Matthew 11:1 - 24

“When Jesus had finished…”. 

Matthew uses this phrase after each of the great five addresses we find in this gospel (7:28, 11:1, 13:53, 19:1, and 26:1).  It helps us understand the structure of the Book. 

The first address, chapters one through seven, have been getting us settled. They have been about Jesus as part of God’s plan, about Jesus’ teaching, about Jesus himself. In the second address, chapters eight through ten, we’ve looked at discipleship and mission. 

Today, as we begin working our way through his third address, we are faced with the questions, “Do we believe Jesus is the Messiah? Dare we believe? Will we respond? 

To be clear, Matthew’s Gospel up to this point has have MORE than suggested Jesus is the Messiah. 

Before we are called upon to answer this question of who we think Jesus is, we read of someone else asking the question. It is not just anyone asking. It is John the Baptist. 

John the Baptist gives voice to what has been up to this point, the unspoken question.

Remarkable that we have John the Baptist ask this question. Think of the scene from Jesus’ baptism in chapter two, or what John the Baptist said in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John the Baptist’s witness up to this point is confident. His confidence coupled to his question in this text should give us hope. Think of it. The one whom Jesus said in Matthew 11:11, “There is no one greater” has his disciples go and ask Jesus if he is really “the one”. 

POINT ONE: If you are asking out loud if Jesus is really “the one”, then you are in good company. It is okay, in fact necessary, to ask this question.

Let’s now move onto how Jesus instructs John’s disciples to discern the answer. He says, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see.” 

Jesus is not afraid of being tested. He simply wants you to test him against the Scriptures. You can see this as he takes what he has done and compares it to what God’s Word says the Messiah will do.

POINT TWO: The simple standard for the test is his behavior compared to the Word of God.

Today, as you think about Jesus, do you believe he is the Messiah? If you do not, would you simply draw a line down the center of a piece of paper. On one side list the things Jesus has done. On the other side of the line list the Scriptures that speak of the Messiah.

This of course requires you believe God’s Word is the standard. Do you?