A Sovereign Sentence of Fulfilled Judgment | Matthew 23:29-36

Scripture

• Matthew 23:29–36

About this sermon

Introduction: It is one thing to announce that judgment is coming. It is another thing to map the way it will arrive at your doorstep. That’s what Jesus does in our verses. Who is Jesus of Nazareth? What authority does He possess? This was the question raised by the religious leaders of the Jews. They, of course, wanted to insist that He was an imposter. HE ANSWERS THEM IN A WAY THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT THEY ARE THE PRETENDERS. He has already demonstrated His authority by His actions, by His instruction, by His answers to their questions, and by His questions that they can’t answer. All of this in addition TO THE SIGNS that were unmistakable. ESV John 10:37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." But now, after a devastating series of judgment declarations, He tells them, in a very specific way, what Israel’s future will hold. In many ways, what is coming is a post-mortem. Israel, as God’s chosen instrument for making Himself known to the world, is dead for the age that is coming — the church age. What will follow will serve like a demonstrative autopsy that confirms the reason why God has rejected them. WHAT WILL COME WILL NOT ONLY CONFIRM THEIR GUILT —IT WILL ALSO DEMONSTRATE THEIR MURDEROUS CHARACTER. This morning we see three accomplishments of the judgment that Jesus announces. And then we will see ONE UNMISTAKABLE CONCLUSION. • WHAT IS COMING WILL CONFIRM THEIR GUILT — ON ACCOUNT OF THIS (vs.34) Διὰ τοῦτο B. w. acc. ① marker of extension through an area, through (Hom. and other early Gk. only in poetry, e.g. Pind. P. 9, 123 διʼ ὅμιλον ‘through the throng’; Hellenistic prose since Dionys. Hal. [JKäser, D. Präpositionen b. Dionys. Hal., diss. Erlangen 1915, 54]; ISyriaW 1866b τὸν πάτρωνα διὰ πάντα of the governor of a whole province) διήρχετο διὰ μέσον Σαμαρείας καὶ Γαλιλαίας Lk 17:11 (cp. SibOr 3, 316 ῥομφαία διελεύσεται διὰ μέσον σεῖο). ② marker of someth. constituting cause The preposition with the singular accusative demonstrative pronoun, “because of this” or “on account of this.” On account of what? On account of their blood guiltiness (vs.29-33). THIS IS AMAZING. Because they have proven themselves to be those who persecute, malign, reject, and murder the messengers of God, Jesus is going to send MORE MESSENGERS. The messengers will continue until they have filled up their measure of guilt and then the judgment of God will come. THE IMPLICATIONS, FRANKLY, ARE STAGGERING: *God sends messengers to prove guilt just like He sends messengers as instruments of rescue. *The fact that God allows those messengers to be mistreated is no proof that their persecutors are winning — that they have escaped judgment. On the contrary, apart from repentance, it means nothing except a delay that allows for the full measure of their guilt. ESV Romans 2:5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. *The messengers that are used in this way ARE MISTREATED BY MEN, but they ARE NEVER MISTREATED BY GOD. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE GOD AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR DELIVERANCE, AND IT IS JUST AS MUCH A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE GOD AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR JUDGMENT. ESV 2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? ESV 1 Peter 3:10 For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; 11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

Topics

• Hell & Judgment