“Jesus, John & Us”
Luke 7:18-35
A sermon for 6/27/21
Pastor John Bright
Luke 7 “24 When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written:
‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’
28 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.”
I have always heard the saying – “there’s more than one way to skin a cat” – which means there are many ways to accomplish a task or to approach a problem. This is especially true when it comes to skinning a catfish. I grew up with putting a nail in a tree and using pliers to pull the skin down. There are about a thousand other ways. Doubt me? Go check out youtube and you will see all the ways to approach a very slimy problem.
Jesus is dealing with a slimy problem here – folks that will only be happy if you are doing things the way they want. Know anybody like that? In your family? At work? Or maybe, just maybe, you have run into somebody like that at church. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the folks here this morning see somebody like that every time you look in the mirror. Can you change? Absolutely! Listen carefully to what Jesus is saying this morning and determine that it never has to be the way it was.
That’s the catch – isn’t it? That sinking feeling that nothing is going to change and so church becomes something like “pain management therapy.” God always meant this – what we are doing right here and right now – to be transformational. That depends on you and your willingness to be obedient to the Holy Word of God.
Questions about the way Jesus is doing ministry v. 18-23
18 Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things. 19 And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
20 When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ ” 21 And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.
22 Jesus answered and said to them, “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. 23 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
John the Baptizer has sent some of his disciples. One of the things we see in the Gospels is a pattern of those who are teaching having disciples. Jesus and John have disciples. The Pharisees and Rabbis have disciples. We know that some of John’s disciples begin to follow Jesus – John 1 “35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?”
They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”
39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.”
Remember, John the Baptizer and Jesus are cousins. John saw the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus and heard the voice of God. But things have changed. John is in prison because he insulted Herod Antipas and Jesus has not been doing things the way the Scribes and Pharisees like them done. I can’t say for sure why John is sending this question, but Jesus shows them the answer.
Jesus does what He has been doing in all these chapters of Luke we have been unpacking – healing and casting out demons. His actions are consistent with how He started His ministry back in Nazareth, His hometown. There, Jesus read from the Book of Isaiah - Luke 4 “16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Jesus has been doing exactly what God wanted Him to do – Jesus had to… because He had to fulfill every Messianic Prophecy in God’s Word. John the Baptizer fulfilled the work he was given – to make a path for the Messiah – his cousin. So, Jesus tells the crowd how much the ministry of John was vital to the coming of God’s Kingdom.
John and the least of these v. 24-28
“24 When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written:
‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’
28 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.”
Jesus is asking the crowd rhetorical questions. They knew he was not a reed or a prince. John was a man who would not bend to the winds of opinion in that day – not even the will of the political and religious rulers. John was a man who went against all the fashion trends of his day😊 We read in Mark 1:6 that he wore a garment of hair with a leather belt. This matches the description of Elijah we find in 2 Kings 1:8. The people in that day saw John as a great prophet – one who proclaimed God’s judgement on the people.
Jesus proclaims John to be the greatest prophet in v.28 – then comes the BIG “but”. Have I talked to you about all the BIG BUTS in the Bible? Just a couple of examples.
In Genesis – Joseph is now the head honcho in Egypt and is talking to his brothers – Genesis 50:20
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
In Romans – Paul is explaining the Amazing Grace we sing about - Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
So often, the Big Buts of the Bible mark something important!
Let me read v. 28 again – “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.” All the folks Jesus is looking out at that day – could be greater than John in the Kingdom of God.
What about us? Ever think of yourself as the “least in the kingdom”?
Let me tell you something about the least – these are the folks who care more about pleasing God than about pleasing man. In Acts 5 some of the Apostles are arrested and put in prison. An angel sets them free and they obey his directions to go back and do exactly what they were doing when they got arrested in the first place – teaching about Jesus. They are arrested again – Acts 5 “27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28 saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”
29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
I don’t think that’s our conflict today – to obey God or obey the laws of man – no, we struggle with simply obeying God’s Word. In the process, we may be missing out on our role and our job in the Kingdom of God in this day and time.
Hey, remember what I said earlier about looking in the mirror? So, are we the ones that want it done our way? What would Jesus say to us?
Those who can only have it their way v. 29-35
“29 And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.
31 And the Lord said, “To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:
‘We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not weep.’
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is justified by all her children.”
The least of these had been going to John for baptism and the religious leaders, the Pharisees and lawyers, rejected the will of God. They were unable to admit their need or admit that there was another way. They were so invested in doing it the way they did it – all other ways had to be criticized.
This little parable of the children that Jesus uses is meant to help them hear their criticism of both John and Jesus. Each of these men did exactly what God called them to do. They were obedient to God and the religious folks wanted nothing to do with it. It was different from what they had been doing for a looooong time.
That’s the risk any pastor faces – “Do I obey God or do I please the congregation?” Which accusation would you choose to throw at me – he has a demon or he is a friend of sinners?
Let me tell you – when you get serious about following God’s Will and God’s Word – they will come after you! Your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors. None of them will understand. You see, there is often no way to please God and please the people around you so you have a difficult choice.
Pleasing God is hard but simple: Jesus made it very clear in John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
Paul explains this to the Thessalonian church as the pathway of sanctification – 1 Thess. 4 “1 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.”
If you choose this path – some will criticize, but these are the same folks who criticize you now. They will only stop when you do what they do and that will never be enough! It’s time to choose the path you want to be on – the narrow path or the broad path. It’s your choice today. Amen.
