Speaker: Jerry Cisar | Series: Disciple 1.0 | Book: Matthew

Speaker: Jerry Cisar

In an article titled The Grandeur of Delusion, Psychology Today describes a common experience for someone who has just had a brain injury that has left them paralyzed. The patient lies in a hospital bed, his head wrapped in bandages. He’s paralyzed in his left arm and doesn’t know it.

“Would you be so kind as to raise your left hand?” his doctor asks.

“Certainly,” says the patient. But the hand remains where it is. The patient explains, “It’s gotten tangled up in the sheets.”

The doctor points out that his arm is lying free and unencumbered on top of the sheets.

“Well, yes,” the man says, “but I just don’t feel like lifting it right now.”

This provides a picture of humanity’s delusion about its wisdom. We have pride and persistence in human wisdom. Persistence that the way we do things will bring peace to the world – despite the evidence to the contrary! Yet we persist in doing things the way we do. We fail to see our delusion!

In our text (Matthew 11:16-30), “John and Jesus have challenged the assumption that the way things are is the way they have to be. Indeed, John and Jesus claim that the way things are is an illusion” (Hauerwas). That is not well received. John is in prison. Jesus is going to be crucified. Yet that is how a kingdom of peace will be brought about! O, the wisdom of the cross!

Join us in worship as we bow ourselves before Jesus as King, learning how real wisdom is found in Him!

Handout: http://media.gccc.net/2019/09/20190901.pdf