Luke 7:18-35 "John's Sneaky Doubt"
What did you come here this morning to see? A bunch of churchy things about God to feel better about life and stuff? Listen to some music, maybe even sing a little, of your favorite Christian songs? Hear some familiar Bible verses. Listen to a preacher preaching a message, as long as he doesn’t get too preachy or say things that make you uncomfortable. “Can you just be uplifting, entertaining, tell a few stories, and not make us think too much, please?” “Either keep us awake or don’t make any sudden outbursts so we can take a nice nap.” No promises! Ha.
What did you come here this morning to see? A church service you can control? One that fits neatly inside your preconceived box of what a worship service ought to be?
We’re looking at a passage of Luke’s Gospel today that deals with a certain kind of doubt. Not the doubt of “Oh, no! I don’t think I believe in God anymore!” This one’s more sneaky. It’s the doubt that what God said He was going to isn’t happening. That Jesus isn’t who you thought He was.
What are we supposed to do when life doesn’t go the way we thought it should and we start having doubts about all this Jesus stuff?
Prayer: Father in heaven, we’re here to see Jesus. See Him in Your Word. Take Him at His Word. Be changed by His Word. Open our hearts and minds. AMEN
Here’s the setting of today’s passage: Jesus has been healing people and teaching—news has spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding area. Grace and healing and mercy and forgiveness—all these wonderful things. Jesus is getting very popular—which is disturbing to the religious leaders who are feeling threatened.
Remember John the Baptizer? Jesus’ cousin? Only a few months older than Him. Luke told us all about his birth and how he was going to be the one who prepared the way for the LORD. Make the way for the Messiah. Then one day Jesus came walking up to John’s baptism revival, asked to be baptized, the Father spoke from heaven saying He was His beloved Son in whom He was well pleased, the Spirit descended on Him like a dove. John said Jesus was the One. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The Messiah. The Christ.
John knew the Scriptures. He knew the Messiah was to bring grace and mercy but He was also to bring the hammer. The fist of God. Judgment! Overthrow the oppressors. Which at the moment was Rome. Establish the throne of David and restore the glory of the kingdom of Israel.
That’s what John expected Jesus to do. That’s what he thought he was preparing the way for. But none of that was happening. As far as John could tell, things were not going according to plan. Especially for him.
John had been arrested and was in prison. He didn’t have long to live. Herod was about to literally cut his head off just to make his wife happy. John had pointed out that they shouldn’t be married because she had illegally divorced his brother, and she was deeply offended. Wanted his head on a silver platter as they say—she’s probably where the phrase came from.
So John had to be confused. Jesus had come to set the captives free—that’s what the Messiah was supposed to do. Well, John was captive and definitely feeling the need for some setting free.
John still had a good number of disciples. A couple of them visited him in prison and told him everything they had heard about all the things Jesus was doing.
John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”
Luke 7:18-20
John was having some doubts but they’re not quite the kind of doubts you might think. When he asks “are You the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” he’s for sure talking about the Messiah. “The One who is to come” is Messiah language. He’s definitely asking Jesus if He’s really the Messiah.
But it’s easy to overlook the faithfulness in what John did. He’s in prison. He’s going to die. He hears about all these miracles of healing and grace and mercy—no winnowing fork, no judgment, no vengeance, no building an army to overthrow Rome.
But He’s still Jesus. He’s still “the One greater than me who I’m not worthy to untie His sandals.” He’s still the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He’s still the One God the Father said was His Son. He’s not doubting any of those things.
He’s just asking Jesus if someone else is coming, too. Someone with a less kind and merciful disposition. Someone who might be more inclined to—oh, I don't know—break someone out of jail before Herod pulls his silver platter out of the cupboard.
And it’s very important to notice that John asks Jesus this question. He has complete faith that Jesus is the One who would know the answer.
When your life goes in a direction you didn’t expect, when the plans you were pretty sure God put on your heart aren’t working out—when you start doubting because life isn’t turning out the way you wanted… Go to the author of life. Ask Jesus what the heck’s going on.
Don’t ask Jeeves (is that still a thing?). Don’t get lost in a Google search: why do bad things happen to me? Don’t complain to your agnostic friend at work. Don’t quit your church and sit at home mad at God. Do what John did: ask Jesus what’s going on.
So John’s disciples came to Jesus to ask Him what His cousin wanted to know. When they show up, Jesus is a little busy. I get the sense they had to wait a while to talk to Him.
At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” Luke 7:21-23
It seems they had to stand around and watch Jesus work. That’d be one time when I wouldn’t mind being put on hold. “Maybe we should start following this guy. All John ever does is yell at people and give them a bath.”
Everything they saw and everything Jesus told them to report was fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. It’s all the things Jesus mentioned in His sermon on Isaiah that He gave in his hometown. It’s the stuff that Mary and Elizabeth and John’s dad Zechariah had talked about—it’s all Messiah stuff. Plus a couple of bonus miracles: healing leprosy and raising people from the dead.
“Tell John what you saw. I’m the One you’ve been waiting for.”
But He didn’t answer John’s question completely. John was going to die before he could see the cross and the resurrection and the ascension. He was going to die before he could see God’s judgment on Herod and the unfaithful Jewish leaders. Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed in about forty years. But Rome wouldn’t be overthrown for another 300 years—and it wasn’t going to happen the way John was expecting. Instead of destroying it, the emperor bowed to King Jesus and Rome embraced Christianity. Jesus was still going to be bringing His ministry of grace and mercy instead of judgment.
Jesus came as a helpless baby the first time. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and laid down His life for the sin of the world. He came in weakness and humility the first time. He came with a ministry of mercy rather than vengeance. That’s not how He’s coming next time. When He comes at the end of the world to judge the living and the dead. When He comes in power on a white horse leading an army to overthrow all the kingdoms of the world and make everything new once and for all.
In that sermon that Jesus gave in His hometown on Isaiah 61, He read all the nice parts about proclaiming good news to the poor and setting the captives free but He stopped before the very next verse—the one they were the most excited about—Isaiah 61:2b talks about “the day of vengeance of our God.” Jesus didn’t read that part because that wasn’t what He was going to do the first time He came. We are still living in the ministry of grace and mercy. We are still waiting for Him to come back and bring the vengeance of God.
The last thing Jesus tells John’s disciples to relay to him in the message is that strange blessing at the end: “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
It means exactly what it sounds like it means. You will be blessed if the way Jesus does things doesn’t trip you up. “John, Cuz, don’t lose faith just because I don’t do things the way you expect me to.”
Same thing applies to all of us. You might want a Jesus who is very different from the one we find in the Gospels—or the way He challenges you to live. You might not want to be kind to people. To forgive people. To follow Him all the way to a cross. That would be a mistake to stumble in your faith just because Jesus isn’t who you want Him to be. We don’t get to make God in our image.
The word translated as “stumble” is actually a lot stronger than “trip” or “fall.” It’s actually a word that means to fall into a trap and die. “Blessed is anyone who doesn’t fall into the deadly trap of thinking Jesus is someone that He’s not.”
After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. Luke 7:24-25
Apparently, the crowd heard the conversation between Jesus and John’s disciples. After they left, Jesus wanted to use it as an object lesson.
A lot of them had gone out to see John—some were baptized and some weren’t. He asked what they expected to see when they went. That area has a lot of reeds that were always blowing in the wind—they were everywhere—no one would go all the way out there to see something as common as grass. It’s also a metaphor for a person who has no strong convictions. If they had heard about John the Baptist, they knew he wasn’t going to be like a reed shaking in the breeze. They also would have heard that he was a wild-man. Dressed in camel hair. Living on bugs and honey—whatever food he could find. No one expected John to be wearing a pretty velvet toga—the kind of thing King Herod would wear. Jesus is definitely referencing the fact that John was at the moment technically living in a palace…dungeon.
But 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: “ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Luke 7:26-27
You went out there to see a bonafide prophet of God like in the Bible days. And that’s exactly what John is—he’s the last Old Testament prophet. He’s also kind of a New Testament prophet—did his work right in the page turn. It was his job to be the messenger that prepares the way for the Messiah. And you just heard my conversation with a couple of his followers, right? John wants to know if I am the Messiah. Am I the one he was preparing the way for? You heard my answer, didn’t you?
Then Jesus says some pretty cool things about John the Baptist.
I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; Luke 7:28
John is the greatest man who has ever been born of woman. We can assume He means the old-fashioned way—where there’s a man and a woman and they love each other and one thing leads to another. Jesus was also born of a woman but His biological Father was God. John already said Jesus is greater than him. So, Jesus is saying John is the greatest natural-born man who ever lived.
Natural-born man. Because the next line is just as shocking…
yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
What does that mean? What is the kingdom of God? Who is the least in it? Why would they be greater than the greatest natural-born man who ever lived?
So mysterious.
Okay, first: the kingdom of God is the kingdom Jesus brought as the Messiah. He is the anointed One. The Christ. The Prophet, Priest, King of kings and Lord of lords. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. So wherever Jesus reigns as Lord and Christ through His people is the Kingdom of God. From now until the end of time when Jesus comes back again with the vengeance of God to remake heaven and earth once and for all—the kingdom of God is everywhere Jesus reigns through His people. You and me. We are the kingdom of God. Everyone who is born from above. Born again. Born in the supernatural new birth of salvation by grace through faith.
So, who is the least in the kingdom of God? Who is greater than John the Baptist? Everyone who prays “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
But the crowd split pretty hard when Jesus started talking about how great John the Baptizer was. Everyone who had been baptized by John recognized when Jesus spoke, that it was God who was doing good things, but the ones who had turned their nose up at John’s baptism weren’t too keen on Jesus, either—they were falling into the deadly trap of rejecting Him.
(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.) Luke 7:29-30
Jesus is making the point that to reject John and to reject Him was to reject God’s plan. The common people and the sinners could see what the religious leaders with all their pride couldn’t see. John the Baptist pointing to Jesus the Messiah was God’s plan of salvation.
Jesus is about to get to His main point, verse 31:
Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: “ ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.’ Luke 7:31-32
Jesus never means anything good when He says “The people of this generation.” He might as well say something like, “What can I compare you bunch of stupid turkeys to?”
You’re like a bunch of kids playing in the streets, trying to control each other with silly games. “Hey, let’s pretend like we’re having a wedding! I’ll play the flute and you dance!” Or, even more ridiculous, let’s pretend like we’re having a funeral. “I’ll sing a really sad song and you sit over there and cry—it’ll be great!” Then they get mad and offended when the other kids won’t do what they say. The children who are calling out the questions are the ones Jesus is comparing the wicked generation to. When they can’t force people to play their games the way they want them to, they trip and fall into their own deadly trap.
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” Luke 7:33-35
In case they didn’t catch it, Jesus makes it clear that He and John the Baptist are like the flute and the dirge. But the meaning is the opposite of how most people take it: John was all serious and no fun, didn’t drink, ate bugs, yelled at everyone telling them to repent—and like children who didn’t want to play his sad game, the religious leaders were just like, “Why so serious? Turn that frown upside down! It can’t be that bad! Cheer up! Lighten up!” “Don’t you know people of God should be the most joyful people in the world!”
And then Jesus showed up at every party, drank all their wine, made more out of water when He needed to (certainly not talking about Welch’s Grape Juice here), never missed a Sabbath feast—not even the sketchy ones with bad company, rebel souls, deserters—He laughed too much, smiled too much. And the children who were like school bullies said, “take it down a notch sunshine.” “Stop being so friendly to all the losers.” We don’t want to play your happy game, either.
But John continued to be the serious wild-man. Jesus continued to be the joyful friend of sinners.
And the foolish continue to reject them because they want God to do things differently—the foolish reject God’s plan of salvation. It’s not their thing. They think they have better ideas.
Jesus ends this teaching with a clever little saying that sounds like it could have come from Proverbs. “But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
The Aramaic word for “children” sounds almost the same as the word for “works.” The meaning is pretty much the same too. In Proverbs, Wisdom is personified as a woman. The children of wisdom are the ones who listen to her and do what she says. So wisdom is proved right when her wisdom works in the lives of her children.
What’s interesting is that Jesus is actually wisdom personified. He is the wisdom of God. So this is what He’s saying: The people who follow Him are the ones who will be proved right. Proved right means the same thing as “justified.” Everyone who follows Him, instead of the foolish children in the marketplace, will be saved. Proved right. Justified.
Let me ask you again: what did you come here this morning to see?
I once invited a young woman to church. She was married and had a couple of kids but her marriage was really on the rocks. I invited her because we were in a teaching series on marriage and I hoped it might help. After the service, I asked what she thought. She said, “It was really great. I really liked it. Very wise words—it would probably help if I would do any of it. But I probably won’t.”
And she didn’t. The marriage ended. She lost her kids.
What did you come here this morning to see? What would you say if I asked what you thought?
Would you say you liked it? Probably be good if you actually believed any of it? If you actually applied any of it?
We are still living in the time of the kingdom of God when Jesus is offering grace and mercy and forgiveness. You are invited to repent and believe. Turn away from your foolish games and follow Jesus wherever He leads.
It might not be exactly where you expect God to lead you. He’s not promising a smooth road paved on either side with gentle reeds blowing in the wind while you walk in the comfort of a velvet toga. There will be times of dancing and flutes, and other times of dirges and tears.
He only promises to never leave you or forsake you. He promises to walk with you. And He promises that He’s leading you somewhere good. It would be wise to accept Jesus as He is and not stumble over Him because you were expecting something else. See Him for who He is. Don’t let anything in this world cause you to doubt who He really is or what He’s doing in your life.
He is the One who sets you free. He’s the One who forgives your sin. He’s the One who makes it safe for you on the day when He does finally come back down here bringing the vengeance of God. This is all good news. I hope that’s what you came to see. I hope you can see that. AMEN