Matthew 11:1-15
“Jesus and John”
Vs. 1-3: Are You The Coming One?
. 4-6 Blessed Are Those Who Are Not Stumbled
Vs. 7-10 Who Is John?
Vs. 11-15 Three Things About John
Intro
Matthew presents Jesus as the King of Israel more than as King of Kings. As we come to this chapter as well as the next one, we have come to a major change in this book. Up to now there has been little opposition, but here we see what the people thought of Jesus. All of what Jesus did is challenged by the people. We will see four attitudes of people towards Jesus, the first of which is seen in John the Baptist: that of confusion.
I believe a great many people are confused about Jesus. Usually, when their expectations don’t come to pass, they begin to think of Jesus in the wrong light. The story is told of a family who had great expectations for their daughter. They had hoped that one day she would marry a rich doctor. Upon graduation from college, she decided to join the Peace Corps for a few years. Just before her term was up, she had met a man and got married, so she sent a telegram announcing her marriage, the time of their arrival, and the fact that the man was a doctor. With great excitement, the parents arrived at the airport gate to see their daughter and her new husband, the “doctor.”.
As she emerged from the plane, she was arm in arm with a native man 7 feet tall with feathers, beads, skulls of animals, and a bone through his nose. As they approached, the mother fainted, and her father bent down to attend to his wife. So there they were all around the mother when the father turned, looking right at his daughter, and said, “Honey, we said RICH doctor, not WITCH doctor. Wrong expectations can wreak havoc on our faith in the Lord, as we shall see.
Vs. 1-3: Are You The Coming One?
Vs. 1 This verse would probably be better served at the end of the last chapter rather than at the beginning of this one. Be that as it may, it is interesting that we see here that while the disciples were out ministering in the communities, two by two Jesus went to their cities to teach and preach. He would say later that a prophet was not without honor except in his own town, so Jesus went to their towns.
I suppose it is true when you go to some retreat and you hear the person say something, and man does it impact your life, but hey, I’ve been saying the same thing to you for years. So what’s the difference? If you know me, you can say, “Well, that’s just Dale; he is always saying things like that.”
Vs.2-3 By this time John was in prison in the fortress of Machaerus for telling Herod Antipas that it was not right that he should marry Herodias, whom he had an adulterous relationship with while she was still married to Philip, his brother.
So John sat there in prison hearing the stories about what Jesus was doing, yet nothing of what he had expected had happened. We only need to look back to chapter 3:10–12 to see what John the Baptist expected to happen. Why, he expected Jesus to come purge those who said they believed and did not practice the truth. He thought the axe was going to come at the root and fire was going to take care of the chaff. Instead came the reports of Jesus’ love and compassion upon the sick and forgiveness to sinners; this was not at all what he had thought. John had announced Jesus as the Messiah, whose reign had been foretold in the scriptures.
Going to John 1:29–36, it is clear that John the Baptist knew that Jesus was the Messiah, but at the same time did not fully grasp the work to which Jesus would do, especially the timing of that work. So John sends these two disciples to ask for clarification.
Perhaps you have felt like this as you struggle with what you are going through, thinking that Jesus should do something to relieve your circumstances, yet it has not happened, and you begin to wonder if you have missed something about Jesus. It is the absence of John’s expectations being fulfilled that has caused this difficulty. John’s problem was not with the person of Jesus; it was with His method. I submit to you that this is our problem as well. We grasp “who” He is, but often falter on His methods of making us more like Himself!
Vs. 4-6 Blessed Are Those Who Are Not Stumbled
Vs. 4 Notice how Jesus corrects this:
A.) Vs. 4a First, as to the method of correction: He is gentle. He does not blast John for his misunderstanding of His methods. No, it is “Go tell John.” Not, “Go tell that lame brain.” I bet there was love and compassion in the tone of his voice. There was not any shaking of His head, no hint of condemnation, just a complete understanding of love.
Is it not interesting that John struggled with Jesus’ methods of love to establish the kingdom, yet it was this love that He now employs upon John who is struggling with the methodology? I bet John received it much better than he would have if Jesus had been harsh! The scriptures tell us that a soft answer turns away wrath!
B.) Vs. 4b Simple observation: “Tell John the problem is not in his observation of my methods, but rather in his interpretation of them.” That is what Jesus is inferring as
He says, “Tell John the things which you hear and see.”
C.) Vs. 5 Here Jesus seems to remind John of His power displayed in acts of service, but more than that, Jesus, in quoting two verses, combines them and does not quote them fully.
1.) Isa. 35:4-6 “Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With the recompense of God, He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” Jesus does not say the first part of this verse nor the last part. John did not see that semicolon before “He will come save you.”
2.) Isa. 61:1-2 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.” Again, Jesus quotes only part of this, and John did not see the comma before “the day of vengeance of our God.” There is a time frame that John does not see, which is there nonetheless.
John was confused about the method because he did not understand God’s timing. Yes, Jesus will judge; yes, he will deliver, but first He must seek to save that which is lost. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done just what John does here. Miss interpreted Jesus based upon not understanding His timing in my life. His timing is perfect; his ways are above my ways. It is not enough to trust who Jesus is; we must trust when he does what He does, for He always has our best interest in mind!
Vs 6 What a great encouragement this statement is. “If you are not able at this time to understand how, why, or when I’m going to accomplish what I have said I am going to do, don’t allow your heart to be stumbled or halted in your trust of Me.” Joy comes as we trust Him through our weakness, not allowing our inability to understand to halt our trust. Folks, our trust is not based upon our understanding or even our experience; it is based upon His character, which is revealed in the scripture.
Vs. 7-10 Who Is John?
Vs. 7 Notice that Jesus waits until John’s disciples have left before he says anything? Jesus is going to protect John’s reputation here, but it’s not for John’s ears. I like this because it reveals what Jesus thought about John. Now I’m inclined to think that when the disciple came back to tell John that, he probably felt bad about his question. Yet Jesus thinks the world of him. So how does that relate to you?
Well, maybe just maybe you have screwed up before you are fumbling around in your Christian life, and all of a sudden you get it straight and you start thinking the Lord probably thinks I’m a real idiot. No, he just loves you. I’m always talking about my kids and how great they are. I don’t tell them that because they will get big heads, but I’m really proud of both of them. Does that mean they don’t mess up? Come on, now you have met them; it just means that who they are in Christ is greater than their failures!
So was this John the Baptist? Well, Jesus is going to give us a character study of him:
A.) “A reed shaken by the wind?” Was John some guy that was always flipping back and forth in his positions? No! John did not care about the latest public opinion polls. John was not a tree; he was the wind shaking the tree! John stood up for what is right, no matter what the cost. I kind of think of Ken Star! John was no man-pleaser. So John’s question did not come from fear of men or the outcome of the situation.
B.) Vs. 8: “Did you go out to see a man clothed in soft garments?” Was John some guy who lived in the lap of luxury? Was his message popular with the crowd? No, those people live in palaces, not prisons! This guy wore camel hair and ate grasshoppers and honey. His message was not compromised; it did not bring him income or wealth. John was not a guy spurned because his gravy train had ended; it never started. As I look out today on the landscape of pulpits, far too many of them could answer yes to the above descriptions!
C.) Vs. 9-10 John was more than a spokesman for God; he was the one who was designated to herald the coming of the Messiah. Then the quote of Isa. 40:3 and Mal. 3:1. John’s ministry was the climax of the law of the prophets. All that they spoke of coming he introduced in the words, “Behold, the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.” John was more than a prophet because he was the fulfillment of prophecy. Second, all the other prophets looked forward to the messiah John looking into His eyes. These two things make him greater than any other O.T. prophet.
Vs. 11-15 Three Things About John
Here we will see that Jesus notes three things about John’s work:
1.) Vs. 11a Greater because of personal significance more than all others that came before him. John wrote no book, did no miracle, started no movement, yet Jesus says that he was greater than Abraham, David, and all the other prophets. Why? Simply because he personally introduced the Messiah.
Note: Vs. 11b With that said, Jesus says that those who are born again are greater than him. Again, what does he mean? Greater not in personal accomplishment, but rather greater in the sense of personal benefits. John was like Moses, who took Israel to the promised land but never got to go in himself. It is not moral stature, devotion, or service, but privilege that Jesus is talking of here.
2.) Vs. 12-13 Greater because of spiritual significance. He was the herald of the Messiah. Though he may not have gotten the benefits of the New Covenant, he nonetheless proclaimed it.
Note: What does it mean this kingdom is suffering violence, the violent taking it by force? Well, it can mean one of two things:
A.) It could mean that the kingdom is attacked by violent men.
B.) Or it could mean that those who come into the kingdom have to do so by aggressively going after it.
Both are true, so you can take your pick!
3.) Vs. 14-15 Great because he was prophetically significant: John was not actually Elijah, but he did come in the spirit power of him. Thus John was a partial fulfillment of Mal. 4:5.
Matthew 11:16-30
“Rejecting the Invitation”
Vs. 16-19: What Do You Want in a Savior?
Vs. 20-24 Rejecting the Mighty Works
Vs. 25-30 A Promise To Babes
Intro
Last week we saw how John was confused about Jesus, not because of who He was but rather because the methods that Jesus used did not fit John’s expectations. John’s was a crisis of faith, but an honest one. This morning we shall hear some that are not so honest. Jesus’ denunciation of them as well as His invitation to all the world. What we see here is the reason most people reject Christianity. They reject it because they do not like the way in which the truth is delivered.
It is not for lack of truth; it is rather because of the truth that people reject. Can you imagine this morning someone rejecting medical help that could save their life simply because they did not like the person who was there to help? What is even more amazing to me is Jesus’ invitation in spite of this to all people.
Vs. 16-19: What Do You Want in a Savior?
Vs. 16-17 After defending John the Baptist, Jesus now moves on to speak on how the people did not know what they wanted. There is such a thing in the unbelieving world as a critical heart. People who are just not happy no matter what you do.
It seems that Jesus refers to a game the children would play. They would get together to play a game that would be full of energy and singing; then some would not wish to play, wanting rather to play something more serious, which the first group would not join.
Jesus and John were radically different in style, yet they each called for the same thing; both were rejected because the people did not like the way in which they ministered. Jesus’ point here is that what the people rejected was the truth; they just attacked the messengers because they did not like the message. Whatever was played, they would just sit on the sidelines complaining.
Folks, there really is only one reason people reject Christianity: accountability! Some people complain that Christianity is too rigid. Others say that it’s too joyful and not serious enough.
Vs. 18-19 Here we see the contrast between the two and the rejection of both.
They said of John that he was crazy and of Jesus; they complained that He was too liberal. Wisdom is known for its actions (children). It’s not wise to reject John or Jesus on style but on content! Truth will always justify itself regardless of a person’s attitude towards it. These folks would not repent with John nor rejoice with Jesus; instead, they just complained. It is so comforting to me to realize that the only One I need to make sure I make happy is Jesus!
Vs. 20-24 Rejecting the Mighty Works
Vs. 20-22 Here Jesus rebukes the cities in which most of His mighty works were done.
Note: Here is the first time in this gospel we see judgment being issued by Jesus. “Woe” means judgment, but it also implies pity and sorrow. How tragic that the cities that saw the most of the work of Christ rejected Him nonetheless. It goes against modern wisdom that asks about the “Pygmy in Africa.” We also see that a lot of what Jesus did was not recorded.
We have no record of what Jesus did in Chorazin. We know that it is in the region of Galilee, but that is all. Bethsaida is where Peter, Andrew, and Philip had followed Him. Yet they were places where Jesus spent a great amount of time. Compared to the gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon. Yet says Jesus, “It will be more tolerable on the day of judgment…for them.” With greater light comes great responsibility!
Vs. 23-24 Capernaum was the most blessed of all because, as we have seen, Jesus made His ministry home there. Five of the ten miracles recorded in Matthew 8-9 happen in Capernaum. If you go to this area in Israel today, you will notice something odd about these regions. The land is beautiful and looks like they would make beautiful spots for cities, yet all that is left are the ruins of the cities mentioned here. That is like a great many hearts of wonderful potential yet nothing living in there.
Here again, many people claim that if they could just be given a bit more light, they would believe not so. We also see based upon this text that there will be varied degrees of judgment in the end, and that judgment will be based upon revelation and understanding of who Christ is. There has never before in the history of the world been a country with greater knowledge of the personal work of Jesus than the U.S. Folks; the knowledge of something without the application of it just makes you responsible!
Vs. 25-30 A Promise To Babes
Vs. 25-27 Upon all of this rebuke of the rejection of Him, John Jesus praises those who do receive Him. The truth is so easy to comprehend that even a child can understand it, but because of that, many times those who are full of themselves cannot receive it. The Father can only be known through the Son.
Jesus is the only way you can come to understand who God is for; if you have seen Him, then you have seen the Father. A great many people want to drop Jesus from Christianity. It is His work and what that work stands for that rubs people the wrong way. Yet without His work on the cross, we have no access to the Father.
Vs. 28-30 Here in this great promise invitation, we spend some time looking at it in depth.
1.) First, from our perspective, is a three-fold call:
A.) Come to Me: We see that true salvation is found not in religion but rather in a person. What this means is that we must trust Him in order to come to Him. The story is told of a fire in the second-story house where a young boy was trapped in his room. The father was down below, telling his young son to jump out the window into his waiting arms, but because of the smoke, the boy could not see his father and would not jump. Finally, the situation became so desperate that there was no time to waste.
The boy had to jump or he would drown in the flames. The boy again said he could not jump because he could not see his father, to which the father wisely replied, It’s OK, son, you don’t have to see me because I can see you. Folks, that is what we are trusting in—not our ability but His!
B.) Take My Yoke upon You: This is a deeper experience than just coming. Jesus goes on to say that His yoke is easy and his burden is light. This is a great word picture. Oxen were teamed together with a yoke that harnessed them. The pair was chosen to be put together on the fact that oxen will pull only together if one is stronger than the other. If they are both lead oxen, then they will pull apart. The yoke was always made heavier on the lead oxen side. The heavy end was always placed upon the stronger animal.
The yoke is perfection or holiness found in trying to live by the law. That is what it meant in that day; “the yoke of the law” implied intense study of the law and obedience to it to gain acceptance by God. To which Jesus says His yoke is “easy.” The word “easy” in verse 30 means “well fitted.” Jesus offers every person trying to live right with God based upon self-effort rest. Why, because He carries the burden of the law upon the yoke of His cross, which was tailor-made for us! He carries the heavy side; all we must do is let Him lead and follow Him!
C.) Learn from Me: This is the only one of the three responses that is a process. The first two are things that we do in an instant, but learning is something that takes the rest of our lives. Notice what we are to learn: “I am gentle, lowly in heart.” What is gentleness or meekness? It is strength under control! Folks, we find rest for our souls not just for eternity but right here and now when we come to understand His nature. When you come and lay your head upon His shoulder. Placing your burden down and letting Him carry it.
2.) Now from Jesus perspective.
A.) I: This promise is from God; it is not a religion; it is a relationship. Jesus does not promise something that He Himself will not deliver.
B.) Will: This promise is based upon His faithfulness, not ours. Jesus has never broken a promise. This alone ought to bring rest to our souls.
C.) Give: This promise is free; it is a gift. Jesus does not sell His rest; He does not merely speak of it; He gives it away!
D.) You: This promise is personal. Not only personal but universal, for He says come “all you.” Is that not amazing? He calls those who are wiped out, messed up, and downtrodden. Even if the reason they are so is of their own doing. The great question this week has been whether or not the American people will forgive Bill Clinton. May I just say that the greater question ought to be if Bill Clinton will come to Jesus to find rest for his soul? Are you tired of carrying your burden around? Do you want to find rest? Then you must come, take, and learn!