Matthew 23:33-39 March 13, 2022 a.m.
Do you all remember the PSA put out by the government about wearing seatbelts. They had two crash dummies named Vince and Larry. And of course the slogan was, “You Can Learn a Lot from a Dummy!!!” I think I preached a message on that one time but it’s been a long time ago. This morning I want to preach a message similar to that but I’m NOT going to TITLE IT, “You Can Learn a Lot from a Dummy”
The passage I want to read today starts out with a question. It is the MOST IMPORTANT question that has ever been asked in the history of mankind. It’s a RHETORICAL QUESTION that Jesus asked the PHARISEES and RELIGIOUS LEADERS but yet it’s a QUESTION that you and I MUST ANSWER TODAY.
So let’s turn to Matthew 23. We’ll start reading with Verse 33 and read to the end of the Chapter.
“Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
I started out with this QUESTION that we must all answer for ourselves. “How can ye escape the damnation of hell?”
And the reason I started out with this question is BECAUSE Jesus answers this question, just four Verses later. In Verse 37 He tells us HOW. How that we can escape DAMNATION.
“How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”
Listen, our only escape is by allowing JESUS to gather us to Himself and HIDE US under Hs wings. You may think I’m crazy this morning but I’m NOT going to TITLE this message, “You Can Learn a Lot from Dummies” but instead this message is TITLED,
“You can learn a lot from, ..... a Chicken.”
So before we get into this message, let’s go to the Lord in Prayer.
Brother ______, would you lead us?
As I said earlier, Jesus was talking to the religious leaders of the day. And Jesus seems to be ANGRY as he speaks to these people. I believe He was Angry at their PRIDE. Angry at their SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS. Angry at how CALOUS they had become to the NEEDS of the people. But yet, even in His RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION, He showed LOVE to these people. Oh how Jesus LONGED to gather them to Himself. SO let’s take a look at the LOWLY CHICKEN.
I. Did you know that hens ‘talk’ or cluck to their chicks before they even HATCH? As the chicks grow within the eggs, they also begin to peep and squeak back to their mama’s. This helps the chicks to create a bond with their mama’s before they even hatch. And when the chicks do hatch, they know their mother’s voice and will follow it everywhere she leads them.
JESUS LONGED for the Nation of Judah to HEAR the VOICE of GOD. He LONGED for them to OBEY that VOICE. Here they were being controlled by the Wicked Roman Government. And their own DISOBEDIENCE is what had led them here. Their FAILURE to LISTEN and OBEY God. And here’s the Crazy thing. The Saducees Group of Jews spent the most time at the Temple but yet they were HAPPY with their life of being SUBJECT to the Romans. They were more than happy to obey the Romans but yet refused to listen to God.
And this is something so many need to learn today. There are SO MANY who are SO WRAPPED up in their own thing, that they never listen for the Voice of God. Oh how Jesus LONGS to pull them to Himself. Oh how He longs to have that RELATIONSHIP with them but yet they won’t listen for His voice. They’re just FAT and HAPPY, living in their own little world, and they have no time for Jesus.
You see Jesus speaks to each one of us. He gives us all a chance to have that relationship with Him. Revelations 3:20 tells us:
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
Learn from the chicken. Listen and obey the VOICE of God.
II. The second thing a chicken can teach us is all about the PECKING ORDER.
The term “Pecking Order” comes from chickens because they operate with a very strict hierarchy- with the chickens at the top laying down the rules to those chickens beneath them.
In fact, if you bring two flocks of chickens together, they will normally fight each other to figure out what the PECKING ORDER is gonna be. The pecking order isn’t just for the hens either. It also includes the roosters, and they’re the ones who normally dominate the pecking order. If you watch the HENS real close, they will feed as close to the most dominant rooster as they can because he will protect them.
Jesus told these Jewish leaders, “Oh if you just would have let me, I would have loved to pull you under my wings and give you protection, “And ye would not!!!” They wouldn’t have it. You see they didn’t understand the HIERARCHY.
They refused to believe that Jesus was the Promised Messiah.
They refused to believe that the MESSIAH would come as a HUMBLE SERVANT, born as a BABE in a MANGER.
They refused to open their EYES to the miracles that He had performed.
The Lame could walk, the Blind could see, the Leper was cleansed, the Deaf could hear, and the DEMON POSSESSED were set free. Jesus went about doing good but yet they didn’t understand who Jesus was. He was the CREATOR. He was GOD in the FLESH and they were just MERE HUMANS. But they couldn’t understand this.
And there’s too many people today who can’t understand the PECKING ORDER. The HIERARCHY. In fact, there’s a lot of people who see themselves as god. Humanism. Or maybe they see themselves a little better than others for different reasons.
I mean you have BIGOTS who think they’re something special because the color of their skin is a little lighter than others.
You have some who think they’re a little above the rest because of their EDUCATION.
I’ve talked to some who think their WEALTH puts them at a little higher status.
And then you have those who think they’re something special because they’re one of the CHOSEN and others aren’t.
And when it comes right down to it they’re ain’t NOBODY better than anyone else in the eyes of God. THAT’S THE HIERARCHY of God. He’s UP HERE and we’re all DOWN HERE.
I like what Paul tells us in Romans 2:7-11
“To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.”
God doesn’t care if you’re a Jew or a Gentile. He doesn’t care if you’re Black or White. What He cares about is your RELATIONSHIP with Him.
ILLUS: And listen, God doesn’t CHOOSE some and REJECT others. He chooses ALL and then allows us to make the decision whether we want to serve Him or not. We have a FREE WILL. It’s a choice we ALL MUST MAKE. It’s a WHOSOEVER SALVATION. Romans 10:13. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
He will draw ALL OF US to HIM and then we must decide. You find that in John 12:32. “And I, if I be lifted up ...”
And part of SALVATION is understanding WHO we are and WHO God is and where we stand with HIM. That’s the PECKING ORDER. He has LAID DOWN the LAW.
Too many people use God’s NAME in VAIN.
Too many people IGNORE His COMMANDMENTS.
Too many people are just playing a GAME.
Too many people don’t take God and His Word seriously.
Listen, you can learn a lot from a CHICKEN.
III. Did you know that chickens can recognize up to one hundred human faces. This means it doesn’t take them long to recognize who their owners are and who the nice person is that feeds them every morning.
ILLUS: You know, I think that’s why my wife has BONDED so well with her chickens. They LOVE HER and they KNOW that she’s the FOOD LADY. They can TRUST HER to take care of them. And they know that she would NEVER take one of them out of the pen and chop it’s head off. At least I don’t think she would.
And I guess that’s one of the reasons the Jewish leaders had such a hard time with Jesus. They didn’t recognize Him as someone who LOVED THEM. Who came to give HIS VERY LIFE for them.
You see, Jesus didn’t fit the CRITERIA for who they thought the Messiah would be. He was not a Conquering King. He wasn’t a WAR LORD who had come to drive the Romans out. He wasn’t what they wanted.
And maybe that’s the problem with a lot of folks today. They don’t recognize who Jesus is. He isn’t what they want. Because a lot of people want Jesus to be a FREE get-out-of-jail card. Live any way they want. Say anything they want to say. Act anyway they want to act BUT ... He’s their ESCAPE PLAN for getting out of Hell. Listen, a CHICKEN can recognize it’s owner. But too many folks can’t recognize their Savior. This was a problem back in the days of the prophets and it’s still a problem today. Back in Isaiah Chapter 1, it tells us, “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
And even in this day and age a STUPID LOWLY CHICKEN will realize who their MASTER is but SO MANY just can’t see it.
IV. Another thing about CHICKENS. They TEACH their YOUNG. You know, we don’t really think much about Chickens being great mothers because they don’t NURSE their Babies like mammals. But yet something I didn’t know, from the time they HATCH, the MAMA HEN begins to TEACH the CHICKS.
There was TEST DONE in a LABORATORY SETTING where didn’t colored grains were put down for the MAMA HEN and the CHICKS to eat. And from a very young age the MAMA HEN taught her chicks to avoid certain grains by the COLOR of that GRAIN. That’s pretty cool isn’t it?
You know, we teach our children a lot of things without even realizing it. These RELIGIOUS LEADERS of that day had been taught by their fathers and they were teaching their children to be just like them. I want to read Verses 29-32 of Matthew 23.
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.”
Oh these leaders would say, “We wouldn’t have treated these PROPHETS the way our fathers did. We wouldn’t have tortured and killed them.” But Jesus says, “Fill ye up the measure of your fathers.” In other words, they would go on to finish up what their fathers had started. They would PERSECUTE, TORTURE and KILL the APOSTLES and DISCIPLES of Jesus. And, history shows us that’s exactly what they did. Like FATHER like SON.
YES!!! This is something for ALL of us. Something we can learn from the LOWLY CHICKEN. We’re ALL teaching something to the CHILDREN of today whether we like it or not. Whether you’re a PARENT or GRANDPARENT, Aunt or Uncle, or just a friend. A MENTOR. You’re teaching the CHILDREN of TODAY.
We TEACH the CHILDREN what’s important in our own lives without even saying a WORD.
We TEACH them what we LOVE the most by what we make a PRIORITY.
Listen, we’ve been given the assignment to TEACH our CHILDREN the DIFFERENCE between Right and Wrong. Good and Bad. And not just when we take the time to TEACH but in our everyday lives. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
YOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM A CHICKEN
V. I’m almost done here but another thing I want to point out. Chickens can See Better Than Humans.
For a long time people believed that chickens were color blind and had poor vision, but that’s NOT TRUE. Humans have three different cone types in their eyes, which means we can perceive red, green, and blue colors. But chickens have an additional two cone types, they can actually see violet and ultraviolet light. This means roosters can see the SUNRISE before humans can even see it. That’s why Roosters begin to CROW, up to an hour, before the sky begins to GLOW.
These Religious Leaders were BLIND. Throughout Chapter 23, Jesus talks about how blind they were to their own condition. I want to read a few more Verses starting in Verse 24. “Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.”
Later on in 2 Corinthians 4, Paul tells us that the Devil has blinded the minds of those who are lost. And it seems clear to me today that he is successful at that. People are BLIND to their condition. They can’t see the FUTURE unfolding before their eyes. They can’t see the PROPHECIES being fulfilled. The Rapture of the Church and the second coming of Jesus is CLOSE. It’s almost like the DAWN is getting ready to BREAK. But people just can’t see it.
This WAR that is RAGING in the Ukraine is a FULFILLMENT of PROPHECY. The next Chapter over, Chapter 24, Jesus explains to His disciples what would be the sign of His Second Coming AND THE END OF THE WORLD. And one of the SIGNS will be WARS and RUMORS of WARS. Sound familiar?
Also there will be PESTILENCE which is PLAGUES and DISEASES. COVID-19, Cancer and all the other diseases we deal with today. People need to OPEN their EYES to what’s going on. Time is SHORT and Jesus LONGS to gather folks under His wings.
Listen, YOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM A CHICKEN.
VI. One last thing about a CHICKEN.
They Have Their Own Language
Chickens have over 30 unique noises they can produce- all of which are used for different purposes. Their clucks and crows are mostly used to raise the alarm, normally either for danger or food!
And that exactly what Jesus was talking about here. He LONGED to give His people protection from the DAMNATION of HELL. He LONGED for the HEARTS of these Religious Leaders to be softened. But they wouldn’t have it.
I’m sure Jesus had seen many times a HAWK FLY OVER and the HEN would CRY OUT to her CHICKS and they would come running and TUCK THEMSELVES under their mama’s wings for PROTECTION and SAFETY.
That same Jesus cries out for you and I today. His HOLY SPIRIT draws each and everyone of us to Him. I don’t know what needs you have in your life today. But you can bring them to Him today. He’s waiting with outstretched arms.
ILLUS: I know I’ve told you this story before but when I read this story several years ago it touched my heart. Many years ago there was a fellow who lived on his homestead out on the prairie. One day out in the field he noticed a cloud of smoke and as he watched it, it seemed to get bigger. He ran to the barn and turned his cows and horses out and packed up his family in the wagon and headed for the creek. The fire swept through the area burning everything in it’s path. After the smoke cleared the headed back to the Homestead. When they got there everything was gone. The barn was gone, the house was gone. The fences were burned. And as the Old Farmer walked through what used to be the barnyard, he noticed a clump of burned feathers on the ground. One of his laying hens.
In disgust he kicked it with his boot. And when he did, a bunch of chicks ran out from under that burnt chicken. You see, as the fire got close that Hen had called for her chicks to come and she had gathered them under her wings.
What a picture of Jesus. He used the example of a CHICKEN to teach us HOW we can ESCAPE the DAMNATION of HELL. It’s by putting our trust in Him and Him alone.
Listen, YOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM A CHICKEN.
Let’s Pray
