John – sent by God to prepare the way for the Messiah – the Savior. We heard about him last week – a peculiar prophet with a peculiar message – repentance and faith in the Messiah who was near. John was so certain of God’s message that he even confronted the religious leaders in their sin calling them a brood of vipers. Then Jesus came to be baptized – anointed for His saving work to come. John had no doubt about the message. He was certain that the Kingdom of God and the Messiah had come to bring judgment and salvation to the world.

But then something strange happens – John is thrown in prison and the judgment doesn’t come. John’s preaching had made it clear that he expected Jesus not only to baptize with the Holy Spirit but also with fire. He expected the Coming One – the Messiah – to usher in judgment on the ungodly, like those who had imprisoned him. But Jesus was not clearing “His threshing floor” and “burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (3:12). Rather, Jesus “went throughout Galilee... preaching the good news of the Kingdom and healing every disease and sickness of the people” (4:23).

Sitting in prison, John seems to become uncertain about Jesus. What’s going on? Where’s the judgment? Is this really the One who was to come? John must have wondered if what he was going through was worth it – if everything was going to turn out all right. John needed to be reassured that God’s Word was certain and true. He needed reassured that despite circumstances God was actively fulfilling His plan through this Jesus.

So, John sends some of his disciples to Jesus to be reassured. They asked, “Are you the One who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”(v.3). Notice that Jesus draws their attention to what they hear and see: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor” (v. 5). In essence Jesus tells them, of course I’m the Messiah. I’m doing what Isaiah 35 says the Messiah would do – creation is being restored – the good news is being preached – salvation has come into the world.

But Isaiah 35 also says that God will come with “vengeance and divine retribution” (Is. 35:4). So, John was right – where’s the judgment? Jesus’ response is to assure John and his disciples that if part of Isaiah 35 was being fulfilled, in time all of it would be. Salvation has indeed come in the person and work of Jesus. The judgment is delayed (in fact, we know what John didn’t. It is delayed to the Last Day), but it certainly will come.

And Jesus tells them that they could be certain of all this because of who John was. Jesus tells them that John was the greatest prophet. He was the prophet which Malachi had foretold would prepare the way for the Messiah – for God Himself. And if John’s message was from God then Jesus was also from God.

Like those disciples of John we live in uncertain times. Our nation faces the uncertainty of relations with other countries in the world, terrorism, future leaders, the economy, raising energy prices. Families face uncertainties involving marriage, employment, education, raising children and probably many more.

In the midst of the uncertainties of life, it is easy just like John, to become uncertain about Jesus and His promises. What He promises doesn’t always seem to hold up as truth. He promises to take care of us and let no harm come to us and yet the doctor’s diagnosis is cancer or our employer gives us notice of termination or our husband/ wife leaves the family.

Does God really care for me when I lay in bed at night listening to my parents scream and yell at each other wondering if and when they may divorce? And what about my child who has grown up and fallen away from the Lord? Why did God allow him to turn away? Why do more people not come to faith? So many people are not interested in the Lord or believe He is one of many ways to eternal life.

When life is uncertain, we often experience “feeble hands” and “knees that give way” (Isaiah 35:3) as Isaiah writes in our Old Testament lesson. We wonder if God’s promises are simply empty platitudes the pastors preach from the pulpit. Like John the Baptist we need to be reassured that God’s Word is certain and true.

So we come here to Jesus and ask that same question John’s disciples asked: “Are you the One who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” And Jesus gives us the same answer: see and hear what I am doing. See and hear what I am doing through My Word and Sacraments in your life.

• Eyes blinded by sin are washed clean.
• Lame, weak knees that give way under the pressures and struggles of life are strengthened and restored.
• Ears deaf to God’s message of law and Gospel are opened.
• Those who are dead in sin are raised to a new life through Holy Baptism.
• Tongues that often shout anger and profanity are cleansed and shout for joy.
• And the Good News of the Kingdom of God – the Salvation of the Lord – is preached to the poor in Spirit – to all of us who come here in repentant faith.

As Isaiah prophesied long ago, we have a God in the person of Jesus who has come to His people. He has come with salvation. He has washed us clean with His blood poured out for us on Calvary’s cross. And He has joined us in His resurrection through Baptism. We live in His kingdom now and look forward to the Last Day and our eternal inheritance of the new heaven and earth.

Despite what things may look like, Jesus assures us that He is in control. And on the Last Day Jesus will come to judge the living and the dead. Those who are covered with the robe of Christ’s righteousness by faith will be judged to eternal life and those who do not believe will be judged with “vengeance and divine retribution.”

Amid the uncertainties of life when we have feeble hands, weak knees, and fearful hearts, Jesus is with us saying, “Be strong, do not fear” (Isaiah 35:4). I’ve come for you. I love you. I have made you mine and nothing can snatch you from my hand (Jn 10:29). When life is uncertain, when the world and even our lives seem upside down, we know that God’s promises in Jesus are certain and true for we see and hear all that He does among us.

And so we come here, week after week, to the foretaste of the heavenly feast to come to see and hear what our Lord Jesus is doing in our lives through His Word and Sacraments. We enter this place to be reassured once again of the certainty of God’s promises and to be strengthened by His Word and Body and Blood in His Sacrament. And so we have great reason to rejoice on this Lord’s Day. As Isaiah writes, we enter Zion – the church – with singing, for gladness and joy overtake us and sorrow and sighing flee away.

John Wesley once said, “When I was young I was sure of everything; in a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before; at present, I am hardly sure of anything but what God has revealed to me.” In this life we will be uncertain of many things, but by grace we are not uncertain of the certain promises made by Christ Jesus. Amen.