As we continue in this Advent season it is important to remember that we are not just preparing for Christmas but when Jesus comes again as our saviour and our judge.
In today’s Gospel reading we hear of John being in trouble because he was a witness of Jesus.
John’s story of following Jesus begins in Luke 1:44, where even before he was born we hear that John is excited to be in the presence of Jesus.
Then we don’t hear much about John until a reading we heard last week in Matthew 3, where John prepares the way by calling people to repent.
John is also the one who baptises Jesus.
And today in Matthew 11 we hear that John is in gaol, and this has lead to doubts of whether following Jesus is good idea.
And in Matthew 14:10 we see that John dies as a result of following Jesus.
What difficulties do you face as a result of following Jesus?
Rejection?
Persecution?
Doubts?
Have you ever asked the question or something similar that John asked in today’s Gospel reading,
"Jesus are you the one I should trust my entire life with or should I look elsewhere?"
Now interestingly Jesus doesn’t follow a line that is popular amongst many people today.
Jesus doesn’t say,
’hey John sorry mate you are in trouble,
look I want you to be happy and comfortable,
I want you to be well off,
forget about this suffering,
go and do what makes you happy’
Jesus doesn’t say ’ohh don’t worry about not being a witness for me, so you can be happy and comfortable.’
From time to time each of us fall for a false gospel.
The false gospel say that Jesus wants us to be happy, wealthy, comfortable and wise, right now and all the time.
That my friends is not scriptural.
Being happy, wealthy, comfortable and wise is not necessarily evil, but it is not scriptural.
It is not the determing factor of whether God is pleased with you or not.
So your relationship with God should never be measured on whether these things exist in your life.
And if you strive only for these things you risk your healthy relationship with God.
Why?
Because your decisions of whether you will listen to God,
come to church,
participate in bible studies,
continue being a witness for God in this world amongst your family and friends will not be on the basis of what God’s perspective on life is, but on your own perspective.
As a young boy growing up I was often torn between my football club and my church.
And the football club often appealed to me a lot more.
Simply becuase I was accepted by more people and had a lot more friends at my football club than at church.
Unfortunately the football club was a place where everyone was accepted, well nearly everyone,
whilst the church seemed to be a place where you had to dress right, like the some old fashioned kind of music, and act in certain ways to be accepted.
Fortunately this is not the church that God talks about, nor is it the church that we are meant to be. However as a result of my experience I felt less interested in church and more interested in the football club.
That was until an older football following friend of mine, encouraged me to remember that what the God offers throught he church, are good things that will last forever, and whilst they may the church may not be as enticing as a football club, it offers far more than a football club. One is focused on eternal life, whilst the other is simply focussed on making you happy now?
What seems more appealing to you?
Does it offer eternal life, a better life?
It is easy for us to question whether following Jesus is the right thing, particularly when there are other things that seem more enticing.
Now even John when stuck in prison questioned, whether Jesus was the way, or not?
Interestingly listen to how Jesus responds to those who were to bring the message to John.
The first is directly to John via some messengers
Go tell John what you hear and see:
The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them. Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
In other words Jesus tells John not to look at his own life to determine if Jesus is the Messiah, the saviour.
But to look at all the good things that is happening to others, around the world.
And this is true in our own life.
Take for instance how God is working through the Australian Lutheran World Service.
God is constantly bringing people water, education and opportunities to improve their life.
This is why it is good to read stories of how God is working in the lives of others.
And the second way Jesus responds to John’s questions is to the crowd.
Listen again to what Jesus says,
"What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look, those who wear fancy clothes are in the homes of kings! What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:
‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
“I tell you the truth, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is. "
To the crowd, to you, Jesus sees John as important.
Jesus says John is someone who is blessed.
John the ragged old prophet who loves eating bugs.
The man in prison.
The character who will soon have his head chopped off
Is blessed!!!
Would you call that a blessed life?
John is blessed, because despite all the rejection and problems He is continually loyal to God.
This highlights something that God operates far differently to how this world approaches life.
Now both God and people in this world reject people based on standards.
However their standards are somewhat different.
People will reject things based on, whether they look right or not.
For instance we often judge people based on their appearance, but remember anyone can dress up in fancy clothes.
One of the most successful people in Australia tells how he got started, by fooling everyone and dressing as a successful business owner. He said his start was to fool everyone, because he knows most of us judge people on their clothing.
People also reject whether they will be involved in things based on whether it will bring happiness, comfort, wealth or earthly wisdom.
This is not a priority for God.
In fact if your focus is comfort, happiness and wealth then you are in danger of being led away from God and his community of believers.
There are many things in this world that offer immediate comfort, happiness and the promise of wealth, remember the story of the prodigal son, that was the trap he fell into.
God on the other hand accepts many people that we reject.
To God it does not matter whether you are wealthy or poor.
Whether you are successful or a complete failure.
Whether you have developed a good superannuation or not.
Whether you look like a beauty queen or a drunken slob.
Whether you have a totally clean slate or a criminal record a twenty pages thick.
Whether you have a clean home or a messy home.
Whether you have everything in order or your life is a complete chaos.
Whether you are always on time or habitually late.
In fact many of the standards we put in place, distract us away from God.
They can distract us away from God’s blessing if we put to much effort in them.
There is only one thing that matters to God.
Do you trust God?
A good test to see how much you rely on many of the earthly standards is to ask yourself this question;
If everything that makes you comfortable, wealthy and happy was removed from your life would you still trust God, as being the right path for life?
You may have doubts like John the Baptist
And when these doubts arise be like John the Baptist and seek Jesus’ advice.
And following Jesus’ advice like John means we will be blessed with a life that goes beyond this world.
We will also not avoid the difficulties in sharing God’s blessings with our friends and family, because we will see rejection and even opposition to the Christian message as part of the deal.
Remember God offers something far better than what this world can offer, God offers you happiness in heaven.
Which is happiness that will last beyond this world.
Amen
