| Church School Lesson: Stand Up |
"Stand Up"
February 9, 2025
Background: Matthew 11; Print: Matthew 11:7-15, 20-24;
Key Verse: Matthew 11:20; Devotional: Matthew 10:31-42
Matthew 11:7-15 (ESV)
7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10 This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.
13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John,
14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 11:20-24 (ESV)
20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.
21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.
23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
Matthew Chapter 11 (Commentary)
11:7-15 A As these men were leaving, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John. He was no reed swaying in the wind (11:7). John was a kingdom man, urging sinners to repent (3:1-12). He was a prophet (11:9) who wasn’t intimidated by the religious leaders or the king (3:7-10; 14:3-5). Moreover, he was God’s chosen messenger, as foretold in the Old Testament, who would prepare the way for Christ (11:10; see Mal 3:1). Like the great Old Testament prophet Elijah, he boldly proclaimed God’s word and faced violent opposition (11:12-14; see 1 Kgs 19:1-5; Matt 14:6-12). As John himself confessed, he was not the Messiah but a signpost pointing the way (John 1:19-23).
11:20-24 Then Jesus got angry and named names. He denounced towns that had seen his miracles but did not repent: Chorazin . . . Bethsaida . . . Capernaum (11:20-21, 23). How bad would it be for them? Wicked Old Testament cities that incurred God’s wrath will find the day of judgment more tolerable than will those cities that rejected Jesus (11:22, 24). These Galilean cities had heard the word and seen the power of the King of kings, the God-man. Therefore, their actions would be weightier. The greater the knowledge of God’s revelation, the greater the accountability for those who reject it.