WEBVTT 00:00:26.250 --> 00:00:28.809 Matthew chapter 11 is our text this morning. 00:00:30.140 --> 00:00:34.240 beginning in verse 1. Now it came to pass when 00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:38.259 Jesus finished commanding his 12 disciples that 00:00:38.259 --> 00:00:41.039 he departed from there to teach and to preach 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:44.859 in their cities. And when John, that is John 00:00:44.859 --> 00:00:47.479 the Baptist, had heard in prison about the works 00:00:47.479 --> 00:00:50.939 of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said 00:00:50.939 --> 00:00:54.780 to him, Are you the coming one, or do we look 00:00:54.780 --> 00:00:58.259 for another? Jesus answered and said to them, 00:00:59.139 --> 00:01:02.179 Go and tell John the things which you hear and 00:01:02.179 --> 00:01:07.099 see, the blind see and the lame walk, the lepers 00:01:07.099 --> 00:01:10.180 are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are 00:01:10.180 --> 00:01:12.500 raised up and the poor have the gospel preached 00:01:12.500 --> 00:01:16.079 to them, and blessed is he who is not offended 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:19.900 because of me. Let's ask the Lord to help us 00:01:19.900 --> 00:01:25.000 understand this word this morning. Father, Lord, 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:28.219 we assemble for the sole and express purpose 00:01:28.920 --> 00:01:32.739 of worshiping you, Lord, to worship you in the 00:01:32.739 --> 00:01:35.040 beauty of holiness in the way that you have prescribed 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:39.200 and deserve, Lord, to ascribe worth and glory 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:43.060 and praise to your name. Lord, help us, and we 00:01:43.060 --> 00:01:46.519 pray that we have done that. And yet this morning, 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:49.280 Lord, part of our worship is not where we continue 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:53.620 to speak, but we hear. We hear from heaven. Lord, 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:58.040 our King speaks through this word. And Lord God, 00:01:58.060 --> 00:02:02.379 our soul is edified and our lives are instructed 00:02:02.379 --> 00:02:05.579 and we, Lord God, are illumined in the path before 00:02:05.579 --> 00:02:08.479 us that we ought to go. God, help us this morning 00:02:08.479 --> 00:02:12.599 to have ears that the Spirit of God opens, eyes 00:02:12.599 --> 00:02:16.259 that are opened by your Spirit, and hearts that 00:02:16.259 --> 00:02:18.240 will receive the word. We pray this in Jesus' 00:02:18.379 --> 00:02:23.719 name and for his glory. Amen. Are you the one 00:02:23.719 --> 00:02:29.210 who is to come? Or do we look for another? Those 00:02:29.210 --> 00:02:31.449 words did not come from the lips of a skeptic. 00:02:32.090 --> 00:02:34.169 They didn't even come from the words of an enemy. 00:02:35.629 --> 00:02:39.050 Rather, they came from the illustrious cousin 00:02:39.050 --> 00:02:42.270 of Jesus Christ, better known as John the Baptist. 00:02:43.069 --> 00:02:45.770 It's interesting. Even John here, he's a zealous 00:02:45.770 --> 00:02:49.169 prophet. He's the one who formally introduced 00:02:49.169 --> 00:02:52.710 the Lord Jesus Christ to Israel. But he's now 00:02:52.710 --> 00:02:56.039 having some doubts. Now keep in mind who he is. 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:59.400 He's the one, upon seeing Jesus for the very 00:02:59.400 --> 00:03:03.000 first time, proclaimed, Behold the Lamb of God 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:06.539 which takes away the sin of the world. It was 00:03:06.539 --> 00:03:09.699 this man who had the incredible privilege of 00:03:09.699 --> 00:03:14.659 baptizing Jesus in the Jordan. But those days 00:03:14.659 --> 00:03:18.319 were now long gone. John was no longer baptizing 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:22.520 anyone. He wasn't preaching. He wasn't calling 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:26.669 Israel to repent. Instead, he sat in a cold, 00:03:26.830 --> 00:03:32.009 dank prison cell awaiting execution. And as he 00:03:32.009 --> 00:03:34.889 sat in that quiet cell, questions began to arise 00:03:34.889 --> 00:03:38.250 in his mind. I'm sure there were many questions, 00:03:38.490 --> 00:03:43.069 but one more important than all of them. Is Jesus, 00:03:43.169 --> 00:03:47.590 the one I had previously baptized, is he the 00:03:47.590 --> 00:03:50.370 Messiah or should he be looking for someone else? 00:03:52.019 --> 00:03:54.060 And on this beautiful Lord's Day morning, I wonder 00:03:54.060 --> 00:03:57.560 if you've ever been where John is. Have you ever 00:03:57.560 --> 00:03:58.939 been there? Have you ever had doubts enter your 00:03:58.939 --> 00:04:04.159 mind? If you have, you're in good company. I 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:06.819 think an unexamined faith is usually not a strong 00:04:06.819 --> 00:04:09.879 faith. Most of God's people have had doubts at 00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:11.939 one time or another. So if you have doubts, you're 00:04:11.939 --> 00:04:14.099 in good company. We'll see that today. The good 00:04:14.099 --> 00:04:16.519 news, though, is that God was working out his 00:04:16.519 --> 00:04:20.019 perfect plan, even though his ways are often... 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:23.959 confusing to us. Now we're in Matthew 11. It's 00:04:23.959 --> 00:04:25.439 been a couple weeks since we've been in the gospel 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:28.339 of Matthew. What's the context? Remember in the 00:04:28.339 --> 00:04:31.519 first 10 chapters, Matthew, he has been revealing 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:35.319 who Jesus is, that he is the Christ sent from 00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:38.360 God. But in chapter 11, Matthew's going to turn 00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:41.100 a corner and now he's going to start to reveal 00:04:41.100 --> 00:04:44.699 the different reactions people had to Jesus. 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:50.290 Some people were confused by him. Others, outright 00:04:50.290 --> 00:04:53.149 rejected him. And yet there was another group 00:04:53.149 --> 00:04:55.970 that received him and bowed before him as Lord. 00:04:56.750 --> 00:04:58.670 Now we just come off chapter 10. Do you remember 00:04:58.670 --> 00:05:01.889 in chapter 10, Jesus had been preparing the 12 00:05:01.889 --> 00:05:04.889 apostles for their very first missionary endeavor, 00:05:05.250 --> 00:05:07.389 their very first missionary journey throughout 00:05:07.389 --> 00:05:11.050 Israel. He's done preparing them and he sends 00:05:11.050 --> 00:05:14.670 them out, but Jesus himself continues to go out. 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:17.019 traveling throughout Galilee, that's northern 00:05:17.019 --> 00:05:19.899 Israel, teaching and preaching, it says, in their 00:05:19.899 --> 00:05:22.220 cities. Now, we know he's been preaching about 00:05:22.220 --> 00:05:25.079 the kingdom of God. Matthew tells us to teach 00:05:25.079 --> 00:05:27.620 and to preach. Now, I don't want to spend much 00:05:27.620 --> 00:05:29.220 time on this, but I thought this was interesting. 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:32.500 What is the difference between teaching and preaching? 00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:35.480 Is there any at all? Some people think preaching 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:37.839 is just a style. It's just simply teaching done 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:40.339 louder. Because oftentimes I'll hear, oh, he's 00:05:40.339 --> 00:05:42.860 a really good preacher. And what they mean by 00:05:42.860 --> 00:05:46.600 that is he's a really good orator. He communicates 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:49.639 very effectively through the way he speaks. But 00:05:49.639 --> 00:05:51.540 there is a slight difference between the two. 00:05:51.860 --> 00:05:54.579 They're closely related, but teaching is focused 00:05:54.579 --> 00:05:58.339 on instruction. It's didactic. In fact, that's 00:05:58.339 --> 00:06:01.740 the word in Greek. It's didactic. Preaching, 00:06:01.819 --> 00:06:03.920 it's a Greek word, karuso, and it's focused on 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:08.160 proclamation. It is persuasive. So teaching, 00:06:08.300 --> 00:06:10.839 if we think just in a pure sense, teaching explains. 00:06:11.819 --> 00:06:15.199 It explains things like doctrines or ideas or 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:17.839 Bible customs. So if you're having a Bible study, 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:19.959 you're teaching. We're just looking at this. 00:06:20.680 --> 00:06:23.540 But preaching is going to call people to respond 00:06:23.540 --> 00:06:26.060 to the truth that they've just heard proclaimed. 00:06:26.740 --> 00:06:30.879 That's why you often find it in a sermon. Teaching 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:34.019 aims at the head. Preaching aims at the heart. 00:06:34.620 --> 00:06:37.779 And Jesus Christ did both. He taught. Remember, 00:06:37.879 --> 00:06:41.509 he was a master teacher. primarily by parables. 00:06:42.189 --> 00:06:44.709 But he also preached, and when he preached, what 00:06:44.709 --> 00:06:48.730 was he doing? Persuading, calling Israel to repent. 00:06:49.769 --> 00:06:52.189 He and the apostles were doing both of those. 00:06:52.370 --> 00:06:54.129 They had been preaching, and what were they preaching 00:06:54.129 --> 00:06:56.649 about? Well, the kingdom of God. They said the 00:06:56.649 --> 00:07:00.870 kingdom of God was at hand, it was near, because 00:07:00.870 --> 00:07:04.329 a king had arrived. Now Matthew is now going 00:07:04.329 --> 00:07:06.810 to show us how did people respond to that message, 00:07:07.009 --> 00:07:10.350 and the very first response given, Is that of 00:07:10.350 --> 00:07:13.230 John the Baptist? It says in verse 2, And when 00:07:13.230 --> 00:07:17.149 John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, 00:07:17.529 --> 00:07:19.810 he sent two of his disciples and said to him, 00:07:20.529 --> 00:07:23.509 Now this is a surprising question. Are you the 00:07:23.509 --> 00:07:27.329 coming one? Or do we look for another? Now I 00:07:27.329 --> 00:07:29.009 would not think that John the Baptist would have 00:07:29.009 --> 00:07:32.350 that question. But I want you to notice where 00:07:32.350 --> 00:07:36.910 he is. It says when he had heard in prison. He 00:07:36.910 --> 00:07:40.189 was in prison. He had lost freedom. That's why 00:07:40.189 --> 00:07:42.209 he didn't go himself. He sends two of his disciples 00:07:42.209 --> 00:07:45.110 to Jesus. And John, even though he'd been in 00:07:45.110 --> 00:07:47.509 prison, he'd heard all about what Jesus had been 00:07:47.509 --> 00:07:50.910 doing. He heard about the great and notable works. 00:07:51.810 --> 00:07:55.889 But I'm sure he was wondering, where was the 00:07:55.889 --> 00:07:59.350 judgment of God and when was the kingdom coming? 00:08:00.509 --> 00:08:03.939 See, John the Baptist, when he preached... about 00:08:03.939 --> 00:08:06.420 the Messiah, he said, when the Messiah comes, 00:08:06.759 --> 00:08:11.019 he will bring with him the judgment of God. Matthew 00:08:11.019 --> 00:08:13.860 3, verse 11. We looked at this before. This is 00:08:13.860 --> 00:08:17.139 John's words, not Jesus. I indeed baptize you 00:08:17.139 --> 00:08:20.519 with water unto repentance. But he who is coming 00:08:20.519 --> 00:08:23.339 after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I'm 00:08:23.339 --> 00:08:25.980 not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with 00:08:25.980 --> 00:08:27.939 the Holy Spirit and fire. But now look at verse 00:08:27.939 --> 00:08:32.220 12. His winnowing fan is in his hands. And he 00:08:32.220 --> 00:08:34.159 will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor. 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:38.539 He will gather his wheat into the barn, but he 00:08:38.539 --> 00:08:41.960 will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. 00:08:43.139 --> 00:08:45.480 John's clear here. He said, guys, you need to 00:08:45.480 --> 00:08:48.039 get ready. The Messiah is at hand, and when he 00:08:48.039 --> 00:08:51.159 comes, he's going to judge sinners with unquenchable 00:08:51.159 --> 00:08:54.580 fire. I mean, John was not one to mince words. 00:08:54.700 --> 00:08:57.539 He's a bold prophet. He stood courageously for 00:08:57.539 --> 00:08:59.480 righteousness. In fact, why do you think he was 00:08:59.480 --> 00:09:02.700 languishing away in a prison cell? His mouth, 00:09:02.779 --> 00:09:05.799 his courage, and I appreciate both, got him into 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:08.740 trouble, as it should. Do you remember? He had 00:09:08.740 --> 00:09:11.639 been imprisoned by a man named Herod Antipas. 00:09:12.019 --> 00:09:15.820 What was the big deal? Herod had married his 00:09:15.820 --> 00:09:18.659 brother Philip's wife, whose name was Herodias. 00:09:19.700 --> 00:09:21.860 Herod fell in love with Herodias, but she belonged 00:09:21.860 --> 00:09:24.299 to his brother Philip. So Herod then divorced 00:09:24.299 --> 00:09:27.970 his own wife, married Herodias. And that is immoral. 00:09:28.049 --> 00:09:31.210 It was also illegal under Jewish law. And John, 00:09:31.250 --> 00:09:33.190 who wasn't afraid to speak to powerful people, 00:09:33.429 --> 00:09:36.289 he called out Herod's sin. And he's saying, you 00:09:36.289 --> 00:09:39.070 are violating God's command and you're going 00:09:39.070 --> 00:09:41.570 to bring God's judgment down upon your head. 00:09:42.490 --> 00:09:44.490 Well, people in power don't like to be publicly 00:09:44.490 --> 00:09:48.490 called out. So he was publicly confronting Herod 00:09:48.490 --> 00:09:52.350 and Herodias. They didn't like it. So they had 00:09:52.350 --> 00:09:55.929 him imprisoned. So John is sitting in prison 00:09:55.929 --> 00:09:58.919 for what? simply boldly proclaiming the truth. 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:01.480 Yet he knew something in the back of his mind. 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:03.740 He said, that's okay, because when Messiah comes, 00:10:04.019 --> 00:10:06.340 he's going to smite God's enemies. I don't have 00:10:06.340 --> 00:10:10.899 to worry about it. But now he's in prison. When's 00:10:10.899 --> 00:10:14.759 the smiting going to take place? Jesus, instead 00:10:14.759 --> 00:10:17.100 of condemning sinners, he's eating with them 00:10:17.100 --> 00:10:21.000 and drinking with them. He's even, in fact, getting 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:23.600 a moniker. He's known as the friend of sinners. 00:10:25.100 --> 00:10:28.120 And John's sitting in that prison cell, and he 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:31.399 can't reconcile that in his mind. He had a certain 00:10:31.399 --> 00:10:35.139 expectation of what the Messiah would do, and 00:10:35.139 --> 00:10:37.580 Jesus, who he thought was the Messiah, was not 00:10:37.580 --> 00:10:41.019 doing that. So doubts begin to come into his 00:10:41.019 --> 00:10:44.679 mind. Were his earlier declarations about Jesus 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:48.539 correct? Had he been mistaken about Jesus? Now, 00:10:48.559 --> 00:10:50.480 I think it's so very important to remember that 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:54.560 John had received clear, divine, Confirmation 00:10:54.560 --> 00:10:57.840 that Jesus was the Messiah. And I want to read 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:00.440 both of these passages because we need to understand 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:03.679 how in the world did John get doubts when he 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:06.700 had experienced so much truth. In John chapter 00:11:06.700 --> 00:11:11.159 1, beginning in verse 26, John the Baptist says, 00:11:11.500 --> 00:11:14.700 I baptize with water, but there stands one among 00:11:14.700 --> 00:11:17.960 you whom you do not know. It is he who coming 00:11:17.960 --> 00:11:21.139 after me, he's preferred before me, whose sandal 00:11:21.139 --> 00:11:24.200 strap I am not worthy to loose. Now these things 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:26.500 were done in Beth Arbor, beyond the Jordan, where 00:11:26.500 --> 00:11:30.159 John was baptizing. The next day, John sees Jesus 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:33.279 coming toward him, and he said, Behold, the Lamb 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:35.220 of God, who takes away the sin of the world. 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:39.080 This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:41.320 who is preferred before me, for he was before 00:11:41.320 --> 00:11:43.799 me. Now keep in mind, John the Baptist is six 00:11:43.799 --> 00:11:46.279 months older than Jesus. But he says, he was 00:11:46.279 --> 00:11:51.399 before me. I did not know him, verse 31. I didn't 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:55.330 know him. but that he should be revealed to Israel. 00:11:55.990 --> 00:11:59.730 Therefore I came baptizing with water. And John 00:11:59.730 --> 00:12:03.370 bore witness, saying, I saw the Spirit descending 00:12:03.370 --> 00:12:07.789 from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 00:12:08.110 --> 00:12:11.389 I didn't know him, but he who sent me to baptize 00:12:11.389 --> 00:12:14.809 with water said to me, Upon whom you see the 00:12:14.809 --> 00:12:17.889 Spirit descending and remaining on him, this 00:12:17.889 --> 00:12:20.730 is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. Now 00:12:20.730 --> 00:12:24.779 here's John's testimony. I have seen and testified 00:12:24.779 --> 00:12:28.759 that this is the Son of God. One more passage 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:32.539 and it won't be as long. Matthew 3. Then Jesus 00:12:32.539 --> 00:12:34.720 came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:37.480 baptized. John tried to prevent him saying, I 00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:39.519 need to be baptized by you and you're coming 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:42.899 to me. But Jesus answered and said to him, Permit 00:12:42.899 --> 00:12:45.179 it to be so now for thus it is fitting for us 00:12:45.179 --> 00:12:47.840 to fulfill our righteousness. And thus he allowed 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:50.919 him. When he had been baptized, Jesus came up 00:12:50.919 --> 00:12:53.590 immediately from the water. Same story here. 00:12:53.850 --> 00:12:56.289 Behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he 00:12:56.289 --> 00:12:58.309 saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove 00:12:58.309 --> 00:13:00.309 and alighting upon him. But now look at verse 00:13:00.309 --> 00:13:03.990 17. And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, 00:13:04.289 --> 00:13:08.750 This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 00:13:09.269 --> 00:13:12.610 There's a lot of confirmation here. John is an 00:13:12.610 --> 00:13:14.830 eyewitness to the fact that the Spirit of God, 00:13:15.029 --> 00:13:18.210 like a dove, descended and alighted upon Jesus 00:13:18.210 --> 00:13:21.299 at his baptism. So he saw with his own eyes something, 00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:24.259 but he heard with his own ears a voice out of 00:13:24.259 --> 00:13:27.259 heaven. It was the voice of God the Father declaring 00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:31.120 over Jesus in the Jordan River, This is my beloved 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:34.059 Son. And in case you're misunderstanding, this 00:13:34.059 --> 00:13:37.279 is the one in whom I'm well pleased. So you would 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:39.919 think that there is not a possible way that John 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:42.720 the Baptist could ever have doubts about Jesus 00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:46.480 being the Messiah. I mean, after all, he had 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:49.059 irrefutable proof. He had seen and personally 00:13:49.059 --> 00:13:52.960 heard and witnessed firsthand. But what's happened? 00:13:53.019 --> 00:13:55.740 He's now sitting in a prison cell wondering, 00:13:55.899 --> 00:14:01.340 is he the Messiah? How could that be? I mean, 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:04.299 how did John go from that one who was so sure 00:14:04.299 --> 00:14:11.120 to one who now has doubts? Suffering skews our 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:18.340 perception. Suffering brings confusion. John, 00:14:18.340 --> 00:14:21.720 John the Baptist, he had a misunderstanding about 00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:25.659 the role of the Messiah and about the timing 00:14:25.659 --> 00:14:29.220 of the Messiah's work. Yes, it is true, and John 00:14:29.220 --> 00:14:32.340 knew this, that when Messiah comes, he will bring 00:14:32.340 --> 00:14:35.700 judgment. He will judge the unrighteous, and 00:14:35.700 --> 00:14:39.100 he will also usher in the kingdom of God. But 00:14:39.100 --> 00:14:41.840 Jesus had not done that. He had not brought in 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:44.850 God's judgment. And if this were the kingdom 00:14:44.850 --> 00:14:48.409 of God, then why is John sitting in this dark 00:14:48.409 --> 00:14:51.750 prison cell? See, everything that John had preached, 00:14:51.909 --> 00:14:53.730 everything that he had longed for had not come. 00:14:54.850 --> 00:14:59.169 So naturally he wonders, was I wrong? Was my 00:14:59.169 --> 00:15:02.509 zeal blinding me? Was I mistaken? Because everything 00:15:02.509 --> 00:15:08.289 he expected to happen failed to happen. Let me 00:15:08.289 --> 00:15:10.429 just say this. False expectations are still with 00:15:10.429 --> 00:15:14.059 us today. This is why some reject Christianity 00:15:14.059 --> 00:15:16.379 outright. Because here's their argument. They 00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:20.379 say, if God is almighty, if he's all -knowing, 00:15:20.379 --> 00:15:24.559 and if he's all good, then certainly he would 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:26.960 clean up this world and put an end to wickedness. 00:15:28.059 --> 00:15:31.620 He would end genocide. He would end human sex 00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:34.779 trafficking. He would stop the exploitation of 00:15:34.779 --> 00:15:37.000 the poor and all the corruption we see around 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:42.049 us. Is that a true statement? Will God do that? 00:15:42.929 --> 00:15:46.490 Absolutely. But they fail to understand God's 00:15:46.490 --> 00:15:49.309 plan and they really fail to understand God's 00:15:49.309 --> 00:15:54.570 patience. Thus, they reject him altogether. Since 00:15:54.570 --> 00:15:57.230 he's not judged yet, they assume he must not 00:15:57.230 --> 00:15:59.950 exist because he would have been fed up by now. 00:16:00.429 --> 00:16:04.210 And their false expectations cause them to reject 00:16:04.210 --> 00:16:08.529 Christ. But there are others who are Christians. 00:16:09.610 --> 00:16:11.710 And they have some assumptions and false expectations 00:16:11.710 --> 00:16:17.049 as well. Excuse me. Because I serve the Lord 00:16:17.049 --> 00:16:20.909 Jesus, certainly my life must go better than 00:16:20.909 --> 00:16:24.250 the one who doesn't. I must be exempt from some 00:16:24.250 --> 00:16:27.149 suffering. I mean, others will wonder and they'll 00:16:27.149 --> 00:16:31.090 reason this way. If God is sovereign, why did 00:16:31.090 --> 00:16:34.029 that happen? Let me just say this. As Christians, 00:16:34.110 --> 00:16:36.149 I will go to my deathbed that God is sovereign. 00:16:36.649 --> 00:16:39.289 He's absolutely sovereign. He's in control of 00:16:39.289 --> 00:16:43.669 all events at all times over all people. People 00:16:43.669 --> 00:16:47.809 wonder, and I've been here. If God is sovereign, 00:16:47.929 --> 00:16:53.990 then why did he allow X to happen? Why did that 00:16:53.990 --> 00:16:57.710 happen to me in childhood? Why did my wife die? 00:16:58.610 --> 00:17:03.629 Why was my husband taken? Why am I sick and suffering 00:17:03.629 --> 00:17:08.420 this way? Why did I lose my job? If I'm a servant 00:17:08.420 --> 00:17:12.500 of the Most High King. And friends, we know in 00:17:12.500 --> 00:17:15.500 our head, we know that we're not promised health. 00:17:17.259 --> 00:17:20.660 We know we're not promised prosperity. None of 00:17:20.660 --> 00:17:22.880 us are promised an easy life this side of heaven. 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:26.819 Yet so many of us are caught off guard because 00:17:26.819 --> 00:17:30.740 we still assume life must be easier for us if 00:17:30.740 --> 00:17:34.319 we are God's children. So when suffering comes, 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:38.000 you know what it does? It brings this wave of 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:42.619 confusion. And we find ourselves doubting. Is 00:17:42.619 --> 00:17:47.160 this all right? Is he who he says he is? Do I 00:17:47.160 --> 00:17:49.259 look for someone else? Have I followed a lie? 00:17:51.380 --> 00:17:54.640 John, he's in prison. You may be. Now, of course, 00:17:54.660 --> 00:17:56.160 you're not in a prison like he was, but you may 00:17:56.160 --> 00:18:00.279 be in a prison of pain or of heartache or of 00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:03.259 a bitter disillusionment. See, the problem is 00:18:03.259 --> 00:18:05.599 that when God does not act in the way that we 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:08.079 think he should, in the prescribed way we had 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:14.200 expected, it throws us for a loop. It does. Suffering, 00:18:14.200 --> 00:18:16.480 I believe this with all my heart, suffering brings 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:21.299 a fog where we lack clarity. And we can't reason 00:18:21.299 --> 00:18:23.960 correctly. So we begin to wonder and we begin 00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:28.960 to doubt, where is Jesus? Where is God? And doubts 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:32.109 come. And they come primarily because some of 00:18:32.109 --> 00:18:35.750 the false expectations we held to. So we're left 00:18:35.750 --> 00:18:39.690 doubting God because he did not work the way 00:18:39.690 --> 00:18:42.289 we thought he would. By the way, that was Israel's 00:18:42.289 --> 00:18:45.230 problem. It's the chief reason why they rejected 00:18:45.230 --> 00:18:47.930 Jesus as Messiah is over false expectations. 00:18:48.549 --> 00:18:51.680 What were they expecting? A political Messiah, 00:18:51.980 --> 00:18:56.019 a strong, robust, military -like figure who would 00:18:56.019 --> 00:18:58.279 deliver them from Roman occupation. But what 00:18:58.279 --> 00:19:01.420 do they get? Lowly, meek, mild Jesus riding on 00:19:01.420 --> 00:19:04.859 the foal of a donkey. They could not see that 00:19:04.859 --> 00:19:07.500 the Messiah, he would first come in humility 00:19:07.500 --> 00:19:09.740 on a donkey before he would ever ride on that 00:19:09.740 --> 00:19:13.039 victor's war horse. He had come to deliver them 00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:15.460 from a greater slavery than slavery to Rome, 00:19:15.660 --> 00:19:18.940 and that was their slavery to sin. John the Baptist 00:19:18.940 --> 00:19:22.720 was confused. He wasn't wrong, though. Who's 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:26.119 confused? He just had the timing messed up. He 00:19:26.119 --> 00:19:28.079 was correct in thinking the Messiah will bring 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:31.660 in God's judgment. There is coming a final, in 00:19:31.660 --> 00:19:34.740 -time, eschatological judgment that will fall 00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:39.380 upon sinners. Paul writes about it in 2 Thessalonians 00:19:39.380 --> 00:19:43.079 1. He says, it is a righteous thing with God. 00:19:43.420 --> 00:19:45.920 To repay with tribulation those who trouble you. 00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:48.539 Stop right there. The Thessalonians, they were, 00:19:48.579 --> 00:19:50.819 excuse me, Thessalonians, I said, Thessalonians 00:19:50.819 --> 00:19:53.180 are the people. The Thessalonian people, they're 00:19:53.180 --> 00:19:54.920 suffering. Look, they're being troubled, and 00:19:54.920 --> 00:19:56.839 they're wondering, where's God? And so Paul's 00:19:56.839 --> 00:19:59.660 like, hey, listen, it is a righteous thing. God's 00:19:59.660 --> 00:20:01.599 going to pay back all those who cause you trouble. 00:20:01.779 --> 00:20:04.319 They're going to get it, man. God will pay them 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:07.519 back with tribulation, verse 7. And give you 00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:11.059 who are troubled rest with us. When, though? 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:14.539 When the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed from heaven 00:20:14.539 --> 00:20:16.900 with his mighty angels. Now look at these next 00:20:16.900 --> 00:20:20.859 two verses. In flaming fire, taking vengeance 00:20:20.859 --> 00:20:23.680 on those who do not know God and on those who 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:26.140 do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:30.019 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction 00:20:30.019 --> 00:20:32.160 from the presence of the Lord and from the glory 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:36.109 of his power. when he comes in that day to be 00:20:36.109 --> 00:20:38.490 glorified in the saints and to be admired among 00:20:38.490 --> 00:20:41.509 all those who believe because our testimony among 00:20:41.509 --> 00:20:45.569 you was believed. Do you see it? There's a judgment 00:20:45.569 --> 00:20:49.410 coming, but it will come at the second advent 00:20:49.410 --> 00:20:52.130 of Christ. It did not arrive with the first. 00:20:52.930 --> 00:20:55.170 John did not know that. Prophets often were, 00:20:55.289 --> 00:20:56.849 they knew things would happen, but they were 00:20:56.849 --> 00:21:00.960 never given clear instruction when. So it's true. 00:21:01.019 --> 00:21:03.619 John had the right to think that Jesus, the Messiah, 00:21:03.819 --> 00:21:06.660 would usher in the kingdom of God in its final, 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:10.539 end -time fullness, I should say. That's true. 00:21:10.619 --> 00:21:12.440 That's the day when all tears are going to be 00:21:12.440 --> 00:21:14.420 wiped from our eyes and all pain will be forever 00:21:14.420 --> 00:21:16.599 gone and death will be but a distant memory. 00:21:16.779 --> 00:21:18.500 Well, when in the world is that taking place? 00:21:19.779 --> 00:21:23.759 That too will occur at his second advent. What 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:26.640 John did not know was that the Messiah would 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:30.359 first Give his life as an atoning sacrifice. 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:35.240 Be buried and rise again the third day to inaugurate 00:21:35.240 --> 00:21:39.700 the kingdom of God. John had no idea that a time 00:21:39.700 --> 00:21:43.380 of grace would be extended to all mankind, including 00:21:43.380 --> 00:21:48.799 the Gentile nations. So he was confused. Caused 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:52.230 doubts. God's ways often confuse us. I mean, 00:21:52.250 --> 00:21:54.109 he does not work like we would expect. Think 00:21:54.109 --> 00:21:57.430 of Joseph. God allowed him to spend years in 00:21:57.430 --> 00:22:00.950 an Egyptian prison, never telling him why he 00:22:00.950 --> 00:22:04.990 was there. Yet God was with him. But he was working 00:22:04.990 --> 00:22:07.650 out his plan to promote him to second command 00:22:07.650 --> 00:22:11.009 next to Pharaoh so that he might save his people. 00:22:11.190 --> 00:22:16.250 But Joseph didn't know that. God's timing often 00:22:16.250 --> 00:22:19.779 confuses us. Think of Lazarus. This is one of 00:22:19.779 --> 00:22:23.420 Jesus' best friends on the earth. Jesus got word 00:22:23.420 --> 00:22:27.240 that Lazarus was sick. Jesus said, okay, let's 00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:30.420 stay here. He waited two more days before leaving 00:22:30.420 --> 00:22:33.140 to go visit Lazarus. And in that time, Lazarus 00:22:33.140 --> 00:22:36.619 died. Lazarus had two sisters, Mary and Martha. 00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:40.500 They're grieving. They're distraught. They're 00:22:40.500 --> 00:22:45.160 doubting. Why did Jesus delay? Why didn't he 00:22:45.160 --> 00:22:48.319 come earlier? Had he come earlier, he could have 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:52.279 saved our brother. Yet Jesus knows that he will 00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:55.059 bring glory to God by raising Lazarus from the 00:22:55.059 --> 00:22:58.380 grave. But they didn't know that. His timing, 00:22:58.460 --> 00:23:01.859 his ways. See, false expectations. That's exactly 00:23:01.859 --> 00:23:04.740 what's plaguing John right now. False expectations 00:23:04.740 --> 00:23:07.980 about God's ways or his timing will often lead 00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:11.559 us to doubt. But there's something we see more 00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:14.700 in this text. John did the right thing. He took 00:23:14.700 --> 00:23:18.339 the doubts to Jesus. He didn't keep his doubts 00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:20.220 or questions hidden. Let me just say this as 00:23:20.220 --> 00:23:22.700 an aside. Friends, seek out, if you're having 00:23:22.700 --> 00:23:26.700 questions or doubts, talk to people. Don't be 00:23:26.700 --> 00:23:28.920 left alone with your thoughts. John took them 00:23:28.920 --> 00:23:31.380 to Jesus. This is what we ought to do. And I'm 00:23:31.380 --> 00:23:33.920 so thankful for the way the Lord responds to 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:36.940 John's questions. He did not rebuke John. He 00:23:36.940 --> 00:23:39.160 didn't say, scold John for being hard -headed 00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:41.299 or stiff -necked. He didn't say he had a lack 00:23:41.299 --> 00:23:44.940 of faith. He simply goes and answers him with 00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:49.500 the word of God. Look at verses 4 and 5. Jesus 00:23:49.500 --> 00:23:52.619 answered and said to them, Go tell John the things 00:23:52.619 --> 00:23:55.059 which you hear and see. The blind see, the lame 00:23:55.059 --> 00:23:56.500 walk, the lepers cleanse, the deaf hear, the 00:23:56.500 --> 00:23:57.960 dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel 00:23:57.960 --> 00:24:01.000 preached to them. He said, here, let me give 00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:05.450 you some evidence. Objective evidence. People 00:24:05.450 --> 00:24:07.650 that couldn't see are seeing. People that couldn't 00:24:07.650 --> 00:24:09.950 walk are walking. People that were outcast because 00:24:09.950 --> 00:24:12.269 of a skin disease are cleansed. The people who 00:24:12.269 --> 00:24:14.230 couldn't hear are now here. And by the way, the 00:24:14.230 --> 00:24:17.289 dead, they have life again. And the poor, they're 00:24:17.289 --> 00:24:21.549 here in those good tidings of great joy. Now 00:24:21.549 --> 00:24:24.470 why did Jesus answer this way? He could have 00:24:24.470 --> 00:24:28.109 simply said, yes, I'm the Messiah. Go tell John 00:24:28.109 --> 00:24:30.009 I'm the Messiah. Go say, you remember the voice 00:24:30.009 --> 00:24:32.009 you heard? Remember the dove you saw? That's 00:24:32.009 --> 00:24:36.140 enough. He didn't do it. Instead, he gave scriptures. 00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:39.240 Not just any scripture, by the way. He was quoting 00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:41.940 from Isaiah. He's quoting two passages, primarily 00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:45.759 Isaiah 35 and Isaiah 61. Why is he quoting those 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:48.259 two passages? Because Isaiah, more than any Old 00:24:48.259 --> 00:24:50.339 Testament prophet, wrote about Christ and they 00:24:50.339 --> 00:24:52.440 wrote about the coming of the Messiah. So Jesus 00:24:52.440 --> 00:24:54.900 is saying, go tell John, who had been very familiar 00:24:54.900 --> 00:24:57.339 with Isaiah's writings, let me go tell John that 00:24:57.339 --> 00:24:59.240 what he read in Isaiah is being fulfilled in 00:24:59.240 --> 00:25:04.890 me. Isaiah 35. Then the eyes of the blind shall 00:25:04.890 --> 00:25:07.349 be opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, 00:25:07.369 --> 00:25:09.509 then the lame shall leap like a deer in the tongue 00:25:09.509 --> 00:25:11.750 of the dumb thing, for water shall burst forth 00:25:11.750 --> 00:25:13.410 in the wilderness and streams in the desert. 00:25:14.349 --> 00:25:16.910 By the way, just as a side note, when Jesus' 00:25:17.029 --> 00:25:19.369 side was pierced in that desert, that water poured 00:25:19.369 --> 00:25:23.049 forth, didn't it? Isaiah 61. The spirit of the 00:25:23.049 --> 00:25:26.869 Lord God is upon me, because the Lord, that is 00:25:26.869 --> 00:25:30.250 Yahweh, has anointed me to preach good tidings 00:25:30.250 --> 00:25:34.740 to the poor. Jesus, he has sent me to heal the 00:25:34.740 --> 00:25:37.500 brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to captives. 00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:42.000 And the irony here, the opening of prism to them 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:45.400 who are bound. Where's John? He's in prison. 00:25:46.519 --> 00:25:48.839 Michael Andrus says this. He said, the proof 00:25:48.839 --> 00:25:52.799 of Jesus, the proof Jesus offers of his Messiahship 00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:55.519 is, first of all, that his kingdom is one where 00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:59.089 the rejected are received. In the first century, 00:25:59.130 --> 00:26:00.910 none were more shunned than the blind, the lame, 00:26:01.009 --> 00:26:03.890 the lepers, and the deaf. They had no place, 00:26:03.990 --> 00:26:08.150 no name, no value. They were seen as canker sores 00:26:08.150 --> 00:26:10.930 on the culture, excess baggage on the side of 00:26:10.930 --> 00:26:14.990 the road. And I love this. But those whom the 00:26:14.990 --> 00:26:16.930 people called trash, Jesus called treasures. 00:26:18.170 --> 00:26:21.369 So he made his kingdom above. Basically, John 00:26:21.369 --> 00:26:24.890 says, hey, go take a scroll, tell John to open 00:26:24.890 --> 00:26:29.279 it to Isaiah 35 and 61. Tell him to read. Then 00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:31.299 he'll have his answer. But can you see, once 00:26:31.299 --> 00:26:33.299 you read those passages and you hear what Jesus 00:26:33.299 --> 00:26:37.720 has been doing, now it's abundantly clear. Jesus 00:26:37.720 --> 00:26:42.819 is the Christ of God. The prophecies of Isaiah 00:26:42.819 --> 00:26:45.720 are being fulfilled in him. It would be futile 00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:48.200 to look anywhere else. Now there's a whole lot 00:26:48.200 --> 00:26:49.880 more of what the Messiah is going to do, but 00:26:49.880 --> 00:26:51.940 John can't understand it. By the way, the twelve, 00:26:52.119 --> 00:26:54.559 his inner twelve, do you remember how dense they 00:26:54.559 --> 00:26:56.480 were? Sometimes you're like... What is with these 00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:59.039 guys? They didn't get it either. Jesus would 00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:00.900 say, I'm going up to Jerusalem. They're going 00:27:00.900 --> 00:27:02.220 to kill me and I'll rise again. And they're like, 00:27:02.299 --> 00:27:04.880 what's he mean? They're going to kill him. He's 00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:06.240 going to rise to death. That's not a hard statement. 00:27:06.700 --> 00:27:10.880 They didn't get it. Jesus was going to die, be 00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:14.539 buried, and rise again. No one understood it. 00:27:15.180 --> 00:27:18.259 No one was expecting it. That's why Judas will 00:27:18.259 --> 00:27:20.740 later turn away. Once Judas realizes, yep, Jesus 00:27:20.740 --> 00:27:22.859 is headed for death, let me get my money while 00:27:22.859 --> 00:27:27.519 I can. See, Jesus is then now redirecting John's 00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:30.240 focus back to the scriptures, back to prophecies 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:32.559 being fulfilled in him, and these are objective 00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:36.940 proof of the Messiah's credentials. I think this 00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:39.940 helps us with our doubts. You and I are not given 00:27:39.940 --> 00:27:42.900 information, all the information, or the reasons 00:27:42.900 --> 00:27:45.220 why God allows certain things to happen. I can't 00:27:45.220 --> 00:27:47.079 tell you on how many times as a pastor I've had 00:27:47.079 --> 00:27:50.180 people ask me, why did God? And I always look 00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:52.619 at them and I'm like, I have no idea. I don't 00:27:52.619 --> 00:27:56.150 know. But we are given something. We're given 00:27:56.150 --> 00:27:59.549 precious gospel promises that we can rest upon 00:27:59.549 --> 00:28:02.150 and find peace even in the midst of difficulty. 00:28:03.970 --> 00:28:05.750 You know the rest of the story about John, right? 00:28:05.789 --> 00:28:07.349 He doesn't get out of the prison cell. Spoiler 00:28:07.349 --> 00:28:11.529 alert, he dies. He will meet the executioner's 00:28:11.529 --> 00:28:16.190 sword. But the promises of God stood firm. Our 00:28:16.190 --> 00:28:20.670 doubts, our questions may not be resolved and 00:28:20.670 --> 00:28:22.490 they may not be answered this side of heaven. 00:28:23.529 --> 00:28:27.430 that we can find peace as we learn to rely upon 00:28:27.430 --> 00:28:29.490 the truthfulness and the firmness of the word 00:28:29.490 --> 00:28:33.049 of God. This is what we need. The word of God 00:28:33.049 --> 00:28:36.190 is the antidote. It's the medicine to our doubts 00:28:36.190 --> 00:28:39.890 and our fears and our questions. In doubt, the 00:28:39.890 --> 00:28:41.849 word of God becomes our anchor and our light. 00:28:42.869 --> 00:28:46.910 It steadies us. It illumines the path before 00:28:46.910 --> 00:28:50.839 us. When we're in a season of very, very difficulty, 00:28:50.900 --> 00:28:52.700 and it just seemed like it was wave after wave 00:28:52.700 --> 00:28:55.440 after wave after wave after wave, and I was caught 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:58.880 off guard. I thought, man, we're so many just, 00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:02.440 I don't know, misunderstandings and confusion 00:29:02.440 --> 00:29:06.259 in my heart and mind. But I love to hear the 00:29:06.259 --> 00:29:09.440 promises of God's word. Because I would just 00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:13.480 say, God, you can't lie. This is truth. So when 00:29:13.480 --> 00:29:17.329 we are in a metaphorical prison, And life feels 00:29:17.329 --> 00:29:19.069 uncertain, and for many it feels very uncertain 00:29:19.069 --> 00:29:21.589 right now. The word of God reminds us of something. 00:29:21.990 --> 00:29:24.410 This is where you are blessed, church. It reminds 00:29:24.410 --> 00:29:27.710 you that God is unchanging, that he is good, 00:29:27.910 --> 00:29:31.849 and that he can be trusted. Jesus pronounces 00:29:31.849 --> 00:29:34.869 a blessing upon those who truly trust in him. 00:29:34.930 --> 00:29:38.410 Look at verse 6, the last verse here. Blessed 00:29:38.410 --> 00:29:40.690 is he who is not offended because of me. The 00:29:40.690 --> 00:29:43.049 word offended is a Greek word, skandalizo. It 00:29:43.049 --> 00:29:45.450 can mean, it's the idea of apostasy, but really 00:29:45.450 --> 00:29:47.430 the root word is the idea of being caught in 00:29:47.430 --> 00:29:50.950 a trap. You're held firm in a trap. You're tripping 00:29:50.950 --> 00:29:54.269 up. The person, this person who's blessed, places 00:29:54.269 --> 00:29:58.750 his faith in Jesus, who he is, rather than who 00:29:58.750 --> 00:30:02.910 they expect him to be. God blesses. Now listen, 00:30:03.009 --> 00:30:05.549 he blesses those who do not turn away from Jesus 00:30:05.549 --> 00:30:08.799 in the midst of trouble. So we could say it like 00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:12.259 this. Blessed by God are those who continue to 00:30:12.259 --> 00:30:16.039 hold on to faith in Jesus even amidst the storms 00:30:16.039 --> 00:30:19.339 and difficulties of life. Blessed is that man. 00:30:19.380 --> 00:30:22.039 Blessed is that woman. Listen, John didn't escape 00:30:22.039 --> 00:30:24.960 execution. You and I don't always, the guy doesn't 00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:26.700 win the girl in the end. They don't always get 00:30:26.700 --> 00:30:29.660 a home with a white picket fence and 2 .3 children 00:30:29.660 --> 00:30:32.920 or whatever it is. That's not how life works. 00:30:34.039 --> 00:30:37.880 But you continue to trust Christ. And God's plan 00:30:37.880 --> 00:30:41.200 is still sure, although it may not fit your expectations. 00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:47.819 In John 6, the Lord Jesus gave that great discourse 00:30:47.819 --> 00:30:49.700 about the bread of life come down from heaven. 00:30:49.960 --> 00:30:52.000 And he said some hard things that people didn't 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:53.819 like. One of the hardest things he said, hey, 00:30:53.839 --> 00:30:56.059 unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you 00:30:56.059 --> 00:31:00.839 have no life. To a Jew, that's repulsive. Eat 00:31:00.839 --> 00:31:03.869 your flesh and drink your blood? Yeah. John 6, 00:31:03.950 --> 00:31:06.470 verse 60. Therefore, many of his disciples, when 00:31:06.470 --> 00:31:09.309 they heard this, said, this is a hard saying. 00:31:09.369 --> 00:31:12.170 Who can understand it? Now, look down at verse 00:31:12.170 --> 00:31:16.130 66. I always think that's a 666. John 6, verse 00:31:16.130 --> 00:31:19.670 66. From that time, many of his disciples went 00:31:19.670 --> 00:31:23.250 back and walked no more with him. They gave up 00:31:23.250 --> 00:31:25.109 the discipleship. They gave up like this is not 00:31:25.109 --> 00:31:29.190 the one. They appeared to be disciples, but they 00:31:29.190 --> 00:31:32.250 were offended because of Jesus. They got tripped 00:31:32.250 --> 00:31:36.660 up. Along the way. Again, Michael Andrews, he 00:31:36.660 --> 00:31:39.839 said, Jesus does not scold John for doubting. 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:42.180 Instead, he reminds him that a special blessing 00:31:42.180 --> 00:31:45.079 awaits those who continue to trust despite their 00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:47.799 confusion and despite the difficult circumstances 00:31:47.799 --> 00:31:50.799 in which they find themselves. Jesus may not 00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:53.299 offer immediate vindication to the righteous. 00:31:53.480 --> 00:31:58.000 Or immediate judgment on the wicked. But he reassures 00:31:58.000 --> 00:31:59.960 us nonetheless that God's plan is on schedule 00:31:59.960 --> 00:32:04.359 and it's on track. Amen. See, here's the thing, 00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:06.420 church. This is the thing I want to drill down. 00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:10.079 We must not allow our preconceived notions of 00:32:10.079 --> 00:32:13.619 how God should be or how he should work or what 00:32:13.619 --> 00:32:16.700 he should do trip us up in our walk of faith. 00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:22.099 But when things happen, it's hard. You know, 00:32:22.119 --> 00:32:24.019 it makes sense sometimes. Like, we like to make 00:32:24.019 --> 00:32:26.359 sense. I know when someone gets a cancer diagnosis 00:32:26.359 --> 00:32:28.359 and we're like, oh, well, did they smoke? Did 00:32:28.359 --> 00:32:29.720 they do this? Because we want to like, oh, well, 00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:33.460 that's why. It's not why. But then suddenly when 00:32:33.460 --> 00:32:35.019 someone's taken the prime of life, and I think 00:32:35.019 --> 00:32:39.940 of Brother J .D., throws us for a loop. We're 00:32:39.940 --> 00:32:44.160 not prepared for it. It's jarring. Where was 00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:48.259 God? He was there, ushering him into the kingdom. 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:51.599 It just doesn't fit our expectations. You're 00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:54.500 meant to grow old together, right? Every couple 00:32:54.500 --> 00:32:56.119 who wants children are expected to get children. 00:32:56.240 --> 00:32:58.319 Every man or woman who wants to get married is 00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:00.000 expected to get married. Well, that's not how 00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:06.009 life is in a fallen world. One commentator said, 00:33:06.089 --> 00:33:09.190 so as long as the world stands, Christ and his 00:33:09.190 --> 00:33:12.710 gospel will be a stumbling block to many. To 00:33:12.710 --> 00:33:14.410 hear that we are all lost and guilty sinners, 00:33:14.630 --> 00:33:17.690 that we can't save ourselves. To hear that we 00:33:17.690 --> 00:33:21.349 must give up our own righteousness and to trust 00:33:21.349 --> 00:33:23.490 in the one who is crucified between two thieves. 00:33:24.529 --> 00:33:26.750 To hear that we must be content to enter heaven 00:33:26.750 --> 00:33:31.210 side by side with publicans and harlots. And 00:33:31.210 --> 00:33:35.200 to owe all our salvation to free grace. This 00:33:35.200 --> 00:33:38.259 is always offensive to natural man. Our proud 00:33:38.259 --> 00:33:42.440 hearts don't like it. We are offended. But let 00:33:42.440 --> 00:33:44.819 the caution of these verses sink down deeply 00:33:44.819 --> 00:33:48.779 into our memories. Let us take heed that we are 00:33:48.779 --> 00:33:55.460 not offended. Thousands, he continues, will be 00:33:55.460 --> 00:33:58.859 found have had to offer salvation and they will 00:33:58.859 --> 00:34:01.589 have rejected it. Why did they reject it? They 00:34:01.589 --> 00:34:04.329 don't like the terms. They would not stoop to 00:34:04.329 --> 00:34:07.109 enter in at the straight gate. They would not 00:34:07.109 --> 00:34:09.670 humbly come as sinners to the throne of grace. 00:34:11.230 --> 00:34:15.289 In a word, they were offended. And then will 00:34:15.289 --> 00:34:17.150 appear the deep meaning in our Lord's words. 00:34:18.489 --> 00:34:20.989 Blessed is he who shall not be offended in me. 00:34:22.809 --> 00:34:24.969 Blessed is the one who does not trip up over 00:34:24.969 --> 00:34:28.530 Jesus. Blessed is the one who doesn't trip over 00:34:28.530 --> 00:34:30.750 Jesus when he doesn't work in the way they think 00:34:30.750 --> 00:34:33.269 and thought he would work. Vance Havner, you 00:34:33.269 --> 00:34:35.269 all have many people familiar with Vance Havner. 00:34:35.449 --> 00:34:37.409 I love how he paraphrases this verse. He said, 00:34:37.550 --> 00:34:41.570 blessed is he who does not get upset by the way 00:34:41.570 --> 00:34:45.869 I run my business. I love that. Blessed is the 00:34:45.869 --> 00:34:47.829 man or woman who doesn't get upset by the way 00:34:47.829 --> 00:34:52.090 that I run my business, sign Jesus. So what's 00:34:52.090 --> 00:34:55.650 the final verdict then? What do we do? You trust 00:34:55.650 --> 00:35:00.329 him. Where else do you go? There's only one. 00:35:00.670 --> 00:35:04.289 One mediator between God and men, the man Christ 00:35:04.289 --> 00:35:07.289 Jesus. There's only one name under heaven given 00:35:07.289 --> 00:35:09.449 among men whereby we must be saved. That's the 00:35:09.449 --> 00:35:12.550 name of Jesus. There's only one who is his way, 00:35:12.590 --> 00:35:14.690 the truth, and life. There's only one way that 00:35:14.690 --> 00:35:16.510 someone will enter into heaven, and that's by 00:35:16.510 --> 00:35:19.250 the door whose name is Jesus. There's only one 00:35:19.250 --> 00:35:21.050 good shepherd who gave his life for the sheep, 00:35:21.050 --> 00:35:25.130 and his name is Jesus. You trust him. He gave 00:35:25.130 --> 00:35:27.469 his life for you. You give your life to him. 00:35:27.909 --> 00:35:33.329 Let's pray. Father, thank you. Thank you for 00:35:33.329 --> 00:35:37.070 your word, for the hope. Lord, there may be some 00:35:37.070 --> 00:35:40.590 of your saints or some of your children. They're 00:35:40.590 --> 00:35:42.110 sitting here and, Lord, questions are entering 00:35:42.110 --> 00:35:44.570 their mind. Their hearts are cloudy. Lord, I've 00:35:44.570 --> 00:35:48.289 been there. Life just doesn't make sense. It's 00:35:48.289 --> 00:35:52.530 not working out. The boxes aren't checking the 00:35:52.530 --> 00:35:57.440 way they thought they would. And, Father, as 00:35:57.440 --> 00:35:59.239 best they can, they're holding on to faith. They're 00:35:59.239 --> 00:36:02.559 trusting you. But, Lord, it's just they're struggling. 00:36:02.960 --> 00:36:06.920 And, Father, my prayer as a shepherd of this 00:36:06.920 --> 00:36:10.139 group, an under -shepherd, twice as a true shepherd, 00:36:10.260 --> 00:36:12.780 as the under -shepherd, Lord, would that you 00:36:12.780 --> 00:36:17.010 in your spirit. would comfort them, point them 00:36:17.010 --> 00:36:19.889 to the scriptures, let them rest in your ways 00:36:19.889 --> 00:36:22.710 and in your promises, Lord, even when it doesn't 00:36:22.710 --> 00:36:25.530 make sense to them. God, we need you, Lord. There 00:36:25.530 --> 00:36:27.469 are some who are hurting. I still think of my 00:36:27.469 --> 00:36:30.409 sister Kim. I think of Maddie and the family, 00:36:30.510 --> 00:36:32.769 Lord, who've experienced quite a jarring reality. 00:36:32.989 --> 00:36:34.829 Lord, God, undergird them with strength that 00:36:34.829 --> 00:36:36.849 they need at this time. Lord, there are some, 00:36:36.929 --> 00:36:39.969 Lord, no doubt, Lord, who in private moments, 00:36:40.110 --> 00:36:42.510 Lord, their hearts are just, they're a mess. 00:36:43.589 --> 00:36:45.469 And they want to keep it together on the outside. 00:36:45.630 --> 00:36:47.670 But Lord, God, help them to turn to you. But 00:36:47.670 --> 00:36:49.670 let them not be offended or tripped up because 00:36:49.670 --> 00:36:51.590 you don't work in the way that they thought you 00:36:51.590 --> 00:36:54.110 would. Father, help them not to turn away. But 00:36:54.110 --> 00:36:57.090 Lord, continue in faith wherever that leads them. 00:36:57.110 --> 00:36:59.969 Because Lord, you alone are the one who is worthy. 00:37:00.210 --> 00:37:02.250 But you're also the only place where true life 00:37:02.250 --> 00:37:04.630 and eternal life is found. It's in your son, 00:37:04.730 --> 00:37:07.789 Jesus. Lord, help us to make much of him. Lord, 00:37:07.869 --> 00:37:10.250 if there is one who today who is lost, Lord God, 00:37:10.369 --> 00:37:14.550 whose heart is... undelieving and cold. Lord, 00:37:14.570 --> 00:37:17.889 I pray by your spirit, convict them, open their 00:37:17.889 --> 00:37:19.710 eyes, bring them to faith this morning, we pray 00:37:19.710 --> 00:37:21.210 in Jesus' name. Amen.