From our Pastor

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     Wait Patiently

   James 5:7-11, Isaiah 35:1-10, Matthew 11:2-11              December 15/16, 2007

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          “When John was in prison he heard about the things Christ had done.  So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?”” (Mt. 11:2,3) On the one hand this is very surprising.  How could John the Baptist not know who Jesus is?  Even before John was born he leapt in his mother’s womb for joy at being in Jesus’ presence.  Not only did John have prenatal knowledge of Jesus.  When John was baptizing, he foretold about Jesus.  As soon as Jesus shows up, John pointed out Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  If anybody knows Jesus, John the Baptist does.  That’s why it’s a little surprising that John asks if Jesus is the one. 

          But it makes a little more sense when you consider the circumstances.  John is in prison.  He’s in prison not because he has committed a crime.  He’s in prison only because he’s been speaking God’s word to people.  I’ve never had to stay in prison, so I don’t know what it feels like.  I have visited in prison on a number of occasions.  But that’s not like being kept there.  I have no idea how demoralizing it might be to have to stay in prison.  Did John have to endure torture?  Maybe he wondered if he would ever get out of that prison alive.  As it turned out, John would be beheaded in prison.  A person can question himself, maybe even question God.  After all, John had been serving God, and this is this result.  Maybe he was wondering if he had gotten things right. 

          It can be hard to endure in a prison.  It can get lonely.  It can be difficult to endure torture, humiliation, and all the difficulties that go with it.  It can seem hopeless.  So John wants to know he’s not suffering in vain.  He wants to be reassured that there are good times ahead.  He wants assurance that there’s something to look forward to. Are you the one Jesus? John asks through his messengers. 

          Jesus’ answer does so much.  He tells John the evidence of prophecy fulfilled, and at the same time he reminds John of the fantastic prophecies that will give John hope in prison, hope so that he can endure.  Jesus says good times coming.  And Jesus does all this with just a few words, just a few sentences.   

          Tell John what you hear and see.  “Blind people see again, lame people are walking, those with skin diseases are made clean, deaf people can hear again, dead people are brought to life, and poor people hear the good news.” (4, 5) Isaiah 35 had predicted 100s of years before that these things would happen.  Further, John would be reminded of all the other wonderful things that Isaiah 35 forecasts will be coming.  The desert will flow with water.  That’s a fantastic promise in a place where there’s been a drought for years.  In Georgia we’ve been hearing about a drought recently.  But this is talking about a place where water has been at a premium for years.  There’ll plenty of water.  The flowers will bloom.  Life will break forth.  There’ll be a highway.  It’s a road that leads to heaven. 

          Jesus sends back John’s disciples, having reminded them of all that Isaiah 35 had to say, but one more thing: Jesus let’s John know, it’s all happening.  Jesus is fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 35 as the blind see, the lame walk, etc.  Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah 35.  John had it right after all.  Jesus is the one!  Don’t worry.  Wait patiently. 

          That’s good advice for both John the Baptist and for you and me.  Wait patiently.  Waiting patiently can be hard.  I remember how hard it was to wait to open Christmas presents when I was a kid.  In our family, we opened presents on Christmas Eve, just after the children’s Christmas program.  If we behaved, and said our lines well, the presents would be waiting for us downstairs when we got home.  When we got home, we kids wanted to run downstairs and open presents right away.  But we couldn’t do that until everyone was ready.  And it seemed like Dad always took his sweet time lighting his pipe, or going back to put on a sweater or something.  We were in a hurry to open presents!  We didn’t want to wait. 

          As hard as it is to wait for Christmas presents when no one is in pain, how much more difficult to be patient while in prison, like John was.  Or, how difficult to wait for God’s promises when your life is broken, and there doesn’t seem to be anything good to be waiting for.  It can be so very hard to be patient, especially if you don’t know if things will ever get better again.  But if you know something good is coming, you can be patient. 

          Some years ago, we went to Walt Disney World in Florida.  One of the facts of life there is that you have to wait in lines.  Sometimes there were huge numbers of people waiting to get into some show.  There were only so many seats for the show.  When the doors opened there were sometimes a lot of pushing and shoving, and people trying to squeeze in before others so that they could get a place, and at other times, everyone was very polite and patient.  What was the difference?  In some cases we had been assured that there was plenty of room for everyone.  If we all knew we could get in and get a seat, there was no shoving, and a great deal of patience.  But if you didn’t know it was much more difficult to wait patiently. 

          We know!  James 5:7 says be patient until the Lord comes again.  We can wait patiently, because we know it will happen.  Farmers wait for their crops to grow.  They wait patiently for fall and spring rains. (7)  “You, too, must be patient.  Don’t give up hope.  The Lord will soon be here.  The Lord will soon be here!  You know it will happen.  Whatever difficulties you are going through will end, the good times are coming.  Jesus is coming.  We know that God is so compassionate and merciful as James 5:11 reminds us.  He cares about you.  He’ll be back for you.  Wait patiently.  Job waited patiently.  He went through physical pain.  He went through emotional pain, losing family members.  He endured!  You can endure.  You can wait patiently, knowing God is compassionate and merciful, that he has already fulfilled his promises for you in Jesus, and the completion of those promises will happen when He comes again to take us home. 

          In the meantime be patient, knowing the good times are coming.  Help out those around you.  We’re not in this alone.  Help those who are hurting to endure.  Encourage them with these words.  People who go through a crisis together help each other out.  Did you read about the little town of Kansas that was hit by a tornado?  The people all rallied around to help one another.  That’s the way it works.  We’re going through some tough times as we wait for Jesus to come again.  Help out one another.  “Strengthen the limp hands.  Steady weak knees.  Tell those who are terrified, be brave, don’t be afraid.  Your God will come with vengeance, with diving revenge.  He will come to rescue you.”  (Is 35:3, 4)  He has rescued us through our Lord Jesus Christ.  He will complete that whole transaction when he comes again to take us home to the good times.  Wait patiently.

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MOUNT OLIVE LUTHERAN CHURCH

2001 N. Alpine Rd.

Rockford, IL  61107  

815-399-3171

Pastor Ken Krause: kkrause@mtolivelutheran.com