The Messiah was supposed to be setting Israel free from Rome, conquering enemies and ruling on the throne of David. John had been so excited the day Jesus came down to the river to be baptized. He was amazed to see the descending dove and the voice, he would never forget the sound of the voice proclaiming "This is My beloved Son." There was no doubt that was the voice of God. But, now what.
John had been convinced that Jesus, his own cousin, was the Messiah that Israel had been waiting for. He had seen the miracles and when Jesus spoke it pierced his very soul, but this was not how this was supposed to go. John's ministry had just begun. He wasn't supposed to be sitting in prison.
And Jesus... what was he doing? He was hanging out with tax collectors and sinners. Every day out preaching to the masses of the Kingdom of God, when was he going to rise up? When was he going to start acting like a King?
John's thoughts began to take a dark turn. Whispered lies that sounded so much like truth started to penetrate his mind. If Jesus was really the Messiah, wouldn't he get John out of this mess? They were cousins after all. John had seen him doing harder things before. John knew in the depths of his soul that Jesus had the power to get him out this situation, but day after day he sat there. Day after day, his disciples would bring more news of all that Jesus was doing and they would look at him with more uncertainty each day.
John was beginning to feel like a fool for believing all of this. Maybe he had just been carried away with all the excitement and emotion. Maybe Jesus was not who John thought he was... but the voice from heaven... he couldn't forget that.
Once again John's disciples showed up looking for answers from him. What did he know? He was in prison. He really just wished they would go away and leave him alone. He didn't have any answers himself and he felt the pressure to be strong for them, but he was starting to feel cracked, so battered and bruised and faithless. His whole life he had known he was the prophet preparing the way for the Lord. He had spent his whole life waiting for this moment and for what? To sit in prison and wait for death. Why wasn't Jesus doing something?
John feeling defeated by the endless questions finally blurted out, "Go ask him. Is he the One or should we seek another?" After a shocked expression passed on the faces of his two friends, they turned on their heel and walked away. Immediately, the Spirit of God pierced John's heart... He knew with everything in him exactly WHO Jesus was, and he knew that the problem wasn't Jesus...it was his own expectations. But who could know the mind of God? Maybe they had been wrong all along...
A few hours later the men came back and told John what they had heard and seen. They found Jesus surrounded by people as usual. He motioned them forward recognizing them as John's disciples and greeting them affectionately he asked about John. The two men said John had sent them with a message. "Are you the One?"
With an understanding look on his face, Jesus turned to the crowds pressing in on him. With the touch of his hand or a word spoken many walked away healed. Healed of diseases of the flesh, the mind and the spirit. There were some who received sight, some lame made whole, no matter what they needed they walked away new that day.
Thinking they were forgotten, the two men weren't sure what to do or even what to think. Watching all of this didn't seem real. How could any man have the power to do what Jesus was doing. After a while, Jesus turned back to them, as if he had been doing all of that for them and said, "Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard. The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news, and blessed is the one who isn't offended in me."
Listening to his followers excitedly share what they had seen, it felt like a boulder has fallen to the bottom of John's stomach, because he knew in that moment, that things are not going to go the way he thought. He knows that even though Jesus is the ONE, he will not be rescuing John from this situation. He knows that his circumstances DO NOT change who Jesus is. He knows that Jesus is still who He said He is, but Jesus has different plans than John. John feels weak and tired. He realizes that He may not understand God, and that God doesn't have to explain himself to John.
As his emotions roll like the waves of the sea, the peace of God begins to blanket him. Jesus is the Messiah. God IS faithful. In the fullness of time, God has sent forth his son, the Messiah, Jesus and whatever He is doing can be trusted. Jesus knows more than he does. God's ways are not his ways. God's thoughts are not man's thoughts. John did what he was called to do and now the world would see the Messiah.
And the peace that passes understanding flooded John's soul that day in a cold, empty cell. Whatever God was doing was right and good. He could be trusted even if John's life didn't make sense to him. There was no promise of rescue, but there was a greater promise... that John's eternal home was better than this place.
I'm not sure what you're facing today, but no matter how hard, how sad, how frustrating it is, Jesus is the Messiah. Don't judge the faithfulness of God on what you are going through, judge the faithfulness on God on the fact that in the fullness of time, He sent Jesus to pay the debt of sin, that you could not pay. Judge God faithful because He made a way for you to be with Him in eternity. Judge Him faithful by his promises of new mercy every morning and grace that is sufficient to cover all of our sin. Trust that whatever His plan, He will work all things for your good.
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