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\tJesus knows how to confront. He issues a series of eight woes against the Pharisees and scribes, and they are very severe. When He is challenged, He often raises the stakes instead of qualifying himself. He knows what it\u2019s like to attack and not back down. <\/font> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In our sermon text, though, Jesus learns that the Pharisees are plotting to kill Him, and He withdraws. Matthew sees this as a fulfillment of Isaiah\u2019s prophecy about the Servant who \u201cwill not quarrel, nor cry out\u201d and who refuses to break a \u201cbattered reed\u201d or snuff out a \u201csmoldering wick.\u201d In the middle of an escalating conflict, Jesus retreats. <\/font> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jesus\u2019 withdrawal is not an act of cowardice. He does not withdraw because He is unconcerned about the injustices and sins of Israel. His withdrawal is part of His promotion of justice. He refuses to break a reed or stomp a smoldering wick \u201cuntil He leads justice to victory.\u201d Withdrawal, yielding, is a means to victory. <\/font> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n We find it hard to yield. If I back down, we say, he\u2019ll get his way. If I back down, I\u2019ll be a doormat. If I back down, my life will be miserable. If I back down, I\u2019ll leave injustice unresolved. <\/font> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n But Jesus backs down, withdraws, and yields. In following Him we are often called to do the same. We are called to suffer injustice without response, to take our beating without hitting back, to receive insults without insulting in return. <\/font> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \tBut when we are called to withdraw, we should make sure that we withdraw in the interests of justice, not because we\u2019re too lazy or too scared to confront. When we yield, make sure that you\u2019re doing it in hope that through us God will bring His justice to victory. <\/font> <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Jesus knows how to confront. He issues a series of eight woes against the Pharisees and scribes, and they are very severe. When He is challenged, He often raises the stakes instead of qualifying himself. He knows what it\u2019s like to attack and not back down. In our sermon text, though, Jesus learns that the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3021,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-nt-matthew"],"yoast_head":"\n