The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand, 1:1-28:20
Rising Opposition, 11:2-13:53
The Galilean Ministry, 8:1-18:35
JOHN THE BAPTISTS AND HIS QUESTIONS (Third Sunday of Advent)
Mat 11:2-19; Lu 7:18-35; Mal 3:1; Mat 11:20-30;
INTRODUCTION
As a nation, we are struggling with the problems of the
homeless, poverty, pro-life versus pro-choice, a drug epidemic, crack babies, rising crime,
overcrowded prisons, a breakdown of the family unit, child abuse, child kidnaping, child
pornography, runaways, sexual immorality, and the terrible AIDS epidemic. It can leave us doubting as to whether any one is really in change. In the face of it, we reconsider our own personal efforts to make a difference to the people around us and try to hold off the seeming hopelessness, helplessness, discouragement and disappointment.
A. Discouragement and disappointment will always be around us, if not in our own lives, when things don’t work as we had hoped or plans seemingly go wrong. The main objective is to determine how we will react when we face it.
B. In our text we read of the great John the Baptist however, not in his glory but with his faith bordering on doubt and his heart sinking into discouragement. Things weren’t going as he had planned and certainly not as he had expected. At this low moment of his life, Jesus sent him a message which served to bring him an inner peace and joy. Let’s look at what Jesus told John the Baptist and as we understand what he was told, let’s consider whether the same advice might help us too, in times when things are not going according to plan in our lives.
Theme: help in times of doubt
II. Discouraged And Doubting, 11:2-
A. ,
ASV
2 Now <1161> when John <2491> had heard <191> (5660) in <1722> the prison <1201> the works <2041> of the Christ <5547>, he sent <3992> (5660) [two <1417> of - KJV] by his <846> disciples <3101>
3 [And - KJV] and said <2036> (5627) unto him <846>, Art <1488> (5748) thou <4771> he that [should come- KJV] cometh <2064> (5740), or <2228> [do we- KJV] look <4328> (5719) we for another <2087>?
4 And Jesus <2424> answered <611> (5679) and <2532> said <2036> (5627) unto them <846>, Go <4198> (5679) and [shew - KJV] tell <518> <0> John <2491> [again <518> (5657) those - KJV] the things which <3739> [do - KJV] ye hear <191> (5719) and <2532> see <991> (5719):
5 [The - KJV] the blind <5185> receive their sight <308> (5719), and <2532> the lame <5560> walk <4043> (5719), the lepers <3015> are cleansed <2511> (5743), and <2532> the deaf <2974> hear <191> (5719), and the dead <3498> are raised up <1453> (5743), and <2532> the poor <4434> have [the gospel - KJV] good tidings preached to them <2097> (5743).
6 And <2532> blessed <3107> is <2076> (5748) he, whosoever <3739> shall <4624> <0> [not <3362> be offended <4624> (5686) - KJV] find no occasion of stumbling in <1722> me <1698>.
certain things for which we should be thankful and for which there should be a deep appreciation. Sometimes we have need to be thankful for certain people. Some people deserve recognition, praise and honor. In our text John was recognized and honored by Jesus, vs 11; Joh 10:41.
We should all live before God in such a way to receive heavenly praise, Proverbs 27:2.
1. There is a hint of discouragement in John’s words.
a. Sometimes more than the outward situations of life, the inward struggles are what trouble us most.
b. Discouragement is one of the Satan’s favorite weapons against God’s people.
c. Why was John discouraged?
(1) Perhaps his surroundings helped discourage him.
(2) Gone were the wide open spaces, the crowds, the encouragement.
(3) Perhaps what discouraged him most was the absence of his Lord or his at least his closeness to Jesus who was not far away.
(4) John may have thought Jesus would surely have stopped in to visit.
2. John wanted to know whether he had made a mistake or if Jesus was the Christ.
a. John had gone from certainty at the Jordon, that Jesus was the Christ to uncertainty.
b. When situations in our lives, change for what seem the worse, if we’re not careful, the same sort of doubts creep into our own minds.
(1) We have doubts when our prayers seemingly go unanswered.
(2) We have them when tragedy happens in our lives and God seemingly refuses to stop it.
(3) We have it when all other seem to be succeeding yet, we in our effort do not.
(4) Sometimes we ask, “Lord, what are you doing?” At other times we ask, “Lord, where are you?”
v4-5
Jesus told them to tell John about the miracles, through which Jesus assured John.
John the Baptist's came as "The voice of one crying in the wilderness ..." in fulfill the 800-year-old prophecy of Isaiah and a the 400-year-old prophecy of Malachi., Is 40:3-5; Mal 3:1; Mat.3:6
He came "preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 'repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
His message was of hope and salvation for those who would receive it, but a message of judgment for those who rejected it. That was John's ministry and his message.
Than, following a great ministry, John was put into prison. From there he sent word inquiring of Jesus.
3. In his answers, however, Jesus did not promise John that he would be released from prison, or that he would at this time defeat Israel's enemies. Rather, he said, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard:
a. the blind receive sight (Isa. 61:1)
b. the lame walk (Isa. 35:6)
c. the lepers are cleansed (this was a new phenomenon, without reference in prophecy)
d. the deaf hear (Isa. 35:5)
e. and the dead are raised up (also new)
f. the poor have the gospel preached to them" (Is 35:5-6).
V6; Ro 9:33; 1Co 1:23
Often when God’s time table doesn’t fit our own, at least our immediate needs, impatience sets into our minds, 2Pe 3:9.
Transition: Having told John’s disciples to have him consider Jesus’ activities to determine who he was, Jesus told the multitude to consider John, to determine who Jesus was.
III. Jesus told them to look at his messenger, 11:7-; Lu 7:24-35
A.
1. He wanted to remind the nation, not of what they went out in the wilderness to see, but why they went out into the wilderness. They went to be with John because they believed he was the forerunner of Messiah, and if so, then Jesus was Messiah, and the people should have put their trust in him as Savior and Lord.
2. "What did you out into the wilderness to look at? John wasn't sent to the nation to be looked at, but to be listened to. "What did you do?" asked Jesus, "listen or look? If you listened, you received forgiveness for your sins and the promise of eternal life now. If you only looked, you are still in your sins."
3. "But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing?"
4. "But what did you go out to see? A prophet?"
a. Of course the answer was, “Yes!”
b. They saw with John the fulfillment of the prophecies regarding the forerunner to the Messiah.
c. If John is the forerunner, then, as was Jesus’ point, he is the Son of God, the Messiah.
5. How did the people respond to these words of Jesus? Verse 29: "And when all the people and tax-gatherers heard this, they acknowledged God's justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John." They understood the need to repent and satisfied the justice of God, so by faith they submitted to John's baptism
a. The people normally viewed as sinners by the Pharisees, acknowledged God’s mercy and rejoiced but he Pharisees, who had rejected John, rejected also Jesus’ words, Lu 7:29-30; 11:16-19.
b. In speaking to the Pharisees and anyone who followed their ways, Jesus gave an illustration, 11:16-19; Lu 7:31-35.
(1) He is to harsh and unsociable; his message is too severe; his power is of a demon, not of God."
(2) "The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!'
ASV
7 ¶ And as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold? a reed shaken with the wind?
8 But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft raiment are in kings' houses.
9 But wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.
10 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way before thee.
11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, that is to come.
15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
16 ¶ But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the marketplaces, who call unto their fellows
17 and say, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn.
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon.
19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! And wisdom is justified by her works.
7 ¶ And <1161> as <5130> they departed <4198> (5740), Jesus <2424> began <756> (5662) to say <3004> (5721) unto the multitudes <3793> concerning <4012> John <2491>, What <5101> went ye <1831> (5627) out into <1519> the wilderness <2048> to see <2300> (5664)? A reed <2563> shaken <4531> (5746) with <5259> the wind <417>?
8 But <235> what <5101> went ye out <1831> (5627) for to see <1492> (5629)? A man <444> clothed <294> (5772) in <1722> soft <3120> raiment <2440>? behold <2400> (5628), they that wear <5409> (5723) soft <3120> clothing are <1526> (5748) in <1722> kings <935>' houses <3624>.
9 But <235> what <5101> went ye out <1831> (5627) for to see <1492> (5629)? A prophet <4396>? yea <3483>, I say <3004> (5719) unto you <5213>, and <2532> more <4055> than a prophet <4396>.
10 For <1063> this <3778> is <2076> (5748) he, of <4012> whom <3739> it is written <1125> (5769), Behold <2400> (5628), I <1473> send <649> (5719) my <3450> messenger <32> before <4253> thy <4675> face <4383>, which <3739> shall prepare <2680> (5692) thy <4675> way <3598> before <1715> thee <4675>.
11 Verily <281> I say <3004> (5719) unto you <5213>, Among <1722> them that are born <1084> of women <1135> there hath <1453> <0> not <3756> risen <1453> (5769) a greater than <3187> John <2491> the Baptist <910>: notwithstanding <1161> he that is least <3398> in <1722> the kingdom <932> of heaven <3772> is <2076> (5748) greater than <3187> he <846>.
12 And <1161> from <575> the days <2250> of John <2491> the Baptist <910> until <2193> now <737> the kingdom <932> of heaven <3772> suffereth violence <971> (5731) (5743), and <2532> the violent <973> take <726> <0> it <846> by force <726> (5719). {suffereth...: or, is gotten by force, and they that thrust men}
13 For <1063> all <3956> the prophets <4396> and <2532> the law <3551> prophesied <4395> (5656) until <2193> John <2491>.
14 And <2532> if <1487> ye will <2309> (5719) receive <1209> (5664) it, this <846> is <2076> (5748) Elias <2243>, which <3588> was for <3195> (5723) to come <2064> (5738).
15 He that hath <2192> (5723) ears <3775> to hear <191> (5721), let him hear <191> (5720).
16 ¶ But <1161> whereunto <5101> shall I liken <3666> (5692) this <5026> generation <1074>? It is <2076> (5748) like <3664> unto children <3808> sitting <2521> (5740) in <1722> the markets <58>, and <2532> calling <4377> (5723) unto their <846> fellows <2083>,
17 And <2532> saying <3004> (5723), We have piped <832> (5656) unto you <5213>, and <2532> ye have <3738> <0> not <3756> danced <3738> (5662); we have mourned <2354> (5656) unto you <5213>, and <2532> ye have <2875> <0> not <3756> lamented <2875> (5668).
18 For <1063> John <2491> came <2064> (5627) neither <3383> eating <2068> (5723) nor <3383> drinking <4095> (5723), and <2532> they say <3004> (5719), He hath <2192> (5719) a devil <1140>.
19 The Son <5207> of man <444> came <2064> (5627) eating <2068> (5723) and <2532> drinking <4095> (5723), and <2532> they say <3004> (5719), Behold <2400> (5628) a man <444> gluttonous <5314>, and <2532> a winebibber <3630>, a friend <5384> of publicans <5057> and <2532> sinners <268>. But <2532> wisdom <4678> is justified <1344> (5681) of <575> her <846> children <5043>.