Wednesday, July 02, 2014

Toward Sunday, July 6, 2014

Scripture:  Matthew 11:2-6, 16-19
Sermon:  As Different as Only Family Can Be

It's not that John didn't believe Jesus was the messiah.  The Gospel of Matthew doesn't tell the story of the pre-natal John leaping for joy in his mother's womb when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, comes to visit his mother (Luke 1:39-45).  But Matthew does say that as an adult when John sees Jesus coming to him for baptism, he clearly understands Jesus to be the one he is waiting for and directing people to be ready for (Matthew 3:13-14).

But now John is unsure (Matthew 11:2-3). In prison for his prophetic denunciation of Herod's kingdom, John knows he will soon be executed and he is not so sure anymore that Jesus is the one he should be sending people to. 

They have turned out so different.  John has been a hellfire-and-brimstone, repent-or-be-lost, judgement-is-nigh kind of preacher.  Jesus is a man of compassion, forgiveness and patient healing who keeps all doors open for any sinner to come in, just as they are able.

Does John disagree with Jesus?  Is he disappointed in him?  Confused by his approach?  Afraid that maybe Jesus isn't really the one he should have sent people to follow?

Given the differences in their approach, theological emphasis and style of ministry, it would have been easy for John to break from Jesus, and for a barrier to be erected between them. 

How do we handle differences like this in our day?  What do we do with supposedly-other Christians when they preach, sing, pray, talk about God, and practice ministry in ways vastly differently from what we think is right (vv. 16-19)?  And with people of other religious traditions entirely whose religious vocabulary and practice is sometimes worlds (or at least half-a-world) away from ours?

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