Can Puny Men Outwit God?
(Message delivered by Pastor at the RELC 10.30 am Service, May 9, 04)
Text: Matt. 22:15-33
Since we commenced worship at RELC I had written 22 times on “How Jesus Taketh Puny Men in Their Own Craftiness”. For this sermon, I have turned it around to “Can Puny Men Outwit God?” Jesus was surrounded by all kinds of enemies, false prophets and false teachers, like a pack of wolves but He exposed their wickedness in all their craftiness.
This week’s sermon leads us to a contest with the Pharisees and Herodians who tried to entangle our Lord in His talk. Here’s a good one they thought, “Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?” If Jesus replied yes, He would be deemed a traitor, for the Jews who were ruled by the Romans hated them. If He said no, He would offend the Roman masters. “Ha, ha, they thought, Jesus was now caught!” Knowing their trick Jesus said, “Show me a coin. Who is on this coin?” “Caesar” they stammered. Jesus said, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” Jesus paid them back in their own coin. How can puny man outwit God?
Another kind of enemies are the Sadducees. These Jews, like the modernists and liberals of our day, do not believe in the resurrection. Here they tried to catch our Lord by quoting Moses. Moses said, “If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us seven brothers: and the first, when he had married a wife,
died, and having no children, left his wife to his younger brothers. Likewise the second, and the third, unto the seventh married her because she still did not bear any children. I thought to myself, “How could she? By the time she came to No. 7 she was an old hag.” And last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.”
Jesus answered, “Ye do not know the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.”
As ignorant as the Sadducees there are non Christian couples who commit suicide to marry in the next world. It is well known how Japanese couples would jump down the crater of the famous volcanic mountain Fujiyama.
For further illustration let me tell you the romantic story of Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. It was built by an Indian Emperor near New Delhi in the 17th Century, a most exquisite tomb for his beloved wife. When he died he was buried together with his wife. The idea was he would live with his wife forever after. Jesus’ pronouncement that there is no more husband and wife relationship in the resurrection and we become like the angels is new revelation to us.
I have observed two middle-aged couples in Life Church who go along life’s journey unwillingly and who look happily to parting company in the resurrection. This saves them from a divorce now.
But we have happier news for you. Those of us who are saved, according to the Apostle Paul, will altogether be espoused to Christ as a chaste virgin (II Cor. 11:2) and in Rev. 19:7 we will become the wife of the Lamb. But this deep truth of salvation will never be known by the Sadducees or Pharisees, false teachers and false prophets who rejected Jesus’ claim for being God’s Son and Second Person of the Godhood. The Pharisees who have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, their sin will not be forgiven, neither in this world, neither in the next (Matt. 12:32).
I can never visualise a greater joy in life as falling in love and getting married. How much greater it will be to be espoused as a chaste virgin to Christ and become wife of the Lamb. We as the wife will be lavished with the love of Christ the Husband. And forever and forever. Will time take its toll? Not with the Son of God who has chided the Church of Ephesus for leaving her first love. And as variety is the spice of life we will hear the choirs of all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues sing and endless turns of other peoples will succeed them. This will be our happiest lot as wife of the Lamb.
My teacher, Dr Buswell said he would be most happy to read Calvin’s Institutes in heaven. What Paul says is far better forever more.
For Jesus our Lord and Saviour is God. And in today’s scripture lesson, Jesus’ enemies the Pharisees and Sadducees are puny men who try to outwit God. Can they?
THE GOSPEL OF LIFE:
Chapter II
John 2:1-3
The Wine of Life comes to Cana
Do you know your Bible geography? Buy a big Bible, with maps at the end-pages.
Look up Cana on the map titled: “Palestine in the time of Christ.” You will see Cana situated on the road that runs down south from Capernaum on the northern side of the Sea of Galilee, passing through Magdala. This road, after leading you to Cana, runs south to Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown. We conclude our Lord knows Cana as much as Nazareth, since they are so close to each other. Our Lord must have had many friends and relatives in both of these towns. So His disciples, for they, except Judas Iscariot, were all Galileans.
The Bible says, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” (Rom.12:15). While we have many occasions of sorrow wherein Jesus is present, we cannot have a complete picture of Him without this record of His attendance at a wedding! And wherever Jesus appears, He brings blessing.
I’m sure the coming of Jesus to this wedding attracts an exceptional crowd. For all the people, having heard what John the Baptist has said of Him, would want to see more of Him, inasmuch as they wanted to see the bridal couple. No wonder the wine ran out. What an embarrassment to the host, but paradoxically, what an honour! Often we have observed at wedding dinners the empty seats unfilled by those who fail to turn up. Let Christ come into any situation of your life, for then you will find good support from His children.
When we invite Christ to the pulpit by exalting His Name, we attract many to the Church Service. When we invite Christ to our business by trading honestly and fairly, we bring many customers. When we honour Christ with our substance, He blesses us with abundance. The question is, do you invite Christ? Is Christ your honoured guest not only on your Wedding Day but also at every meal and in every conversation?
John 2:4-8
“The Blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, And he addeth no sorrow with it.”
– Prov. 10:22
How much wine did Jesus make? From the context of what Mary said to the servants and the setting of the six stone waterpots, it must be concluded this number was requested by our Lord. These were huge stone jars used by the Jews for purification purposes such as the washing of hands before eating. At “two or three firkins a piece”, and since one firkin according to Scofield = 9 gallons and 1 gallon = 4.5 litres, we have each water pot holding an average of 100 litres. Times 6 and you get 600 litres! How much would that cost today?
Our Lord is the Creator of heaven and earth. In that light this amount is but a drop in the ocean. If Jesus had no problem multiplying five loaves and two fishes to feed 5,000 men (excluding women and children), He needed no exertion to produce 600 litres to satisfy, perhaps, 6,000 enthusiastic guests. Remember He was a greater than John the Baptist. He was the new rising Star. Don’t smother your imagination of the magnitude of the crowds. He satisfied all their needs, with plenty to spare, as in the feeding of the 5,000.
An Ancient Olive Tree in the Garden of Gethsemane
11th Pilgrimage to the Holy Land – Egypt, Jordan, Israel. Aug 26 – Sept 11, S$2,998 only. Last few seats left. Hurry! See Mrs Ivy Tow.
Bible Camp June 15 – 18 at Resort Lautan Biru, Mersing, overflow to nearby Timotel.
Speaker: Rev Errol Stone, Pastor of Perth, Faith Presbyterian Church and Pastor Tow. 100 registered. See Mrs Ivy Tow.
