Resource Detail

2025 Study of Matthew’s Gospel

GO AND REPORT WHAT YOU HEAR AND SEE

Matthew 11:1-19

Key Verses 11:4-5

1. Why do you think John the Baptist, who once boldly proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God, is now questioning whether Jesus is the Messiah (2–3; cf. Mark 6:17–18)? What do John’s doubts teach us about faith in challenging or unexpected circumstances?
2. Why does Jesus respond by referring to the miracles and signs John’s disciples can “hear and see” (4–5; cf. Isaiah 61:1)? What does “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me” mean (6)?
3. What do Jesus’ words about John the Baptist reveal about him (7–11a)? Why do you think Jesus says, “Whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John”? (11b)
4. How do you understand what it means that the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence since John’s time (12)? What is John’s place in God’s redemptive history, and what does it imply about Jesus (13-15; Mal 4:5)?
5. How does Jesus describe “this generation,” and what kind of attitude is he confronting (16–17)? What do the people’s criticisms of John and Jesus reveal about their hearts (18–19a)? What does it mean that “wisdom is proved right by her deeds” (19b)?

2025 Matthew’s Gospel July 13, 2025

ARE YOU THE ONE WHO IS TO COME?

Matthew 11:1-6

Key Verse 11:2b-3

He sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Last weekend, we had a grace-filled and meaningful Summer Retreat. I would like to begin by sharing a belief reflection. First, the retreat theme was clear and deeply relevant: forgive, love, reconcile, and bear the fruit of love. We sincerely said, “Forgive me,” from the heart and were reconciled with one another. Second, God’s grace of salvation was revealed through the testimonies. Each testimony moved us, and as they were baptized, we thanked God for drawing them to Jesus. I pray that this work of salvation will continue among us. Third, we were thankful for the unity we experienced by worshiping together with other Northeast chapters. Some felt a bit uncomfortable due to cultural or ministry differences. But I realized—we hadn’t met in nearly 20 years! And yet, God poured out His Spirit during our time together. That’s why we’ve decided to continue this united retreat again next summer. I want to thank everyone who served behind the scenes: CBF & BBF teachers and messengers, GBS leaders, skit, tech, vanguard, snacks, registration, praise teams, and more. Your service made this retreat so rich with grace.

Today’s passage is about John the Baptist’s question—and Jesus’ response. Let’s look at verses 2 and 3: “When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’” At that time, John the Baptist was in prison. Do you know why he was there? John was a powerful preacher. Out in the wilderness, he boldly called people to repent, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Crowds came to him, and many repented and were baptized in water. He wasn’t afraid to speak out against sin—not just among the people but also among the corrupt religious and political leaders. At that time, the ruler over Galilee and Perea was Herod Antipas. Herod had taken his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias, and married her. John called it out. He told Herod it was wrong and urged him to repent. But Herod didn’t like being confronted. Angry and defensive, he had John thrown into prison. From a human perspective, it looked like injustice had won. It seemed like the wicked had silenced the righteous. But even in that, God had His purpose. When John was imprisoned, the center of God’s work naturally shifted from John to Jesus. John had fulfilled the mission God had given him. And after that, he quietly stepped off the stage and disappeared from the spotlight.

John the Baptist, while he was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah. Most likely, it was his disciples who told him what Jesus had been doing. But John sends his disciples to Jesus with a question: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” At first, that question sounds like John is doubting whether Jesus is really the Messiah. And because of that, there’s been debates among scholars. Some argue that John was still confident, but he asked the question for the sake of his disciples. Others believe John truly had doubts about Jesus.

John the Baptist and Jesus were close relatives. When Mary became pregnant with Jesus, she went to visit Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. As Mary shared what God had done in her life, something amazing happened—John, still in Elizabeth’s womb, leaped with joy. Even in the womb, John recognized the presence of Jesus in Mary and responded with joy. Later, during his ministry, when John saw Jesus coming toward him, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John clearly recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah. He baptized Jesus and saw the Holy Spirit come down from heaven like a dove and remain on Him. John also testified that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Given all this, it’s hard to believe that someone who had such a strong conviction about Jesus would later lose his faith and doubt whether Jesus was truly the Messiah. That’s why some scholars believe that John didn’t send his disciples to ask Jesus because he himself was doubting. Rather, they suggest John knew his disciples were struggling to believe, and he sent them to Jesus so they could hear the answer for themselves and be convinced.

On the other hand, some scholars acknowledge that John the Baptist was human—just like the rest of us—and that even his strong faith could become weak. At the time, John was in prison. He was physically exhausted, emotionally drained, and perhaps even spiritually discouraged. It’s possible he had fallen into a kind of spiritual depression. And the reports he was hearing about Jesus’ ministry didn’t match the kind of Messiah he had expected. John believed that when the Messiah came, He would bring powerful judgment—punishing the wicked and saving the righteous. But Jesus wasn’t doing what John had expected. Instead, Jesus was healing the sick, casting out demons, and preaching good news to the poor. It was a ministry of grace and mercy. Meanwhile, King Herod—who had thrown John into prison—was still sitting comfortably on his throne. Jesus hadn’t judged Herod, hadn’t spoken out against his sin, and hadn’t done anything to rescue John. In fact, Jesus had left Jerusalem and was ministering in the rural towns of Galilee. John couldn’t understand it. As time passed, his confusion grew. And so did the question in his heart: “Could it be that Jesus isn’t the Messiah?”

What do you think? Which perspective do you find more convincing? The Bible doesn’t give us a clear, direct answer. However, if we examine how Jesus responds to John’s disciples, we can gain a fairly reliable understanding. Look at verses 4 and 5: “Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.’” Notice how Jesus says, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see.” He’s focused on John more than John’s disciples. Jesus knows what John is going through, and He wants this message to be sent to him. Jesus points to the work He is doing. And that work—healing the blind, making the lame walk, cleansing lepers, raising the dead, and proclaiming good news to the poor—is exactly what the Old Testament said the Messiah would do. Isaiah 61:1 describes it this way: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” Jesus didn’t directly say, “I am the Messiah.” But He pointed to His ministry and let the evidence speak for itself. Through this, He gently helped John recognize: Yes, I am the one.

John the Baptist began to have doubts about whether Jesus was the Messiah because he didn’t have a full understanding of the Messiah’s mission. He believed that the Messiah would bring justice and judgment—and that’s true, but it will happen at His second coming. When Jesus came the first time, He came to carry our sins, to die on the cross in our place, and to complete God’s work of redemption. John didn’t fully understand this part of the Messiah’s mission—His grace, His mercy, and His sacrificial love. So when Jesus didn’t match the expectations John had, John struggled. His doubt came from an incomplete picture of Jesus’ ministry.

Do you think even great servants of God can experience moments when their faith becomes weak—when they even begin to doubt God? Yes, absolutely. When we read the Bible, we see that even the most faithful men and women of God sometimes fall into spiritual depression. One example is the prophet Elijah. Elijah was one of the most powerful prophets in the Bible. He stood alone against 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah—850 false prophets in total. He called on the Lord, and fire came down from heaven and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and even the soil. He seized the prophets of Baal and put them to death. Then he prayed again, and after three and a half years of drought, rain finally came. Elijah revealed God’s mighty work. But after all of that, this same Elijah received a death threat from Jezebel, King Ahab’s wife—and he ran for his life. He fled to Mount Horeb and fell into deep spiritual depression. He cried out to God and said, “I have had enough, Lord. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” If even Elijah—so bold and powerful—could fall into that kind of spiritual depression, then we shouldn’t be surprised that John the Baptist might have gone through something similar. After all, Jesus Himself said that John was the Elijah who was to come. Just like Elijah, John may have experienced a moment of weakness, confusion, and spiritual exhaustion.

We, too, can face times when our faith is tested and we fall into doubt—especially during difficult circumstances. Let me share a personal experience from when I was serving God in Venezuela. I had a clear identity as a self-supporting missionary. Initially, I aspired to become a professor. However, when I discovered that the monthly salary for a professor was only about $100, I abandoned that path. Instead, I decided to start a business. But I failed again and again. I had to change my business items many times. My biggest failure came when I had to shut down my auto parts shop. I felt completely defeated. Driving home, I was overwhelmed with emptiness and began to cry. I prayed and complained to God: “Why did you call me to be a self-supporting missionary just to make me suffer like this? Did I make the wrong choice?” I doubted my calling. But I also prayed honestly: “Lord, if you really called me to this, please help me to become a good example of a self-supporting mission.” God had mercy on me. He blessed my business beyond what I expected. I was able to support both the church and my family financially without lacking anything.

Recently, I’ve found myself wrestling with doubt about God’s power. In our church, some members need Jesus’ healing grace. We pray for them every day, earnestly and with hope. But sometimes, it feels like God isn’t answering our prayers. When we see their conditions getting worse instead of better, we feel helpless. It makes me wonder at times, “Is God’s power of healing not being revealed among us?” Likewise, some believers doubt, “Is God really alive?” Others wonder, “Is God truly leading me in the best way?” And some even ask, “Am I really saved?” What doubts are you struggling with right now? When we have doubts about God, we shouldn’t ignore them. We should honestly bring them to Jesus. Just as John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one?” we, too, must come to Jesus in prayer and pour out our doubts before Him. And then, Jesus will answer. He will reveal Himself. We’ll begin to experience His power again, and our doubts will start to fade, as our relationship with Him grows deeper.

We’re living in the postmodern era—a time when young people, especially, are deeply skeptical of absolute truth. In fact, many who grew up in church begin to walk away from their faith once they get to college. Why does this happen? One significant reason is that they raise questions but don’t find answers. Questions like: “Why does Christianity claim to be the only truth?” “If God is good, why does He allow so much suffering?” “If God is love, why does He judge people?” “Why are Christians so hypocritical?” “Why do Christians preach love but judge gay people?” They ask these questions—sometimes to church leaders, sometimes to Christian friends—but often feel like they’re not getting answers. And so they become critical of Christianity. Some give up on God entirely. That’s why we, as believers, need to be ready to engage with these questions with humility and love. But let’s be honest: even the best answers don’t always convince someone. Why? Because it’s not just a matter of understanding—it’s a matter of the heart. Many reject God not because the answers aren’t good enough but because they’re not ready to accept God. The truth is, we will never have an answer to every question. If we’re waiting to fully understand God before we believe in Him, we’ll never believe. It’s like saying, “Unless I can figure God out, I won’t trust Him.” But how can finite human beings ever fully comprehend an infinite God? This kind of thought comes from human pride. There’s no way our human minds can grasp the fullness of God. So, the right attitude isn’t to demand full understanding—but to approach God with a humble heart. We will still seek, we will still ask, and we will still wrestle with the hard questions—but we will humbly admit that we can never fully understand God. A famous theologian, Anselm of Canterbury, once said, “I do not seek to understand in order that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand.”

Pastor Tim Keller, in his book The Reason for God, said that skeptics should “wrestle with the unexamined ‘blind faith’ on which skepticism is based.” In other words, even skeptics have beliefs—assumptions they may not have questioned themselves. Some skeptics once sought truth but have since given up. Others don’t even try because of spiritual laziness. Some cling to their doubts with blind confidence, refusing to re-examine their assumptions. But here’s the good news: if we bring our questions to Jesus—honestly and humbly—He will meet us. He may not answer everything at once. But He will lead us, step by step, into truth. So, if you’re struggling with questions today, don’t hide them. Bring them to Jesus as John the Baptist did. Jesus welcomes honest seekers. He can use our doubts to draw you closer to Himself.

Before I met God, I was an atheist. But everything changed when I experienced the love of God. I repented of my unbelief and pride and accepted Jesus as my Savior. I was filled with joy and happiness. But around four months later, when I heard a message about Jesus being born in a manger, I just broke down. I cried and cried—not just for Jesus, but really for myself. I felt that my life before knowing Jesus had been so hard, and I had buried that sadness deep inside. I began to doubt Jesus’ love. I told Him, “I know you died for my sins, but what does your sorrow on the cross have to do with mine?” I complained. And that went on for about eight months. Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore. I started going up to the prayer room in the church. There, I prayed, I sang hymn songs, I complained, and I cried. I even questioned many things. Sometimes, I just fell asleep from exhaustion. Then, one day, during prayer, I had a vision of the cross. I saw Jesus suffering with deep sorrow—right there on the cross—and it was so real, so vivid. I couldn’t say a word. I just wept. At that moment, I accepted—Jesus had carried all of my sorrow. And the weight that had crushed my heart was lifted. I was filled with His love and freedom. From that point on, I never asked again, “What does your cross have to do with my sorrow?” I simply believed that Jesus died on the cross for my sorrow. And over time, He healed the wounds in my heart. I can’t explain something like that with logic. It wasn’t something I figured out in my mind. It’s something I experienced. Something I received.

Jesus told John’s disciples, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see.” What are we hearing and seeing? How much are we truly hearing, seeing, and experiencing Jesus in our lives? When we really hear Him, when we really see Him, and when we really experience Him personally, our doubts will fade away. Jesus said to the crowd around Him, including John’s disciples, “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me” (6). That’s my prayer for all of us today—that we wouldn’t be the ones who stumble because of unmet expectations or unanswered questions. I pray that instead, we would be the ones who come to Jesus, bring our doubts honestly, and encounter Jesus personally. And through that, may our faith grow stronger, and may we become faithful servants of God. Amen.