all the little

peculiarities of the preacher. He preaches about sin too much.

While we need someone to teach on faith. He teaches

too much about faith. While we need someone who preaches

hellfire and brimstone. He doesn't visit enough. But is holed

up in his study all day. He doesn't study enough.

And his sermons aren't weighty or interesting. You see, we

still do it. We still do it. For John, they

looked at his dress and his diet and decided that

he was crazy because he wasn't playing the wedding song,

the wedding game. That way, they didn't have to change anything.

They didn't have to consider repentance. They didn't have to

think about their own sin. He has a devil. That's

who that guy is. And that word devil, the Greek

word here just means he's crazy. He's nuts. He's full

of Satan's insanity. And so he's just... crazy. This is

crazy man talk. Look at him in his leather girdle

and his camel hair suit. Please. He's crazy. Don't pay

any attention to him. And then 34. The Son of

Man has come eating and drinking. And you say, behold,

a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans

and sinners. So Christ Jesus represented the children who were

playing wedding. Jesus had been at Peter's house, at Levi's house.

The marriage of Canaan, the next passage in Luke, he's

invited to Simon's house for a meal. He eats at

Mary and Martha's house. He's with the Samaritans in John

John 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4. You know, Jesus is going around. He's not

rejecting anybody. He goes to all the parties that he's

invited to. And, of course, they invite him for one reason.

He goes in and blows up the reason. You know,

every time he goes, you know, something wonderful happens when

Jesus is invited. We talked about that with what happened

at Peter's house. Jesus... And who said this? I think

this is also Simon, Charles Simeon. Jesus shuns no man's company,

but carries the gospel freely and courteously to all men.

John wanted them to weep over their sins and turn

to the Lord. But why did Jesus come? Well, Jesus

said to himself, the thief cometh not before to steal, kill,

and destroy. I am come that they might have life

and they might have it more abundantly. Sounds pretty good,

doesn't it? Yeah, life and having it more abundantly. That's

what Jesus said. Jesus said, I am come as a

light into the world. Whosoever believeth on me should not

abide in darkness. Jesus came to bring life, to bring healing,

to give us something that we could never have on

our own. To call us to himself? This is what

Jesus is doing. And what did the Pharisees do? Same

thing they did to John. Except, see, Jesus is playing

the wedding game and they said, oh, but you need

to mourn more. You need to fast more. You're a

gluttonous man, a wine bibber, a friend of public and sinners. See, again,

they can say nothing against the message. So what do

they do? They profane the person. Undisciplined concerning food. They

called him a drunk with questionable taste in friends and companions.

Who would go around with publicans and sinners? No decent

person would, right? He was not worth their company. Defiled

by the sins of others and his own lack of discipline,

Jesus was not to be listened to. He was to

be dismissed, altogether ignored. Listen to what Isaiah said of him.

This is Isaiah 53.3. He was despised and rejected of men,

a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid,

as it were, our faces from him. He was despised

and we esteemed him not. And I think this is

being fulfilled as Jesus is giving this little story here

about the children. The Pharisees are doing exactly that. They

do it to John. They do it to Jesus. They

can't play the morning game. They can't play the wedding game.

They can't play any game because they're too good for

either one. And so because they can't acknowledge the message

of John and they cannot acknowledge the message of Jesus,

they say, well, look at these guys. This guy over here,

he's a crazy man. This one over here, he's a drunk.

Look at him. Look at who he associates with. Neither

one of them can be trusted. And then Jesus comes

to verse 35, and he says, But wisdom is justified

of all her children. Now, notice that we have the

golden adversative here, but. But wisdom. It's used to contrast

the way John's message and Jesus' message were treated. The

Pharisees couldn't hear a message of repentance. Because they could

never recognize their sins. And it wasn't just the Pharisees,

but it was all the religious folk in that day.

They could never accept the message of salvation and rejoice

because they could not believe that he was the Messiah.

They absolutely had to despise him. However, some did. You

remember what he said in verse 29? All the people

that heard him and the publicans justified God being baptized

with the baptism of John. Some did. Some heard John's

message of repentance and turning from sin. What did they do?

They said, yes, Lord. They justified God. And then again

in chapter 5, verse 26 says, That's speaking of John

there in 29, but in 526, this is speaking of Jesus.

And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and

were filled with fear, saying, we have seen strange things today.

There were people that heard Jesus, saw what he did,

and believed and became his disciples. So that's not everybody,

but it's just some who despised him and John and

rejected them. Wisdom... is justified of all her children. And

notice that it says wisdom is justified. This is the

same language that we saw in 729. All the people

that heard him, the publicans, justified God. Notice that. Wisdom

is justified. The people that heard John justified God. Same language.

They humbled themselves under the word of God and said,

God is right. He's right. He's right. It wasn't about

John and it wasn't about Jesus. They understood that these

messages were messages that heaven had sent by these men.

Luke has that wisdom is justified. Jesus is the wisdom

of God. And Solomon told us that wisdom has a message.

I came across this this week as I was reading.

in my Bible and I came to Proverbs chapter 1

Proverbs 1 · chapter mention

because we had the first day of the week on

Wednesday and I noticed something here as I was preparing

the message that reminded me of what I had read

in Proverbs chapter 1 Solomon tells us that wisdom comes

Proverbs 1 · chapter mention

out and if you notice there in verse 20 of

Proverbs chapter 1 we have this wisdom cryeth without She

Proverbs 1 · chapter mention

uttereth her voice in the streets. She crieth in the

chief place of concourse. That sounds familiar, doesn't it? The marketplace.

In the opening of the gates. In the city she

uttereth her words saying, how long ye simple ones? Will

you love simplicity? And scorners delight in their scorning. And

fools hate knowledge. Turn you at my reproof. Behold, I

will pour out my spirit unto you. I will make

known my words unto you. See, wisdom is crying out

to men to turn from their foolishness, scornfulness, and simplicity.

This is the spirit of Christ Jesus. And this comes

with a promise. The spirit of wisdom and the knowledge

of the word of God will come to those who

receive this message. Wisdom is justified of her children. And

this is how wisdom is treated. If you look further

down in Proverbs chapter 1, look at verse 24. Because

Proverbs 1 · chapter mention

I have called and ye refused, I stretched out my

hand and no man regarded. But ye have said it

not all my counsel and would none of my reproof.

You see, it's the same thing. Wisdom cries out, leave

your simplicity and comfort. Embrace my wisdom. This is God

speaking to us. And yet what do we do? Exactly

what it says there in 24 and 25. I've called

and you refused. I've stretched out my hand. No man regarded.

You have said it not all my counsel and with

none of my reproof. Doesn't this sound familiar? Men rejecting

the counsel of heaven. And then here's the warning in

Proverbs chapter 1. Verses 28 through 31. Then shall they

Proverbs 1 · chapter mention

call upon me, but I will not answer. They shall

seek me early, but they shall not find me. For

that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear

of the Lord, they would none of my counsel. They

despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the

fruit of their own way and be filled with their

own devices. Oh, my friend. That warning still stands today.

When wisdom calls, please listen. Hearken unto the voice of God.

Listen to what he has to say. Because if you don't.

The warning is. He won't. They shall call on me.

But I will not answer. They shall seek me early.

But they shall not find me. And of course this

is repeated. In the Old Testament. We see it in

the prophets. I just was working on. Hosea chapter 5

Hosea 5 · chapter mention

and this exact thing is said to the children of Israel.

You know, you're going to come seeking me with flocks

and herds, but you're not going to find me. Because

they rejected him and despised his counsel. But there's a

good side to this. The children of wisdom, notice Luke says,

but wisdom is justified of all of her children. What

is it that the children of wisdom, those who receive

the counsel, those who believe in the Lord, what is

it that they receive? Well, again, I think we can

find a marvelous illustration of this in Proverbs chapter 2.

Proverbs 2 · chapter mention

So if you're there in Proverbs chapter 1, just look

Proverbs 1 · chapter mention

over in chapter 2. Notice this. My son, if thou

wilt receive my words, notice that if. If thou wilt

receive my words and hide my commandments with thee, so

that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thy

heart to understanding, what was it the Pharisees didn't do? Yea,

if thou criest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice

for understanding, if thou seekest her as silver and search

for her as for hid treasures, then, here's the benefit,

here's the reception of the good things, then shalt thou

understand the fear of the Lord. and find the knowledge

of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom out of his mouth,

cometh knowledge and understanding. He lays up sound wisdom for

the righteous. He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

He keepeth the path of judgment and preserves the way

of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment

and equity, yea, every good path. When wisdom enters into

your heart and knowledge is pleasant under thy soul, discretion

shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee To deliver thee,

here it is again, to deliver thee from the way

of the evil man, from him that speaketh froward things,

who leave the paths of her brightness to walk in

the ways of darkness, who rejoice to do evil and

delight in the frowardness of the wicked, whose ways are

crooked and they are froward in their paths. To deliver

thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which

flattereth with her words, which forsake the guide of her youth,

forgetting the covenant of her God. For her house inclines

unto death and her paths unto the dead. None that

go unto her return again, neither take they hold of

the paths of life. You see the benefits here of

those who are justifying wisdom, the wisdom of God. They've

received it and all these promises here that God's going

to lay up sound wisdom. He's going to keep their paths.

He's going to keep them from the evil man and

keep them from the wayward woman. And all of these

things are going to be seen in the life of who?

Those that listen. Those that incline their ears. Those that

receive the Lord and trust him. That's who's going to

be the children of wisdom. So let me just conclude

this with a little application. So go back to the

beginning of the message. What generation was it? What's the generation?

Jesus said, what shall I what shall I compare this

generation to? What are they like? Well, which one of

the generations are they like? I couldn't decide. I think

between maybe generation two and generation three, the proud generation,

I think maybe that's it because if these Pharisees had

realized their sin, they wouldn't have been so proud. And

if they were proud, they rejected all the message of God.

Maybe that's them. Those that lift up their eyes, how

haughty they are. Perhaps that's the generation that Jesus was

talking about. You might have another one that you prefer. Secondly,

the gospel message is, ladies and gentlemen, despised in every generation,

no matter which one of the generations it is. In

every quarter of the world where the gospel has gone,

whether it conflicts with pride or rank idolatry, license or legalism,

The gospel always confronts the sins of its hearers. Paul

wrote in 2 Corinthians 2, To the one we are

the saver of death unto death, and to the other

the saver of life unto life. And who is sufficient

for these things? There is no place where the gospel

goes where the elect do not hear, but ladies and gentlemen,

sometimes the places that the gospel goes is dangerous and dirty.

And men reject it still today. Even in some place like,

you know, Sharonville, Ohio, there are still people who reject

the gospel. Thirdly, are you a child of wisdom? Wisdom

is justified of all of our children. Are you a

child of God? Such a person has heard the message

of the gospel and recognized the vileness of their sins

and need for a savior. Such a one is born again.

And then finally, are you mocking Christ and scorning the

invitation addressed to you? Let's bow for prayer. Oh, Father,

we thank you for this picture that Jesus paints for us.

How vivid, how lively, how real, and how true. Even today,

it's not something that's of the past, but it's something

right now. Lord, we ask that you'd help us to

be children of wisdom, receiving all the benefits thereof, listening

to her teach us all the ways of the Lord.

Would you do your work among us today? And as

we conclude with this final song, Father, bless our meditations,

for we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.