Third Sunday of Advent: Year- A
First
Reading: Isaiah 35:1-6.10: God himself is coming to
save you.
Second
Reading: James 5:7-10: Do not lose heart, because
the Lord’s coming will be soon.
The
Gospel: Matthew 11:2-11: Are you the one who is to
come, or have we got to wait for someone else?
The Assurance:
Given to a Questioning Disciple, John the Baptist, Mt 11:1-6
In
John the Baptist’s mind, the Messiah was coming to baptize people with the
Spirit of God and with fire (Mt 3:11;Lk 7:21-23). But Jesus was baptizing with
the Spirit of God and he was doing nothing about baptizing with fire, the
messianic fire of judgement. John must have wondered why Jesus was delaying in
carrying out what he himself had announced about him under the influence of the
Spirit.: to cut the trees that yielded no fruit, to burn away the useless
chaff, punishing Herod and people like him (Mt 3:10,12). To John’s mind, Christ
was fulfilling only half of the prophecies concerning the Messiah (Mt 1:1, 18;
3:11;11:2-3, 5-6;12:16; 22:42; Lk 7:21-23). John was confused in prison.
Perhaps,
John started doubting if he had been mistaken; perhaps this man, Jesus, was not
the Messiah after all-and all his life and suffering had been in vain. He sent
two disciples to ask, and Jesus used the opportunity to vindicate His
Messiahship.
1.
Jesus ended the commissioning of His disciples (v.1)
a.
He sent them out
b.
He began to minister again-alone
2.
John’s perplexity: Pictured a stern Messiah (v.2-3)
a.
Jesus’ works were works of love
b.
John questioned: Expected a Messiah of judgement, not love
3.
Jesus’ assurance: He was beyond question the Messiah (v.4-6)
a.
He spoke as Messiah
b.
He demonstrated the power and works of the Messiah
c.
He fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah
d.
He preached the gospel of the Messiah
e.
He promised both the blessing and judgement of the Messiah
Thought: 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.
· He trusted Jesus Christ anyway.
· He committed his life to proclaiming that Jesus was the Messiah and
continued to proclaim the message even though he did not fully understand.
· He sought answers to what he did not understand.
· He did not let his questions destroy his faith.
· We should not fear nor be ashamed because we may not understand or
have questions about Jesus. In fact, it is good to make absolutely sure in all
matters concerning our salvation. We should seek and ask unashamedly (Jas 1:5).
· John was not weary in looking for the Messiah. He said he would keep
on looking if Jesus were not the Messiah. We must not become weary and doubting
because He has not yet returned (2Pt 3:3-4,8-18).
· John’s questioning began when he was in prison facing great trouble
and trail.
· John had questions to arise in his mind. Even the strongest are not
always strong no matter who they are (Mt 26:36-46,69-75; Gal 2:11f). severe
trails are often a great strain upon our faith. In such times, we need His
strength and assurance (1Pt 4:12-13;5:7,10; 2Cor 1:3-4;2Tim 1:7; Heb 12:3).
· John believed the Scripture and looked for the Messiah’s first
coming. We are to believe the Scriptures: He has come and He is coming again
(Jn 14:2-3, 1 Thes 4:13f; Titus 2:12-13).
· John was not a wavering reed but a man firm in his conviction as a
prophet, the Messiah’s forerunner, the herald of the true king, the greatest of
the natural men, the last of an age, the age predicting the Messiah and he was
a promised Elijah, the one to precede the Messiah.
Jesus
spoke as one having authority: He spoke, taught, and preached as the Messiah
(Mt 7:28-29; Jn 14:10). Jesus demonstrated the power and works of the Messiah.
Jesus was saying that His works and concern (love) were the works and concern
predicted for the Messiah. Jesus did not just professed to be the Messiah, He proved
it as God’s Son, the Messiah (Jn 14:10-11). Jesus encouraged John not to be
offended by Him.
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