MISSION WOODS CHURCH
Sunday, December 14, 2025
      • Bible Trivia
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      • Bible Trivia
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      • Bible Trivia
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      • Bible Trivia
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  • Angels We Have Heard On High
  • How Great Our Joy
  • Joy To The World
  • Joyful Joyful We Adore You

      • Matthew 11:2-4ESV

      • Matthew 11:5-6ESV

      • Matthew 11:7-8ESV

      • Matthew 11:9-10ESV

      • Matthew 11:11ESV

  • Christmas is 11 days away as we gather here today. Does that bring you anxiety or excitement? Perhaps you have a list of things that need to get done.
    Have you sent out all the cards?
    Is your shopping done? Are you sure? (There always seems to be that one extra person that pops up on the list.)
    Is the house ready? Refrigerator stocked, fresh linens on the guest bed, bathrooms cleaned?
    Is the car ready if you’re taking a trip?
    Are all the arrangements made?
    What about Christmas gives you the most anxiety or excitement?
    As we anticipate the celebration of Christmas during this Advent Season we are not only anticipating the celebration of Jesus’ birth we are also and perhaps more importantly in this season anticipating Jesus’ return.
    It is not unlikely that this latter point is lower on our priority list. It’s been 2000 years. Jesus said his return was soon, Paul said Jesus return was any time, and here we are 2000 years later and we still are waiting.
    It’s easy to become less than ready for something that seems to not be coming. Parents often get caught in this reaction from their children. They tell their children we’re leaving in a few minutes only to get caught up in another task to get done, another conversation; a few minutes becomes a half-hour or perhaps an hour. Then the parents are frustrated when they’re ready to leave because their children aren’t ready.
    You may have wondered, how does this morning’s passage relate to us today? Imagine if you were John. You’re in prison and you hear about the deeds of a new teacher in the area.
    Matthew 11:2–3 ESV
    Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

    1. Questioning in Uncertainty

    “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
    Even John, Jesus’ cousin, has uncertainty, and so he questions. Actually he sends his disciples to question, because John is in prison. Doubt can touch even the most faithful followers. John had questions!
    How would he know to ask? What did John know that perhaps many of those who lived around the time did not recognize?
    He had to have had some sort of anticipation, he had to have some sort of expectation. He continues to seek out the truth.
    Jesus sent an answer: Matthew 11:4-6
    Matthew 11:4–6 ESV
    And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
    These were fulfillment of the prophecies.

    2. Witnessing the Wonders

    Jesus tells John’s disciples what he has been doing, highlighting the miracles as evidence of his messianic identity. He was in effect saying, “I am He for whom you’ve been waiting.”
    Notice that Jesus didn’t just ask the disciples to take his word for it. He says, Mt 11:4
    Matthew 11:4 ESV
    “Go and tell John what you hear and see:
    Imagine what they heard from those who were healed. Imagine what they witnessed.
    What have you heard? In our lives we come across people who share their testimonies about what is happening and how their lives have been changed since following Christ. Our One Prisoner One Parish team is getting to know a woman currently in the women’s prison and hearing of how coming to know Jesus has given her hope. How it has changed her.
    How has your faith changed you?
    Here I want to take a moment to highlight the benefits of journaling. I’m not talking about “dear diary” although it could be. What I want to highlight is the journaling of what you’re learning in your faith journey. It might be something you heard in a sermon, read in a book, or heard on a podcast. It might be your own reflections on a Scripture passage and a recording of prayer requests.
    It’s when we come back to those journals and read through, we remember what we were dealing with at that time, and can see how as we’ve embraced the truth of Jesus’ identity we’ve grown. That can bring us a lot of joy as we continue to face new challenges every day.
    This can help us to embrace this journey we call faith.

    3. Embracing Journey of Faith

    John sat languishing in jail, but he hears of Jesus and sends his disciples to investigate. Are you the one?
    The report that comes back from his disciples I can only imagine brought him great joy. We read Matthew 11:7–11
    Matthew 11:7–11 ESV
    As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
    Jesus commends John the Baptist, he acknowledges the struggles while at the same time underscoring prophetic fulfillment. From his knowledge of the Hebrew Bible he understood what Jesus was doing and saying were in fulfillment of the prophecies.
    How did John know it was a fulfillment?
    He had to know the prophecies.
    How will we know when Jesus comes?
    We will have to know the prophecies.
    There are few things in life that bring a person hope like an answered prayer. We here at Mission Woods are a praying congregation, and we’ve seen miracles! Truly miracles!
    I think of Haven whom we prayed for often early in her life. It was questionable whether she’d survive. We prayed, we hoped, we believed. Surgery after surgery, she made it through, and now she’s a thriving fire cracker whose smile lights up a room.
    I think of the many among us who have battled cancer, and won. I think of others for whom we pray as they continue in the battle.
    I’m mindful of the many of you who have prayed for me as a surgery left me totally deaf in my right ear. We prayed for my hearing to be restored. Yes there is the technology, but it is never an assured result.
    I recently heard from my surgeon who saw my recent assessment and said, “I just looked at your recent CI scores. You are KILLING it!! Such good news. Literally one of our best performers.”
    P’GHA! = Praise God, Hallelujah! AMEN!
    Years ago I had been let go from a church to which I’d moved across the country to serve as associate pastor for youth. A friend and I had driven across the country back to the PNW and I was about to begin trying to figure out what was next. As I dropped him off at the airport and drove away my mind flooded with worry. Now what?
    All the “What ifs” began to come at me from seemingly every side. I could feel the worry growing, and despair beginning to take root. Then I was hit by a sudden question.
    Why do we ask “What if” of the future, but we seldom ask it of the past?
    I began to ask What if’s of my past.
    What if I hadn’t gone back to that church?
    What if I hadn’t met the people I’d met and become friends with? (Many of whom remain friends almost 30 years later!)
    What if, what if, what if…
    The worry, the despair was replaced with an intense reminder:
    The God of our past is the God of our present and the God of our tomorrows.
    As we read through our Bible’s we read of prophecies that we made and fulfilled, over and over again. Old Testament prophecies were ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.
    That despair we sometimes feel when facing life’s struggles, can be met head on by the knowledge that God who was with us in the past is with us in the present and will be with us in the future.

    The Joy of a Promise Kept

    Joy emerges in the journey of faith as we see the promises of Jesus being fulfilled. We’ve seen it in the past, and we wait expectantly to see Jesus fulfill his promise of returning. Are we ready?
    True joy is found in recognizing and believing in Jesus as the Messiah, embracing His works and His message amid life’s uncertainties and doubts.
    Let us continue to wait with hope, peace, and joy.
    Psalm 30:5 ESV
    Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

    The Joy of a Promise Kept

    To God be the glory. Amen.
    Please let me pray for you.

      • Matthew 11:2–3ESV

      • Matthew 11:4–6ESV

      • Matthew 11:4ESV

      • Matthew 11:7–11ESV

      • Psalm 30:5ESV

  • What Can I Give Him
  • Angels We Have Heard On High
      • Bible Trivia
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MISSION WOODS CHURCH
info@missionwoodschurch.org
(253) 922-5555
http://www.missionwoodschurch.org
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