Dear Christian friends:

In the early years of my ministry, when I didn't yet have a car, I was riding on a city bus in Spokane, Washington, shortly before Christmas. Two women got on the bus at one of the downtown stops, loaded with full shopping bags. After they were settled in one lady said to the other, "I don't enjoy Christmas any more. When I was a child I really looked forward to it. Christmas is for children." In another city, also shortly before Christmas, I was in the post office standing at a table putting stamps on my Christmas cards. Suddenly a lady came up to the table, plopped her purse down on it, and began searching frantically for something. When she found it, she gave a sigh of relief, saying to me, "I thought that I had lost my money. If I had lost it, there would be no Christmas for me." As we grow older our feeling of wonder seems to disappear. How we look at Christmas may be one example of this. As we grow older we do not expect anything wonderful to happen at Christmas Church services. Perhaps that's the reason why nothing wonderful happens in our hearts. Expectancy is important. Without it we receive little; but with it wonderful things can happen in us.

In our text, which is the Gospel Lesson for today, Jesus had disappointed John the Baptist as well as John's disciples, at the point of their highest expectations. They had expected Jesus to be the Messiah, but now they wondered if he really was.

No doubt, all of us at one time or another have been disappointed with Jesus. He has not always met our expectations. Yet, in our text Jesus counteracts this doubting and teaches us that we can indeed

I. We can expect Jesus to deal sympathetically with our doubts.

A. Jesus dealt understandingly with John's doubts.

1. Why did John question Jesus' being the promised Christ?

Perhaps John was bothered when he heard nothing about Jesus axing fruitless trees. Remember, John's role was chiefly to preach the Law and the dire consequences of breaking the Law. By this heavy emphasis on the Law and the Judgment he was to prepare the way for Christ. He had preached to the self-righteous, hypocritical Pharisees: "The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." (Matthew 3:10) John, like many preachers may have become a bit unbalanced by his Law preaching. Jonah is a good example of this. After he had been chastened by God in the belly of the fish and had been vomited up on the shore he went and preached to Nineveh. He said, "Yet 40 days and the city will be destroyed." Three days he preached this fire and brimstone as he walked across the breadth of that great city. When the people repented in sackcloth and ashes God relented and spared the city. Then Jonah sulked and was angry with God because he had mercy on that city. Well, the real purpose of Law preaching is not to condemn and destroy sinners, but to lead them to repentance so that they embrace Jesus Christ and are saved eternally, and bring forth the fruits of repentance. John, like Jonah, may have expected God to be what he essentially is not.

2. Whatever John's reason for disappointment with Jesus, Jesus understood his struggle and was willing to deal with it. Yet, he gave a warning to John and us when he said, "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." (v. 6) Doubts about Jesus should not be ignored or taken lightly. When we have doubts about Jesus we need to have them resolved. They should not be allowed to fester and completely destroy one's faith.

Transition: John did not ignore his doubts. He confronted them, as should we. And we are encouraged to do this because Jesus is sympathetic and understanding with us as he was with John and his disciples.

B. Jesus understands that believing sometimes involves struggle.

1. Like John and Jonah, we also can be legalistic and judgmental about other sinners and unappreciative of God's tremendous grace and mercy. We may think that God is not fair in his dealing with us and others. Jesus asks us to pray for our enemies to do good to them and exert ourselves to proclaim the Gospel to them. Do we do this gladly and willingly? When a loved one is stricken, perhaps killed by a drunk driver. We may ask, "Where was God?" How can he expect me to forgive that drunken bum?

2. We can and should go to Jesus with our questions, just as John did. If we don't, they will only increase and finally lead to unbelief or misbelief or other great shame and vice.

Transition: Come to Jesus with your doubts and questions. He will not condemn you for having such thoughts. He loves you! He has died for you!

II. We can expect Jesus to do for us what needs to be done.

A. Jesus gave John and his disciples the help they needed at the time.

Jesus said to John's disciples, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." (vv. 4-5)

1. These miracles which Jesus did were foretold in the Old Testament. They are part of the credentials of the Messiah. They prove that Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary is also the mighty, eternal Son of God, the Christ that should come into the world and redeem it. (Isaiah 35: 4, 61:2) (Isaiah 29:18-19)

2. Also the Good News that Jesus proclaimed, the forgiveness of sins, are proof that he is indeed the Christ. They are the other part of his credentials! Jesus said to John's disciples: "The good news is preached to the poor." (v. 56)

B. So, also, Christ does not argue with us but gives us the evidence that he is the Savior and Helper in every need. 1. His miracles, recorded in the four Gospels, are evidence also to us that Jesus is the Christ. During the Epiphany Season, which follows Christmas, we review many of these miracles.

2. Also the Gospel preaching each Sunday and the baptisms and Holy Communion are evidences that Jesus is the Christ. We "poor sinners" have the Gospel preached to us! And this good news preaching changes lives.

3. Our changed lives are evidence of Jesus' authenticity.

a. You probably have heard the old proverb: "The proof of the pudding is in the eating of it." This simply means to say that the surest way to know reality is to experience it. When John wanted to know if Jesus was the Messiah, our Lord in effect told him to eat the pudding: "Look all around you, John, and see what I have been doing - how lives have been changed."

b. What has Jesus done in your life? Has he not brought you to Almighty God? Has he not given you a vibrant fellowship in the Church? Do you not possess a new life style because of Jesus Christ? Has he not restored your emotional balance or healed your physical illness?

The surest way to know Jesus is to experience his renewing and healing power. Often, our problem is not that we don't experience Jesus, but that we don't admit that we do. We say, "It was a "coincidence" when it was really a "God incidence." We give credit to "luck" when actually it was Jesus' providence.

Jesus asked John to give credit where credit is due! So we need to acknowledge the great things Jesus has done in our lives and then we will know him in his reality and our doubts will vanish.

Transition: Yes, indeed, we should expect great things from Jesus.

III. We can even expect him to regard us as great in his kingdom.

A. When we think of our lack of conviction and lack of commitment, we can hardly expect Jesus to say of us what he said of John.

Hear again what Jesus said of John the Baptist: "As John's disciples were leaving Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings palaces. Then what did you go to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: "I will send my messenger ahead of You, who will prepare your way before! I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater that John the Baptist;" (vv. 7-10)

Would Jesus say this about us? Yes, indeed! He even says more about us. Hear again what he says: "Yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (John)" (v. 11)

B. How can we be greater than John the Baptist?

a. We have seen and heard all of God's promises fulfilled in Jesus Christ. John did not live long enough to see that happen. He died about two years before Good Friday and Easter. We can and should have a stronger faith than John. John had only the Old Testament and he saw only some of Jesus' ministry. However, we have see it all. We have both the Old and New Testaments!

b. We have Baptism and the Sacrament of the Altar! Therefore God's power, God's Spirit can work greater in us than in John.

c. Besides, our Lord, before he ascended, commissioned us to preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments to all nations. John was sent only to the people of Israel. In fact, we can do greater works than Jesus himself did. Jesus, the night before he died said to his disciples: "The works that I do shall you do also; and greater works than these shall you do; because I go to the Father" (John 14:12) Jesus has gone to the Father and he has sent us the Spirit! When we by the Spirit believe in Jesus and carry on his ministry we are greater than John the Baptist and do works greater than what Jesus did! We are greater than the the great!

Conclusion: Truly this should encourage us and inspire us to believe in Jesus and carry on his ministry in our dying world. It should encourage us to wait with patience for his return in glory when we shall be seated with the great, where we are lords and kings, and Jesus is Lord of lords, and King of Kings forever and ever! Yes, indeed we can expect great things from Jesus,

"For his power and gifts are such,
That none can ever ask to much."

Amen