God's Will: Unyielding Trust 11-9-25
Overview
God's Will: Unyielding Trust
As Thanksgiving approaches, it is worth asking what Jesus Himself gave thanks for. One of those moments comes in Matthew 11:25-26, and the context matters. Jesus had just confronted a generation that rejected both Him and John the Baptist—John for his austerity, Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners. Neither one "fit the bill." He pronounces woes on Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, cities that had witnessed mighty works yet refused to repent. Despite preaching, teaching, and miracles, the wide response was rejection, hostility, or indifference. As one author put it, when Jesus came to Galilee, the people thought the circus had come to town—not realizing the Messiah of the world had arrived.
Then comes the surprise: in the wake of disappointment, Jesus prays, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants." Scripture gives several reasons people fail to believe—the blinding work of Satan 2 Corinthians 4:4, human sinfulness and unwillingness Matthew 23:37, and at times God's own response of "have it your way," giving people over to what they have chosen Romans 1:24-28. The "wise and intelligent" are the self-sufficient—those who see no need for God or salvation. The "infants" are those who, by grace, recognize their utter dependence on God for redemption, like a child upon a parent.
Underneath this prayer of thanks lies the engine of Jesus' confidence: "Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will." This is unyielding trust in the perfect will of the Father. The German hymn-writer Samuel Rodigast captured it in 1675: "Whatever God ordains is right." The hymn does not deny life's struggles—it speaks of joy and sadness alike—but rests on the conviction that nothing happens apart from God's throne. There is not one "maverick molecule" loose in the universe. The same Father who sent His Son at the right time, who laid our sin on Christ at the cross, who raised Him from the dead, and who washes us in that victory through Word and Sacrament—this Father can be trusted.
The pastoral call, then, is to live what we sing. We may sing "whatever God ordains is right" yet struggle to live it when life does not unfold as we would design. Yet God Himself works in us through Word and Sacrament to produce the rejoicing of Philippians 4:4 ("Rejoice in the Lord always"), the gratitude of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ("give thanks in all circumstances"), and the defiant faith of Habakkuk 3:17-18—rejoicing in the Lord even when the fig tree fails to blossom. Even when we do not understand, even when we would have done it differently, we can pray with Jesus, "Not my will, but yours be done"—because we have seen the heart of God, and His heart is Jesus.
Transcript
Would you open your Bible's please with me to the 11th chapter of the gospel of Matthew? 3s
If you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find in front of you 8s
or underneath you, you'll find the 11th chapter of the gospel of Matthew on page 20 in 12s
the second part of the Bible, the New Testament. 19s
Matthew the 11th chapter for our time in God's Word today. 22s
We continue on in this nine month sermon series entitled the Red Letter Words of Jesus. 27s
We're taking a look at many of those red letter words that Jesus said recorded in Scripture. 35s
It's entitled the Red Letter Words, you'll recall. 42s
It's oftentimes in Bibles, you'll see the words of Jesus in the red ink. 44s
And so we turn today to chapter two of this seven chapter series. 50s
We've been studying in chapter one the great I am statements of our Lord. 57s
Where Jesus said I am and then we've been filling the blank in each and every week, because of who Jesus is, that means we are. 63s
And now as we go to chapter two, I thought it might be good for us as Thanksgiving is on the horizon to ask the question. 71s
What is it that Jesus gave thanks for recorded in Scripture? 82s
What is it that Jesus gave thanks for recorded in the Bible? 90s
We see that there are seven specific times where it tells us what Jesus gave thanks for. 98s
But because of sometimes repetition among the various gospels, it really comes down to four different groupings. 107s
And so for these next four sermons, including Thanksgiving Eve, we're going to ask the question. 117s
What was it that Jesus gave thanks for? 124s
So we turn to our text for today. 134s
I believe it is one of the most intriguing portions of the gospel of Matthew, we're most intriguing portions. 136s
And in order to understand it, of course, we need to look at the context. 145s
Because the verses that immediately precede the two verses I want to examine with you today, that context, it helps us to understand what's going on in those two verses. 150s
So let's back up a little bit today and let's start in chapter 11 verse 16. 163s
Here Jesus says, but to what will I compare this generation? 170s
It's like children sitting in the market places and calling to one another. 177s
We played the flute for you and you did not dance. 183s
We wailed and you did not mourn. 187s
What's Jesus getting at here? 191s
Jesus is lifting up that the people here had rejected who Jesus and John were. 193s
To put it in another way, they were expecting a Messiah, they were expecting the four runner of the Messiah to be different than what they got. 205s
And for them, Jesus and John just did not fit the bill. 215s
Jesus goes on to highlight that. 224s
Look at verse 18. 227s
Jesus says, for John came neither eating nor drinking and they say, he has a demon. 230s
The son of man came eating and drinking and they say, look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. 236s
Jesus and John, they just didn't fit the bill. 248s
And Jesus says, second part of verse 19, yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds in other words. 258s
Truth wins out. 272s
And who Jesus is? 275s
And the four runner who John is, that truth will win out. 277s
Jesus then expresses disappointment and disapproval. 287s
Look at verse 20. 292s
Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his deeds of power had been done because they did not repent. 296s
What would you, chorus? And what would you be say to, for if the deeds of power done and you had been done in tyrants, 304s
they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 310s
But I tell you on the day of judgment, it will be more tolerable for tyrants and scyden than for you. 315s
And you, Copernam, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. 322s
For the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom. 329s
It would have remained until this day, but I tell you that on the day of judgment, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you. 334s
Jesus had begun his ministry. 349s
And what he experienced was rejection. 353s
Did some people follow? Did some people believe yes? 359s
But the wide swath of people absolutely rejected him. 362s
All of the preaching and all of the teaching and all of the miracles and what he experienced was rejection, hostility or who cares. 372s
One author said that when Jesus came to Galilee, the people thought that the circus had come to town and they didn't understand that the Messiah of the world had come. 384s
Jesus expresses disappointment and disapproval and after that, what does he say? 403s
It's called the axe method. 422s
It's a simple little thing that can help to form our prayers. 426s
A adoration, giving thanks to God for who he is, praising God for that which he has done. 433s
See confession, expressing sorrow for sin, confessing our sins, past from Alemanek has begun an excellent class on confession these next several weeks in the adult hour. 441s
Ask supplication that's bringing our petitions to the Lord and the tea. 456s
What's the tea? 463s
Thanksgiving. 466s
After the expression of the disappointment, after the expression of the disapproval, Jesus gives thanks. 470s
It's a prayer. 481s
Look at me, please. Now, at verse 25. 483s
At that time, Jesus said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligence. 487s
Well, what are these things? 504s
What are these things here that the Father has hidden? 509s
When you look at the context, these things is an understanding of Jesus's ministry, who he was and the ministry of John, who he was. 515s
And Jesus gives thanks that who the Father has whipped has hidden this meaning from the wise and the intelligent. 529s
All right, who are the wise and the intelligent? 548s
Put the label of self-sufficient on them. That's a short definition. 554s
In their wisdom, in their intelligence, and you understand that's verbal quotes around them. 560s
In their intelligence and in their wisdom, they were self-sufficient. They didn't need God. 568s
They didn't need salvation. They were just fine. 574s
Now, need for God, no need for salvation. 581s
So, Jesus gives thanks for groupings of giving thanks in the gospels. 587s
And one of them is he is giving thanks to the Father for hiding. 592s
So, there would be no understanding for hiding the meaning of the ministry of Jesus and John. 602s
Why is it that some people don't believe? 620s
We see in Scripture several different references to that. 625s
Some don't believe because of Satan. 631s
We see, for example, in 2 Corinthians 4, we read, in their case, the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. 634s
Who's the image of God? Who's the God of this world that's doing the blinding? That's just another way of saying, say. 651s
So, what are the biblical reasons that is given of why some people don't believe in the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, is because they've been blinded by Satan? 659s
I will also tell you that another reason why people don't believe is because of their own sinfulness. 671s
Humans are the problem, the sinfulness of humans. 680s
Jesus cries out and lament in Matthew 23. He says, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it. 685s
How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen, gathers or brewed under her wings, and you were not willing? 696s
So Bible says, a reason for unbelief is the devil. The Bible says, a reason for unbelief are humans. 708s
The Bible also says that a reason for unbelief is sometimes when people put themselves against the preaching of Jesus, against the truth of God. 717s
And God says, have your way. Have your way. The Bible tells us that yes, people don't believe because of Satan, yes, people don't believe because of their own sinfulness, but the Bible also reveals times. 739s
Where God responds to people, say, I don't want anything to do about your truth, I don't want anything to do about your preaching Jesus, and God responds by hiding the message from them. 762s
God responds with a, then have your way. Have your way. Paul talks about this in Romans chapter 1. 781s
He says, therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the grading of their bodies among themselves. 795s
He then goes on to say, God gave them up to degrading passions. He then goes on to say, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done. 808s
That doesn't necessarily mean that God gave them up forever, that He never converted them, but it might. 826s
Because we see times in Scripture where God shortens their time of grace. He shortens us. He shortens it. And He says, then have your way. Have your way. 840s
That's the case here. That's the case here. Look again, at verse 25 of Matthew 11. 866s
At that time Jesus said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent. 880s
And then He says, and have revealed them to infants. Who are the infants? Well, the infants are those that God by His grace has revealed the truth too. 896s
It's that understanding by God's grace, where one says, I'm absolutely dependent upon God for redemption. 916s
I'm a sinner and I can't save myself. It's that understanding that they are in need of a Savior. They're understanding of their dependency upon God for life and salvation. 927s
Like a child, an infant, is dependent upon the parent. It's those who by the grace of God have come to understand that they too are dependent upon God Almighty. 938s
So where are we here? Where are we? Jesus gives thanks one of the four groupings. And what He gives thanks for is that the Father hides the message. 956s
And He reveals the message. He gives thanks for the hiding and the revealing. 974s
Okay, let's go deeper here. Let's go deeper. What's underneath this? What's underneath? Jesus giving thanks for the Father who at times says, then have your way and hides the message. 988s
And other times when God reveals the message and transforms the heart. What's underneath the giving of thanks? It's verse 26. 1007s
Jesus says, yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. Jesus gives thanks. It is an unyielding trust in the perfect will of God. 1023s
His name was Samuel Rodigast. He was a German Lutheran scholar at theologian, 1687. He wrote a hymn in the entitled that, whatever God or Danes, 1062s
is right. Whatever God or Danes is right. Every single stanza of that verse begins with those words. Whatever God or Danes is right. 1080s
Now, now that hymn doesn't dismiss struggles in life. It doesn't dismiss difficulties in life because embedded in the very lyrics. You have lines like, he guides our joy and sadness. 1103s
You have a line that says, to him, we bend each heart and will. Whatever God or Danes is right. Because nothing happens that doesn't pass before the throne of God. 1118s
There is not one maverick molecule in all of the universe that simply doing its own thing out there. No, everything that happens passes before the throne of God. 1141s
And so he writes, whatever God or Danes is right is right. And we are then called by the grace of God to live into the reality of that truth. 1155s
But we can sometimes sing that line, but struggle to live it, right? We can sing it, but we can struggle to live it. 1181s
The Father sent the Son, the second member of the Trinity, as scripture describes at the right time, to go to the cross and the expression of the rightness of God in his actions that the Savior took our sin upon him at the cross. 1207s
He paid the debt we could never pay in the rightness of God's action. The Savior shed his blood in the rightness of God's action. The Son was raised from the dead in the rightness of the God's action that Word of victory is put with the water and we are washed in the victory of the cross and the empty tomb. 1229s
In the rightness of God's action, he comes to us in his grace and in his mercy. And we can trust in the one who has redeemed us. We can trust in him. 1259s
Because as we look to Jesus Christ, we see the heart of God. And we can trust that as God brings forth from us a trust in his will and his way so that we can say not my will, but your will be done. 1281s
God is at work bringing forth from us the reality of Philippians, the fourth chapter where we read. 1311s
Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice. 1324s
Notice what it says there? It doesn't say rejoice in the Lord in these certain times. It says rejoice in the Lord when? 1330s
Always. 1338s
God through Word and sacrament brings forth the reality of first the salonians, the fifth chapter that says, give thanks in all circumstances. 1340s
For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, for you. Notice the all once again. 1350s
God through Word and sacrament brings forth the reality of a backache of the third chapter where it says, though the fig tree does not blossom. 1356s
And no fruit is on the vines, though the produce of the olive fails and the fields yield no food. 1366s
Though the flock is cut off from the fold and there is no herd in the stalls yet, I will rejoice in the Lord. I will exalt in the God of my salvation. 1375s
That's God at work through Word and sacrament. That's the very God that has redeemed us to birth in us, a people that says, whatever God or Danes is right. 1391s
Even amidst times where we struggle with that. Even amidst times where we say, I don't understand it. 1419s
Even amidst times when we say, if I were God, I do it this way. It's amidst those times that God is continually at work bringing forth from us, the confidence that whatever God, 1434s
God or Danes is right. It's right. Jesus says, I thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you've hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them. 1461s
To infants, yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. He gave thanks to God and underneath it was the unyielding trust in the perfection of the Father. 1491s
By God's grace, may we be a people that trust in the one that sent the Lord Jesus to redeem us and may we live each day with the surety, that whatever, whatever, God or Danes is right. 1522s
Not my will, your will. May we live in that trust, because we know who God is. We've seen His heart and His heart is Jesus. 1551s
Thank you. 1587s