Advent 3 is "John the Baptist Day" when we consider the Forerunner to the
long-expected Messiah. This one was preached last year; I wasn't on the roster
this time.
Gospel : Matthew 11:2-15
1. THE DEGRADATION SEEN BY JOHN
John's ministry seemed a disaster:
a. His Early Expectation.
Full of expectancy, John identified Jesus as the Messiah : "Behold the Lamb of
God which takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). But from that moment,
his own disciples began to leave him and follow Jesus instead. "He must
increase, but I must decrease" he faithfully acknowledged (John 3:30).
b. His Later Exasperation.
Full of fiery zeal, he launched into hellfire preaching: "You viper's brood!
Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come, etc..." (Matt 3:7-12). He
denounced Herod the Tetrarch for marrying Herodias his brother Philip's
ex-wife, and was very soon arrested (Mark 6:17-18). The Archdeacon of York
(Ven George Austin) has dared to criticise the British royal family. Dare we
rebuke sin like John?
c. His Final Desperation.
Now languishing in the dungeon at Machaerus, he is assailed by doubts. Is
Jesus really the Messiah after all? Are we ever tempted to doubt?
2. THE DEPUTATION SENT BY JOHN.
Now John sends two of his remaining disciples:
a. They brought up a Question about Messiah.
John's desperate question was: "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to
expect some other?"
b. They took back a Quotation from Isaiah.
Jesus did miracles before the very eyes of the deputation: "Tell John 'the
blind recover their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, the deaf
hear, the dead are raised to life, the poor are hearing the Good News and
happy is the man who does not find me a stumbling-block'" (compare Isaiah
35:4-6). Isaiah was John's prophet "Prepare the way of the Lord," etc. (Isaiah
40:1-8). John also knew the Suffering Servant prophecy (Isaiah 53).
3. THE DECLARATION ABOUT JOHN.
John's messengers gone, Jesus evaluates:
a. John is the Last Prophet of the O.T.
He is not a softie but a toughie; not a reed but a rock. Not a Big-mouth but a
Bold-mouth. He was the Greatest: more than a prophet; greater even than Moses
or Elijah who appeared at the Transfiguration (Matt 17:3-4). He was the Second
Elijah (Mal 4:5; Matt 11:14). Malachi was the Last; John is later and greater
than the Last in all the Old Testament.
b. John is the Least Person of the N.T.
He who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John. John's
understanding of the Gospel was incomplete, and his Baptism defective. His
disciples at Ephesus had later to be baptised by Paul "in the name of Jesus"
that they might "receive the Holy Spirit" (Ac 19:2-6). Therefore, John was
inferior to his own disciples! Yet notice that Paul, the greatest of the
Apostles, calls himself "less than the least of the apostles" (1 Cor 15:9).
With God the first is last and the last first.
In Christ,
Ben
--
Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
