Advent 3: Matthew 11

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0:00 The rest of us, we're going to keep going on the assigned lecture day stuff. Remember that here, if we start out the year, we follow along on these historic texts. And it walks us through a preparation for Jesus' second tunnel, this return. And so the gospel reading is the one I want to look at this morning first, and it's in Matthew chapter 11. If you want to look there with me, Matthew chapter 11.

0:34 Remember the context of Matthew, just a little bit real quick. Matthew was a tax collector. He was Hebrew. He had been collecting taxes, which means he left in school. Jesus went and called a tax collector, which was kind of like a crazy thing. He, Matthew, had the famous thing, we did he threw a party with all the friends that he left his tax collector business and went to follow Jesus.

1:05 And that was kind of it caused some problems for Jesus that he's hanging out with a tax collector and tax collector's friends. But these are the people that Jesus picked as his disciples. And so then Matthew ends up writing an account of the life of Jesus, really focused on helping people of Israelite condition, Hebrew faith connect the dots between the promise Messiah and Jesus. You get a lot of references to the Old Testament in Matthew's gospel. And in Matthew chapter 11, John the Baptist has been arrested

1:38 and is trying to figure out if he should expect to get out of prison or not. Remember John the Baptist had this impressive life. I mean, actually in this text right after the part that they assigned to it, Jesus said that there's no person born of woman greater than John the Baptist. That's pretty high praise. No person born of woman greater than John the Baptist. That's Jesus saying that. So that's pretty impressive.

2:12 Half like you can think about the Hall of Fame in the Bible. If John the Baptist is the greatest born of woman, then he lives on locust and honey in the desert and ends his life with his head on a platter for the Hebrew queen. Half situation, right? John the Baptist was prophesied. And actually, you remember the story where Zachariah goes in.

2:46 He's the high priest. He draws the short lot. He's a high priest. He goes in and when he's in offering the prayers in the room, the holy of holies, the angel gave real come to him and says, hey, Zachariah, your wife Elizabeth will conceive and bear child and call him John. And to make sure that he called him John, because if it was the first one would have been called Zachariah. And John the Baptist as happens, it's like a predictable theme for God. He likes giving kids, important kids, to people who haven't had them before.

3:16 So John and Zachariah and Elizabeth are wailed to old to have kids. And he gives them to them anyway. And so Zachariah is like, I can't, I mean, it's cool, Gabriel, we're here in the holy of holies. You're talking to me, telling me this thing. But I don't know if that can be true. And Gabriel's like, dude, it's a pretty great line. If you go back and read the story, Gabriel says to Zachariah, he's like, I am Gabriel. He's like, I just came to you. I stand in the presence of God.

3:50 And I came to you to tell you this will happen. It will happen. But because of your unbelief, we'll talk until it does. And then she gets pregnant. I'm trying to tell you, John the Baptist is a big deal. Like if we were to go back and kind of honor some of the prophetic statements when God is through Isaiah and Jeremiah, start talking about the deliverance to come for Israel, he says there'll be a prophet before the Messiah. So there are two people prophesied to come

4:22 to bring deliverance. John the Baptist and Jesus. And when Jesus comes, he says, there's no person born a woman greater than John the Baptist. And he's checking in in this story, Matthew chapter 11. John the Baptist is checking in on Jesus because he wants to know, is God gonna miraculous give me out of jail? Because if you're not the one I'm waiting for, I know I'm not dying here because my calling is to preach until the one come. But if you're the one, then I'll just chill, right? And so in Matthew chapter 11, let's look at it.

4:53 Starting at verse two. Now, John, 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? And Jesus answered them, the disciples, go and tell John what you hear and see. The blind received their sight in the lame walk.

5:26 The leopards are coins and the deaf ears. And the dead are raised up and the poor have good news to them and blessed is the one who is not offended by me. The disciples go, I don't think that's the answer they were looking for, you know? It's like probably they came in, are you the one that we should look for or is there another? They're probably figuring it's a yes or no situation, right? Like yes, I am the one, no, I'm not the one.

5:58 And Jesus is like, look at what you see, you know? The reason he does that is because of Isaiah 35. So if you're in a paper copy, keep your finger in Matthew 11, we'll come back there and go to the left through Isaiah 35. It's like going to Psalms and go a little bit to the right. If you get your finger in my head, go back to the left. Isaiah 35. Jesus gives them this answer because of what Isaiah said in chapter 35, remember the context of Isaiah now.

6:28 Isaiah is prophesying in the Southern Kingdom when he's telling them you're gonna be destroyed. It's the last, the tribe and a half, Judah and Benjamin chilling, waiting, like underneath the king. But Isaiah is saying, you guys are crooked. God's gonna take you out of the land. And then after prophesying a lot that they're gonna be exiled, Isaiah starts to prophesy for a delivery. A delivery king. He's like, you're gonna be conquered and destroyed.

6:58 But sometime later, you'll get a delivery king. And in Isaiah chapter 35, he talks about the delivering king. And guys, it sounds really cool. Look at it. The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad. The desert shall rejoice and blossom like a crocus. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it. The majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord

7:30 and the majesty of our God. He's describing a situation where Lebanon has those huge trees, you know, the cedars of Lebanon. Carmel and Sharon are like green pastures on mountain. He's saying, they'll come a day where the desert will be like, have the glory of Lebanon and Carmel and Sharon. The thing will just start to sprout up. Everything will grow the way it was supposed to grow. It's gonna be beautiful, Isaiah says. And I don't know like if God like gave them the words

8:01 or the picture and Isaiah is describing the picture, but somehow this is the message that the God of creation and life wanted his people to know before their hardship came. A hardship is coming and goodness on the other side. Okay, 35, okay, verse three. All right, so the Carmel and Sharon and the glory of Lebanon to the desert, so it's three, strengthen the weak hands.

8:33 Make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, be strong and fear not, behold your God will come with vengeance. With the recompense of God, he will come and save you. Isaiah is like, hey, do you guys, I saw it. The desert gets the glory of Lebanon and Carmel and Sharon, so strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees.

9:05 If you feel anxious, be afraid no longer, because the recompense of God is coming for you. You're going into hardship, but God does not abandon you to it. Vengeance of God on your behalf is coming, so don't fear. Gabriel, fifth and marriage. Don't fear, fear not.

9:37 God has found favor. I can't say it says that. The recompense of God has been a favor. Strengthen the weak hands. Make firm the feeble knees. And say to those who have an anxious heart, be strong and fear not, behold your God will come with vengeance. But the recompense of God, who will come to save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the deaf unstop. Then shall the lame man leap like a deer

10:09 and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness and stream in the desert and the burning sand shall become a pool and the thirsty ground springs of water haunts the jack of the wood and they lie down and the grass shall become reaped. This is what Jesus is quoting. So John the Baptist is like, hey, are you the one or should we expect another? And Jesus quotes this passage, right? He's like, hey, guys, the blind see, the lame walk, the dead are raised.

10:43 He's quoting Isaiah. He's saying like the long promise delivering king from generations ago on the other side of hardship and trouble that day is here now. No, John, you don't have to wait for another one. Here's the kicker, John is like prophesied by Gabriel who stands in the presence of God. Miraculous birth from Elizabeth, left in the womb at the womb of Mary, stands outside baptized Jesus, the prophesied

11:18 and he's about to miss it. He's got a kicker. The way Isaiah described it, it sounds amazing. The glory of Lebanon, caramel and Sharon strengthen the weak hand, fortify the feeble knees, give strength to the anxious heart. And John the Baptist, no man born greater of woman. Like, is that it or do we expect another?

11:53 Jesus is like, it's right here. That's the bend. Really not what they were expected, right? I mean, I get the Pharisees and Sadices are playing the power games. I get Pilate, he's not steeped in the story at all. I mean, I get like, I get the family.

12:26 It's like, probably without honoring his hometown. But John the Baptist, his whole life is waiting for the one to come. And he, it must have been like, and part of the site. What? I mean, it's a valid question and one I think I will ask, why come so suspiciously, you know? So like, I don't know, camouflage is the right word,

12:58 but like, so easy to be meant. John the Baptist about mixed it. Yeah? And this is not like, like what Jesus is up to, it's not like, writing the wrong in one person's little life.

13:30 It's not filling one person's bank account of what they need or repairing breaches in these people's relationships. It's not fortifying one inch this part or strengthening a couple of these needs. What Jesus has caught up in here is like,

14:05 trajectory shifting for humankind for all time. Like the word Jesus is doing here, there could not be anything of greater consequence, I'm saying. And when God is caught up in the work of greatest consequence, even the prophesied preparing one about mr. When he's working in your life, you might run right by it.

14:36 You might, she might be fortifying your needs or strengthening your risk of something or calming an anxious part. And you have no idea. So, I guess like, look, I don't do a lot good without telling somebody about it.

15:10 You know what I mean? Like I just, even if I, even if there's something good that I'd like for some reason, so have real hope I can't tell anybody, I just don't count for it. At least I can tell myself, right? And remember, I don't know what it is about that. But he, he's like, changing the arc of humankind and if find going without notice.

15:46 You are working for you. Right now. You probably don't even know. I'll propose that okay. This is okay with it.

16:19 Look at how Isaiah 35 ends. This is the kicker for me and why it's worth slowing down for four weeks in Isaiah. Look, John the Baptist about missed the Messiah. It's okay if you miss the way God is strengthening your risk fortifying your needs and calming your heart.

16:49 It's okay. God works on your behalf, not for the credit, but because he can't not. He's just enamored with you. Crowd of his workmanship in me. I think legitimately God keeps making new expressions of life just to see what they will make in the world.

17:21 God is, I think God is excited to see what you will do with what he's given you. So he just keeps coming alongside. It's okay if you miss it. Now, man. But Jesus didn't want John the Baptist to miss that moment. Because he wanted John the Baptist to fulfill his job.

17:54 And because he knew it wasn't just for John or his disciples that he was at work. He did want some records of what was happening there. And here's why. Look at the end of Isaiah 35. Verse 5, then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf on stop. Then shall the layman leap like a deer and the tongue of the mutzing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

18:26 The burning sand shall become a pool in the thirsty ground. Springs of water, ponk of jackals where they lie down. The grass shall become reeds and rushes. Verse 8, and the highway shall be there. And it shall be called the way of holiness. And the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way. Even if they are fools, they shall not go straight.

18:59 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beasts come up on it. They shall not be found there. But the reviews shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion, will sing. And everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. They shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall be away. Of course, Isaiah is speaking before the exile of the return.

19:30 So he is seen Israel gets to come back to Jerusalem. This is why he's like, there'll be a road that's protected. A road paved through the desert. Don't worry about being robbed upon the way or tormented by the lions. The way will be clear. Even the dummies will be able to find their way on it. He's like, but no unrighteous. The ones who make it back are the ones who are trusting in God the whole way.

20:01 And Isaiah sees a story where they come back from exile into Jerusalem with steam. And joy that they come to Zion. And when Jesus quotes us back to John the Baptist, he says, yes, it happened with Cyrus and Israel. They made it back from exile, but not all the way. And Jesus is saying, there is yet a day coming when the road to Zion will be open. And people will make their way back.

20:32 See, it's okay if you miss God at work in your life now and then, but don't miss what he has done. Don't miss it today. Today, remember that he has opened a way for you to move into the promise. Yes, you are right. Jesus said, the way is open now.

21:07 Walk. Follow him. Remember, he redeployed acts. The term Christian developed partly to destroy the act of your father. Before they were called Christians, they were called followers of the way. Jesus says the way is open. Walk this way for the promise for heaven. Thank you, me, Father, and Jesus, Father, for the Father.

21:39 That's the call of heaven. Yes, remember that our God is not so glory hungry that he works in ways that are obvious. He often works search specifically. The music is very easy to make. But Christmases remind me that he has him and does open the way for us.

22:12 Let me tell you that he may be able to believe that we see that and follow him. Hey, Lord, thank you for the story of Christmas for your work there in your life, that resurrection ascension. Open our eyes to the places where you are at, well, now, you know, a lot. And leverage those moments for our space today that we might follow you on the way now and forever. Jesus may be safe.