The Coming One, Rest On Jesus - Matthew 11:1-30 Series

2025.04.27. Sermon Notes. THE COMING ONE, REST ON JESUS, MATTHEW 11

William Akehurst, HSWC

INTRO: When things don't go as expected we often begin to question our thinking.

But if we remind ourselves of the established facts, and choose to continue in them, we will be blessed.

The Coming One WILL Return, but HE has not yet. Be not anxious, but remain firm in the promises of HIS WORD and wait on HIM.

The invitation has been given, "Come unto Me and find peace."

BIG IDEA: The Coming One. Is the Messiah Really Coming? We all may have doubts at some point in life. Our perception may be that GOD isn’t doing what we want HIM to do. But when we examine JESUS and the OT Prophecies being fulfilled, we can find peace by resting our faith in and on HIM, and can trust GOD’s WORD and PROMISE, of the RETURN of the Coming One!

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 1:18, Matthew 11:1-30, John 1:29-34, Isaiah 40:8, Matthew 24:35, Isaiah 55:11, Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1, Malachi 4:5, Luke 1:17, Matthew 23:13, 1 Peter 1:10-12

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Matthew 11:1-30

1-3 ARE YOU REALLY THE MESSIAH? (Luke 7:18–35)

1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.

2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

Jesus sent off the 12 to teach and preach in the cities around Galilee.

John the Baptist was in jail, and was hoping for his release. But it wasn’t happening. And doubts began to enter his thinking.

This in contrast to his firm belief in who JESUS was…

John 1:29-34 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

4-6 TELL JOHN THAT THE PROPHECY OF MESSIAH IS BEING FULFILLED

4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

John’s doubt may have been from misunderstanding the ministry of the Messiah. He may have thought that if Jesus were really the Messiah, He would bring political deliverance of Israel, or at least, deliver John from prison, and this brought on confusion and doubt in John’s mind.

John may have been confused about the mission of the Coming One and the Christ, the Messiah.

Or perhaps John was simply saying “JESUS, why aren’t you doing more?”

Go and tell John the things which you hear and see…

JESUS reminds John and John’s disciples that HE was the Messiah, and that HIS power was displayed in meeting the individual needs of the people, and not as some big display of political deliverance.

Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me

The Jewish people longed for political deliverance from the Romans, and the Ministry of JESUS offended that expectation.

But there was a blessing for those who were not offended by the MESSIAH who came against the expectations of the people.

(SPURGEON) “Blessed is he who can be left in prison, can be silenced in his testimony, can seem to be deserted of his Lord, and yet can shut out every doubt. John speedily regained this blessedness, and fully recovered his serenity.”

POINT: While we believe that JESUS is the Coming One that the OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES described, Scriptures also state that JESUS is to RETURN for HIS CHURCH. We too are seeking the COMING ONE’S RETURN.

And some have doubts and may even be offended because things aren’t happening fast enough, as we are still waiting on HIS RETURN.