Today is the third Sunday in Advent. We have lighted the third candle on the Advent Wreath, the shepherds candle. We are not yet ready for our Christmas celebration, that will come. Today we continue to get ourselves ready. Last week we heard about John the Baptist, the one who came to prepare the way for Jesus’ earthly ministry. This morning we get a look at a day in the life of John the Baptist, and unfortunately, it is a look at one of his last days, when he was in prison, before his execution.
Our text begins with John sending his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (v.3). As we hear John’s question for the first time we might think that this is a question of doubt. His words sound similar to too many Christians as they lay on their deathbed and have some uncertainty and doubt in their minds. Perhaps you have heard someone say something like, “I hope I go to heaven.” Well, let me assure you, by faith in Jesus Christ, we have the hope, that is the Christian hope, which is a certainty, of eternal life in heaven. Our hope is not a hope of uncertainty, but a hope of the assurance of heaven. Yes, ‘these things, God’s Word, was written so that we might know for certain that we have eternal life.’ Getting back to John, John has been in prison for a while, his life might be coming to an end, certainly he has a lot of time to think and all that thinking may have brought some doubt. Or maybe not.
It is more likely that John is merely voicing a question that has been prompted by his disciples and their lack of faith and understanding. John’s disciples have been with him for some time. They have been listening to him and following him, they have heard and seen him pointing to Jesus, and now he is in prison. And this person that John has been pointing to, Jesus, where is He? What is He doing to help John? Why is he not starting an uprising and breaking John out of prison? Certainly there were suspicious thoughts about Jesus. Certainly John’s disciples did not completely understand why Jesus was getting all the attention and John was in prison. They were like everyone else, even Jesus’ own disciples, not understanding what it meant that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world, not that He was a social-political savior, but a spiritual Savior. Yet, John understood that his role was simply to point to Christ. As John said, “I must decrease and He must increase.”
John’s question, and I would say, his question on behalf of his disciples, is a question of faith. John’s disciples probably wanted to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, but they needed some help, they needed some “proof,” they needed a sign. They are no different than we are in our world today. How often it is that we would like God just to give us a sign, just to show us something to help us in our unbelief. The fact is that He does daily show Himself to us and we just miss it. John is simply voicing for his disciples their question and giving them the opportunity to go and get an answer. Notice John’s evangelism technique? It is very much like Philip’s technique. Remember when Philip told Nathaniel, “we have found the Christ.” Nathaniel was very skeptical and asked, “can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said, “Come and see!” Likewise, here John is encouraging his disciples, “Go and see.” As we share our faith with others through our lives, through our vocations, as well as through our words, sometimes we need to simply say, “Come and see.” Come to meet the Lord where He comes to meet you, in His Word and in divine service.
Our text does not give us the complete exchange of words of John’s disciples to Jesus, simply their question concerning whether or not Jesus is the “one who is to come,” but we do have Jesus’ answer. Jesus’ answer is, “Go and tell John what you hear and see” (v. 4). First, Jesus tells them to listen. Listen to the words of good news that He speaks to the people. Likewise today, we are to listen to the words of good news that Jesus speaks to us, because Jesus does continue to speak to us today. How does Jesus’ speak to us today, through His Word, namely through the Bible. As we read the Bible, Jesus speaks to us. As we hear the Word of God proclaimed, Jesus speaks to us.
The second thing Jesus says is “see.” In other words, look at the signs and wonders, the miracles that He is performing. In his Gospel, John makes a lot of these signs and wonders. These signs and wonders, these miracles are “proof” (if you will) that Jesus is true God. Who else can do miracles except God? And Jesus is doing miracles, therefore He most certainly must be God.
Notice that Jesus does not try to argue these disciples of John into believing. He does not try to convince them through great words of debate. He simply asks them to look at the evidence and interpret that evidence according to Holy Scripture, which bears witness of the answers for which they are looking. Here we get a second lesson in witnessing and evangelism. We witness best when we witness by not saying a lot, by not arguing, by not being confrontational, but by living our faith and by pointing to Christ and being ready to give an answer, a defense of our faith. We witness best when we let our lives, our words and actions point to our faith in Christ.
After John’s disciples leave, Jesus speaks a word concerning John. He says, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?” (v. 7b). In other words He is saying that John was not swayed by public opinion. Certainly he was not swayed by the opinions of the Scribes and Pharisees. John did not necessarily preach what the people wanted to hear. He did not preach to the felt needs of the people. He preached to them what they needed to hear. He preached words of Law, that they are sinners who need to repent, and he preached words of Gospel, for the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus continued by saying, “What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses” (v. 8). In other words, John could not be bought. He was not living off the monies of the rich in order to preach good words about them, like many of the Scribes and Pharisees. His words were not swayed to favor anyone for any reason. John spoke the truth in love.
And Jesus tells why as He says, “What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you’” (v. 9-10). John was not swayed by the opinions of others, he could not be bought, because he was a prophet of God. He was sent by God to proclaim the message God gave Him, repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and so he could not proclaim anything else.
Finally, as we alluded to last week, Jesus explains that He is the Messiah and He is ushering in the end times, He is fulfilling Holy Scripture as He explains that John is the forerunner of the Messiah and that He has come in the spirit and power of Elijah for those who can believe, Jesus words, “For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come” (v. 13b-14). You might remember that every year at the Passover celebration, at one point during the Seder, the door is opened and it is hoped that Elijah will come in to usher in the coming of the Messiah. Many Jews today still carry on this ritual, but Jesus says that John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah, thus ushering in the end times and the time of the Messiah.
John was the way preparer for Jesus. He was a great prophet, but unfortunately, for his own sake, he was not a witness of Jesus’ death and resurrection. John did so much to prepare for Jesus earthly ministry and His ushering in the kingdom of heaven, yet, he did not get to see it happen. In that sense, John was lower than the least in the kingdom.
John is a wonderful example to us and he is a good way preparer for us as we get ready, not only for our Christmas celebration, but as we get ready for Jesus’ second coming. John’s words remind us to “Hear and see” if Jesus is who He says He is, to “Hear and see” all that Jesus has done, to see if His signs, wonders, and miracles do not show Him to be the Christ, the Messiah. John reminds us of the need to listen and look as Jesus comes to us in His Word and sacraments. Then we are strengthened and encouraged to go and bear witness of Jesus through our lives, our vocations, our words and our actions.
We are great in the kingdom of heaven because we have seen Christ. Through the Word of God we have seen Jesus, born in a lowly stable in Bethlehem, fulfilling God’s promise to send a Savior. We have seen Jesus live perfectly for us in our place because we cannot live perfectly. Remember, the fulness of the Gospel is the fact that Jesus lived perfectly as our substitute, doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves, be perfect. Then Jesus took all our sins upon Himself and suffered and paid the price for our sins on the cross and He died for us, in our place. We have seen Jesus die the eternal death penalty for us, in our place. And we have seen Jesus risen from the dead. We have been eyewitness of these things through God’s Word. And we are to be eyewitness of these things to others so that they too may come to know Jesus and everlasting life.
Have you ever had doubts about your faith? You are not alone. That little bit of doubt is good if it moves you to question and to look for the answer to your question and especially to look into God’s Word for the answer to your questions. When you are in doubt it is important that you go “to see and hear” in God’s Word, the answers to your questions. John sent his disciples to Jesus to still their doubts. As we said earlier, Philip brought Nathaniel to Jesus to still his doubts. This morning I encourage you in the same way by telling you the same thing. If you have doubts, come and see and hear. Open your Bible, come to divine service and Bible class, remember your baptism, partake of the Lord’s body and blood in His Holy Supper. These are the means, the ways the Lord has given to come to us to give to us, to strengthen us and to keep us in faith. These are the ways the Lord has of stilling our doubts.
As we continue to get ready for our Christmas celebration, I would continue to urge you, not to jump the gun, so to speak, but to wait with your Christmas celebration until Christmas Eve. Remember, the twelve days of Christmas do not end on Christmas morning, but begin with Christmas. Now is the time to get ready, to make use of the means of grace, to prepare for your Christmas celebration and as we have been saying the past two weeks, now is also the time to continue to get yourself ready for Christ’ second coming when He will take us from this earth to be with Himself in heaven for eternity. And to that we say, to God be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Our text begins with John sending his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (v.3). As we hear John’s question for the first time we might think that this is a question of doubt. His words sound similar to too many Christians as they lay on their deathbed and have some uncertainty and doubt in their minds. Perhaps you have heard someone say something like, “I hope I go to heaven.” Well, let me assure you, by faith in Jesus Christ, we have the hope, that is the Christian hope, which is a certainty, of eternal life in heaven. Our hope is not a hope of uncertainty, but a hope of the assurance of heaven. Yes, ‘these things, God’s Word, was written so that we might know for certain that we have eternal life.’ Getting back to John, John has been in prison for a while, his life might be coming to an end, certainly he has a lot of time to think and all that thinking may have brought some doubt. Or maybe not.
It is more likely that John is merely voicing a question that has been prompted by his disciples and their lack of faith and understanding. John’s disciples have been with him for some time. They have been listening to him and following him, they have heard and seen him pointing to Jesus, and now he is in prison. And this person that John has been pointing to, Jesus, where is He? What is He doing to help John? Why is he not starting an uprising and breaking John out of prison? Certainly there were suspicious thoughts about Jesus. Certainly John’s disciples did not completely understand why Jesus was getting all the attention and John was in prison. They were like everyone else, even Jesus’ own disciples, not understanding what it meant that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world, not that He was a social-political savior, but a spiritual Savior. Yet, John understood that his role was simply to point to Christ. As John said, “I must decrease and He must increase.”
John’s question, and I would say, his question on behalf of his disciples, is a question of faith. John’s disciples probably wanted to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, but they needed some help, they needed some “proof,” they needed a sign. They are no different than we are in our world today. How often it is that we would like God just to give us a sign, just to show us something to help us in our unbelief. The fact is that He does daily show Himself to us and we just miss it. John is simply voicing for his disciples their question and giving them the opportunity to go and get an answer. Notice John’s evangelism technique? It is very much like Philip’s technique. Remember when Philip told Nathaniel, “we have found the Christ.” Nathaniel was very skeptical and asked, “can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said, “Come and see!” Likewise, here John is encouraging his disciples, “Go and see.” As we share our faith with others through our lives, through our vocations, as well as through our words, sometimes we need to simply say, “Come and see.” Come to meet the Lord where He comes to meet you, in His Word and in divine service.
Our text does not give us the complete exchange of words of John’s disciples to Jesus, simply their question concerning whether or not Jesus is the “one who is to come,” but we do have Jesus’ answer. Jesus’ answer is, “Go and tell John what you hear and see” (v. 4). First, Jesus tells them to listen. Listen to the words of good news that He speaks to the people. Likewise today, we are to listen to the words of good news that Jesus speaks to us, because Jesus does continue to speak to us today. How does Jesus’ speak to us today, through His Word, namely through the Bible. As we read the Bible, Jesus speaks to us. As we hear the Word of God proclaimed, Jesus speaks to us.
The second thing Jesus says is “see.” In other words, look at the signs and wonders, the miracles that He is performing. In his Gospel, John makes a lot of these signs and wonders. These signs and wonders, these miracles are “proof” (if you will) that Jesus is true God. Who else can do miracles except God? And Jesus is doing miracles, therefore He most certainly must be God.
Notice that Jesus does not try to argue these disciples of John into believing. He does not try to convince them through great words of debate. He simply asks them to look at the evidence and interpret that evidence according to Holy Scripture, which bears witness of the answers for which they are looking. Here we get a second lesson in witnessing and evangelism. We witness best when we witness by not saying a lot, by not arguing, by not being confrontational, but by living our faith and by pointing to Christ and being ready to give an answer, a defense of our faith. We witness best when we let our lives, our words and actions point to our faith in Christ.
After John’s disciples leave, Jesus speaks a word concerning John. He says, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?” (v. 7b). In other words He is saying that John was not swayed by public opinion. Certainly he was not swayed by the opinions of the Scribes and Pharisees. John did not necessarily preach what the people wanted to hear. He did not preach to the felt needs of the people. He preached to them what they needed to hear. He preached words of Law, that they are sinners who need to repent, and he preached words of Gospel, for the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus continued by saying, “What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses” (v. 8). In other words, John could not be bought. He was not living off the monies of the rich in order to preach good words about them, like many of the Scribes and Pharisees. His words were not swayed to favor anyone for any reason. John spoke the truth in love.
And Jesus tells why as He says, “What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you’” (v. 9-10). John was not swayed by the opinions of others, he could not be bought, because he was a prophet of God. He was sent by God to proclaim the message God gave Him, repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and so he could not proclaim anything else.
Finally, as we alluded to last week, Jesus explains that He is the Messiah and He is ushering in the end times, He is fulfilling Holy Scripture as He explains that John is the forerunner of the Messiah and that He has come in the spirit and power of Elijah for those who can believe, Jesus words, “For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come” (v. 13b-14). You might remember that every year at the Passover celebration, at one point during the Seder, the door is opened and it is hoped that Elijah will come in to usher in the coming of the Messiah. Many Jews today still carry on this ritual, but Jesus says that John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah, thus ushering in the end times and the time of the Messiah.
John was the way preparer for Jesus. He was a great prophet, but unfortunately, for his own sake, he was not a witness of Jesus’ death and resurrection. John did so much to prepare for Jesus earthly ministry and His ushering in the kingdom of heaven, yet, he did not get to see it happen. In that sense, John was lower than the least in the kingdom.
John is a wonderful example to us and he is a good way preparer for us as we get ready, not only for our Christmas celebration, but as we get ready for Jesus’ second coming. John’s words remind us to “Hear and see” if Jesus is who He says He is, to “Hear and see” all that Jesus has done, to see if His signs, wonders, and miracles do not show Him to be the Christ, the Messiah. John reminds us of the need to listen and look as Jesus comes to us in His Word and sacraments. Then we are strengthened and encouraged to go and bear witness of Jesus through our lives, our vocations, our words and our actions.
We are great in the kingdom of heaven because we have seen Christ. Through the Word of God we have seen Jesus, born in a lowly stable in Bethlehem, fulfilling God’s promise to send a Savior. We have seen Jesus live perfectly for us in our place because we cannot live perfectly. Remember, the fulness of the Gospel is the fact that Jesus lived perfectly as our substitute, doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves, be perfect. Then Jesus took all our sins upon Himself and suffered and paid the price for our sins on the cross and He died for us, in our place. We have seen Jesus die the eternal death penalty for us, in our place. And we have seen Jesus risen from the dead. We have been eyewitness of these things through God’s Word. And we are to be eyewitness of these things to others so that they too may come to know Jesus and everlasting life.
Have you ever had doubts about your faith? You are not alone. That little bit of doubt is good if it moves you to question and to look for the answer to your question and especially to look into God’s Word for the answer to your questions. When you are in doubt it is important that you go “to see and hear” in God’s Word, the answers to your questions. John sent his disciples to Jesus to still their doubts. As we said earlier, Philip brought Nathaniel to Jesus to still his doubts. This morning I encourage you in the same way by telling you the same thing. If you have doubts, come and see and hear. Open your Bible, come to divine service and Bible class, remember your baptism, partake of the Lord’s body and blood in His Holy Supper. These are the means, the ways the Lord has given to come to us to give to us, to strengthen us and to keep us in faith. These are the ways the Lord has of stilling our doubts.
As we continue to get ready for our Christmas celebration, I would continue to urge you, not to jump the gun, so to speak, but to wait with your Christmas celebration until Christmas Eve. Remember, the twelve days of Christmas do not end on Christmas morning, but begin with Christmas. Now is the time to get ready, to make use of the means of grace, to prepare for your Christmas celebration and as we have been saying the past two weeks, now is also the time to continue to get yourself ready for Christ’ second coming when He will take us from this earth to be with Himself in heaven for eternity. And to that we say, to God be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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