Matthew 11:1-24 (Are You the One Who is to Come)

[00:00:02] We usually use this time for a missional prayer, but since yesterday was Veterans Day, we want to use this time to remember and honor those who have fought and died and served our nation to protect our freedoms. [00:00:21] We support those here at IFC who have chosen the military as a job, our career, and we think it's a big deal that they have chosen to be the front line of defense for us, fighting against eagle and defending the freedoms that we enjoy as a nation. We want to honor them. So I want to ask, who has current family members that are in the military? Son or a daughter? I'm going to ask you to stand. [00:00:46] Does anyone have family members that are currently deployed in dangerous situations? [00:00:55] Who here this morning has ever served in the military? Want to ask you to stand. [00:01:03] Thank you. [00:01:07] But, you know, we also want to ask those who are family members of those who have served in the military to stand with them because it's a family deal. And so it's the wives and the husbands and the children, they've supported them and sacrificed as well. We want to thank you and your family for your service and sacrifice in defense of our nation and the freedoms that we enjoy. [00:01:29] Let's go ahead and pray right now for those who are enlisted, for those who are deployed and ask God's blessing and protection over them. Dear Heavenly Father, we want to thank you for those who have served in the military throughout the years. [00:01:40] We want to thank you for their service, for their sacrifice in defending us as a nation and our freedoms that we so much enjoy. We want to pray for those who are currently deployed wherever they are, whether somewhere in this country or another place or even in a place that right now is dangerous. And we want to ask that you bless them, you protect them, that you'd guide them, that you'd give them wisdom and discernment. And lord, in the chance when they might be fighting against evil, we pray that you'd give them victory. [00:02:09] And we, father, we ask all these things in your precious name. Amen. [00:02:20] I thought we were going to have another song. [00:02:26] Let me get my notes. [00:02:29] You guys talk amongst each other, and as you're talking amongst each other, go ahead and turn to Matthew chapter eleven. [00:02:43] Yeah, I just got the sarcastic words from our lead pastors. This is what happens when he takes a week off. [00:02:52] And you know what? I have to admit, he's right. [00:02:58] Yeah, this is all me. [00:03:01] So as you're turning to Matthew eleven and I'm trying to find my notes, I want to tell you a story that happened here recently. And so, two weeks ago, Lisa and I were. We'd invited all of our sons and their wives and their children over because we're celebrating Ben's 20 eigth birthday. That's right. You can clap for Ben. He's 28 years old. [00:03:32] So Lisa and I were helping each other cook, and we had a bunch of things in the oven, and I went to check on how those things in the oven were doing to make sure they didn't burn. And so I pulled the handle of the stove, and the right part of the handle screws weren't going everywhere. The handle kind of went like this. And I've got stuff in the oven that I'm concerned about burning. So I get some potholders, and I'm grabbing the oven without the handle and trying to open it up. And the front pane of glass was wedged against the handle and went shattered into a thousand pieces. [00:04:05] And so food in the oven, potentially burning glass everywhere, trying to sweep up so that a little dog doesn't run over and get the glass in the paws. [00:04:14] So, needless to say, had everything cleaned up, nothing burned. And Lisa and I went out the next Tuesday and looked for a stove. [00:04:26] And so just this past week, we got that stove installed. The guys came and delivered it and pulled it out, the old stove out so they could get the gas unhooked. And as he was dragging it across the floor, it caught a piece of glass on the edge and put a nice deep six or three foot cut into our almost new wood plank flooring in the kitchen. [00:04:53] So the guys that were delivering it was just totally apologetic, all humble. So sorry, so sorry, and said, you can give this claim to Home Depot, but they're going to send it on to our delivery company, and my boss is going to take the money out of our checks. So these were two young hispanic guys who I said, well, are you guys married? Yeah, we're both married. Do you have kids? And then one guy said, yeah, I've got two little ones. The other one said, I got one. He started texting his boss on the phone, and I said, hold on. [00:05:25] I said, I can't take money out of your children's mouths. It's like, I want you to know that I'm a pastor, and everything I try to do is because of the love of Jesus and the forgiveness that he's shown me. And so I want to forgive you what you've just done and relieve you of the debt. And I want you to encourage you to seek out Jesus for yourselves and seek out his forgiveness, and know that he can give you eternal life. And they were just like totally humble and thankful and appreciative and began to talk about, do they go to church? And the one guy said that he had visited church and he was watching some online. The other guy said, I've gone to church and I enjoy the music, but the guy who speaks is just too long. And it's like, us preachers really appreciate hearing that. [00:06:18] And he goes, but I send my two sons. And I said, oh, you know, you need to be example for your sons. You need to try to go and go with them. So the reason why I'm sharing all that is 15 minutes after they left, one of the guys texted me and he texted me this. [00:06:35] So I just want to share this with you. [00:06:38] He said, hey, this is Tim. We delivered to your home and I wanted to see if you can send the church name so that I can watch you preach this. [00:06:49] Tim, you know, if you're there, welcome. [00:06:53] I hope that you don't think I'm too long winded. [00:06:58] And ultimately, if you have any know, these guys are from Texas. They were only in for a few months because they didn't have enough delivery drivers here. So hey, if you want to come visit, if you want to text some more, if you got any know, just please do that. I'd love to hear more from you. [00:07:14] So that's my story and I'm sticking with it. [00:07:20] So we have 25 verses to cover this morning, so let's get into it. [00:07:26] Starting in Matthew eleven, we're going to read verses one through six. [00:07:31] When Jesus had finished giving the instructions to his twelve disciples, he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns. Now, when John had heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent a message to his disciples and asked him, are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else? Jesus replied to them, go and report to John what you hear and see. The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news. And blessed is the one who isn't offended by me. Let's go ahead and pray. [00:08:03] Heavenly Father, I thank you for the opportunity that I have this morning to represent you and your word. [00:08:09] I thank you for your word and how precious it is to our lives. Thankful that you have preserved it for us and you've left in it everything that you want us to know about yourself, about eternal life in you, about the relationship that we have in you, and how we can know you in a deeper way, so that it would lead to us serving you and loving you and being devoted to you more and more each and every day. So I pray this morning, Lord, that your holy spirit would superintend this time, that you'd open our minds and hearts, that we might hear what it is that you want to speak to us about, concerning you, about our lives and things that you want to change in us and things that you want to do in us. And we ask that in your name. Amen. [00:08:51] So Matthew's focus shifts. [00:08:55] Matthew begins this section of his gospel by noting that Jesus finished giving instructions to his twelve disciples, and he moves on to teach and preach in their towns. Matthew often seems to use this phrase in their towns to denote the Jews in general, when often specifically, he's speaking of those who are actually opposed to Jesus. [00:09:15] Matthew's focus shifts to a man named John who's in prison, and we move on through our text this morning to actually see that this man is John the Baptist. [00:09:23] The story of John the Baptist begins with the angel Gabriel coming to a married couple named Zechariah and Elizabeth, who are devout Jews, and announcing that they would have a son, which was incredible news to them because they were older in age and Elizabeth had been barren. [00:09:39] John's first encounter with Jesus was when they were both in their mother's womb. And Mary, while pregnant, visited her cousin Elizabeth. And upon announcing Mary's arrival, the Bible says that John leaped in his mother's womb. [00:09:52] This is possible because the scriptures declare that John was full of the Holy Spirit even while inside his mother's womb. For in Luke 113 through 17, paraphrase says, the angel Gabriel declared, your prayers have been answered. Your wife will bear you a son, and you will name him John. There'll be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother's womb. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God and make ready for the Lord a prepared people. [00:10:27] So what else do we know about John? Well, John's arrival was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. For in Isaiah 43, it says, a voice cries out in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. In Malachi three, one, it says, behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way of the Lord. [00:10:47] John was a man who lived in the wilderness, and he lived somewhat of a monastic life where he wore camel skin with a leather belt and ate locusts and honey. He preached a message of repentance and the good news of the coming messiah, and he baptized many. [00:11:02] And one day, when he was baptizing, he saw Jesus approaching and declared to the people, behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. [00:11:12] John's ministry began six months before he baptized Jesus, which actually inaugurated Jesus'ministry. And their ministries intersected for six more months until John was imprisoned a year prior to his death. [00:11:26] John's days were destined by the Lord. [00:11:29] He was born with a specific purpose and timing in history. [00:11:33] God knew exactly when John needed to be born, and his timing was not early or late. He planned for John to be the forerunner or the messiah of specific time in history, and he knew and numbered his days. [00:11:46] He had a purpose and design in the timing of his birth, the family as well as the place in which he would be born. [00:11:52] He had given him specific gifts in ministry intended to glorify God and helps others and helping others to find him. [00:12:00] Here's what I want you to capture this morning. [00:12:03] The same is true of you. [00:12:06] Listen, I don't say this as some christian cliche to try to elevate your life's importance. God had his eyes and designs set on you from the moment of your birth and even before you were born. The scriptures declare he had a specific purpose for your life. [00:12:21] For in acts 1726 and 27, it says from one man, adam, he has made every nation a people to live over the whole earth. And he determined that appointed time set for them in the exact places where they should live. God did this so that they might seek him, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. [00:12:40] It's right here that the scriptures declare that this is true for every single human being that's ever been born to this planet. You've been born to the parents of God's choosing. You've lived in the places that he has ordained for you. You have lived during the years of his choosing, and he has numbered your days, days that you cannot extend. [00:13:01] You've met people and had friendships with those for set purposes. Circumstances of your life also been ordained, the good and the bad, all so that you might seek him and that you would reach out and find him and embrace the purpose for which he has made you and called you and saved you. Just as we have witnessed in the life of John the Baptist. All of these things that have happened in your life are for one set purpose, and that's God's purpose, that you might hear his call, that you would respond to his drawing of you to himself, that you would be saved and live the entirety of your salvation for his kingdom values, his kingdom priorities, his kingdom purposes and his kingdom glory. [00:13:42] I remember a video that I watched early on in my christian life where the narrator was walking through a cemetery and he stopped in front of a tombstone as the camera closed in on it, and he asked, I'm sure you've noticed that every person's life on a tombstone has a birth date and the date of their death. [00:14:00] And while those dates stand on every tombstone, have you ever realized that it's the dash that's in between those two dates that represents the entirety of your life on earth? [00:14:11] Then you ask, what are you doing with your dash? [00:14:16] What do you want to be said of your dash after you are gone? [00:14:21] Better yet, what do you want God to say about the dash that is representing your life? [00:14:28] Jesus'words and his instructions to his disciples over the last several weeks have been imploring you to count the cost and to live all in for the kingdom. Your pastors are employing you to do the same. [00:14:41] It's the only way that you can find lasting joy and security, fulfillment, fruitfulness and the peace that transcends understanding while you live in a fallen, broken and sinful world. [00:14:53] If you've been standing or straddling the fence between these two worlds, it's probably time to jump over to the green pastures where kingdom living is. [00:15:04] It is a challenging side, it's a costly side, but an abundantly better way to live. [00:15:15] Let's move on in verse two. [00:15:18] And when John heard in prison what Jesus was doing, he sent a message through his disciples. [00:15:23] So what in the world is John doing in prison? [00:15:28] John was a prophet who boldly preached the need for repentance. Thus, he confronted people over the sin in their life. [00:15:34] And he just so happened to do this with the king, whose name is Herod Antipas, son of the Herod the great and part of the long line of rulers in the Herodian dynasty. Herod Antipas became the ruler of Galilee and Perea when his father died in four BC and ruled the region for 42 years until about 39 AD. [00:15:55] And these years encompassed the entire ministry of Jesus from his miraculous birth to his death on a cross. [00:16:03] Marital problems were not new to the line of Herods. Herod the great had ten wives, so we wouldn't expect Herod Antipas to have a very high standard for sexual morality. Of her marriage, Herod Antipas, would have had many stepbrothers. Two of them were named Philip, each having different mothers. [00:16:22] One was a ruler, and the other was a private citizen of businessmen. And the second, Philip, the private citizen, had a wife named Herodias. [00:16:31] She was the daughter of another son of Herod the great and one of the ten wives which made Philip's wife, Herodias, his half sister. [00:16:39] Are you starting to get the picture? [00:16:41] There's a whole lot of incest and polygamy and sexual immorality here. [00:16:48] For Herod Antipas to marry Herodias, he would have had to divorce his own wife after he seduced Herodias, and she would have had to divorce her husband. So once again, we're talking incest, we're talking adultery, we're talking divorce. [00:17:02] And all of this was public knowledge that John rebukes both Herod Antiphus and his wife, Herodius, were incensed and embarrassed by being called out by John. So Herod throws him in prison, and he actually wanted to put him to death. But he feared killing a righteous man, and he also feared a potential uprising that would occur by John's large following. [00:17:25] Before we move on, the one thing I want you to understand from this is that we tend to think that every fire and brimstone preacher or prophet who confronts sin is kind of a legalistic, offensive, harsh, cold hearted guy. And some are certainly that way. [00:17:42] But John's message of repentance was a message of love for the sinner. [00:17:46] For he believed that sin leads to death, that it leads to bondage, that it's the very barrier that is between that person coming to the messiah. [00:17:56] John was bold, and he was not a respecter of persons, but he wanted to see every person he encountered repent and be prepared to receive the messiah, even if it meant the evil, wicked Herod. [00:18:09] As Jesus followers, we must live as if we believe the same, that the consequence of sin is death. You see, sin kills things. [00:18:21] It kills relationships. [00:18:23] It kills marriages and families. [00:18:26] It kills reputations and testimonies. [00:18:30] It kills careers and financial security. [00:18:33] It kills a person's health. [00:18:36] And it's the barrier between each person and a holy God, the barrier to each person's eternal destiny. With Christ, we must become a people of God who speaks the truth in love, because we care more about every person's eternal destiny than we care about our comfort or being liked or being safe. Because it's all of those people that surround our lives, that are lost, that are given over to sin, are seeing things destroyed in their lives, and we should love them more and care more about them than we do about our own comfort and ease of life. [00:19:09] Let's move on. Verse two and three. [00:19:14] Now, when John heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent a message to his disciples and asked Jesus, are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else? [00:19:25] So from these questions to me, it appears that John is starting to have some doubts on whether Jesus really is the messiah that has come. [00:19:35] Oz Guinness, speaking of persistent doubt in the life of the believer, says, to believe is to be in one mind about accepting something as true. To disbelieve is to be in one mind about rejecting something as being false. But to doubt is to constantly waver between the two. To doubt is to have two minds. [00:19:55] John is unjustly in prison. He seems to have different expectations of what the Messiah's kingdom would be, what it would mean for them, expectations that the Messiah would bring judgment upon sin and justice to their enemies. [00:20:09] Now, not only is he not hearing that this is the focus of Jesus'ministry. But he also sits in prison while his unjust jailer continues to live his sinful life of luxury and comfort and debauchery in the palace. [00:20:25] He sends two of his followers to Jesus with questions that appear to be filled with doubt. Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else? [00:20:35] I hear confusion and doubt and disillusionment in those questions. [00:20:41] How does this man, called by God before his birth, prophesied in the Old Testament scriptures, raised by his parents with the knowledge from angel Gabriel that he would fulfill God's calling to prepare the way for the messiah, who was filled with the Holy spirit while still in his mother's womb? Who leaped for joy at the announcement of Jesus, who for six months prophesied a messiah was coming, who baptized hundreds, if not thousands of people, and who, upon seeing Jesus for the first time, proclaimed, behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world? How does this man now doubt on whether or not Jesus is the messiah? [00:21:19] I think it had to do with unrealistic expectations of what Jesus would mean to their lives, what he would actually do for them. [00:21:29] Unrealistic expectations always begin with a great amount of anticipation and enthusiasm and longing and desire, because the person sees these expectations as legitimate. [00:21:41] That is, until those expectations and hopes are dashed. [00:21:47] Are you possibly discouraged and disillusioned today? [00:21:52] Have you been living with doubts? [00:21:55] Could it be because you have unrealistic expectations on what benefits would come in following Jesus and what he would do for you. [00:22:04] Maybe you thought that life would be easier and less stressful and more comfortable. [00:22:10] Maybe you were expecting that all your troubles would go away. [00:22:16] Jesus answers in such a way that he believes will quell John's doubts. [00:22:22] Let's read verses four through six. [00:22:26] Jesus replied to John's followers. Go and report to John what you hear and see. The blind receive their sight, the lame walk. Those with leprosy are cleansed. The deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news. And blessed is the one who isn't offended by me. [00:22:43] I don't want to rush over the evidence that Jesus is having sent back to John to prove to him that he truly is the messiah and that the kingdom is near. [00:22:53] He says that the evidence is that blind people receive sight, that the lame walk, that those with leprosy are cleansed, that the deaf hear. [00:23:10] He says the dead are raised, and he says the poor are told the good news. [00:23:17] I want you for a moment to transport yourself there in your mind. [00:23:21] Tens, if not hundreds, of people are being physically healed. They're being set free from a lifetime of agony. Blind people, some from birth, are now able to see the beauty of creation and be able to see the eyes and the smiles of their loved one. And seeing little children playing and freed from a life of groping around in utter darkness. [00:23:41] Those who were crippled, who could not walk, who were totally dependent on others for their survival, some of them laid actually at the city gate to beg for another's day's sustenance. They've been set free to walk, to run, to jump, to leap, to work and earn a living, to actually serve those who have been serving them for a lifetime. [00:23:59] Those men and women stricken with leprosy, an incurable flesh eating disease that has led to the ostracization from their community, from their families. They've been labeled as unclean, unapproachable, untouchable, unlovable, and they've been healed and cleansed. [00:24:14] What an unbelievable joy and happiness must have overwhelmed them and their families as they reunited. [00:24:22] The deaf can hear the laughter of children, the wind blowing through the trees, birds chirping, the worship songs being sung at temple, and to be able to freely communicate with their loved ones. [00:24:34] The dead are raised to life. Their loved ones, who are once in deep mourning, grief and loss, are now overwhelmed with joy that their loved one has returned to them. And they all have been given a second chance, a new lease on life. [00:24:47] Wouldn't it have been cool to have lived in that community where maybe friends or family or neighbors or temple goers were experiencing these things. I mean, the buz going around about Jesus would have been so loud to keep your ears ringing with joy. [00:25:05] And yet, the final evidence of the Messiah's kingdom that Jesus wants John's followers to bring back to him is this. [00:25:11] The poor are told the good news. [00:25:15] In other words, the gospel is being proclaimed. People are being saved. They're being eternally healed. [00:25:23] And this, my friends, is the most miraculous evidence of the coming of the kingdom. [00:25:27] It's far greater than all the physical healings that are put together. [00:25:33] Every single person who has ever been physically healed, we know will still die. [00:25:39] But the one who embraces the message of the gospel, they live forever. [00:25:44] No, I wish we all could buz around our world with joy and gladness over the miracle of our salvation and the miracle of being a part of leading others to Christ, because that is truly the greatest evidence that the kingdom is here. [00:26:02] If our physical maladies last the rest of our lives, if the troubling people and circumstances do not change for the better in our lives. [00:26:10] Believer, you still always have the security found in the love, the forgiveness, acceptance, approval, adoption, and heavenly home that is forever yours because of what Jesus has done for you. [00:26:22] Amen. [00:26:25] I want you to notice in our text that Jesus is addressing John's doubts through the prophetic word, words that John would know and remember as a student of the Old Testament scriptures. [00:26:37] He's actually quoting part of Isaiah 35 four and Isaiah 61 two, which is revealing what the coming Messiah's ministry would actually look like. [00:26:50] The interesting thing is both passages also speak of God's judgment that will come at a later time during Messiah's second coming. [00:26:58] Justice delayed but not forgotten, Jesus wants John's followers to bring back God's word that John would know in the hopes of clearing up his doubts. [00:27:09] And as we approach a new year, I want to exhort you to be men and women of the word, to get into it each and every day, to read it, to reflect on it, to memorize it, to study it, to share it with others, and most importantly, to live it. [00:27:27] God's word in our lives is key to growing in faith and living by faith in a fallen, sinful, broken world. It's the source of the Holy Spirit that he uses in our lives to strengthen us and to give us endurance and hope when life's trials and challenging disappointments occur and when our world seems to be imploding all around us. [00:27:47] There's a quote that says, never stop believing in the dark. What you know, to be true in the light. [00:27:53] And it's when you're in those times that are most difficult in those times of darkness is when you desperately need the word of God to uplift you and uphold you. [00:28:04] It's through the word of God that we know him as he truly is, his character and nature, and it's what rids our minds and hearts from our distorted images of him which leads to our wrong expectations of him. [00:28:17] It's a word of God that allows us to know ourselves as God sees us and is what the spirit uses to transform us into becoming more like Jesus in how we live and how we love. [00:28:26] It's a word of God that helps us to know his promises that never fail us, promises that we can rely on, promises that we can trust, and that help us to overcome those unrealistic expectations that we have concerning what Jesus will do for us. [00:28:42] Finally, it's the knowledge of his word that gives us hope in difficult times and in difficult world. [00:28:48] Jesus told John's followers to go back to him with the old testament prophecies of what the messiah would do to instill hope and courage while he was facing unjust persecution. [00:29:00] I found another quote that says, christ's blood makes us safe. [00:29:05] God's word makes us sure. [00:29:09] That's why we desperately need to cling to the word of God and be in it every day and allow it to saturate our minds and fill our hearts in such a way that upholds us and strengthen us while we live in this very difficult world. [00:29:24] Let's move on to Matthew eleven, verses seven through ten. [00:29:33] As these men were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John. What did you go out to see? A reed swaying in the wind. What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes. See those who wear soft clothes or in royal palaces. What then? Did you go out to see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet, this is the one about whom it is written. See, I'm sending my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare your way before you. [00:29:59] So the questions Jesus is asking them is centering on the kind of man that John is. And he first asked them, were you expecting to see a weed swaying in the wind? [00:30:10] And a reed was a slight thing that is moved about by the wind. Weed blown here and there by a puff of wind is the most inconsistent and unstable of things. [00:30:19] And Matthew, early in his gospel, speaks to what leads to insecurity and instability and fickleness in the christian life. [00:30:27] He says, there's a wise man who hears Jesus'words and acts upon them. And he says, this is like a man or woman who has built their house on the rock. [00:30:37] And when the storms of life come and invade that person's life, it doesn't crash or collapse because they built it on the foundation of the rock of the gospel of Jesus Christ. [00:30:48] He says there's also those who build their houses on shifting sand. And he says, when the storms of life come and start battering against that house, that house collapses with a great crash. Because it wasn't built on the foundation of the rock. It wasn't built on the foundation of the gospel. It wasn't built on the foundation of the word, and it was unstable and fell hard. [00:31:13] And he was giving that as an example for us as christians. What are we building our lives foundation on? So when the real difficult things happen and when the storms batter our lives and things are we standing firm because our feet are on the rock? Are we unstable and insecure because we're not living on the rock, we're not living based on the gospel. We're not living based on the word of God, and we just are unstable and insecure in all that we do, being swayed back and forth by our emotions. [00:31:44] Which person describes you this morning? [00:31:47] As we looked at John's life, we could clearly see that he was not characterized by fickleness or emotional instability. [00:31:55] John's was a life where he took a bold and firm line in his preaching and in the way he lived. [00:32:03] Jesus then turns his attention to what someone wears. Was John someone who wore soft clothes, fancy clothes, fine clothes? [00:32:11] Well, we know that that wasn't the case. He wore a camel hair suit and with a leather belt. He never cut his hair or his beard. He lived out in the wilderness. [00:32:23] Those who wear soft clothes live in palaces. [00:32:27] And some commentators believe Jesus may have been comparing him to Herod the wicked and emotionally fickled and unstable king. While John lived in prison, he lived in comfort and luxury in his palace. [00:32:41] Jesus'words about John should give us encouragement and hope. [00:32:45] He wasn't judging or condemning John for his doubts. You don't see any of that in Jesus'response? [00:32:52] He sees his life. He sees his devotion. He sees a heart that loves him. [00:32:57] Neither will he judge you for your doubts. [00:33:01] We all have times of doubt. [00:33:03] It's what we do with those doubts that actually determines our future. [00:33:10] Then Jesus tells them, you actually came to see a prophet. [00:33:16] Strong motivation was required to cause people to go out into the wilderness, and they came because they heard a prophet of God was there. [00:33:23] It had been 400 years since a prophet's voice was heard. [00:33:27] The last was Malachi, that people were yearning to hear from God and to have news that the Messiah had come, that the fulfillment of all their longings was at hand. So hundreds flocked out into the wilderness to be where John was, because they were anticipating, hoping that this prophet was going to tell them that the messiah was near. [00:33:47] Then Jesus quotes a passage from Malachi that spoke of John being the fulfillment of it as the messiah's forerunner and would prepare the way for him. [00:33:58] Let's go on and read verses eleven through 15. [00:34:05] Truly I tell you, among those born of women, no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared. But the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is suffering violence, and the violent have been seizing it by force. [00:34:20] For all the prophets in the law prophesied until John. And if you're willing to accept that he is the Elijah who is to come, let anyone who has ears listen. [00:34:31] So not only does Jesus not judge or condemn John about his doubts, but instead he elevates him before his followers as the greatest man who has ever lived. [00:34:41] We'll find out later in Matthew's gospel that John was killed in his early thirty s. [00:34:47] And most of our sentiments would probably be, what a shame, what a waste of a life. [00:34:55] But it's not the shortness of life that determines a life that's wasted. [00:35:00] John lived a life of devotion to God. He lived for the will of God. He fulfilled God's calling and purpose for his life. [00:35:07] And he lived for the kingdom of God each and every day. [00:35:11] God numbered his days. And when his mission was complete, he called him home. [00:35:17] You see, what is truly a waste is a life that's wasted. [00:35:23] A life lived for self, for comfort, for safety, for material things. [00:35:28] A life that has forsaken the kingdom's purpose, for which it has been created and called and saved. [00:35:33] This reminded me of the lyrics to a song from the album revival in Belfast. [00:35:40] And those lyrics say, when it's all been said and done, there's just one thing that matters. Did I do my best to live for truth? Did I live my life for you? [00:35:51] When it's all been said and done, all my treasures will be worthless. [00:35:55] Only what I've done for love's reward will stand the test of time. [00:36:02] Jesus then speaks to the challenges and the opposition that those living for the kingdom have faced since John came on the scene. [00:36:10] And violent men with violent opposition have stood against it. [00:36:14] And more than likely, he's referring to Herod and the Pharisees and the scribes and the religious leaders. [00:36:21] He's letting everyone know that John's path has never been easy, and neither will be the future path of his followers. [00:36:30] What I love about Jesus is that he never sugarcoats the life of a disciple. [00:36:35] He's always clear about the rewards and benefits of living for him, which they're enormous. [00:36:41] But he lets those who desire to follow him know that it's going to be costly. It's going to involve self denial and self sacrifice. It's gonna involve risk and times of persecution. But in the end, he promises, it's gonna be worth it. [00:36:57] Your days have been numbered, just as John's were. [00:37:01] The question is, will you ever get to the true purpose for your life which God has called you? [00:37:08] Are you actually living for the purpose for which God has called you? [00:37:17] And he goes on in verse 16 through 19, and he says, to what should I compare this generation? It's like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to other children, we played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a lament, but you didn't mourn. For John came neither eating nor drinking. And they say he is a demon. The son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, look, a glutton and a drunkard. A friend of tax collectors and sinners. Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds. [00:37:45] Jesus is moving here to indicting the generation who had the chance to witnesses the ministry of John's and Jesus and rejected them both. [00:37:54] He first used an analogy of children's games, apparently with children, that they'd play at weddings and also at funerals. And he says, at the weddings, they would play a flute, attempting to bring joy to the occasion. But the others there refused to dance. [00:38:09] And at funerals, they would sing a lament, but the others refused to sing and refuse to grieve with them. [00:38:19] The funeral actually represents John's ministry. [00:38:23] A man who lived a minimalist life in the wilderness, never cutting his hair, wearing camel hair clothes, unconcerned about food or drink, only eating locusts and honey, preaching a message of repentance for sin. And they probably thought, this guy is weird, that he's eccentric. And they rejected him and accused him of having a demon. [00:38:47] They hated him for preaching the message of repentance and their self righteousness. They refused to see their sin. [00:38:55] You see, his purpose was to prepare people to meet Jesus, to find forgiveness and life in the Messiah and they rejected him for it. [00:39:05] The wedding represents a ministry of Jesus who came eating and drinking, who attended parties and wedding feasts and dinners with friends. And because of that, he was charged with being a glutton and a drunkard. And we know both untrue because the scriptures declare that he was sinless. Every moment of every day he walked this earth. [00:39:24] And he was charged with keeping bad company. He was accused of being a friend of sinners, and oh, only if we would have that reputation, that we were friends of sinners. [00:39:39] His purpose was to seek and save the lost. And they hated him because in their pride and arrogance, they refused to see their need for God's grace. [00:39:50] Jesus is saying that unbelief is never satisfied. And we've run into people like that who we've tried to share our stories, and we've tried to share the gospel and their hard hearts and their stubbornness and their pride. They reject it. [00:40:04] They don't see the need for Jesus. They don't want to believe in Jesus. They don't want to give their lives control over to him. [00:40:13] They refuse to repent with John or rejoice with Jesus. But it didn't stop neither of them from continuing on with their mission for the gospel. [00:40:26] Let's close it up this morning by reading the final verses, Matthew 1120 through 24. [00:40:32] And he proceeded to denounce the towns where most of his miracles were done, because they did not repent. Woe to you, Corazin. Woe to you, Betheda. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until, for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment, than for you. [00:41:10] So what Jesus is revealing at the end of this text is that greater light. With greater light comes greater responsibility. [00:41:21] Corzin and Betheta, these were towns that were close to Capernaum. And Capernaum was actually chosen by Jesus as the central location for his ministry. These were cities where a vast majority of his miracles were performed and demonstrated and where the gospel had been clearly preached. And the people of those cities rejected him. They wanted nothing to do with him, their indifference and apathy towards him because of the greater light they received, he says, will mean greater judgment for the people of those cities than even the gross wickedness of Sodom. [00:41:58] And we know this story about Sodom and Gomorrah. [00:42:04] The Bible reveals that all people in the end will go through judgment. [00:42:09] In this text, along with other portions of the scripture, agree that there'll be varying degrees of both punishment and rewards that are given. [00:42:20] Unbelievers will be judged by Christ according to their rejection of him, but the degree of their punishment will be according to how they lived, the extent of their wickedness and sin. [00:42:32] Ecclesiastes 1214 says, for God will bring every deed into judgment with every secret thing, whether good or evil. [00:42:40] The Bible says that for those who reject Jesus, they will be eternally separated from God in hell, and the degree of their punishment will be according to how they lived their lives. [00:42:50] This is a sober reality for some of our extended family and friends and neighbors and coworkers and should really motivate us to action. [00:43:04] But the scriptures declare that believers will also be judged. [00:43:08] And in romans 1410 through twelve, paraphrase, it says, for every believer must appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each 1 may receive the rewards due for how he lived his life in the body. [00:43:20] Every person who has received God's gift of salvation in Jesus Christ will enter heaven upon death. Their judgment will determine how many rewards and treasures they have earned by how they have lived their lives. [00:43:31] And Jesus wants us to believe that these rewards and treasures are meaningful and should be desired and actively know heaven is going to be a glorious place for every single believer in Christ, regardless of how you lived your life. [00:43:47] But Jesus says in his scriptures that there are some pretty special rewards and treasures that I have outlined for you. And he says clear in the scriptures, I want you to be motivated in this life to pursue those treasures and those rewards and to live for them and to realize it's going to be a big deal, an important thing, and a wonderful thing that you're going to receive when you get in heaven. [00:44:08] So both of these judgments should motivate us to go all in for the kingdom and live for the gospel of Jesus Christ, because sober mindedly, we know that those who surround our lives, who are lost and are destined for hell, they need the gospel. And we know that those of us who believe get greater treasures and rewards the more that we live for Christ in this life. [00:44:30] And that should motivate us with joy to act that we have such an honor and privilege to represent Christ in this world as his ambassadors, that possibly through us, some people, eternal destinies could change forever. [00:44:45] Is there anything more wonderful and important to live for? [00:44:55] Chris, you can come on up. [00:45:03] I want to use this time before we get into a little time of prayer to promote a clear next step. [00:45:13] In light of this message, in two weeks I'm going to be launching an evangelism class and it's going to be on Sunday mornings for six weeks from nine to ten. [00:45:22] I don't have the gift of evangelism and I know the struggles and insecurities and fears of sharing the gospel just as well as you do. [00:45:32] But I believe that God has led me on a journey to do the work of an evangelist and so I want to share with you some things that I hope will help you in your pursuit and desire to be one who has fears and insecurities just like me. [00:45:48] So this six weeks is going to be broken up into the importance of daily prayer and relying on the Holy Spirit, the power of the gospel to transform lives. Knowing and using your style to effectively reach others, developing and using your story to share with others tools and resources to help you become an effective witness and the art of effective neighboring. [00:46:10] So if you think that this is something that you would like to pursue, that you know deep in your heart that your fears and insecurities hold you back and that you want to have a shot at being more effective and being on mission for Christ in your world, in your community and through this church. And I want to ask you to come and be a part of this and see what God does in your lives. [00:46:34] I want you to go ahead and spend a few minutes now in quiet prayer before the Lord and ask him to reveal to you what step of faith and obedience that he wants you to take as you leave here. That has been revealed through the message this morning. [00:46:49] This is your time, you and the Lord. That before you escape and get busy with things in life and forget all everything that Holy Spirit's been speaking to you about, spend time now with especially that maybe that one thing God is saying, this is your next step. Go and do that now.