Second Presbyterian Church

"About John…:
Preaching From the Gospel of Luke"
July 11, 2004

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Sermons Homepage » Sermons for 2004 » Sermons for July 2004 » Sermons from the Series on Luke

#24 in the Series on Luke
The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.

• Isaiah 35: 1-7, 40: 3-5
• Luke 7: 18-35

What is Luke trying to accomplish with this passage about John the Baptist? In order to answer that question we need to understand some things about Luke's use of John the Baptist.

For example, at first the fact that John the Baptist sent two disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" may seem a little strange to us. After all, didn't John baptize Jesus in the Jordan? According to Luke he did, but there is no indication at all that John realized that he had baptized the Messiah. The dove descending from heaven and the voice that spoke were written as if Jesus alone heard and saw them. In fact, Luke, by the time he mentioned Jesus' baptism had already recorded that John the Baptist is in prison!

This is not like Matthew's version. In his version it is clearly implied that John the Baptist knew that Jesus was the Messiah.

The point is this: it is not until chapter 7 that we have Luke recording any direct contact between Jesus and John, especially as it concerns their ministries!

For Luke it was not an issue of John the Baptist being in prison and becoming depressed and discouraged about the Messiah. This is how we sometimes misunderstand this passage: John was in prison; he became discouraged; after all Jesus had not tried yet to rid Israel of Rome. And even John began to question whom Jesus was. This understanding is NOT what Luke intended!

Luke's intention with this story about John was more like this: John is in prison. His disciples tell John about Jesus and what he is doing: healing, casting out demons, raising the dead, and preaching good news to the poor. John becomes intrigued. Jesus is not fitting the expected norm of the Messiah's return. BUT, on the other hand, the blind are given sight, demons are cast out, the lame walk, the dead are raised - how could this not be from God! How could this not be the Messiah!

John, being the simple man that he was did not beat around the bush; he sent two disciples and asks Jesus directly, "Are you the one who is coming, or shall we look for another?"

One of the things that Luke was trying to accomplish in this passage was that John and Jesus were great prophets, and more! John, as Jesus told his followers is that John was more than just a prophet, he was the voice who cried in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Lord. He was the expected forerunner of the Messiah. He was the one that would prepare Israel for the Messiah's coming.

And, of course one of the other things that Luke was trying to accomplish was that Jesus, too, was more than just a prophet; he was THE Messiah. He was the one for whom John prepared the way. He was the one who came preaching and healing. He was the one who through his ministry DEMONSTRATED the arrival of the Kingdom of God. Only God can exorcise demons, heal the sick, make the lame walk, cause the blind to see. Only God can raise the dead or demonstrate love for the poor, for those whom humanity tends to discount and discard.

Yet Jesus would not just say to John, "Yes, I am he," as such. Luke wrote this in a way that meant John the Baptist had to be just like us! John, just like us, was going to have to make a faith decision. He would still have to decide for himself if Jesus were the Messiah. And he would have to decide it based upon what he had heard about Jesus!

So, what is Luke trying to accomplish? The answer lies in the words of Jesus, "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me."

The cross can be so offensive. People want power and glory; people do not take naturally to surrender and becoming humble. Jesus' power and glory was not in his ability to gather an army and strategize a plan to defeat and expel Rome. His glory does not even look like glory at all! He came to earth; lived a life focused upon loving others; and allowed himself to be killed upon the cross so that he could atone for the sin of humanity!

And therein lies the glory of the cross. It is a glory far greater than human glory. Yet, it is a glory that often offends us. The glory in the cross is that it demonstrates the love God has for humanity that wallowed hopelessly in sin and self-centeredness!

During our special music, Peggy Baird sang about the glory of the cross. And Luke was trying to accomplish the same: he was making the point that the death and resurrection are the true signs of the Messiah. He is making the point that Jesus the Messiah came to conquer sin, not Rome. He came to redeem us from our hopeless situation! He came to offer us life that is not only eternal, but life that had real depth and meaning!

Can we overcome our assumed expectations about who Jesus is and what calls us to be? Can we put our lives into his care? Can we place Jesus first in our lives? Can we give over to Jesus our idolatrous needs and anxieties, those things in our lives that distract us from the purpose and mission of the Gospel?

Can we see Jesus as the Messiah who shall redeem his people and redeem his creation, rather than just see Jesus as the one who will meet our personal needs and wants?

Jesus, as usual, was absolutely right: "Blessed is the one who takes no offense in me." Amen.

The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.