Matthew 11:2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" 4 And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."
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.'
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, [4] 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, [5] let him hear.
Grace mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, amen. Our text today is the gospel lesson read, especially this verse, "Go and tell him what you hear and see, the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised and the poor have good news preached to them." Thus far our text.
Dear friends in Christ, "Is she the one?" My friend asked me, "and how will I know if she is?" He had been dating his girlfriend for a couple of years, and now wondered if the time had come to make the relationship more permanent, to ask the girl to marry him. As one who was already engaged and planning a wedding, he asked me my opinion. My friend had bravely asked her on a date, and then boldly took her to a movie. Things had gone wonderfully, and one date led to another and another. Now this question was before him - "How do I know if she is the one or if I should wait for another?"
It almost sounds like what John the Baptist's disciples ask Jesus in our text today. John the Baptist, who had boldly proclaimed Jesus to be the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world now has his doubts. John the Baptist, who said he was unworthy to tie Jesus' shoes, let alone to baptize him, now wonders if he had the right person, or if there was another he was supposed to have noticed.
It is easy for us to say to John the Baptist, "Come on John, don't you get it? Jesus is the second person of the trinity incarnate in human flesh! Ha! Everyone knows that!!" But in reality, we can't blame John, because Jesus wasn't exactly what John was expecting. John was a good Jew and as a good Jew John was awaiting a new King, in the vein of the Great King David. He was waiting for one who would sit upon David's throne and return Israel to national and world wide power. One who would lead Israel's armies in conquering and ruling.
But that isn't what Jesus did or who Jesus was. Yes Jesus was a king, but as Jesus says before Pontius Pilate, "My Kingdom is not of this world, if it were, my followers would have fought for me." Jesus isn't concerned with an earthly throne, one where he can rule and subjugate the people of the earth. So when Jesus doesn't raise an army, when Jesus doesn't begin fighting against the evil Romans. John wonders what is going on.
John is especially worried because he is now in jail awaiting execution for preaching against the Roman puppet king. John would like Jesus to raise an army, and rescue him. So John has his doubts. John wants to be certain before he gives up his life. John wants an assurance, something he can see and believe in the face of death.
Dear friends in Christ, John isn't that much different from most of us, is he? Do we always have rock hard faiths, do we always fear love and trust in God above all things? Or do we have doubts? Do we sometimes have those worries and uncertainties? I am sure that you all do. "Pastor, do you really expect me to believe that the earth was created in seven days, even though countless respected scientists say it was created in seconds over 12 billion years ago?" "Pastor, do you really expect me to believe that Jesus rose from the dead, and is still alive in heaven? Do you really expect me to believe all that mumbo jumbo you proclaim from the pulpit every week? It just seems a little far fetched doesn't it?"
We do at times have doubts. We do at times wonder. After all we are sinful human beings, with limited understanding of the universe. And just like John, we expect Jesus to be a little bit different than he is. After all, powerful people in our society have big houses, and fancy cars. They carry multiple cell phones and have dogs they carry around in purses. And what does Jesus have? Just the clothes on his back and the words of his lips. Powerful people in our society hold press conferences, but Jesus must shout his message out on hillsides and trust in his disciples to spread the words of his lips. The rulers of this world have vast armies with tanks and guns and soldiers ready to fight for the cause of that nation at a moment's notice. But Jesus has no army to speak of, or at least that we can see.
So why should we really trust this man, Jesus who claims to be God in the flesh, who claims to be bringing about the Kingdom of Heaven, as we heard last week, "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" Why shouldn't we like John have our doubts? Why shouldn't we wonder at this man? Why shouldn't we ask the question of Jesus, "Are you the one who is coming, or should we expect another?"
When asked this question, Jesus responds, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me." Jesus essentially says, if you doubt that I am who I say I am, look at what I do. Those who cannot see, who have been blind since birth all healed, and they can see. Those who are dead are raised. Those who are ill with sicknesses and with leprosy are made whole and cleansed. These are miraculous things that are taking place, all being done by Jesus, all being done by God in the flesh.
And Jesus gives the same answer to you. Look at what you see. We who are dead in our sin are healed, and brought back to life through the power of the Holy Spirit in baptism. We who are spiritually hungry, spiritually poor are fed with the very living resurrected body and blood of Jesus Christ in with and under the bread and wine. And what is more those of us who are sick are healed in Jesus. Yes, we may die earthly deaths in our sickness. We may suffer from cancer, from Alzheimer's, from heart attacks, from accidents. But we have life, and we have healing in Jesus Christ. We have victory in what he gives us. Even should we die on earth, we will live for eternity in heaven with Jesus.
And we have that victory over our doubts too. In case you wonder and doubt Jesus, look at what he has done for you. Jesus came to win victory for you, not with armies or worldly power, but by suffering. Jesus came to win your life by giving his own up in death on a bloody gruesome cross. Jesus came to give you peace by the shedding of his own blood. As scripture says, "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53)
Jesus is who he says he is. Jesus is the living Son of God who has taken on human flesh, become incarnate, lived on earth suffered and died for you. That is his word, and they are words you can take to the bank, because he has sealed them with his own blood. Is Jesus the one who has come, and we have no need to look for another. We have no need to search further than his words and promises to us. Jesus has come, and one day will come again to bring you home. Amen.
