“Are You the Coming One, Or Do We Look for Another?”

As many of you know, I am living in Johnson City now, and the pressures and temptations of living on one's own greatly abound. However, this has brought me to one conclusion. GOD IS REAL. It has been an ever increasing sweet relationship. 

Last Sunday, however, God decided to give me a little present, a little nugget of his unfathomable wisdom. 

The below article is an essay I just sent to my religion instructor and is basically what Johnny Stewart preached on last sunday. I give Johnny no credit in this, but he is a good postman for the Lord. I am ashamed to say I have not been as bold as a Christian should be in my Intro to Religion class, but I feel I need to man up. Do what's right. For God is the truth behind all truth, the good behind all good. Where there is truth, there he shall be also. I pray that my instructor will take this to heart.

In Matthew 11:1-6 of the New Testament John the Baptist is found in prison. He is fixing to be executed by the king. During this time of hardship before his death John asks the question that everyone who hears about Jesus Christ asks: “Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?” In other words, is Jesus the Messiah?  John’s disciples asked Jesus this very question. Jesus makes a statement that does not make sense for people unfamiliar with the Jewish tradition, but for John, it answered everything.  Jesus said, “Go and tell John the things you hear and see, 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. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Why did not Jesus simply say, “I am.”  A closer look from a Jewish perspective will help answer this question.

Jesus and John the Baptist were cousins. John knew who Jesus was and what He came to do. He knew of his mission. In the book of John 1:29, John announces to a crowd of followers as Jesus approaches, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John was also held in high favor of Jesus, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist.” (Matthew 11:11) So for Jesus to answer John’s prior question seems a bit absurd. Jesus was not talking to a complete stranger, but family. Family he held in high esteem.  Let us remember, however, that Jesus “vague” answer was given to one who knew the scriptures. John had been preaching the coming of the Messiah.

The Jews were also looking for him, for they felt the coming Messiah would free them from Roman oppression. The coming Messiah would set up a kingdom and strengthen the Jews. Many of the priests were also looking in the books of the prophets such as Isaiah. As a matter of fact Isaiah 35:3 states He will “strengthen the weak hands” and in verse 4, “…He will save you.”  Surprisingly, Jesus’ answer is found in this very chapter, for verses 5 and 6 state, “The eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing.” Jesus told John all he needed to know during this time of need.

Many times we are all like John. When we go through the motions of work and school and a daily routine, week after week, month after month, we do not think of such things. However, when we are hit with infirmities or we are in a tough spot financially or the loss of a loved one or sickness greets us, we look for consolation. John looked for consolation. He preached the Coming One in the wilderness for years and proclaimed that Jesus was the very One. Now his life was fixing to end and he needed something to hold on to. His faith was shaken, much like ours gets. I believe this soothed John.

The Jewish people then and to this day look for their coming Messiah. They do not believe that Jesus was He.  Where do the non-Jews fall into this, the people who are not of God’s chosen nation? We search the scriptures and believe. Jesus treated John, his cousin, the “greatest born of women” the same as he treated everyone else and treats us today. Search the scriptures. Believe.

The beauty of Christianity is that it is a level playing field. None is greater than the other. This religion blows Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism out of the water. It teaches love. It is based on forgiveness. Christ came for sinful man. The law from the Old Testament could not be perfectly upheld by anyone, ever. It took the Son of God to come down to earth and basically say, “They just cannot do it, and there is no hope for the human race. I will do it for them, I will be their hope.”