Christ Upholds His Messenger | Matthew 11:1-6

Scripture

• Matthew 11:1–6

About this sermon

The greatest of Christ’s redeemed servants, are still just servants. We are all partakers of the same humanity. We are all subject to the same frailties and failures. There are some more mature than others. There are some who have arrived at more consistency than others. There are some who are more fruitful than others and who prove more faithful than others. But as the saying goes, “the best of men are men at best.” At the time that Christ was on the earth, the greatest tribute that could be paid to a redeemed sinner was given to John the Baptist. ESV Matthew 11:11 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. That last statement makes clear, as we will see tonight, that in great measure this is a commentary on John’s role in salvation in history. But Jesus made clear that John was also great in terms of his own character and his courage. ESV Matthew 11:7 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. John came out of the wilderness a man filled with the Spirit of God from his mother’s womb — a bold, confrontational, unflinching, witness for Jesus the Christ. He would address the Pharisees and Sadducees just as directly as he would a commoner. He was a faithful and courageous messenger of God, which is why he is in prison when we arrive at this scene. HE HAS DARED TO CONFRONT A KING. In Matthew 14, Matthew will explain why John was in prison, and how he died. ESV Matthew 14:3 For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, 4 because John had been saying to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." ESV Matthew 14:10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, That makes what we find here seem curious to us. It is not what we would expect. Matthew has presented scene after scene in which the true identity of Jesus is put on display. Now, beginning with the 11th chapter, we meet with a series of encounters in which Jesus is doubted or denied. And in each case these doubts and denials are answered. But what we would not expect is that the first voice to express his doubt, his fear, his apprehension, would be the very one chosen to prepare Christ’s way. We would not expect THE MESSENGER to send MESSENGERS for CONFIRMATION of the identity of Jesus. IF ANYONE WILL STAND WITH JESUS TO THE DEATH IT IS PETER — YET PETER DENIES JESUS THREE TIMES. IF ANYONE WILL SPEAK FOR JESUS WITHOUT A DOUBT, SURELY IT IS JOHN THE BAPTIST — YET WE FIND JOHN FEARFUL AND LACKING CERTAINTY TOWARD THE END OF HIS LIFE. In a very strange but powerful way THIS GLORIFIES JESUS. This is a testimony to the singular greatness of Jesus. In the end it is not a human messenger who upholds the Lord Jesus. It is the Lord Jesus who must uphold His messengers — even a messenger like John who was foretold in prophecy. It is not John who makes Jesus what Jesus is. He announces Him, but He does not create Him. John simply bears witness to Him who is true. It is Jesus who makes John what He is. It is the Son of God who explains the messenger, not the messenger who explains the Son of God. Notice four ways that Matthew presents Jesus as the one who upholds His messenger. • CHRIST’S ACTIVITY (vs.1) Our Lord sends His men out, but He doesn’t stop His own activity. Our Lord is preeminently a preacher as He is on His way to serve as our sin sacrifice. He would go about preaching in the open air — in the villages and the cities — and He would teach in their synagogues. The preaching and teaching referred to here is preaching that our Lord did in Galilee. The miracles that He worked were confirmations of His message. His preaching was the declaration of the message that had been given to Him to say by His Father. His preaching was a declaration that made clear that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. It was a message concerning man’s sin, and a message concerning salvation in Himself. ESV John 7:7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. ESV John 8:28 So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.

Topics

• Jesus Christ