A traditional theme for the third Sunday in Advent is ministry, and the Gospel from Luke 7 points to this theme- to the preparatory ministry of John the Baptist and to Christ’s earthly ministry among God’s people. The petty tyrant Herod Antipas has had John imprisoned - an imprisonment which will end in martyrdom. Luke 7:19 (KJV) reports, "And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?"
Perhaps John has become uncertain in prison. Or perhaps John sends his two followers so that they can meet Jesus. In either case, John the Baptist and his followers have heard intriguing reports about Jesus. Yet, Jesus doesn’t seem exactly to fit some of their expectations of the Messiah. He doesn’t seem very powerful in obvious ways. He is a teacher and a healer, not a powerful political or military Messiah. So, they ask, is Jesus the expected one, or should they look for some other deliverer?
Let us notice how our Lord answers them. He does not claim great worldly power, and He does not launch into a theological discussion of the role of the Messiah. Jesus simply gives them a description of His own ministry. This description is based on Messianic prophecies from several chapters of Isaiah (chs. 26, 29, 35, 40). According to these prophecies, God would bring strength and healing. He would even overcome death. The lowliest of God’s people would hear the good news of His grace and salvation. By alluding to these prophecies, Jesus is asking John’s disciples and others to draw their own conclusions. If they are spiritually sensitive, they will understand that He, Jesus, is God’s prophesied Messiah, the redeemer, the savior.
In our time, Christ still asks us to look at the prophecies and at His work from the first century to our own day. He asks us to open our spiritual eyes and have faith in Him. We should that the One who is to come, the Messiah or Christ, has already come- has already been at work bringing God's redemption into human lives. Blessed are those who are not offended by Jesus, the divine Redeemer!
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