I. Introduction
A. Lets read Matthew 11:1 - 3 as our introduction
Matthew 11:1-3 (NKJV)
Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. {2} And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples {3} and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"
1. Obviously John had heard about the works of Christ
a. Turn to Matthew 3:11
b. John had predicted the coming of the Messiah just as the prophets of old had predicted
c. In his mind the Messiah was coming to baptize people with the Spirit of God and with fire
Matthew 3:11 (NKJV)
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
d. The Messiah, Christ, had appeared upon the scene and was baptizing people with the Spirit of God
(1) The people were flocking around Him as though He was the Messiah
(2) But He was doing nothing about baptizing people with fire, the messianic fire of judgment
(a) It may be that to John's mind Christ was only fulfilling half of the prophecies concerning the Messiah
(b) John may have been a little confused
(c) Obviously John wondered about Jesus
i) Was Jesus really the Messiah?
ii) He had to know
iii) His whole life had been given over to the belief that Jesus was the Messiah
iv) So, John sent two disciples to ask
a) Turn to Deuteronomy 19:15
b) Why two disciples?
c) By the mouth of two or three witnesses
Deuteronomy 19:15 (NKJV)
"One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.
v) And Jesus used the opportunity to validate His Messiahship
2. We can take this passage and outline it as follows:
a. Background: Jesus ended the commissioning of His disciples verse 1
b. John's perplexity: he pictured Messiah verses 2 & 3
c. Jesus' assurance: He was beyond question the Messiah verses 4 - 6
(1) Lets go back and read verse 1 again
II. Body
A. Jesus ended the commissioning of His disciples
Matthew 11:1 (NKJV)
Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.
1. The idea is that Jesus sent them out alone without His going along
a. They were to learn to minister, and the way they were to learn was through practical experience
b. They were to learn while they were actually out ministering
(1) This was the on the job training
c. But see that Jesus began to minister again all alone
(1) The incident involving John the Baptist’s question happened to Christ while He was unaccompanied
2. Jesus sent His Apostles out to begin to minister without Jesus being there
a. Jesus Himself continued His ministry in the cities and villages
(1) Now we turn to Matthew 11:2 - 3
B. John's perplexity, John’s question
Matthew 11:2-3 (NKJV)
And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples {3} and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"
1. We know that John was in prison and he heard about the works of Christ
a. What John heard was that the works of Christ were works of love
(1) John knew that the Messiah was to baptize with both the Spirit and fire-the Messianic fire of judgment
(2) He had heard that Jesus was doing the loving works of the Spirit and that people were mobilizing around Him in huge throngs
(3) But he had heard nothing about the fire of Messianic judgment
(a) Turn to Psalm 118:26
(b) It seemed that Jesus was fulfilling only half of the Messianic prophecies
(c) He was perplexed and questioning, so he sent two emissaries to Jesus for an answer
i) Understand that despite the questions John had, he still believed that Jesus was the Messiah
(4) John believed in the promises of Scripture concerning the Messiah, Are You the coming one?
Psalm 118:26 (NKJV)
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
(5) John was committed to seek God's Messiah
(a) "Do we look for another?"
(b) John was willing to have his faith confirmed in Jesus as the true Messiah
(c) The fact that he asked the questions shows this
2. John was questioning Jesus' Messiahship
a. John was the one who sent two of his disciples to question Jesus
(1) And it was to John that Jesus sent His answer, which we will see in a little while when we get to verse 4
(a) John wondered if Jesus was the true Messiah
(b) There were several reasons for his questioning Jesus
i) John was puzzled
ii) His idea of the Messiah did not match the whole of what Jesus was doing
iii) Jesus was not mobilizing people into a great army to free Israel from Roman domination
iv) He was not the stern judge pictured by the prophets
b. John was in prison
(1) I expect that John expected to be involved in Christ’s mission, but there he was in jail
(2) I think that perhaps John could not understand why the Messiah did not free him
(a) Wasn’t he the prominent forerunner for the expected Messiah?
i) Lets turn to 1 Corinthians 10:13
ii) John needed assurance
iii) He needed his faith strengthened
iv) The saints of the Scriptures were mere men with passions like we experience
v) They needed the Lord to occasionally confirm their faith
vi) Even the strongest sometimes need the word and presence of the Lord in a special way
vii) Picture John's concept of the Messiah and his languishing in prison, and his need is clearly understood
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
3. John did not fully understand Jesus, and to be honest, we all lack understanding; yet what is needed is for us to do what John did:
a. He trusted Christ anyway
b. He committed his life to proclaiming that Jesus was the Messiah and continued to proclaim the message even though he did not fully understand
c. He sought answers to what he did not understand
d. He did not let his questions destroy his faith
(1) Turn to John 14:1 - 4
4. John believed the Scripture and looked for the Messiah's first coming
a. We are to believe the Scriptures: He has come and He is coming again
John 14:1-4 (NKJV)
"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. {2} In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. {3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. {4} And where I go you know, and the way you know."
5. We should not fear nor be ashamed because we may not understand or have questions about Jesus
a. Turn to James 1:5
b. In fact, it is good to make absolutely sure in all matters concerning our salvation
c. We should seek and ask unashamedly
James 1:5 (NKJV)
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6. John was not weary in looking for the Messiah
a. Turn to 2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-10
b. He said he would keep on looking if Jesus was not the Messiah
(1) We must not become weary and doubting because He has not yet returned
2 Peter 3:3-4 (NKJV)
knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, {4} and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."
2 Peter 3:8-10 (NKJV)
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. {9} The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. {10} But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
7. John's questioning began when he was in prison facing great trouble and trial
a. Turn to 1 Peter 4:11 - 13
b. It is sometimes difficult to understand why we have to go through so much trouble, especially some of us
c. We need to approach Christ in those times, coming to Him in His Word and in prayer
1 Peter 4:11-13 (NKJV)
If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. {12} Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; {13} but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
8. John had questions to arise in his mind
a. Turn to 2 Timothy 1:7
b. Even the strongest of us are not always strong
c. Severe trials are often a great strain upon our faith
d. In such times we need a very special presence of the Lord; we need His strength and assurance
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
(1) Lets turn to Matthew 11:4 - 5
C. Jesus' assurance: He was beyond question the Messiah
Matthew 11:4-5 (NKJV)
Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: {5} The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
1. Jesus spoke as the Messiah
a. Turn to Mark 13:31
b. His words and the power of His message were evidences that Jesus was the Messiah
c. There were no greater words and no greater lessons than the words and the lessons Christ taught
d. He is recognized as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, teacher of all times
e. This is one of the proofs that He is beyond question the Messiah
Mark 13:31 (NKJV)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
(1) Jesus spoke as one having authority: He spoke, taught, and preached as the Messiah
2. Jesus demonstrated the power and works of the Messiah
a. Jesus was saying that His works and concern (love) were the works and concern predicted for the Messiah, and both are unlimited
b. He gave sight to the blind
(1) The blind saw physically and spiritually
(2) They not only knew the truth of the world, but of God as well
c. He made the lame to walk
(1) He caused men to walk physically and spiritually
(2) They moved strongly about, serving both God and man
d. He cleansed the lepers
(1) He made them pure physically and spiritually
(2) They were accepted both by men and God
e. He opened the ears of the deaf
(1) He caused the deaf to hear physically and spiritually
(2) They could hear both the voice of men and of God
f. He raised the dead to life
(1) They were given life again physically and spiritually
(2) Whereas they had been dead, they now walked as new creatures before men and God
g. He preached the gospel to the poor
(1) They who had been so neglected and possessed so little were now receiving the good news of salvation from God Himself
3. John the Baptist knew Scripture
a. Turn to John 15:24
b. He knew what the prophets had predicted about the Messiah
c. Jesus knew John knew
(1) Jesus only sent word to John reminding him about what he already knew
John 15:24 (NKJV)
If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.
(2) Just look at Jesus’ words, “If I had not done among them the works which no one else did”
(a) Sometimes we have to be reminded of what we already know
(b) Its hard to be completely rational when we are confronted on all sides with adversity
(c) John was in Jail
i) In that day jail was not like our jails and prisons
ii) Family was responsible to care for the prisoner
a) Food
b) Clothing
c) And other necessities
d) I can only assume that John’s disciples cared for him
(d) But what crime had John committed?
i) Only the crime of preaching God’s word
ii) We may be faced with something very similar some day
4. Christ did not just profess to be the Messiah, He proved it
a. He proved it by ministering to people in the power of God
b. He showed that God had sent Him to demonstrate two things
(1) That God is (exists)
(2) And that He is sovereign
(3) God is above and beyond all and He has the power to override the laws of nature
(4) God loves man and has provided a way for man to be saved and to live forever
(5) Every time Jesus healed a person, He demonstrated, God’s sovereign power and God’s great love
c. Christ's miracles are the seal of God
(1) He is God's Son
(2) He is the Messiah
(3) His works are beyond question the works of God
(4) Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Messiah
(a) Now lets turn to Matthew 11:6
D. The blessing promised those who are not offended by Christ
Matthew 11:6 (NKJV)
And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."
1. John Mac Arthur, at the beginning of his television program says, “What in the world makes us so embarrassed about the gospel?”
a. If some one were to ask us about our relationship with Christ, what would we say?
(1) Do you remember the girl at Columbine High School who was asked about her faith in Christ by one of the gun men. She gallantly affirmed her faith in Christ to his face. And she was shot.
(2) We think, “what stupid a tragedy”
(3) But, we will never know how many kids and adults were affected by her courageous affirmation, at least not in this realm of existence
(a) Turn to Matthew 3:4-7
2. John the Baptist courageously faced the Jewish elders, scribes, and Pharisees, even the king and the king’s family
Matthew 3:4-7 (NKJV)
And John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. {5} Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him {6} and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. {7} But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
a. John was not afraid to call them the way he saw them, brood of vipers
b. And here, in Matthew 11:6, Jesus promises John blessings
(1) Well promises us blessings if we are courageous like the girl at columbine or John the Baptist
3. There is a question we are duty bound to ask, “What about your relationship with Jesus Christ”
a. The question can be worded a thousand ways
(1) If you were to die tonight, do you know beyond the shadow of a doubt you would go to heaven?
(2) If you were standing before God and He asked, “Why should I let you into my heaven?” what would you say?
b. Have we the guts to approach some one in the name of Christ?
4. Will we receive the blessings Jesus promised for not being offended because of Christ?
