Look to No Other (Matthew 11:1-19)

Introduction

In Disney’s 1994 movie, the Lion King, there is a scene early in the movie in which the current king, Mufasa, is giving instructions to his cub son, Simba, about what it means to be king. Mufasa tells Simba that everything the light touches is their kingdom. Simba sees a shadowy place and asks his dad, what about that? And with that we have the following:

Mufasa: “You must never go there, Simba.”

Simba: “But, I thought a king could do whatever he wanted.”

Mufasa: “There is more to being a king than getting your way all the time.”

Young Simba had a misconception about what it meant to be king, a misconception his father had to correct him in. If Simba would have continued with this misconception, what a horrible king he would have been, that is when he finally became king.

Like Simba, we too often have misconceptions, about people, situations, but more importantly about God and his King, King Jesus. Misconceptions that leave us struggling to hold onto faith, keeping us from faith, or shattering our once thought faith. We see one such misconception in our passage this morning from John the Baptist.

We continue this morning with our study in the Gospel According to Matthew as we move to chapter 11. Please therefore turn with me to Matthew 11 in your Bibles. If you do not have a Bible, please grab that Red Bible in your seat and turn to page #969 where you will find Matthew 11:1-19, our passage this morning.

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In Matthew 11, we come back to John the Baptist who we previously were introduced to back in Matthew 3 where he was preparing the way for the Messiah to come by preaching a message of repentance. We see this in Matthew 3:2 which reads, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

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This message would be the same message that Jesus would begin to proclaim as he began his ministry, Matthew 4:17, From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

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So from what is being proclaimed, it seems that Jesus and John are on the same page, but the reality is, though John is the frontrunner, he still does not fully grasp the role of Jesus as the Messiah. Look back to Matthew 3 with me again, this time looking at Matthew 3:13-14, 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

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John didn’t grasp that Jesus had come to identify with sinners. We see this again played out in Matthew 9 which we looked at a few weeks ago when John’s disciples came and questioned Jesus about his disciples not fasting. Matthew 9:14, 14Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

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While John the Baptist comes as the frontrunner to Jesus, he still is learning to grasp Jesus’ role as the Messiah. For John, he expected Jesus to come with fire and judgment. Again back to Matthew 3, we read there in Matthew 3:11–12 “11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.””

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John understood the Messiah to come and begin immediately threshing the fields of the harvest, casting out all who reject God’s kingdom. And in this, come as a conquering King to overthrow Rome from power and return Israel to its own state. And because of these presumptions, it has caused John to doubt in prison about who Jesus is. READ MATTHEW 11:1-19.

Main Idea: Blessed is the one who is not offended by Jesus, but believes in him as the Messiah King. Therefore let us have ears to hear and not stumble in our faith. We are going to unfold this with 3 points: (1) The Blessed (11:1-6), (2) The Greater (11:7-15), and (3) The Foolish (11:16-19).

1. The Blessed

Matthew 11:1. As Jesus wraps up his instruction to his 12 disciples about what they are to go and do, he moves on as well. For what purpose? To teach and preach in their cities, that is the cities of his disciples. Jesus does many mighty works, but at the forefront of his ministry over and over again is his ministry to teach and preach the message of the kingdom of heaven. Land O’ Lakes Bible Church, let us not ever think that teaching and preaching are not the primary means of ministry and discipleship! Let us follow the example of our King by continuing to be a people that prioritize the teaching and preaching of the word, both in our sitting under it and going to teach and preach to the ends of the earth!

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Now, as Jesus goes on in teaching and preaching, the very opposition he just warned his disciples would come appears over the next two chapters as he continues to go and teach and preach. The first comes in the next 5 verses, not in the form of hostile opposition, but the doubting opposition of an ally. Look with me at the next two verses (Matthew 11:2-3).

‌John the Baptist has already stated that Jesus is the Lamb of God (John 1), that Jesus should baptize him, and not the other way around (Matthew 3:14). John even recognized the voice of Mary from the womb and leaped for joy (Luke 1). However, and this is a big however, his circumstances were causing him to doubt that Jesus indeed was the one who had come to fulfill all the promises of God’s Messiah King. This doubt is emphasized by Matthew in his using what the Christ was doing. For while John doubts if there is another to come, Matthew wants it to be clear to us as readers, Jesus is the Christ, God’s Anointed King who has come.

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But why these doubts for John? John the Baptist though he presumes Jesus to be the Messiah King doubts, because of his expectation of Jesus to come and immediately bring about the kingdom of heaven, God’s reign on earth by wiping out all who stand opposed to his people. John expected for Jesus to come more like that of a judge into the world to condemn sinners, not eat with them. He expected Jesus to rise up against the Roman Empire who reigned over Israel. But none of these things were happening. And so, John then sends to his disciples in hearing of Jesus’ works and wonders why none of them meet his expectations of the Messiah King. And so, John the Baptist, through his disciples, is left asking the question, are you the one or is there still another?

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Wrong expectations of King Jesus can be detrimental to our faith. Causing us to miss the mission we are called to and the hope we are called to have. A wrong understanding of Jesus can lead us from doubting Jesus like John, to causing our faith to stumble. Many confuse coming to follow Jesus for meaning all will be well for them. And then when things get hard, they are left wondering why, despite Jesus’ warnings that to follow him is a call to take up a cross and suffer.

Or for others, doubting the goodness of our Triune God when death comes of a loved one, thinking how a good God could allow something so tragic. Yet, here is the reality, despite all the bad things in this life, God’s goodness can’t be denied when we consider the way in which his love has been poured out on us. His love was poured out on us in the coming of King Jesus to be the Lamb of God who shed his own blood to rescue his people from the bondage of sin. And while this love doesn’t alleviate suffering, it does give us hope in the midst of the present suffering as we are assured with future glory that awaits where all suffering ceases to exist.

Still others who misunderstand why Jesus came. They get caught up in thinking that Jesus came as a social justice warrior or a political advocate, such as John here and soon the Pharisees. And these are distracted from the mission at hand, they think the Christian mission is to do as much good in the world or reform the world to Christian principles. Yet neither of these is what Jesus did. He came, he preached the message of the kingdom to the point of death on a cross. This then is the mission, let us not misunderstand it.

Friends, both Christian and non-Christian, do we see why it is important for us to understand who Jesus is and avoid a misunderstanding of who he is? Do we see the need to check our expectations and understanding for who Jesus is? Do we see our need to check these by seeing and hearing what Jesus did and taught in accordance to the Scriptures? Learning to read the Bible the way Jesus did and applying it the way he did! And this is exactly what Jesus points John to do. Matthew 11:4-5.

In John’s doubts, Jesus does not dismiss him or his disciples. But he points them back to John’s own teaching at the Jordan River in telling them to go and tell John what they hear and see. For John the Baptist had previously instructed the Pharisees in this way:

‌​Matthew 3:7–10 ESV: 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

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John had called the Pharisees to bear fruit in keeping with repentance, that good fruit will be visible. And that is just what John is to look at in the life of Jesus. He is to look and see, to listen and hear the fruit of Jesus. Namely Matthew 11:5 “5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.”‌

This was no ordinary fruit though that John was to see and hear about. This was fruit that was foretold of God’s Messiah King from the days of the prophets, from the days of Isaiah.

Isaiah 35:3–7 ESV: 3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7 the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

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Jesus is instructing John to see and hear that he is fulfilling the role of the Messiah King. That Jesus is who he thought him to be, and there is no other to come. For judgment will come, vengeance will come, but not in the way he thinks or when he thinks. In fact, John has something much bigger to worry about. V.6.

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The arrival of the Kingdom is a glorious thing, but opposition will come. Here these words from John Calvin,‌

And blessed is he who shall not be offended in me. By this concluding statement Christ intended to remind them, that he who would adhere firmly and stedfastly to the faith of the Gospel must encounter offences, which will tend to interrupt the progress of faith. This is said by way of anticipation, to fortify us against offences; for we shall never want reasons for rejecting it, until our minds are raised above every offence. [1]

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Therefore John and his disciples must remember this warning to not be offended by Jesus because of their trials. And so we must remember the same!

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Kids and teenagers, it is going to be costly for you to follow Jesus. It is going to be costly, because for you to faithfully follow Jesus, your peers will think you crazy and weird. They will mock you and isolate you. And you will be forced to either offend your friends or offend Jesus. Do not be offended by Jesus! Keep following him, keep enduring knowing that Jesus will bring his judgment against all who oppose him and his people.

For those who are working, you must not be offended by Jesus in the workplace, recognizing that to follow Jesus in your job will likely cost you from achieving promotions or other job opportunities. Do not be offended by Jesus, but keep being faithful, entrusting that the LORD will provide along the way.

And those who do not yet believe in Jesus, trusting him alone for salvation, is your unbelief because Jesus offends you? The thought that your only hope rests in a man crucified to a shameful cross? Or are you offended that to follow Jesus is a call to take up your own cross and die to self? Is this the reason you have yet to believe? Friend, do not be offended by Jesus, see that it is he who should be offended by you, and yet this is why we call the message of the gospel, good news, for though he should be offended by us, love has been poured out for us on the cross. Blessing has come to the offender if we will simply come to Jesus and believe in him and not be offended by him.

2. The Greater

‌John has been urged to see and hear and not be offended, and with his disciples now leaving, Jesus turns his attention to the crowds in questioning them about what it was they went out into the wilderness to see. V.7-9.

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Jesus knows the crowds did not go out to the wilderness to see something of nature or soft clothing on a man, they went out to see a prophet. For a prophet had not been among Israel for 400 years. And so they were curious to go and see this prophet. But Jesus instructs the crowds now on this prophet, v.10.

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Jesus turns and begins to teach them just who this prophet is, that he is the one who indeed was promised of old to come and prepare the way back in Malachi 3:1.

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But therein lies much of the problem with John’s doubt, as well as many others. An eschatological shift is happening. That is, an ending of the present age and the dawning of the new. We see this explanation begin in V.11.

Jesus here continues to commend John and his importance, he says that he is the greatest born of women, that is of a natural birth. Then down in verse 14, Jesus makes it plain that John is Elijah who was promised to come prepare the way for the Messiah King. A promise we read earlier in our service from Malachi 4.

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And so, because of this ending of the age and the ushering in of the new, there has been much confusion due to various understandings and misconceptions of who Jesus is. Look at the whole of V.12-14 with me.

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Consider the violence of Herod in his misconception of one being born King of the Jews, he had those male children 2 years old and under slaughtered. Truly violence comes against the kingdom. John the Baptist in calling people to repent, he himself suffered violence in being arrested as he spoke against Herod in calling him out for his sin. Violence has been pressing even against Jesus and his disciples as they proclaim the ushering in of the Kingdom.

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Why this confusion? Because here John being Elijah, which they are struggling to accept, has come and brought an end to the age of the Prophets and the Law being prophesied under there own terms. Previously, these and these alone were how God was revealed, but now Jesus has come who is the perfect revelation of God as the Son of God, the Second Person of the Triune God.

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To avoid any confusion, let’s use a helpful catechism to remind us of this truth. How many persons are there in God? There are three persons in one God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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There is one God, not three, but there are three persons, not one. And Jesus has come to dwell among man to reveal the Father more fully and to usher in his kingdom. Therefore, as the law and the prophets continue, as Jesus fulfills them, they are to now rightly be understood through him.

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This is why as we read our Bibles, we are to see Jesus in the pages of the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation. As we read the Old Testament, we are to see how it anticipates Jesus and is foreshadowing his coming. And then as we read the New Testament, how Jesus fulfills all that of old and how the gospel is applied.

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Particularly this goes then back to the second half of V. 11. As great and important as John is, the least in the kingdom of heaven are greater than him. For the ushering in of the kingdom is beginning to draw clear lines of who is the blessed and who is not. The blessed are not those of the bloodline of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The blessed, the greater are those who like Abraham heard the voice of the LORD and have believed, such as these least in the kingdom of heaven who have heard and believed. It is these who are the greater.

It is this very thing that John the Baptist must still come to grips with in this being why Jesus came to eat with sinners and tax collectors as he is calling them to belief in him. And it is this same belief that the crowds are being called into in this new messianic age if they too would enter the kingdom of heaven. V.15.

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Those who make up the kingdom of heaven are not those who belong to a particular bloodline, they are not those who grow up in church, they are not born into the kingdom because their parents believed. Those who make up the kingdom of heaven are those who believe that Jesus is the Messiah King who has been sent to save people from their sins. And it is this message that brings violence and opposition.

It brings violence, because there are many who would presume we are all relatively good and we enter the kingdom of heaven because of some goodness within us, but upon hearing this news about only those who believe enter causes them to rage.

There are many who go through religious motions, presuming themselves in, pointing to all their works, yet it is not the religious who enter, but those who believe that it is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone that we are saved who are those who will enter. Again, this news causes the religious to rage and wonder how this is so.

The least are the greater in the kingdom of heaven, because they have come with a childlike dependence on Jesus! And though violence comes against this kingdom preaching, the kingdom keeps on advancing as it has done for nearly 2,000 years. Truly, the gates of hell will not prevail against the church (Matthew 16:18).

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3. The Foolish

Yet, do those hearing Jesus preach have ears to hear? V.16-17.

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No, they fail to hear. They are a difficult generation. You tell them one thing, they do another. When they should stand and dance, they sit. When they should be sad, they aren’t. How are they doing this? In rejecting both John and Jesus. V.18-19.

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With this generation, to borrow from Spurgeon, “There was no pleasing them.” [2]

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John they thought was too strict and Jesus they thought was too loose. For their eyes were blinded by their own misconceptions of the kingdom of God and the rule of his Messiah King. They were blinded by their own foolishness.

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If we are to avoid the same foolishness, then we must seek wisdom. Wisdom that starts with a fear of God. A fear in seeing and hearing all that Jesus did and how it fulfills what was promised of the Messiah. A fear that trembles to think of how a Holy God could allow such sinners to enter before him and live. And yet, because of this fear of God, we marvel in seeing and hearing the love of God that has been shown to us in the giving of the Messiah King who came to conquer not by the shedding of others blood, but the shedding of his own.

Conclusion

Beloved, do we misunderstand the Kingdom of Heaven, the role of the Messiah King, or those who enter the Kingdom? We must not let our presumptions reign to understand these. We must regularly and always be reforming according to the word of God, to borrow from the great Martyn Lloyd Jones. We must always be allowing for our understanding of our Triune God be shaped and reshaped according to the Scriptures. Reading them not through the lens of our own interpretation, but reading them with Jesus at the center of the story of redemption. Reading with anticipation in the Old Testament at how it was pointing forward to him and reading backwards with applying the gospel to our lives in light of what Christ has done on the cross. Beloved, friends, let us be wise, having ears to hear and believe the King who has been verified by all his mighty works.

‌Let’s pray…

Endnotes

[1] John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke, vol. 2 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 10.

[2] C. H. Spurgeon, The Gospel of the Kingdom: A Commentary on the Book of Matthew (London: Passmore and Alabaster, 1893), 80.

Scripture Reading and Prayer

Malachi 4 ESV

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts. “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”