Matthew 11:4&5
"4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
5 The blind receive their sight, 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."
Christmas is here—whether you're experiencing joy or deep suffering this year. Your expectations often shape your experience.
In these verses, John the Baptist—once boldly proclaiming Jesus as the “Lamb of God” and witnessing the Spirit's descent at His baptism—is now imprisoned for over a year in Machaerus after condemning Herod Antipas's marriage to Herodias. From his cell, he sends disciples to ask Jesus: “Are you the one who is to come?”
This question reveals John's tension between faith and doubt.
Jesus responds by pointing to His works, directly echoing Isaiah 35:5–6 and other prophecies: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor receive good news. These miracles are not mere displays of power but evidence of His messianic identity and the inbreaking kingdom of God—marked by healing, justice, and salvation.
Jesus affirms He is the Messiah, yet His kingdom advances through mercy and spiritual renewal, not the immediate political overthrow John may have hoped for in his suffering. He adds: blessed are those who are not offended by Him—true faith trusts God's plan even when it defies our expectations.
This Christmas, let's examine our own expectations and align them with God's.
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