Sermon prepared by The Holy Spirit

And Pastor Andrew T. Okai

Fourth Sunday in Advent

December 18, 2016

 

Sermon text: Matthew 11:2–15

Sermon theme: The Prison of Persuasion (Part 2)

 

Introduction

Grace, mercy, and peace...

 

Today is the last Sunday in Advent.

We are doing the second and final part of the message we started last week under the topic “The Prison of Persuasion.”

 

In last week’s message we talked about how John the Baptist was placed in prison for his preaching publicly against King Herod for taking his brother’s wife Herodias, and marrying her...

 

We also talked about how began to have some doubts and concerns about who Jesus was while he was in prison, and how his doubts worked against his faith... We also cautioned ourselves not to fall into the temptation of criticizing John the Baptist because we all experience doubts and fears in one way or another...

 

Highlighted points from last week:

What John doubted in this prison: Doubted the person of Jesus...

What John discovered in this prison: Faith is challenged when we are alone...

What John did in this prison: He turned to Jesus for the answers he needed...Prayers work...

 

TODAY: We want to see how Jesus deals with John the Baptist’s frustration and see how we can learn from his application in this situation...

 

John the Baptist was helped in prison

Matthew 11:4 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.”

It is evident that the report sent back to John by Jesus helped him overcome his doubts and fears... considering the fact that John died a willing martyr for the glory of God; Matthew 14:6–12

 

Notice that what helped John in his imprisonment was the proving ministry of Jesus... (In Jesus’ response to John he was simply saying no one has done or will ever do what I am doing)

Lesson: When we seem to find ourselves questioning the validity of the person of our Lord, let us remember his very works...

 

Some things were hidden from John in prison

Matthew 11:7 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?

As I read this part of the text, I began to wonder, what is God thinking about me when I’m having my own moments of fears and doubts?...

(Sometimes in our own little prisons we whine about how God cares less about us, when in reality it is completely the opposite...)

 

LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS JESUS TOOK IN ACCOUNT OF JOHN...

Verse 7 A Reed swayed by the wind—John was not blown away by the changing winds of political and religious favors... He was a steady rock...

 

Verse 8 A man dressed in fine clothes—A man who came to serve, not be served...

 

Verses 9–10 ...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.

The last of the O.T. and the first of the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ... (He was very special in God’s eyes...)

 

Well, you may be looking at all of this and saying, God can never look at me this way because I have never done such great things... (I tell you there are days when I feel the same way too...)

 

I believe God hides our progress from us to keep us from becoming prideful...

 

I also believe that heaven is full of great surprises...

 

So as we serve God in this world, let us always remember as it was read in today’s Gospel that his name shall be called Emmanuel; let’s be reminded of the meaning of that name (God is with us...)