Sermon on Matthew 11:2-11

This sermon was preached at Prince of Peace on the weekend of December 14-15, 2013.

Expectation is part of our everyday lives. We have expectations in our relationships. We have expectations in our jobs. We have expectations of ourselves. And if you've noticed, we have a lot of expectations that are never met. Sometimes we put a financial investment in something that promises return. We expect to be healed of loneliness by beginning a romantic relationship. We expect the government to change things because we voted for a certain politician. Over and over, we find our expectations unmet. We lose our financial investment because the project failed. We find that the people we've expected to heal our loneliness are just as broken as us, and just as in need of healing. And of course, we find out that no matter the promises, no governor has the power to change the world in a single term. We have a history of unmet expectations. How can we trust the promise of expectation when time and again, our expectations are left unfulfilled?

This Advent season is all about expectation. We are in expectation of the coming Messiah. This expectation is represented by the Christmas day miracle: God made flesh as Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit from the virgin Mary. This was the long expected Messiah of Israel. He is the one to redeem the whole of creation. But, as we continue waiting through this Advent season, even after Christmas day comes and passes by, we are still waiting. We are waiting expectantly for the coming again of Jesus Christ. The season of Advent only lasts about three and a half weeks, but we have been in the true Advent from the day Jesus ascended into heaven. We wait for him to return. We expect him to return.

John the Baptist is not much different from us. He began his ministry as one calling out from the wilderness. He baptized people in the Jordan river for the forgiveness of sins. He called people to repent and be ready for the one coming after him. He knew Jesus was coming. This is what drove his ministry. He called people to repentance because the one who judges the sins of the world was near.

But what happened to him? After he baptized Jesus and Jesus took over the ministry, he slowly faded from the gospel picture. We find out that he was arrested by Herod and put in prison. Things had taken a bad turn in the life of John the Baptist. And that is where we come in on our passage for today,

“Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, 'Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?'”

John the Baptist, who preached the coming Messiah, and recognized Jesus as that Messiah was now questioning everything that had happened. This doesn't mean that John doubted Jesus, but perhaps he doubted his method. John probably wasn't expecting to be waiting for death in a prison cell once Jesus came around. Shouldn't the messiah be overthrowing the Roman authorities and re-establishing the nation of Israel as God's chosen people? Jesus was supposed to bring redemption, but instead John found himself at the mercy of sinful Gentiles.

Roughly thirty years after this moment, Paul is writing to the church in Rome about this same kind of experience.

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

And this is still our experience today. The expectation in the last days is like labor pains that come before childbirth. We look around us and we see that things are not right. We are in a world that is not right. We see famine and destruction. People killing each other with no remorse. There are some of us who are having trouble making ends meet. Jobs are hard to come by. Families are being torn apart. Drug abuse is destroying lives. Wars are taking even more. And we inwardly groan with all of creation in these last days. We eagerly wait for our adoption into God's household because it's hard going day-by-day in a fallen world. Jesus came with the promise of salvation, but when we look around, we don't see it. So we ask, “Is this the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

And how does Jesus respond? Our passage reads,

“And Jesus answered them, 'Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.'”

When we feel like our Advent expectations aren't being met, the problem is not with Jesus. The problem isn't that Jesus is forsaking us. The problem isn't that Jesus was unable to fulfill his promises. The problem is that we aren't seeing Jesus with the right eyes. We have a wrong perspective of what Jesus is doing in the world. John the Baptist, trapped in a prison cell, couldn't see past his own experience. He heard about these miraculous things that Jesus was doing in the world. If I were in John's place, I know my first reaction to hearing this news would be to ask, “but what about me?” In the dark confines of his prison cell, John was unable to see the light that was shining throughout the world. We cannot be prisoners to the darkness around us. We cannot be blinded by the walls of sin and death that surround us. Jesus is doing wonderful things in this world. His good news is spreading throughout all nations.

Our perspective needs to shift. We need to not look at the darkness, but into the light. We need to realize that the darkness isn't so dark because the light of the world has come. Death is temporary for those who have the good news of Jesus Christ. By his love, the works of God are being performed by people throughout the world. “The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” Our expectations are being fulfilled in these things; our expectations of the reign of God on earth. The pains will come because the world is in the pains of childbirth. This world as it is won't meet our expectations, because we are called to heavenly expectation. As we grow in our understanding of Christ, we see how fallen the world is around us. And we see why the reign of God needs to come into the world.

It's not about overthrowing the powers that be, but lifting up the lowly. It's about sharing in the suffering of sin and death. Jesus Christ did not only come to abolish death, but to join in its misery. His cry on the cross was not only “It is finished,” but, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus took part in the suffering of the world. He took on the flesh of a man and the very nature of a human person. He lowered himself from his heavenly place and took part in our suffering. And he did not leave us alone, but gave us the promise of his return through the Holy Spirit.

We groan inwardly, awaiting our adoption into God's household. Paul writes that “in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” We need to be assured that our hope is not in this life. Our hope is not in jobs, money, or relationships. Our hope is in Christ. And we can be assured that our hope will be fulfilled because he rose again from the grave as our promise. Until then, we need to wait patiently. We must stay ready for when that time comes.

As I said earlier, Christ came into the world to suffer along with us and to bring us peace in that suffering. We as Christians must join with Christ in sharing the suffering of the world around us. We aren't called to rule over others, but to serve them. In the world we move forward by moving up. We become successful by stepping over the people below us. Money and power are our gains. But in the kingdom of God, moving deeper into God is lowering ourselves. It's taking the lowest place and valuing others as greater than ourselves. Our belongings are not our own, and so we are called to give and serve. Jesus used John the Baptist as the example,

“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 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.’”

Jesus uses John the Baptist to show what a citizen of the Kingdom looks like. Not someone dressed in fine clothing. Not someone shaken by the wind of the social climate. John was a prophet of God who stood firm in his proclamation. But even though, “there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.” Jesus teaches that “the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

We need to join in this heavenly call by changing our perspectives to heavenly values. In expectation of our Lord's return, we take part in his work here on earth. Jesus asks, “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.”

There is work to be finished here on earth and Jesus has set his servants to care for it. The brokenness of the world is not a sign that Jesus hasn't done his job. It is a sign that Jesus' mission continues.

“As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.”

As we wait for the Lord in expectation, it means we have the opportunity to share in his work. Jesus says that the signs of his kingdom are that “the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” Let's be bringers of the kingdom in this way. Let's take part in his mission to the world. Let's take care of the poor and the oppressed around us. Instead of ignoring the homeless, let's sit and eat with them. Instead of blaming addicts for their problems, let's stand by them and pray with them. And instead of scoffing at those who do not know Christ, let's share the good news and welcome them into the family of God.

This can only happen by faith in the power of the Gospel. We should expect Jesus to work in mighty ways. Even through our poor and broken selves, the glory of God can shine. We need to expect Jesus. It's easy to grow impatient when we are surrounded by darkness. But, darkness has no power over light. And Jesus, the light of the world, will keep his promise to return. We need to stay in expectation of his return. This means we need to remain in daily prayer. We need to meditate on the word he has given us in the Scriptures. We need to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to commune by the Spirit at the Lord's table. And we need to love those whom Christ loves; the last and the least. Because these are the ones who will make up his kingdom.

It's easy to be distracted by the world, but we cannot let that take us away from our hope. Our hope isn't in investing in the right business ventures. It isn't in romances. It isn't in political powers. Our hope is in the one true God who reigns for ever and ever.

We need change our perspective. John the Baptist had trouble looking past his jail cell. We have trouble looking past the problems of this life. Our problems could be finances, relationships, or just staying stable. But you can be sure that the problems of this world will pass away. Jesus Christ has overcome the world.

We need to look to our heavenly promise. Our God is everlasting and he will bring full redemption to all of creation. Our situations may seem hopeless, but so long as God lives, there is always hope. Trust in that. Trust that with God, even the impossible can be done. Even the most hardened sinner can turn to repentance. Even the deepest mourning can turn to joy. There will come a day when he will wipe away every tear. Stay ready for that day. Stay ready by prayer. Stay ready by Scripture meditation. Stay ready by doing the work of the kingdom; serving the poor and sharing the good news. Stay ready by remembering that your expectation is not based on human works, but on the work of God: that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again from the grave. Our expectation is that he will come again and make all things new. But until that day comes, let's share in the work he has given us to do.