"Inquire" Matthew 11:2-15

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Amen

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?”

In the Name of Jesus

We are now three Sundays into our Advent journey for 2013. We stand just 11/10 days until Christmas. We have talked about the need to prepare for the coming Christ. We have talked about the need to hope like a child, without reservations, without doubt, for the coming Christ. Today we are going to talk about how we need to take a cue from the disciples, the followers, of John the Baptist and inquire about that which is wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in the manger.

One of my favorite games growing up was the game 20 questions. How many of you have played this game or have at least heard of it? In this particular game, one person thinks of an object and those playing have 20 questions to try and figure out what it is. You can ask questions like does it make noise, is it orange, does it have fur, can you ride it. And the person with the object can simply answer yes and no.

To me, this text from Matthew 11, screams 20 questions. Bells were going off for John the Baptist as he heard about what this Jesus of Nazareth was doing. John knew his place. He knew he was just to be a forerunner of the coming Messiah. John never misrepresented himself. Those who saw him most likely thought he was the Promised One. He had followers, he had devoted disciples. He was speaking like one blessed, like one sent by God, for he was.

But John made it clear when inquiring minds wanted to know if he was the Christ. This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

He even said as we heard last week in our Gospel reading I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

So, having devoted his life to this proclamation, going even to prison for it, John had to know. John had to know if this Jesus of Nazareth was the one who would assure him that he had not labored in vain. He sends his own followers to ask Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another. The first of their twenty questions. Ok, they didn't make it to twenty, Jesus didn't even let them get past one, before he answered. He tells 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.

Clearly Jesus had never played 20 questions before, he didn't know he could only answer yes or no. However, he points to his actions which scream yes. He was the one sent by the Father to accomplish all that John had proclaimed and all which the prophets foretold. The one who could do these things had to have been sent by God.

But was that, was his actions, enough to convince the people? Obviously not. The inquiring mind of John was soothed, but those who heard him, those after who would have undoubtedly heard what the question and answer was, were not convinced.

Even many today, who have inquired of Jesus, still wait for the Messiah to come! Not convinced that Jesus was the true Son of God, not willing to accept it, many are still waiting for he Promised One. Some who have not understood, wait faithfully, some have given up all together. They fill the spiritual void in their life by seeking out empty promises. By following after false gods. All the while our Lord continually calls to them. He calls to them with words that confess him as our Lord and Savior, just his words confess it to us today.

What an amazing answer he gives. This wasn't about passing word on to John only. Jesus is giving notice to all within ear shot and all who would hear the rumors soon to follow. He is THE ONE. Look no further. Stop asking the questions, which would still continue throughout his life, especially when on trial before Pilate, Jesus is the one. He confirms this each time he uses the two words I AM.

The child who lay in the manger, whom the shepherds, the Magi, and John's disciples all inquired about was the one who brought all things into existence. He is the one would bring life, eternal life, into the world. The Christ child is the one whom the earth was waiting for. Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, the Old Testament prophets, Simeon, and the angels all attest to it. The let the inquiring minds know that this is long awaited Savior. The one who is the light of the world.

And so this Christmas we must inquire about the babe of Bethlehem. We understand and are in agreement and excitement with each of the witnesses to the birth and life of Christ. But we must play our own spiritual game of 20 questions. There is no need to inquire without, now we must inquire within. We must take the life of the Christ child and see how it applies to us. We must examine our lives in light of what Christ has done.

For this we have been given a set of 20 Christian Questions. Please open your hymnals to page 329. These questions were written by Martin Luther and are here for us to ask ourselves, inquire of ourselves, each time we prepare for the coming, the advent, of our King in his holy supper. In these questions we get right to the core of our faith. It reminds us that the child for whose birth we are awaiting, is the child that is the savior of the world.

There is no more wondering. In fact there is no more searching out the Christ. In our house the kids love to play hide and seek. It might be a bit different than you know. The one counting tells the others where to hide so that it is an easy search. Our Lord tells us where he is. He makes no confusion. Clearly he says to inquire of him in his temple, in his house. For it is here that he is indeed present in the word and in the sacraments. It his here that by the help of his Holy Spirit we can properly inquire of our sins, confess of our sins, and receive the precious absolution won for us on the cross of Calvary.

What a blessing. He gives of himself so that we can properly prepare for his coming. So this advent season and always may you be strengthened in your preparing, hoping, and inquiring for the Chirst's coming on the last day.

Amen 

Soli Deo Gloria