Luke 7:24-35 — Pay Attention, Don’t Live For It!

READ THIS: Luke 7:24-35

24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.) 

31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: “‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.’ 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?

In this passage, we learn about the heart of John the Baptist’s ministry, but we also learn a lot about the idea that how we receive the good news of Jesus matters.

First, Jesus explains to the crowd about John’s ministry, saying that John wasn’t doing ministry to get peoples’ attention or to live a life of luxury, but that John lived out what the prophets spoke of long before his time! John served as a messenger, telling people and preparing them for Jesus’s coming, and he certainly wasn’t living to please people! That is why Jesus commends John and says there is no one as great as he is.

But then, we suddenly get this cool part from Luke in parentheses… peoples’ hearts begin to change and turn toward Jesus and the good news! It’s awesome! However, the opposite can be said for the Pharisees. Their hearts actually change in a negative way, as they reject the words and the truth that Jesus is speaking to them. Then, Jesus says that the Pharisees are like little kids, sitting outside the marketplace complaining about those around them. He says that the Pharisees call John a demon and Jesus a drunkard and a friend of sinners, judging how they live without actually paying attention to what God is doing through and around them. 

What Jesus is essentially saying is that the Pharisees are constantly looking for faults in the work of John and Jesus, and when we spend all our time trying to point out faults in people, we will miss the point!  If we want our hearts to change like the people in verse 29, we have to put aside the part of us that loves to judge and start paying attention to what Jesus is doing around us!

THINK ABOUT IT:

1. Have you ever been so focused on seeing the fault in someone or something that you missed out on something really cool? What was it?

2. John clearly didn’t mind looking a little crazy for Jesus… is it hard for you to stand out or look different in your walk with Jesus?

TRY THIS:

Sometimes the best ways we can serve Jesus are by standing out and living differently than the world around us. If you have a moment this week to live differently than those around you, not for attention but for Jesus, take a chance and do it!