The Good News

After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness 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 out 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 you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

There is a saying: the more you know, the more you know you don’t know. It speaks to our arrogance as hu- mans. We often believe in very specific, black and white ways. We do this about many things, and while we often want to blame the arrogance of youth, adults are not exempt. How we think life is going to go is rarely how it actually goes.

What we believe about certain people is sometimes proven wrong when we actually get to know them. Even some of our deeply held beliefs are sometimes shaken when confronted with tragedy or when someone we love walks a different road. Unmet expectations can lead to shaky ground. Our equilibrium is thrown off. How can what we always believed to be true possibly be wrong? Have you ever been there? Had something confront your expectations, or even your belief systems, so drastically that you began to wonder what is true?

That is where John is in this text today. He had these ideas about who the Messiah would be and what he would do. He was anticipating this radical, cataclysmic judgment for those not following God, for those who have oppressed the people of God. We can see this clearly prior to Jesus’s baptism when John references an ax at the root of the trees and says that the trees that don’t bear fruit will be thrown into the fire (Matthew 3:10–12). John was obviously waiting for the ax to fall. Yet here he is in prison. Instead of watching his enemies fall by the ax of God, he now awaits the ax of his own death. So, he doubts. He wonders, Have I been wrong? Is Jesus really the Messiah?

John was the first to recognize the Messiah—while still in the womb—yet here he is, wondering. If the Messiah doesn’t look the way John thought he would, is he still the Messiah? If Christ isn’t working in my life or in the world the way I want him to, is he still Christ?

John questions whether Jesus is the Messiah

He heard what Jesus was doing, and it wasn’t what he expected of the Messiah. We see from Matthew 3 that John expected more judgment from the Messiah.

This is consistent with what we know most of the Jewish people believed about the Messiah.

There were many awaiting a political king.

We even know that at the time of Jesus’s birth the Magi went to Jerusalem seeking him since that was the logical place for a king to be born.

The freedom they desired was from political oppression.

We know that there was a great fear of Herod. 1. Herod Antipas was a jealous king who murdered his own family to stay in power.

At Jesus’s birth he put out an edict to kill all boys under the age of two in order to get rid of the threat of a new king.

This paranoia is still present since Herod fears the followers of Jesus, and an uprising.

Herod also seems to assume that the Messiah is going to come for political rule.

We question God sometimes

We often expect God to move in the ways we want him to.

i. We ask God to bless us in very specific ways: material needs and wants (everyone has them), worries and fears, relationships

What if it’s not that God isn’t blessing us while he blesses others? What if we miss some of his best blessings while looking for something else?

ii. We question where God is in the midst of tragedy. What if God is in the midst of the tragedy, grieving with us?

iii. We often view God as being on our side of a political opinion.

What if, instead, God is asking us to completely reframe our thinking—not around a political system

but around the kingdom of God?

What if we are looking for political power while God is asking us to change our hearts and care for

our neighbors?

When we look for a very specific type of Jesus, we often begin to question if Jesus is the Messiah he says he is.

i. We need to be looking at acts of mercy. In the ways we find people restored and freed. In gener- osity and love toward our neighbors. In the places where resurrection is happening.

Advent is about expectation—but what are we expecting?

Jesus brings good news to everyone

After his time in the wilderness Jesus went out doing these amazing acts of mercy. It is heralded as the kingdom of God coming near in the presence and activity of Jesus.

There were dramatic healings, yes. But not everyone was healed. Some people were brought back to life physically! Amazing. And yet, all of them had another funeral. Death was still part of life. But most importantly, new life was springing up all around.

The message was for everyone. But even for the poor. Jesus said in his message to John: The Good News is Preached to the Poor.

In the ancient world the wrong thought was those who made it were the blessed ones. In today’s world we put a different spin on it and our culture says only the strong survive. But it’s the same old lie: that good news is only for a few. Jesus turned those ideas upside down and focused on those in need. Whether it was just needing a friend or needing healing or the poor. He came to breath life into their forgotten worlds.

In the message he sent to John who baptized he’s enlarging John’s vision. John, dream bigger. It’s not just about repentance and forgiveness. It’s about new life, healing, hope and joy for everyone who first believes in and then follows Jesus. It’s about eternal life invading this life now with life and strength and help. That’s a message to believe in.

Jesus still brings good news today

You may not have everything you hoped you would have in the bank, but if you’ve got Jesus you’ve got more than you may know to hope for. The stock market may go down or up but Jesus is your rock and your hope for life. If you need a job, continue to serve and be diligent in everyday matters. Trust God to provide. They say don’t put all your eggs in one basket. There’s a certain wisdom in that. But why not go all in with God and trust him? We can live bigger and better when we are focused on trusting him to provide for our needs.

The political landscape may seem like chaos, but Jesus is your peace. He was born the king. He’s not running for office or up for re-election. Look beyond Washington DC and look to Bethlehem! The Child carries all our hopes and dreams as he rests in his mother’s arms. Sometimes our leaders seem to act like children. They are a lot like us. Jesus is the grownup in every room who can lead us forward in faith.

We feel like we have to get so busy this time of year. Instead, slow down. Serve others. Read. Pray. Take loving action in someone’s life. Rest if you need to, but don’t hide away. The cold and dark days can cause us to curl up in a cocoon. Keep simple warm connections with those around you this time of year.

Lift your head, this season. It’s good news time. Jesus is here. Jesus brings life. Jesus brings healing. Jesus brings love and hope to you and me. Such very good news.

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