Matthew 11:2-11
John the Baptizer sat in prison. Was he plagued with doubt? Was he sending his own disciples to follow Jesus instead of him? Perhaps Gregory the Great put his finger on it. Perhaps John was asking something like this: “Since you thought it worthy of yourself to be born for humanity, say whether you will also think it worthy of yourself to die for humanity.” What if John had been wrong? What if Jesus was not the Coming One after all?
If such questions can come from the lips of John the Baptizer, it’s not surprising they can also come from us. Are you the Coming One? Shall we look for another? Is Jesus really the Son of God? Does He really forgive my sins? What will happen when I die? Where will I go?
Can you find answers for such questions? Can you be certain? Certain that Jesus is God’s eternal Son? How can you be certain?
Jesus gives the answer: through hearing and seeing. Notice that Jesus did not answer the question directly. “Go and tell John what you hear and see.” He pointed to His words and deeds. Why didn’t He answer simply and directly? Sometimes the direct, simple answer does not suffice. It may not help a person hear and see that Jesus is God’s Son. It may not lead to or strengthen faith. When a difficult time comes, faith is shaken. You may have a mistaken notion of what it means that Jesus is God’s Son. That’s what many had in Jesus’ day. They expected the Messiah would be a great, powerful king who would give them political freedom and a guaranteed income. That’s what many thought as they sang their “Hosannas” on Palm Sunday. But then they ended up crying, “Crucify Him!” on Good Friday.
People in our day have their own faulty notions of Jesus. They learn them from other people, through conversation or from online sources. They’ve heard that Jesus is God’s Son. They’ve heard that He’s loving and merciful. They’ve heard that God exists. But then comes the car crash, the cancer diagnosis, the layoff, or the conflict with friend or neighbor. So much for what you had hoped for. Then come the doubts, the frustrations. Now you’re like John sitting in his dark prison. Perhaps the bitterness creeps in. Perhaps it all seems like nonsense. Perhaps you tell yourself, “If God were God, this would never happen.”
The problem is that you have not heard and seen Jesus Himself. Living faith is not built on what you have heard from others. It’s built on what Jesus does for you. It’s built on being in His presence and Jesus working on you. That’s what happens here today. Jesus Himself comes to you in His Word. You hear that Word and say, “That’s for me.” You speak that Word back to Him in prayer. And He truly comes down to you in Holy Communion.
Now you learn what it truly means that He’s the Son of God. You learn that Jesus is not merely some 9-1-1 rescue team you call upon only when you’re in trouble, when life goes crazy. Life always goes crazy. You see, you don’t have a single day when you have perfectly kept His commandments. Not a single day when you love Him with your whole heart. Not a single day when you love your neighbor as yourself. You have not been clean in heart or life.
But in all of this craziness and chaos, Jesus is the Coming One. He comes to intervene, to live in your flesh, to suffer, die and rise again for you, to pay for your sins. When you believe in Him and cling to Him, all is forgiven. So you need Him not just sometimes, but all the time—24-7-365. Now you know who Jesus is, not just from what others tell you, but because you are one of the poor to whom the Gospel is preached. You are the blind one who receives sight. You are the leprous one cleansed of sin. Now you have heard and seen.
How certain is all of this? Even if you hear and see, even when you learn to know and cling to Jesus, a person can still take offense. Jesus also said, “Blessed is the one who is not offended by Me.” Even John, in his prison, was tempted to be offended. If Jesus is the Coming One, why doesn’t He intervene? Why doesn’t He clean up the mess of my life, the mess of this world? Why does He let all this happen? Why doesn’t He use His power to beat down evil? After all, He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and raised the dead. But remember this: when the craziness and chaos of sin came upon Him, He let Himself be bound and led away, only to be nailed to a cross.
People around you may scoff at this Jesus. A neighbor may think that the story of Jesus’ Birth and other stories in the Bible are only fables. A coworker may scoff and smirk: “How can you believe all that?” The temptation is to take offense at the apparent weakness of Jesus. A baby in a lowly manger? No place to call home? A king without a throne? A death as a criminal? What did John do when such questions plagued him? He sent some disciples to Jesus. He turned to Jesus for the answers.
But not everyone is that wise. Jesus speaks of a reed shaken by the wind. It’s a picture of those who find their answers based on the opinions and fads of the moment. We can see this in the attempts make Jesus the spokesman for whatever cause of the day. The holy family in cages as refugees? Jesus portrayed in film for the same-sex cause? Jesus also talks about being dressed in soft clothing. This is the picture of those who seem to be secure, sophisticated, and have it all together. But on the inside, they are empty and afraid to go against what’s trendy. How can they take Jesus seriously when He might ask them to go against the wisdom of the time?
So Jesus can be a stumbling block. After all, He does call us to be, think, and live different from the culture and world around us. Is He the Coming One, or should we look for another?
How was John certain? How were the disciples certain? They were certain through the hearing and seeing. Through the words and deeds of Jesus. You also have these words and deeds of Jesus. They’re among us here today. All you need to do is hear and see.
It’s what we proclaim and live as this new church year begins. Christ has come, still comes, and will come again. Long ago He wandered through the world in the flesh. He still dwells in the flesh and He still wanders through the world. Though now He wanders by means of His Word and Sacraments. He is present in the Gospel, forgiving sinners and giving hope as you listen. He is present in the washing, making clean and giving new birth as you live in that bath. He is present in His Meal, sustaining faith and giving salvation as you eat and drink His Body and Blood.
You are the poor to whom the Gospel is proclaimed. You are the leper who has been healed. You are the blind one who now sees. And now you have the privilege and honor of conversing and interacting with those who ask their questions. How can they be sure of Jesus? How can they know He truly is the Son of God and their Savior? You cannot argue them into salvation. They may still have their questions or doubts. But you can bring them to Jesus. Here they get to hear and see what you do. And what’s that? Not a mere prophet. Not a simple teacher. But the Son of God who loves them by suffering and dying for them. After all, that’s what He’s done for you. That’s why He brings you into His Church. You can be certain. Jesus Himself makes you certain that He is God’s Son and your Savior. Amen.
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