Sermon Title: Beware of Becoming a Brat
Scripture Reading: Luke 7:18-35
Introduction
Our text is divided into three sections.
- Luke 7:18-23 deals with John’s doubt.
- Luke 7:24-30 Jesus contrasts the greatness of John with the greatness of the kingdom.
- Luke 7:31-35 Jesus illustrates the difference between doubt (7:18-23) and unbelief in the “parable of the brats.”
John’s Doubt (Luke 7:18-23)
A major interpretive question in this text is the reason for John’s question. There is much speculation as to why John asked his question in v. 19. I agree with most commentators that John was dealing with doubt due to the lack of any political or judgment activity in Jesus’ ministry. In Luke 3:7-18 John spoke of the power and authority of Jesus. Like the disciples, John anticipated the immediate coming of the kingdom, which would have included judgment and political revolt.
As we know from Matthew’s account, John was unjustly imprisoned by the wicked Roman political regime because of his stance for righteousness (Matthew 14:1-12). Jesus encouragement (Luke 7:21-22) and warning (Luke 7:23) to John suggests John’s question was raised due to uncertainty.
John had been in prison for many months, perhaps as long as a year (Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29). [2]
Here, again, we find another crisis. John was experiencing a personal tragedy. Another issue for John was unmet expectations regarding the character of Jesus’ ministry. Rather than the political authority and power John anticipated, John witnessed seemingly unbridled injustice and a philanthropic rather than political Jesus. The Messiah’s arrival should have brought bad things to bad people, not to the followers of Christ (so John might have thought).
Illegitimate, unbiblical expectations can only lead to doubt and loss of joy when they are not met.[2]
This leads us to what we need to know: John pictures a man who is sensitive to God and yet struggles to understand who Jesus is. God often acts in ways we do not expect or understand and feelings of confusion, questioning, and doubt are natural. However, we must beware of becoming a brat. Honest doubt is not a bad starting point, but it is a tragic ending point.
Understandably, John’s unmet expectations produced confusion and doubt.
The purpose of this passage is to encourage John, to show that Jesus was more than a great prophet (Luke 7:16), and to warn unbelieving brats.
v. 21 – Like Thomas (John 20), Jesus dealt gently with John’s doubt.
In Luke 7:22, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 61 to display the merciful character of God and to encourage John in his doubt. The unique and prolific miracles of Jesus point to the anticipated time described in Isaiah 61.
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion – to give them beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified” (Isaiah 61:1-3).
Jesus’ Contrast (Luke 7:24-30)
In Luke 7:24-25 Jesus is saying that what drew people to the wilderness was neither the locale nor John’s clothes, but his message. [1]
What does Jesus mean by “more than a prophet” in v. 26? The Bible is divided into two main sections: promise and fulfillment. John’s elevation “above” the prophets is attributed to the fact that John’s ministry as forerunner served as a bridge between the promise and fulfillment eras.
In Luke 7:27 Jesus quotes Malachi 3:1 to show John as the forerunner and Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus’ quote of Malachi 3:1 was influenced by Exodus 23:20-22, which was written prior to the conquest of Canaan. [1]
“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries” (Exodus 23:20-22).
In affirming John’s ministry, Jesus is speaking of the new exodus. The prophet John is compared to the protection that God gave his people by leading them through the wilderness. To respond to John is to be prepared for God’s coming Messiah and to be protected; failure to respond results in judgment. [1]
What does v. 28 mean? Believers in the era of fulfillment enjoy greater privileges than even John, the greatest man of the era of promise. [2]
“Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see, for I say to you, that many prophets and kings wished to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them,” (Luke 10:23-24).
"Having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect," (Hebrews 11:39-40).
What did we learn this morning?
John pictures a man who is sensitive to God and yet struggles to understand who Jesus is. God often acts in ways we do not expect or understand and feelings of confusion, questioning, and doubt are natural. However, we must beware of becoming a brat.
Because of what we have learned, what should we do?
Like John, we should bring our questions to Christ and expect encouragement and strengthened faith. Like John, we should expect that our encouragement might not bring changed circumstances. We must fight for faith and beware of becoming a brat. Honest doubt is not a bad starting point, but it is a tragic ending point.
Think about how John’s role in God’s plan changed so radically. From the womb it was known that John would be the forerunner of the Messiah. John grew up being told he was set apart for a special work. Prior to Jesus’ ministry, John was the most popular preacher of his day. Then, one day everything changed. John was given life in prison, never to see his family and friends again.
Like John, we are forced to choose if the kingdom of God is more important than our earthly preferences. We must decide if God’s glory and wisdom are higher than our comforts and desires.
The Brats (Luke 7:31-34)
We sometimes expect God to do things a certain way, and when he does not, we deem Him a failure.
Many commentators entitle this parable, “The parable of the brats.” This is the only reference in the Bible to children playing a game. Jesus speaks this parable with a harsh tone. The purpose of the parable is not to rebuke John, but to rebuke those who reject John’s message, and thereby reject Jesus.
Like the elder brother in Luke 15, Jesus compares unbelief to children who are unhappy about the events of their life and decide to “take their ball and go home pouting.” Jesus likened John’s ministry style to that of a funeral and Jesus’ to that of a wedding.
It does not matter if the song is happy or sad, the bratty children remain discontent and unsatisfied.
“Because John was aloof and did not associate with people, they denounced him as demon possessed. But because Jesus interacted with people, even the outcasts of society, His enemies scornfully denounced Him as a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (John MacArthur). [2]
The parable explains the hearts of those who fail to heed the rebuke in v. 23. The Jewish leadership is complaining that John and Jesus do not follow their desires. The Jews do not wish to enter the game unless it is played according to their rules.
The unbelieving brats would sing to whichever tune they could to justify their rejection.
“The plain truth is that the natural heart of man hates God. The earthly mind is at war with God. It dislikes His law and His Gospel. It will always find some excuse for not believing and obeying” (J.C. Ryle). [3]
Wisdom’s Children (Luke 7:35)
“The reader is to answer the question, ‘Which side of the partition am I on?’” (Darrell L. Bock).
Are you becoming a brat? Will you be like the complaining children, wanting God to play by your rules? Do you constantly complain and seek ways to justify your unbelief? When led by unmet expectations to the prison of uncertainty will you fight for faith?
Note the dungeon of despair in Pilgrim’s Progress, the giant, and the key of promise.
Jesus draws a line in this passage and calls for a response. Will you be a child of wisdom or a brat? Will you pursue Him with your doubt or will you stand on the peripheral as a skeptic? Will you be judged or will you be shown mercy. Will you sit in a palace in this world or will you be content to let your head roll, knowing this life is not all there is?
Sources
- Brock, Darrell. Luke 1:1-9:50. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1994.
- MacArthur, John. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Luke 1-5. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009.
- Ryle, J.C. Luke. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 1997.
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