Go! And Trust In The Messiah Series

Go! And Trust in the Messiah

Introduction:

Life is filled with moments of doubt. Even the strongest among us may question what we once knew to be true. Today, we will explore a moment of doubt in the life of John the Baptist. A man who boldly proclaimed the coming of the Messiah finds himself in a dark prison cell, questioning whether Jesus truly is the One he had been waiting for. Our passage today is found in Matthew 11:2-3:

"John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 'Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?'" (Matthew 11:2-3, NLT)

I. The Crisis of Faith (Matthew 11:2-3)

John the Baptist was no ordinary man. He was the prophet chosen to prepare the way for the Lord. In Matthew 3:11-12, John proclaimed:

"I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire." (Matthew 3:11-12, NLT)

John expected the Messiah to bring judgment and justice. Yet, from his prison cell, he saw none of the fire and judgment he anticipated. Instead, Jesus was healing, teaching, and showing mercy. His expectations were not being met, and so he asked, "Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?"

How often do we, like John, find ourselves questioning God’s plans when things don’t unfold the way we expect? We pray for healing, but sickness persists. We seek justice, but injustice seems to prevail. In those moments, doubt can creep in.

II. The Messiah’s Response (Matthew 11:4-6)

Jesus does not rebuke John for his doubt. Instead, He responds with truth and evidence:

"Jesus told them, 'Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. And tell him, "God blesses those who do not turn away because of me."'" (Matthew 11:4-6, NLT)

Jesus points John back to the prophecies of Isaiah 35:5-6 and Isaiah 61:1, which speak of the healing and preaching ministry of the Messiah. Jesus was fulfilling Scripture in ways that went beyond John’s expectations.

When we face doubt, we must return to God’s Word. Scripture reveals God’s faithfulness and reassures us of His plans, even when we do not understand them.

Charles Spurgeon once said, "God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken. When we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart."

Charles Spurgeon’s words remind us of an unshakable truth: God’s goodness, wisdom, and sovereignty remain constant, even when our circumstances seem uncertain.

When we face trials, we may struggle to see how God is working, yet Scripture reassures us that His ways are always higher than ours.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT), “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

We may not always understand His plans, but we can trust His heart—a heart full of love, mercy, and faithfulness.

In Romans 8:28 (NLT), we are reminded:

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

Even when life seems difficult, God’s wisdom is never flawed. He sees what we cannot. He orchestrates our lives with divine precision, weaving every joy and sorrow into a greater purpose.

Job, in the midst of unimaginable suffering, declared in Job 23:10 (NLT):

"But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold."

We may not always be able to trace God’s hand in the moment, but we can trust His heart because His character is unchanging. He is good. He is faithful. He is sovereign.

So when life’s path seems unclear, instead of doubting, let us hold firm to the truth: God’s heart is always for us.

III. The Greatness of John and the Kingdom of God (Matthew 11:7-11)

After John’s disciples leave, Jesus speaks to the crowd about John: