Matthew 11:1-6 The Coming One WC McCarter
Introduction
The Bible is filled with stories of doubt. Even the greatest
leaders and heroes of the Bible question their callings and sometimes God’s
plan for their lives and others. Abraham and Sarah laughed at God’s promise
that they would have a son in their old age. Moses questioned why God would
send him to speak for the nation because he had a reputation of being
tongue-tied. The Israelites cried out against Moses, Aaron, and God when they
struggled in the wilderness. Thomas, and the others, doubted the resurrection.
I don’t think I would be off base to say that you have
probably doubted or at least been slightly perplexed at times in your life.
Your own life is filled with stories of doubt. Maybe you have questioned your
place in the family of God. Or maybe you can remember those times when you have
been confused about what God was doing in your life. Well, you are not alone.
Today, we will take a look at a passage of Scripture that
raises a question about who Jesus is and what He is doing. We will also see a
clear response to the question. Matthew has spent the first ten chapters of his
Gospel account painting the picture for his readers of who Jesus really is in
person and deed. He has set forth an answer to the great question of the 1st
Century down to our day, Who is Jesus of Nazareth? In chapters eleven and
twelve he recounts some of the reactions to what the people were hearing and
seeing of Christ Jesus. Today’s reaction is one of doubt/confusion.
READ Scripture- This
is the word of God
An Introductory Verse
(1)
The first verse of this chapter bridges of from chapter ten
into chapter eleven. Chapter ten is all about Jesus choosing His twelve
apostles and sending them out on their first missionary journey with many
instructions. After He finished commanding them, He departed from there to
teach and preach.
First, let us notice that after the Lord sends out His
twelve disciples He does not sit back and relax. He sends out His followers to
work in the harvest, and then He gets to work Himself.
Second, we are told that Christ went to teach and preach in
“their cities.” This must refer to the cities of the disciples. All of the
disciples, except for Judas Iscariot, were from Galilee .
Of course, Christ was from Galilee as well, but here that area is referred to
as “their cities” and not His cities which only begins to distance Him from Galilee . Remember, a prophet is not heard in his own
hometown, not even the Messiah.
Third, Jesus had gained lots of fame from His three-fold
ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing. Yet, here we are told that as He
resumed that ministry, He focused on teaching and preaching. More than
anything, people need to hear the Gospel and the things of God and His kingdom.
John’s Question (2-3)
The John that is meant here is John the Baptizer. By this
time he has been put in prison which was mentioned in passing in (4:12).
Matthew will explain John’s circumstances in more detail in (14:1-12). Maybe
the pressures that naturally accompany a jail cell caused John to question his
understanding of Jesus. He has already said great things concerning Jesus
(3:11-14), but now he seeks reaffirmation.
The “works” that he had heard about must have been all of
the great miracles that are recorded in chapters eight and nine. In those
chapters, Jesus healed lepers, paralytics, feverish, demon-possessed, blind,
mute, an issue of blood, and a girl who had died. He also calmed a great storm
on the sea. These were great things that John had obviously heard about, so why
does he question who Jesus messianic status?
Apparently, “The Coming One” was a
messianic title. It reminds us of what John said in (3:11), “. . . He who is coming
after me is mightier than I. . . .” John
sends some of his disciples to ask, “Are You the
Coming One, or do we look for another?” What we must realize is that John was
sitting in jail. A man who was a great prophet, who proclaimed the imminent
appearance of the Messiah, who knew Jesus’ ministry had begun, was in jail. How
could the Messiah allow this injustice to continue? Actually, even though
Christ was doing all sorts of great things, He hadn’t done much of what most of
the Jews thought the Messiah would do. They thought He would overthrow Rome kingdom of God
Jesus’ Response (4-6)
Jesus respects the person and ministry of John enough to
respond to his question. He basically tells the disciples to retell John the
things that Christ was doing. Verse five is actually an allusion to Isaiah 61:1
which was a messianic passage that even Jesus, in (Luke 4:16-21), acknowledged
referred to Him. There the prophet says, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon
Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has
sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the
opening of the prison to those who are bound. . . .” Do you notice what Jesus
left out when referencing it to John’s disciples? He does not mention setting
the captives free.
In so many words, Jesus was saying that freeing John from
prison was not a part of His immediate ministry. And some of us may say, why?
Why didn’t Jesus free John from the injustice of a prison sentence? He was God
in the flesh, the Messiah and yet He would not set John free? The fact of the
matter is that Jesus would set John free in due time. Although John would never
be freed from prison literally and physically, he would be freed from the
captivity of sin and death because of Christ’s sacrifice.
In the formation of a beatitude, Jesus sends a word of
encouragement to His forerunner, John. He says, “And blessed is
he who is not offended because of Me.” In other words, happy is the one who does not stumble because of Me.
Conclusion and
Application
1. Doubt is real. It is almost as if only those who really
trust in Christ can doubt.
2. The plan of God is sound. Despite our circumstances, God
is working all things together for good for those who love Him and are called
according to His purpose.
3. Lastly, let me give you a very practical application. Ministry must involve all of us. We are all gifted in various ways by the Holy Spirit. We may not all be doing to same thing at the same time, but Gospel ministry is made up of all of us doing those things we have been called by God to do. We are called to be light in a dark world and to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Make sure you are doing your part, and make sure that you are involving others in the ministry of the church.
3. Lastly, let me give you a very practical application. Ministry must involve all of us. We are all gifted in various ways by the Holy Spirit. We may not all be doing to same thing at the same time, but Gospel ministry is made up of all of us doing those things we have been called by God to do. We are called to be light in a dark world and to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Make sure you are doing your part, and make sure that you are involving others in the ministry of the church.