Who is Jesus? (Part 1) Luke 7:18-35

Who is Jesus? Luke 7:18-35

Q: What is the Lord’s Supper?

A: Christ commanded all Christians to eat bread and to drink from the cup in thankful remembrance of him and his death.

The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of the presence of God in our midst; bringing us into communion with God and with one another; feeding and nourishing our souls.

It also anticipates the day when we will eat and drink with Christ in his Father’s kingdom.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 CSB

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

When we come to church there seems to be some topics that are just off limits.

Some that are hot topics we certainly don’t like to talk about.

We don’t want to talk about them b/c they make us uncomfortable.

Or maybe we just don’t know how to talk about them well.

One of the subjects that fits into this category is doubt.

We have been fed a lie that if we cling to doubt about the things of God then we just don’t have enough faith.

That we should never doubt.

We have even monikers for those who doubt.

We call them a “Doubting Thomas” named after the man who didn’t believe Jesus had rose from the dead until he saw him with his own two eyes.

We wrestle with and struggle with the Psalms that are laments about God being far away.

There are plenty of examples in the Scriptures of people who doubted God and even those who doubted Jesus.

So it’s an unrealistic expectation to have if we think we are going to go our whole Christian walk without having any doubts at all.

I’ll be vulnerable with you…there have been times in my life when I held doubt.

I doubted God’s goodness.

I doubted his plan for me.

I doubted that my life actually mattered.

That I was valuable to God as a man made in his image.

And one of the things that I want us to see is that Jesus is gracious with those who doubt.

Jesus didn’t throw a stone at Thomas and say don’t come until you believe.

The Lord didn’t tell David that he wouldn’t show up until David had faith.

No, God extends grace to those who doubt.

Jesus is not offended by your questions.

He's big enough to handle your doubt.

And this morning we are going to look at another person who doubts Jesus.

His name is John the Baptist.

John can be called the doubting prophet.

We will talk about why he doubts a little later.

But What I want us to do is learn a lesson from John.

When you doubt go to Jesus with your questions.

Go to Jesus with your doubt.

Go to Jesus to seek the answers.

B/c he’s the only one who has them.

If you truly want to trust Jesus then you must approach him and ask him to help your doubt.

Because What some people do is take their doubts and use them as a defense mechanism.

These people aren’t really seeking truth, rather they are asking the questions, they are doubting God with no desire for truth or clarity.

Maybe you are a believer and you have questions about your faith, about what you truly believe.

Maybe you don’t know what to believe and your simply trying this Jesus thing out.

I want you to know that where ever you land, Jesus is open to answering your questions.

Before we look at the text, I want us to think about some places where doubt comes from.

First place doubt can come from is Satan. This is the question in the Garden to Adam and Eve. Did God really say that? That can’t be what he actually meant.

Second, doubt can come from our own desires. Some don’t want God to be the moral judge. Rather we want to say whats right and wrong, good and true. This shows up a lot when it comes to sexual sin. People have desires that don’t align with God’s design for sexuality so they doubt his goodness and design

Some doubt comes from pain or hurt. This is doubt tied to suffering. God can’t be good or present b/c I hurt right now and God wouldn’t want me to be in pain.

Sometimes doubt stems from disappointment or unmet expectations. God didn’t work things out the way you expected him to. And b/c he didn’t meet your expectations you doubt that he cares about you.

Other doubt comes from Spiritual Immaturity. Some aren’t able to answer questions about God or theology so they begin to deny who he is. This is happening a lot on our college campuses and with people my age and younger. This is the deconstruction movement that has become popular among those 40 and younger.

Some have doubts b/c of Spiritual Drift. People have drifted away from the spiritual disciplines (reading their bible, gathering with other believers, taking the time to pray) that God has outlined and so due to that they have drifted away from God and question who he is.

Maybe you fall into one of these categories.

Maybe you have just begun to doubt.

Maybe you’ve been doubting for weeks, months, or years.

Here’s the good news.

Jesus can change doubters into believers.

If you truly are seeking after who he is and what he’s done, he will calm and still your unbelief.

Take your questions to him and he will reveal to you who he truly is.

Remember one of the reasons that Luke is writing this account is to help strengthen Theophilus’ faith

Luke 1:4 “4 so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.”

So Luke is writing his gospel to help bolster faith in Jesus.

And we’re going to see that again with John this morning.

So before we look at God’s word lets ask him to open our eyes and reveal to us the beauty of who he is.

Luke 7:18–23 CSB

18 Then John’s disciples told him about all these things. So John summoned two of his disciples 19 and sent them to the Lord, asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 20 When the men reached him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ ” 21 At that time Jesus healed many people of diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and he granted sight to many blind people. 22 He replied to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news, 23 and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”

Doubt and Faith

Luke begins by reminding us of what we just read.

John’s disciples go back to John and tell him about what Jesus is doing.

What did we witness Jesus do just previously?

Well Tommy talked about it last week.

Jesus healed the Centurion’s Servant

And Raised the widow’s son from the dead

Those are some pretty miraculous things, but John still isn’t sure what’s going on.

So he sends some of his disciples to go gain some information on Jesus.

Pertains to the title of this sermon.

Who is Jesus?

Luke 7:20 “20 When the men reached him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask you, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ ””

John really wants to know who Jesus is.

He thinks he knows, but so far, Jesus hasn’t met his expectations.

Remember earlier when we talked about some ways doubt creeps in.

One of those ways is disappointment.

What what John disappointed about?

How did Jesus not live up to his expectations?

John expected Jesus to be not just a religious leader, but a political one as well.

John tells us in his own preaching who he expected the Messiah to be.

This is what he said in Luke 3:17 “17 His winnowing shovel is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.””

John expected the Messiah to come with judgement.

He expected that the messiah would come and defeat Israel’s enemies and then establish a new rule and reign.

And quite frankly that’s not what Jesus is doing.

This delay is causing John to doubt God’s promises.

Doubt Jesus’ mission.

And it may even be causing John to doubt his own calling.

Remember, John knows who he is he’s the one who is Luke 3:4–6 “4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight! 5 Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low; the crooked will become straight, the rough ways smooth, 6 and everyone will see the salvation of God.”

One of the other things we need to know about the timing isn’t told to us by Luke in chapter 7, but John is currently in prison.

we learn that in 3:19-20.

Luke doesn’t bring it up here, but that’s where John is.

So not only is he disappointed that Jesus isn’t bringing judgement, but add to that that John is suffering and we have a perfect storm for doubt to overwhelm and overcome John.

Now Jesus could have confirmed his calling in a multiplicity of ways.

But how does he do it for John?

He points to his works and his word.

God tell John what you have seen and heard.

Here’s specifically what Jesus say.

Luke 7:22 “22 He replied to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news,”

Instead of just telling John to wait and see.

Or to just trust him.

Jesus uses concrete evidence to help John’s doubt.

Look at my works and listen to my words.

The preaching and proclamation of God’s word was always a part of Jesus’ ministry.

Like I’ve said before the miracles are great, but without the preaching it’s simply temporary.

And who is Jesus preaching too?

He says the poor.

Remember “the poor” doesn’t just mean those who are financially underprivileged.

The poor are those who are the outcasts of society.

those who the majority of people would cast off as unimportant.

The good news is for all people, even those who by society’s standard don’t matter.

In Jesus’ description of who he is, he actually pulls from 4 different passages in Isaiah.

His claim here to John is very similar to the sermon he preached in Nazareth when he began his ministry.

Jesus came to heal the broken, release the captive, give sight to the blind, and raise the dead.

John’s disciples have witnessed these actions and now they are to go report back to their teacher that Jesus’ is doing these things.

I love that Jesus doesn’t wag his finger at John, or say that he should have more faith.

I love that he doesn’t ignore his question and just press forward.

Jesus actually cared about John and the questions he asked.

Jesus had compassion on the doubts flowing around John’s head.

And he had an answer for them.

I think this is why we fear these types of questions in the church.

When people express doubts we either ignore them or try to beat them into faith.

But I think it’s important that we take a page out of Jesus’ book.

Let’s point them back to what Jesus has said and what Jesus has done.

And when we have doubts.

When we are discouraged or questioning who Jesus is these are also the things that he points us back to.

What has he done and What has he said.

Honest doubt is not a bad starting point, but it is a bad ending point.

Here’s a beautiful reality too.

Jesus knows that his preaching, teaching, and life can be a stumbling block for people.

He even acknowledges it here in v. 23

Luke 7:23 “23 and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.””

That word offended is from a Greek word that means “something that prevents progress or stumbling block”

Jesus is saying that if you trust him and his ways of doing things then you are blessed.

However, that also means that some people see Jesus as a stumbling block.

They don’t like the way he does things.

The way he says things.

They are like John in that they have their doubts that Jesus is the Messiah.

That he is the one sent by God to accomplish God’s mission.

However, unlike John, their response to Jesus is to deny him rather than embrace him.

There are even those today that have a hard time with Jesus’ teachings.

They will not receive the blessing of God.

But for those who do trust him.

For those who do follow him they are favored by God.

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Now it would be easy for us to get down on John b/c of his doubt, but I want us to see that Jesus isn’t bothered by John’s questions.

Luke 7:24–30 CSB

24 After John’s messengers left, he began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? 25 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? See, those who are splendidly dressed and live in luxury are in royal palaces. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written: See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. 28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 (And when all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged God’s way of righteousness, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. 30 But since the Pharisees and experts in the law had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves.)

Greatness of God’s Kingdom

This should be comforting for those of us who have doubts.

Jesus doesn’t cast off John, instead he highlights John.

But Jesus also knows that those who heard the interaction between him and John’s disciples could get the wrong idea.

If John is worried, shouldn’t we be too?

So he points out and highlights John’s Ministry.

We don’t get a lot of this in the gospels but what we can glean is that John’s ministry was big.

He had a large impact on the area.

People were coming from all over to hear him preach.

And they weren’t going to out to see someone preach a soft message.

Or someone who wore luxurious clothes.

They were going out to hear hard preaching from a man who wore camel skin and ate locusts and honey.

Why were people drawn to him?

Why did people want to go out and hear John preach?

B/c he was a prophet sent by God.

He was chosen by God from before his birth to go out and prepare the way for the messiah.

Jesus quotes Mal 3.1 in reference to John’s mission and message.

He was sent before Jesus to help pave the way.

What help was he?

Well, Jesus and John both preached the message of repentance.

Of turning away from sin and embracing God.

John also recognized that Jesus was greater than he was.

John knew that there was no competition between himself and Jesus.

He was simply playing his part.

John had a role to play and he played it well.

This is why Jesus says that there is no one greater than John.

It’s not b/c John is so amazing.

What made John important was who Jesus was.

John’s greatness is derived greatness it comes from his mission and calling in relation to Jesus.

And this is good news, it wasn’t based on John’s merit, it was based on Jesus’ life.

And I say that this is good news for us b/c of what Jesus says after he talks about John’s greatness.

Luke 7:28 “28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.””

It’s not easy for us to wrap our mind around this.

I mean John had a miraculous conception.

He had a marvelous mission.

He was throughly faithful to God’s call on his life.

He preached and many came to repentance.

He stood up to sin.

He died standing on God’s truth.

That’s a pretty stout resume.

And yet Jesus says even the least in the kingdom of God is greater than John.

Why is that?

It’s b/c of our association with Jesus.

We talked about this before, John was the last prophet of the OT period.

When Jesus shows up, and especially after his sacrifice and resurrection.

He begins something new.

This new community that he’s creating is so much greater than the old.

And one of the reasons why is b/c we as those who have been saved by Jesus have the HS dwelling with in us.

This is the blessing that Jesus brings.

We are made alive so much so that our fellowship with the Father, through Jesus and the HS is greater than that of Moses, Abraham, David, Elijah, and even John the Baptist.

I don’t want to diminish those times, but Jesus is telling us that this new era is so much greater than the old one.

And through our association with Him we get to partake in the beauty of the kingdom he’s establishing.

A kingdom where all are welcome.

People from every tribe, tongue and nation.

People from all different backgrounds and socioeconomic standings.

People who have been dead in their sins and trespasses are washed by the blood of Jesus and brought into the Kingdom of God.

And in this kingdom even the least is greater than the greatest prophet, John.

Here’s what I want us to think about.

For many of us, we think that our impact or gifting isn’t what we would want it to be.

We think that we aren’t smart enough, talented enough, or equipped enough to honor God.

But here Jesus says even the least in the kingdom is greater than John.

It doesn’t matter how small or insignificant you may think you are.

In the Kingdom of God you are of Eternal Value.

In the Kingdom of God you are greater than John the Baptist.

It doesn’t matter how entrenched in sin and shame you may be.

If you repent of your sins and turn to Jesus you are counted as great in God’s kingdom.

That should bring us comfort.

That should cause our souls to rejoice.

That should produce in us thanksgiving.

However, for many in Jesus’ day this didn’t bring about joy, comfort or thanksgiving.

Instead it caused hatred, anger, and frustration.

Luke tells us that people responded to Jesus in two ways upon hearing this message.

Luke 7:29–30 “29 (And when all the people, including the tax collectors, heard this, they acknowledged God’s way of righteousness, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. 30 But since the Pharisees and experts in the law had not been baptized by him, they rejected the plan of God for themselves.)”

I want us to take away a few things from these verses.

The first is that this is a fulfillment of John’s purpose.

Do you see that?

Those who were baptized by John accepted Jesus’ message. This was John preparing the way for Jesus.

Those who weren’t prepared, the scribes and pharisees rejected Jesus.

Who accepted the baptism of John?

The ones who recognized themselves as sinners.

I love how Luke puts it “including the Tax collectors”

Through John’s preaching in the desert, people were prepared for Jesus and were set on the path of righteousness.

Not their own path, but “God’s way of Righteousness”

Which is what?

Recognition of Jesus as Savior and allegiance to follow him where ever he may lead.

However, the self-righteous, those who don’t see their need for a savior, “rejected the plan of god for themselves.”

What harsh words these are.

The most religious were rejecting God’s plan b/c they loved their rules and guidelines more than they love God.

They thought they had it all figured out, but they were rejecting God.

Jesus knows the situation and what’s going on so he is going to address it in a little parable.

Luke 7:31–35 CSB

31 “To what then should I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to each other: We played the flute for you, but you didn’t dance; we sang a lament, but you didn’t weep! 33 For John the Baptist did not come eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

Wisdom Rules

I love how one commentary puts this.

They call it “the parable of the brats”

Kid’s like to play make believe.

Whether it’s playing school or house or whatever other game.

The children during Jesus’ time like to play the game of weddings and funerals.

And that’s what Jesus is riffing on with the people of his generation.

The people of this generation doesn’t mean everyone during the time of Jesus but specifically refers to those who rejected John and Jesus.

That is played out by how Jesus uses this parable.

Jesus is essentially saying that those who reject John and Jesus can never be happy.

Whether their playing the game of funeral or wedding.

John came and he pushed aside all the things of this world.

He lived in the desert. Ate bugs. Wore Camel fur.

And his preaching never convinced the Pharisees of what God was doing.

In fact, many of them said that John has a demon.

Then Jesus comes and he is enjoying life.

Celebrating what God is doing

and they accuse him of being and drunkard and a friend of sinners.

So it seems that no matter how God’s plan goes, they will never be happy.

John was too legalistic and fiery in his preaching.

Jesus was to compassionate and gracious to the sinners.

And remember they were preaching the same message, but their approach was different.

And those who rejected them, rejected them both.

Never happy.

Never satisfied.

This is foolish.

And they are acting like foolish children.

But Jesus tells us Luke 7:35 “35 Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children.””

The wisdom here is the proclamation of the Gospel.

The good news that sinners can be forgiven.

Enemies of God can become his sons and daughters.

The dead can be made alive.

Wisdom is knowing that repenting and believing in Jesus brings transformation and unity with God.

And those who come to Jesus and submit to God’s plan are the children of wisdom.

They have been transformed and are shown to be the one’s that God is working through.

God’s plan and mission is going to be seen through those who believe.

We began this sermon talking about doubt and how we can all struggle with belief.

But the wise thing to do is to go to Jesus with your doubts.

Lay them at his feet.

Looking at what he’s done in the lives of those who truly follow after him.

Going back to his word and trusting that he a promise keeper.

Wisdom knows that Jesus has the answers.

That he’s not afraid of your questions.

And it also knows that to follow Jesus we have to lay aside ourselves and pursue him wholeheartedly.

My question this morning, is where do you stand.

Have you trusted Jesus as savior?

Or are you still seeking out this Jesus thing?

He desires for you to know him?

He’s calling out to you will you answer him?

Let’s pray.