Lesson 5: Other Valuable Resources
A Gift
I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. —Matthew 11:22
In Matthew 11:20–24, Jesus denounces Israelite cities who refused to repent in spite of his miracles. Amazingly, they were more wicked than notorious pagan cities of the past, who would have repented if Jesus had done his miracles there!
Then Jesus contrasts unbelievers with another type of people: “little children” (v. 25). He praises the Father for revealing “these things” (the truth about Jesus’s work, as in v. 4–6, 16–18, and 27) not to “the wise and understanding” but rather to “little children” (v. 25), and then states his purpose to “reveal” the Father to such, so that they “know” the Father (v. 27).
That shows that the Son’s pleasure rests on the Father’s purpose, which in turn determines the Son’s purpose of making the Father known only to little children.
Such knowledge means more than just familiarity! This is to know God as “the only true God,” and to know “Jesus Christ whom [he has] sent” (John 17:3). This is to be declared righteous by the Father. This is to be born again. This is to experience a new relationship as God’s child through his Son.
And how can someone gain this knowledge? Jesus makes clear that it is not something earned. You cannot gain this knowledge by your own effort. After all, if the “wise” (v. 25) lived up to their reputation and had true knowledge of God, they would have been the first to believe in Jesus! But they rejected Jesus. Such knowledge is something given, not earned.
And to whom is it given? Not to the wise, but to the weary. In verse 28 of our passage, Jesus calls, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
How about you? Do you know who the Father is? Do you know who Jesus is? Do you believe that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world, and so rejoice in being the recipient of redemption? Have you found rest in the Savior, “the one whose deepest heart is, more than anything else, gentle and lowly”?¹ If so, that knowledge of God is not something you gained by your effort, but something you were given by God’s grace. The Son chose to reveal the Father to you.
So as you pore over Scripture and comb through good commentaries, remember this: any knowledge of God you have, and any advance in the knowledge of God you make, is God’s gift.