Take those you love to Jesus.

 

Sermon for Advent 3, December 12, 2021

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  By His great mercy He gave us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Amen.

Matthew 11:2-10  ²While John was in prison, he heard about the things Christ was doing.  He sent two of his disciples ³to ask him, “Are you the Coming One or should we wait for someone else?”  ⁴Jesus answered them, “Go, report to John what you hear and see: ⁵The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor.  ⁶Blessed is the one who does not take offense at me.”  ⁷As these two were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the crowds about John.  “What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed shaken by the wind?  ⁸What did you go out to see?  A man dressed in soft clothing?  No, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.  ⁹So what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I tell you!  And he is much more than a prophet.  ¹⁰This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’” (EHV)

Take those you love to Jesus.

Dear children of the heavenly Father,

            Biblical scholars like to debate John’s motives in this text.  Many guess that John was having his doubts about Jesus.  They point to the question John sent his disciples to ask: “Are you the Coming One or should we wait for someone else?”  Some students of the Word assume this question indicates John wasn’t so sure Jesus really is the promised Messiah.  Some think John doubted Jesus as a person, and others suggest John doubted Jesus’ actions.  They say that while John heard the reports of the miracles Jesus was performing, he wondered where was the judgment the prophets had said God would bring?

To be honest, however, the Bible speaks well enough of John the Baptist that we have no need to doubt the man’s faith in Jesus.  To question his integrity is nothing short of slander.  Yet, if I am to draw that conclusion, how should we take John’s question?  Why did he send his followers to ask Jesus if He is the One?  I believe the most faithful way to perceive John’s motives is to assume John cared about his disciples’ salvation.  Likewise, you and I should Take those we love to Jesus.

Scripture hints that some of John’s followers were enticed by the religious laws of the Pharisees.  John was sent ahead of Jesus to preach a baptism of repentance, but it may be that his disciples put more stock in their acts of penitence than in the Savior who was living righteousness on their behalf.  In fact, “John’s disciples came to [Jesus] and said, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast at all?’” (Matthew 9:14)  Based on their question, we can conclude that John sent his disciples to Jesus to ask today’s question much more for their benefit than for his own.  Naturally, Jesus’ answer would be a blessing to John, but his greater concern was that those wavering in their faith might hear and see what Jesus was doing in fulfillment of the scriptures.

Now, I don’t know whether John thought this all out in advance.  This most likely was an instance of John living the message he once spoke.  When John’s disciples were concerned that his followers were going over to Jesus, John replied, “The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and listens for him, is overjoyed when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.  So this joy of mine is now complete.  He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:29-30)  Unfairly confined in prison, John understood that his role of preparing people to receive salvation through faith in Christ Jesus was nearing its end, so to the end John continued to point his disciples to the Lamb of God.

John implored his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the Coming One or should we wait for someone else?”  In other words, John wanted his followers to see personally whether Jesus was merely another prophet, or is He the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecy?  The question is blunt and direct.  “Are you or not?”  Notice, though, how Jesus answers.  He doesn’t give a simple yes or no.  In fact, Jesus’ answer should quell any doubts John, or anyone else, might ever have about Jesus. 

Jesus didn’t say look at how my enemies fear Me or look at the big crowds that follow Me.  Rather, He quoted what the ancient prophets had foretold God’s people would see: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor.”  Jesus instructed His questioners to compare what they heard and saw Him doing with what the prophets had foretold concerning the coming Messiah.  Then Jesus declared, “Blessed is the one who does not take offense at me.” 

Of course, both John and Jesus had to deal with people who were assuming that the Messiah was coming into the world to set up a kingdom on earth.  Many of those who followed for a little while assumed Jesus would end poverty and sickness, end Roman rule, and create a new Jewish state of world domination.  If you think that sounds like some outlandish modern-day speculation, it isn’t that far off from how many people react today.  However, we need to be careful not to look for a Jesus of our own imagination, but rather seek Jesus as God has shown Him to be. 

A grave danger many fall into is that they think being a follower of Jesus should bring earthly peace and prosperity.  Then, when trouble, sorrow, danger, poverty, or even boredom comes upon them, they abandon Jesus to seek earthly pleasures rather than the riches of heaven Jesus came to give.  Or despairing from misconceived notions, they put their hope for a good life in themselves.  In other words, they become offended at Jesus—the word in Greek means a deadly snare that catches and kills.

Rather than being concerned primarily with the good and bad things of earth, which are so very temporary, we must be like John the Baptist and focus on the Savior God actually sent, because Jesus didn’t come into the world for the minor goal of setting up a kingdom on earth.  Instead, Jesus came into this world to win everlasting peace with God for those who believe in Him.  Instead of trying to solve every earthly problem, or making your life on earth a temporary pleasure garden, Jesus came to make it possible for you to enjoy paradise forever with Him in heaven.

Dear friends, Take those you love to Jesus, because Jesus accomplished His goal of winning our forgiveness and salvation.  He opened the gates of heaven for us by living exactly as His heavenly Father had planned for Him to live in our place.  Instead of listening to the temptations of the devil or the world, Jesus obeyed His heavenly Father’s will every moment of His life.  Instead of doing what the flesh desires, Jesus walked in perfect harmony with the Ten Commandments, all His life, on our behalf.  Rather than wander aimlessly through His days, Jesus purposely fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies so that we could recognize Him as the Savior God sent.  Then, in the end, the holy Son of God in human flesh, Jesus Christ, went to the cross, not by force, but willingly to die for the sins of the world, so that the Father in heaven could justly declare the whole world innocent of sin because Jesus became sin for us.

You know, it is not surprising that the scholars wonder about John the Baptist and whether he had begun to doubt.  It’s called projection.  We so often grow weary and doubtful that we assume everyone else does as well, and sure, it could be that John was truly wondering.  However, Jesus doesn’t indicate that at all.  As Jesus sent John’s disciples back with the Good News of all that Jesus was doing to fulfill the Scriptures, "Jesus began to talk to the crowds about John.  ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed shaken by the wind?  What did you go out to see?  A man dressed in soft clothing?  No, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.  So what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I tell you!  And he is much more than a prophet.’”  Now, listening to Jesus, do you really think John was wavering in his faith?  Was John swayed by the circumstances of life, or was he merely seeking material gain?  Based on what Jesus says, I highly doubt it.  Therefore, neither should we be swayed by the events of our lives or the glitter of earth. 

You see, John the Baptist also fulfilled the prophecies God had made about him.  Not because John was something more than a man, but because God had planned every detail of Jesus’ coming into the world to save you.  Everything God has foretold about Jesus is fulfilled exactly in the time God says it will happen, and everything God says works faith in us also does exactly as God says.

This morning, we witnessed a baptism.  In that simple act of pouring on water with God’s Word of declaration, God made a human baby His own dear child.  The Holy Spirit caused St. Peter to assure us, “In [Noah’s] ark a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.  And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the body but the guarantee of a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 3:20-21)  To the world, this simple act doesn’t look like much, but with God’s promise behind it, the child is given faith in Jesus by this baptism, and faith in Jesus saves.  Now, it is also true that this faith needs to be nourished so that it sustains the child to eternal life.  And that’s where the Word and Sacraments play in.  Parents, God gives you the role of Taking the one you love to Jesus.  As you bring him regularly to church and Sunday school, and teach him the full counsel of God, you are feeding and strengthening the faith that brings him peace with God and eternal life.  Hear then what Jesus promises, “Blessed is the one who does not take offense at me.” 

This whole congregation has the same invitation.  As you gather together around God’s Word, here in church, in Bible study, in your home with daily Bible and devotional reading, the Holy Spirit is building up your faith in the Savior who loved you enough to die for you.  Furthermore, Jesus gives His precious body and blood through the Sacrament of Holy Communion so that He can personally place in your mouth the evidence of His sacrifice, the human body and blood of the Lamb of God who paid for your sins on the cross, so that you receive again the forgiveness He won by His sacrifice. 

Those who avoid the Word of God, and the worship services through which God serves us, actually hate, not only Jesus, but also themselves.  They fall into the deadly snare of keeping themselves from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The second chief commandment is summarized as “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Because Jesus promises, “Blessed is the one who does not take offense at me,” this morning I urge you all to show true love to yourself, to your children and family, and to your neighbor; Take those you love to Jesus.  Amen.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless in the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all time, now, and to all eternity.  Amen.