Sermon prepared by The Holy Spirit

and Pastor Andrew T. Okai

3^rd Sunday in Advent

December 11, 2016

 

Sermon Text: Matthew 11:1–22

Sermon Theme: The Prison of Persuasion (Part 1)

 

Introduction: Grace, Mercy, and Peace...

 

As we continue on our Advent journey today, I want to draw our attention to the experience of John the Baptist as he languished in his prison cell. (a two-part sermon)

 

This subject is needed today because as we are on our own pilgrimage, James admonishes us in our second reading today to persevere... (John persevered)

 

And so as we tune our hearts in to hear from God this morning, let’s find out why John was here and what he was facing.

 

BACKGROUND...

John was cast into this prison because of his preaching. It seems that Herod, who was king of a fourth part of the Roman province of Palestine, had taken his brother’s wife, a woman by the name of Herodias, and had married her. John had preached publicly against this vile and unlawful relationship and he had been arrested and thrown into prison by the king (Luke 3:19–20; Matthew 14:3–4). In fact, Herod would have executed John (Matthew 14:5), but he feared the public backlash, because all the people accepted John the Baptist as a prophet sent from the Lord.

        While in this prison, John began to have some doubts and concerns about who Jesus was and what He was doing. John’s doubts worked against his faith and caused him to question the person and work of Jesus. 

 

Let us join John in this prison, because I believe that many of God’s children pass through it as well. 

        There are times when we all experience doubts and fears. There are times when we wonder about our salvation and about our faith. During those trying times of doubt and fear, we ask ourselves some pretty deep questions.  “Am I really saved?  Am I really secured?  What if I made a mistake?  What if Jesus isn’t really the way to Heaven? What if the Muslims, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Mormons, the whoever’s are right and I am wrong? What if the Bible is not really the Word of God? What if God can’t really take care of me and meet my needs?”

       

Now, most of us wouldn’t admit it out loud, but we have found ourselves assaulted by questions like these. We have wondered about our faith... When we have allowed these questions to rise in our hearts, we probably found ourselves locked in the same prison in which John found himself. Let’s join him there today and consider what he did and what he experienced in the Prison of His Persuasions. (We chose this topic because prisons are designed to persuade us...)

 

 

THE DECEPTIONS OF THIS PRISON

Mathew 11:2–3When 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?”

What John Doubted in This Prison—In his prison, John had come to doubt the very person of Jesus. This is the same John who was so bold in his preaching concerning Jesus. (He doubted whether or not Jesus was the Messiah... because of HIS expectations)

Does this sound familiar? If God is real, why am I going through this?

Isaiah 55:8–9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

 

What John Discovered in This Prison. Verse 2 says, “Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ…” John is locked up and he can no longer see the Lord Jesus as He heals and ministers.

 

His heart has become clouded with doubts and questions. (Discouragement, disappointment...)

He discovered that our faith is more challenged whenever we are alone... E.g., Eve, Jesus...

This is why we get these comforting words from our Lord... Matthew 28:20b I am with you always even to the end of the world.

 

What John Did In This Prison—When doubts arose in John’s heart, he did the right thing: he turned to Jesus for the answers he needed.

That is where help will be found in a time of doubt!

 

Hear me well today: John found himself locked in this prison of doubt because he listened to his own heart. (When we listen to what we think, what we feel, what we see; or to what our hearts tell us, we are in trouble!)

        We cannot trust our eyes; they don’t see everything. We cannot trust what we feel; because we are called to walk by faith not by feelings. We certainly cannot trust your heart, because the heart is a liar. Jer. 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

 

So as we sojourn, let us be reminded that God knows exactly what he is doing with us... let us be encouraged as we wait to hear more about John the Baptist next week.