2.23.27 6.1.2025 Matthew 11.1-19 Are You the One?

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Entice: Difficult texts are difficult for different reasons. Often it is not a matter of understanding, it is a matter of obedience. Some texts have a little of both.

Matthew 11:1–19 ESV

1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 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. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” 7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 17 “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

Engage: Question! What most challenges your faith? Or who? People and circumstances both challenge us. Each of us  deals with issues that confront us and emotional baggage that can weigh us down. 

Expand: I love this text. It is full of rich imagery, it resonates with Old Testament allusion, and is filled with the tension of expectation. For those of us that relish explanations it is a difficult text because Jesus, in replying to John, asks to him and us to embrace His Kingdom vision, as well as understand it. It s an oblique call for complete trust.

Excite: The lessons of discipleship begin with knowing and then morph into growing. Not everyone learns the same way. Not everyone serves the same way. People are different. Jesus not only embraced that difference He sometimes had to explain it. 

Explore:

Jesus lays the groundwork for our Kingdom ministry. 

Expand: Our Lord clarified, in real world ministry, some requirements for our life’s work. Ministry means 

Body of Sermon: 

1 Authenticity. 1.1 Expectation.

Matthew 11:2–3 ESV

2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

1.1.1 Question

1.1.2 Assumption.

1.2 Explanation.

Matthew 11:2–5 ESV

2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 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.

Jesus explained that His ministry was about present realities grounded in Biblical precedent. 

It is only when the explanation shifts our expectation that we are ready for 

1.3 Exhortation. 

Matthew 11:6 ESV

6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Do not be offended “scandalized” by Jesus putting Himself at the center of the Kingdom. 

And Ministry means 

2 Resiliency.

Matthew 11.7-15

We need resiliency because

2.1 People lack clarity.

A nice way of saying that people are not always rational or sensible.

Matthew 11:7 ESV

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

We need resiliency because

2.2 Empire is everywhere.

Matthew 11:7–8 ESV

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

2.2.1 Shaken reeds...

2.2.2 Soft clothes.

2.2.3 Royal Palaces.

Jesus knows that Antipas is looking at Him like he had been looking at John.

And we need resiliency because

2.3 No Shortcuts

Matthew 11:9–15 ESV

9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Godly men, and Godly means accomplish God’s will

John’s role made him the pinnacle of Old Covenant faith and action. Yet Jesus says that the least in the Kingdom is greater. John’s task accomplished God’s purpose, but it is different than ours. Still we follow the trajectory of God’s people who accomplish His will, His way without using the tools of Empire as a short-cut to the Kingdom. 

And last, Jesus  reminds us that the ministry is expressed through

3 Diversity.

Matthew 11:16–19 ESV

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 17 “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

Not just a lesson we learn, a reality we face. The question is not why we need diversity…but “How to use what is already there?” Jesus logic goes like this. 

3.1 Culture is Messy.

Jesus compares culture (His and ours, ancient and modern, complex and simple) with children playing. To the children involved IT IS REAL. While Culture is powerful and formative it is not cut and dried. Expectations vary and even people who share many of the same characteristics can be otherwise dissimilar. Some kids play wedding, some play funeral. Why? Just because!  This parable is not meant by Jesus to be accusatory. He simply notes that serious matters are often approached by people in silly manner. 

Why is culture messy? People are 

3.1.1 Frivolous. 

Even among believers human beings are often driven by 

3.1.2 Discontent

The lack of contentment often leads to 

3.1.3 Criticism.

To combat the messiness of culture

3.2 Ministry has variety.

John had a role to play. Jesus another role. They were different in temperament, lifestyle, and approach. The tension in this text comes from not recognizing the need for variety. 

Kingdom variety means 

3.3 Ministry is flexible.

And “Wisdom” gets the last word. God’s work, in all of its forms counters the messiness of fallen human culture. 

Shut Down

What a timely text! Somewhat hard to understand, certainly. The real issue is that much of the flow of Christian faith has trended away from what Jesus says here. 

From forced conversions, to marginalizing those who are different, to justifying violence in the cause of Christ, the Church often fails to grasp the reality of Kingdom. Jesus calls us to

embrace diversity,

suffer with resiliency,

and

serve with authenticity.

What kinds of outcomes should we expect? This list is not exhaustive.

John the Baptist was an odd duck, so they killed him.

Jesus, was different kind of odd duck, they killed Him too—it just didn’t take.

Peter? Odd duck, odd death.

Steven? Somewhat angry odd duck, also killed.

Paul? you guessed it.

What is the commonality between the fasting John and the feasting Jesus? They made people uncomfortable. Kingdom living should make the culture uncomfortable.  I’m not saying  that we should be intentionally weird. Kids of all kinds play in the marketplace. We are here more to redeem culture than to shape it. To both celebrate and mourn. When God’s wisdom assesses our impact, when we are considered along with John the Baptist, Paul, Peter, Lydia, Syntache, what will the Master think? Have we submitted to His rule or been bullied to the point of boredom?  He is the coming one. How will you receive Him?