Well, this morning, we return to our series of moments of doubt in people of faith. So far, we have considered four people from the Old Testament, Sarah, Moses, Gideon, and Elijah. And then two weeks ago now, we turned to the New Testament, and we began by looking at Zechariah, the priest, all people who are the Lords yet who had shaky moments at some point in their lives regarding trusting the Lord. We saw last time with Zechariah how the angel Gabriel came to him when he was on temple duty and informed him that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a son in their old age and that their son would be the forerunner of the Messiah. And Zechariah's response was one of unbelief. He could not understand how this would be possible biologically, despite being steeped in the Old Testament and knowing that the Lord had worked this miracle many times before where he had enabled women who were barren to have children. So for his unbelief, Zechariah was struck deaf and dumb from that moment. And this chastisement lasted the duration of Elizabeth's pregnancy. And then later at the end of Luke chapter one, when the baby is born and Zechariah affirms the baby's name to be John, as the angel had instructed him, then Zechariah was unable to speak again. And at the end of Luke 1, he went on to make a prophecy about the work of his son, the work that John would do as a prophet, preparing people for Christ's coming, preparing people for the Lord's salvation. I'm sure you've realized by now from our two readings that The next person we're going to look at in our series is, of course, Zechariah and Elizabeth's son, John the Baptist. We see from chapter three where we read, first of all, that his ministry was just as it had been foretold, foretold by the angel Gabriel, foretold by Zechariah and his prophecy, but actually, before that, foretold by the Old Testament prophets. John preached a message of repentance. He called people to turn from their sins and to seek the Lord, the Lord who is coming to save. And the baptism he administered symbolized cleansing and forgiveness of sins. That's the message he had for the people. If they will truly repent, God will forgive them. And that truth of God remains true today. It's true for you, my friend. God forgives. Will you seek him? Will you turn from your sin? Will you receive his forgiveness? And John had gathered a great following, Israel, hadn't had a prophet among them since Malachi 400 years ago. And he preached with the authority of a prophet. And he made the religious leaders of the day very jealous. He embarrassed them by calling out their hypocrisy. but he also caused problems among the civil rulers as well. And we see from verses 19 and 20 in chapter three that John is eventually put in prison for what he said to Herod concerning his actions and particularly concerning his brother's wife. And so it's from prison that in chapter seven, John sends his disciples to Jesus. And the fact that John is in prison at this point is confirmed by the parallel account of this in Matthew chapter 11. We see in chapter seven in verses 17 and 18 that the reports about Jesus are spreading. He preaches with an authority never encountered before. He heals the sick. He even raises the dead. The people are convinced that there is a great prophet among them in Jesus. And so these reports are eventually brought to John by his disciples. We see that in verse 18. But what does John do upon hearing these reports? Well, in verse 19, we see that he sends two of his disciples to Jesus to ask him if he really is the coming one. He wants to know directly from Jesus if it is him or if they were to look for another. Now, John knew from the Old Testament prophets that there was one who was coming to bring judgment and salvation. He knew that this one coming was far mightier than him and he would bring judgment as well as salvation. And we see really what John's message was back in chapter three and verses 16 and 17. And these verses will be key to understanding why John seems to be doubting. It says there, John answered, saying to all, I indeed baptise you with water, but one mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to lose. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. He knows people must repent before this coming one. that they must bear the fruits worthy of repentance. John knew all this, and previously he has even declared that this coming one is Jesus. When he saw Jesus, we're told in another gospel, he said, behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He baptized Jesus, he saw the heavens open, and the Spirit descend upon him like a dove. And he heard the Father's voice affirming Christ's divine sonship. And yet now here is John in prison, no doubt in horrendous conditions. And he's asking Jesus to affirm that he really is the one. John seems so sure at one point when he was in the wilderness preaching, he declared it to the people with boldness. Now he appears to be wrestling with doubt. And so he tells his disciples to ask Jesus, are you the coming one or do we look for another? What happened? Why such change? Well, first we have to ask, was John actually doubting? Most scholars affirm that he was, but there are a couple of commentators who disagree, most notably John Calvin and J.C. Ryle, whose insights should never be ignored, likely. And they argue that John didn't send his disciples to Jesus with these questions for his own benefit, but actually for their. benefit that John knew fine and he knew his time was up and he wanted them now to go and follow Jesus and be absolutely certain from Jesus himself. But I think that John is struggling with doubt here because in verse 22 Jesus instructs these disciples to go back to John and tell him Jesus wants them not just to know these things themselves, but they have to go and tell these things to John. John has to know. John who's in prison and who's hearing rumors, hearing things about Jesus. Jesus gives that word of assurance for John. But notice that there's no rebuke for John. Why? Because this isn't sinful unbelief like his father, Zechariah. This is someone who's seeking confirmation for his faith, someone who's suffered much for serving the Lord, who is so uncertain of what the future holds for him, and who's just needing a word of encouragement. Jesus deals so gently with him. because that's who Jesus is. He knows what we go through. He knew John's circumstances and John's reasons for these moments of doubt. Jesus is compassionate and understanding and gently bears with us. And he's often more gracious towards us than we are to others, and at times than we are to ourselves. And so he gives a word of encouragement to John, which we'll come on to. But first we have to ask, well, why is John doubting? I'm sure we would all perhaps have crisis moments in our thinking. We would all go into the depths if we were thrown in prison. and we're living in horrendous conditions. No doubt that's a factor in it. John is human after all. But to understand why John's doubting, we have to go back to chapter three and look at the message that John preached. And that shows us, that shows us John's understanding of what he, believed the Messiah was coming to do. And so we read a couple of minutes ago from verses 16 and 17 of John chapter three. And we see there that John's message, and indeed in this passage, is really he's saying to the people, repent. Repent, because the Christ is coming in judgment, and he shall separate. The winnowing fork will be in his hand. there is everlasting fire for those who do not and reject him. Now, of course, we know from the other gospels that John was aware of Christ being the Lamb of God who would deal with his people's sins. But the aspect of John's preaching that Luke focuses on in chapter three is that Christ will bring a baptism of the Holy Spirit and he will come in judgment to bring punishment on the wicked. Bear in mind also John's understanding of the Messiah from the Old Testament. The Messiah is portrayed as the kingly ruler who would come conquering his force, restoring Israel. This was the coming one after John. John's words revealed such power, such glory, such authority concerning the Messiah. Wouldn't the Messiah bring spiritual revival and restoration in Israel? John's hearing rumors about the people believing him to be a prophet. Isn't he meant to be more than that? Isn't there meant to be great acts of power? But none of that seems to be happening. In fact, the forerunner has been thrown in prison. There's no change in Israel. There's just a hardness among the religious and civil authorities. They didn't repent. They didn't heed John's warnings. They threw him in prison. Even though John is hearing about the miracles Jesus is doing, even though some people are affirming that he's from God, there's no great national change. So John's probably thinking, has his ministry all been in vain? He's given up so much. He's gone without worldly comforts and his clothing and his living. It's all been in vain. those words that he said about the Messiah coming in judgment. Where is that? Are John's words not true? Is he really a prophet? There is some evidence. John is hearing about the miracles. No one else has this power or authority. John has good reason to believe it is Jesus. And he does, he does believe, but all of what he was expecting hasn't come to pass. seeks confirmation from Jesus himself. He just wants to confirm, is it really him or are they to look for another? Jesus responds by telling John's disciples to go and tell John the things that they have seen and heard. because Jesus was doing and continued to do his miracles when they came. We see that in verse 21. He didn't just give them words for John, he gave them his actions. And then in verse 22, the things that Jesus gives them are all things found in the Old Testament, all things that were prophesied concerning the Messiah. This is Jesus' cure for John's doubt. To take him back to the Old Testament, to take John there to see what was said about the Messiah and to affirm that these things are being done by Jesus. All things that would happen in Israel's future as signs that the Messiah was here and the Lord's salvation was at hand and so Jesus mainly References Isaiah 35 and 61. Listen to what it says in Isaiah 35 verses 5 or 4 to 6. He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb sing. Listen to Isaiah 26, 19. Your dead shall live. Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust. Isaiah 29, 18. In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. You see some other things in Isaiah 42, the same work that the Lord's servant will do. And then finally, Isaiah 61. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. John knows these scriptures. He knows they concern the Messiah. And what's Jesus' words to John in verse 22? Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard, that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. Jesus is saying to John, it is me. And these miracles that Jesus did, they're not just confirming that he is the divine Messiah. These miracles are also showing the nature of his saving work. Because throughout his earthly ministry, what Jesus does to bodies, he does to souls. See how these things are illustrating what Jesus does when he brings new life to us. The blind see. We once walked in spiritual darkness, without hope and without God in the world, no thought of God, couldn't see our own sinfulness, couldn't see our great peril before our Creator. Jesus enables us to see the lame walk, unable to help ourselves, unable to take one step forward in salvation, to seek God, to walk with God. Jesus enables his people to come and have life. The lepers are cleansed. Sin has so affected us that we are guilty from head to toe. We are diseased, cannot cure ourselves. In those days, leprosy was an incurable disease in terms of worldly medicine. Jesus cleanses, makes us fit for God's presence. The leper couldn't come in to the camp because God is so holy. Jesus cleanses the lepers. The deaf here, those whose ears were stopped, who couldn't hear God's words, couldn't hear him speaking, enables us to hear. And above all, the poor have the gospel preached to them, the good news for those who have no hope before God because of their sin. This is the work of Jesus Christ. This is what he does to his people by his sacrifice By his dying and rising and sending forth his Holy Spirit, he cleanses, he awakens, he brings life. That's what he will do for you if you come to him and receive him. If you don't, if you continue on in unbelief, you're seeing, you're showing what your condition truly is. Do you not see it? Do you see how you're cut off from God? Spiritually blind, lame, diseased, unclean, deaf to his warnings, dead. and in such a state of poverty before the one to whom you owe everything. Jesus Christ changes all that. Will you receive him? Will you receive his finished work on your behalf? And so Jesus informs John that he does all this to show that he is the Messiah. Jesus is saying to John, these things are taking place. And he saves the best till last. Which of these things is the greatest out of the list? The preaching of the gospel. And these other things, earthly lives are being improved and extended, showing Jesus' power, illustrating the salvation he brings to us all. But the gospel, the preaching of the gospel is the offer of salvation, an offer that is made to you today. Eternal life is being held out to them. And so Jesus, in his response to John, he finishes it off with his Isaiah 61, one. The poor have the gospel preached to them. It's interesting to understand how Jesus is responding to John. There's a part of the next verse that Jesus misses out. What John would have understood goes on to say that he would, as well as preaching the gospel to the poor, he would proclaim the year of the Lord's favour and the day of vengeance for God. It's how John understood that the Messiah would come in vengeance, in judgment. But Jesus doesn't mention that part here. He only makes reference to some of the verse. Why? Because it's not time for that part yet. Jesus is not coming first of all to burn up in judgment. No, he's coming first with the good news. He's coming first to suffer and die for his people so that they will be safe in him when he comes again in judgment. So you see, when John said back in 317, when he said there about Christ's winnowing fan being in his hand, cleaning the threshing floor, gathering the wheat, burning the chaff. These words weren't going to be fulfilled at Christ's first coming. No, they're going to be fulfilled with his second coming. He died, he rose, he's gone to his Father in heaven. He sent forth his Holy Spirit upon the church. He's coming back in judgment. You see, John's ministry is much more than he thought. John's ministry wasn't just to prepare people for Christ's first coming. His ministry is also to prepare people for his second coming. He preaches repentance. He makes people aware of their sin, their need to repent, so that they understand what Christ has come to do, that they will receive Christ when he comes. See, he's also warning people, Christ's coming in judgment. But that wasn't the first coming. And so John feared his ministry was a failure. He feared his work had been in vain because he didn't understand all that God was going to do through him. God was doing more than John realized. And so John's ministry continues today. John's ministry has continued by the church preparing the way for the Lord. John in his earthly life prepared people for Christ's first coming. John was eventually beheaded. Jesus finished his work on the cross. And now as the church, our job is to prepare people for Christ's coming again. We're preparing his way. We're calling people to repentance. We call them to faith in the Christ who has come. And that call to repentance is still given. It's a call made to you and to me that the Lord is coming. He has come once already. He has offered up the perfect sacrifice for sin. He's coming again to judge the living and the dead. He will separate into two camps all those who received him. will enter into life, all those who reject him will suffer eternal death, always dying, eternal fire and punishment. And so the call to you is the same as John gave, repent. John said, repent and seek the one who is coming. We say, repent and seek the one who has come, who has done which no one else has ever done. Look at his miracles. No one has that authority. He rose from the dead by his own power, having given up his life. Look to him for mercy. Trust in his death on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins. John's ministry continues. John's ministry has implications for you, though he has been dead 2,000 years. And how has John's ministry affected you? Have you acknowledged your guilt? Have you confessed and turned from your sins? And is that your daily experience now as a Christian? The more you know of Christ, the more you're aware of your own sinfulness. And so each day we must come to repent, knowing that God has promised to cleanse his people. And so as you repent, which is one side of the coin, the other side of the coin is faith. As you confess your sins and seek to turn from them each day, are you trusting fully in Jesus Christ, crucified for you and risen for you? Christ is coming again. He is coming in judgment. The question for you is, what if that day had been yesterday? Where would you be now? The moment he comes, that's it. Your decision is permanent. Where were you looking to be saved yesterday? Were you looking to Christ or were you looking for another? Were you looking to yourself? Thinking you're okay on your own, you're a good person, you're fine, God will accept you, why wouldn't he? Is that still the case today? Or if you turn from yourself, can you see there's no hope in you? All your righteousnesses are as filthy rags before Him. Will you turn and look to Christ and trust in Him alone, renouncing all self-righteousness? All your good deeds contribute nothing, but Jesus Christ is all. Do you think this is all nonsense? How do you know that Jesus Christ will come again? Well, Jesus goes on in the verses that follow, in verses 24 to 27, or 28 rather, he goes on to confirm that John is a prophet, and what prophets declare. What true prophets declare is off the Lord, and it will come to pass. And John has said, Jesus is coming back. He's coming in judgment. He is the messenger that is foretold in Malachi chapter three. And that means his words will come true. So are you doubting this morning? Are you doubting Jesus? Jesus said, and blessed is he who is not offended because of me, in verse 23. Because the gospel brings offense. The message to you is that you have no hope enough yourself. You need Jesus, and if you do not receive him, you will eternally perish. It causes offense, it's a stumbling block. Yes, that's right, your only hope is a man who died and who rose 2,000 years ago. That's it. It's him or it's hell. What's it going to be? Are you doubting he can save you? Do not doubt that. Look at his compassion. Look at his gentleness. Look at his mercy. Look how these tax collectors come, the outcasts of society, such questionable characters. They came, they repented. The same will be true for you, because the one who comes to Jesus Christ, he has promised he will in no wise cast out. The one who calls upon his name will be saved. Christian, you may be a bit more like John this morning. You're doubting what he's doing in your life. You're not sitting in a prison cell, but you're wondering, what have I done for the Lord? I wasted my life, my time. Don't see any difference in my family. Don't see any difference in my neighbors, my community around about me. It's true, we do not see Christ honored in the world as we would like. Very much appears to be the day of small things where we are. John thought things would be different. He thought he would preach and the Messiah would come and it would be great. Power didn't think he would be cast into a prison cell. It's not how he imagined the Messiah's coming. Don't give up because circumstances are different from how you imagined they would be. How often we run way ahead of God's timing, just as John did here. It wasn't time for Christ to do what John had prophesied concerning judgment. There was a gospel to be preached first. There were souls to be won. There was a price to be paid at Calvary for the sins of his people. John ran way ahead of God's timing. Often we do the same. Our job is to keep working, keep witnessing, keep praying. We continue to prepare people. We call them to repentance and faith in Christ. And one day, one day Christ's honor, his name will be vindicated. One day he will receive all the honor due to him. And so Jesus gives John assurance by reminding him of what's going on now. And John could take confidence that Christ really is the one promised. And that everything else said about him would come to pass eventually. But now he had enough. He saw enough. He was told enough of what Christ had done to know that the future would be certain as was prophesied. And as we remember what Jesus has done, as we remember His death at Calvary, His glorious resurrection. He has ascended to heaven. He is right now interceding for us at the Father's right hand. As we remember that, we are reminded of the certainty of what He will do one day. In verse 28, after Jesus affirms that John is a faithful and good prophet, one who was firm and not shaken like a reed in the wind, one who was firm and steadfast, one who was not, as 25 says, in the king's court just telling the king what he wanted to hear, as false prophets did. No, he was the one, the messenger of Malachi. But then in verse 28, Jesus says about John, for I say to you, among those born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist, but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. What does that mean? John's the greatest prophets, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than him. Remember, John was the last of the Old Testament prophets. What Jesus means here is that those who come after, we have a clearer knowledge of Jesus than John did. We have greater spiritual privileges. John had his Old Testament and he had the accounts of Jesus during his earthly life. We have the full canon of scripture. We see what Jesus went on to do in dying and rising. John died in faith of these things, not seeing them fulfilled in his lifetime. but we have the assurance of these things in God's word, greater spiritual privileges than those who were before the time of Christ on earth. Then Jesus ends with a condemning word for the Pharisees. We see from verse 31 on, the words out well, how they wouldn't receive John's baptism, neither would they receive Jesus. And they criticized both, Jesus points out in verses 33 and 34. What they criticized John for not doing, they criticized Jesus for doing. It's just one of those situations you can't win. And that was just a cover for their own rejection of God's will and command for them to repent and be saved. Is that the reason you've not professed faith in Christ today? See, it's all your conversation about criticising Christians and other churches. And you hear many people like to do that. Unbelievers love to do that, like to give their turpentine about what Christians should and should not be doing, often with much stricter rules than the Bible gives. See, it's a distraction, it's a deflection from talking about the state of your own soul. Are you one that's full of criticism for others when really you haven't come and repented and received Jesus Christ? Look at the difference between the Pharisees and the tax collectors. They did. They received John's baptism, they knew they were sinners. They received Jesus, the friend of tax collectors and sinners, and that's true wisdom. They justified God, that means they declared God to be just. They acknowledged Jesus and John. And that wisdom of God given to them is justified in their actions, in their declaring God to be righteous and just, which is what verse 35 means. But do you, do you declare God to be righteous? If so, you'll know your need to repent and to seek his mercy. And it's offered to you today in Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Savior. And that's only shown if you take heed to their words. So friends, that's John the Baptist, the greatest of the prophets, one who had a shaky moment as he was in prison. We see that he didn't truly understand what his ministry really involved. He didn't understand the timings of it all. But his ministry extended beyond his lifetime. It continues today. The Lord is coming. How do you respond to that? Will you repent and seek him or will you continue in unbelief? Let's pray. Father in heaven, in your mercy we ask that you would grant each one of us the humility of heart and spirit to confess our sins before you. to confess that we are helpless when it comes to salvation. We are without strength. We are unable to make ourselves right with you. We pray that we would realize we have no righteousness and that we would gladly receive the righteousness you offer in your son. Make us those who will surrender to him as our prophet, priest and king and give us every encouragement in your word that he reigns on high this day. He is reigning for all things in heaven and on earth. and help us to be those looking with gladness to his coming when we will be taken up to meet him and when we will dwell with him forever in his kingdom and help us to call those around us to that repentance to be faithful as your church and witnessing for Christ and preparing his way by shouting from the rooftops, by going out to the highways and byways to make known of the way of the coming King. So we ask that you would encourage us with these words today, that you would bless us, and that these things would enable us to walk on in faith and in hope, trusting in Christ, our Saviour and Lord. In his name we pray, amen. To finish, we're going to read from Psalm 118 in the Scottish Psalter. Psalm 118 in the Scottish Psalter. We're going to read verses 19 to 29. Psalm 118, reading from verse 19. O set ye open unto me the gates of righteousness, then will I enter into them. and I the Lord will bless. This is the gate of God, by it the just shall enter in. Thee will I praise, for thou me heardst, and hast my safety been. That stone is made head-corner stone, which builders did despise. This is the doing of the Lord, and wondrous in our eyes. This is the day God made, in it we'll joy triumphantly. Save now, I pray thee, Lord. I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he in God's great name that cometh us to save we from the house which to the Lord pertains, you blessed have. God is the Lord who unto us hath made light to arise. Bind ye unto the altar's horns with cords the sacrifice. Thou art my God, I'll thee exalt. My God, I will thee praise. Give thanks to God, for he is good. His mercy lasts always. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.