December 14, 2025, Advent 3
Matthew 11:2-11
Introduction
What happened to John the Baptist? That’s the question that comes up for me when I hear today’s Gospel. Because last week during our call to worship scripture from Matthew 3, John was a voice crying out in the wilderness. He was preparing the way of the Lord, announcing the kingdom of heaven had come near. He demanded repentance. He didn’t want excuses or explanations; he wanted action and change. He spoke of “the wrath to come,” the ax “lying at the root of the trees,” and “unquenchable fire.”
This week, though, is different. Now John is in prison, and he has a question for Jesus. “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Last week there was no question in his mind, no doubt in his heart, and no hesitation in his words. Prepare the way of the Lord, and the way of the Lord will include wrath, ax, and fire. But based on what he’s been hearing about Jesus, John seems to be wondering if what he had been preaching all this time was accurate. It’s all got him asking, “Is Jesus really the one we’ve been waiting for? Or are we waiting for someone else?” And John is asking because… Where’s the wrath? Where’s the ax? Where’s the unquenchable fire?
Move 1
When we couple together today’s text with what we heard last week from Matthew, we begin to see that John is laser focused in a very Advent kind of way. He is laser focused on preparing the way of the Lord and anticipating what the Lord is going to come and do. And while a laser focus is often good—and even faithful— if we are not careful, if we’re not paying attention, our laser focus can lead us down a different way, one that is not of the Lord. A laser focus can turn into blinders that give us only a narrow focus. And a narrow focus can quickly become narrow mindedness.
And so, with his question to Jesus, I can’t help but wonder if John’s vision of the Lord coming with wrath, ax, and fire have become his blinders. Maybe his vision has become narrow and led to narrow mindedness. After all, wrath, ax, and fire are a far cry from the blind receiving their sight, the lame who now walk, the lepers who are cleansed, the deaf who hear, the dead who are raised, and the poor who are brought good news.
John had a singular vision of the kingdom, and he was committed to that vision, determined to see it through. But now he’s wondering if he got it wrong.
Move 2
I know what a laser focus is like; what a narrow focus is like; and how easily a singular focus can consume us and be all we are interested in. There have been many times I became so interested in, possessed by, or committed to something that it becomes the main thing for me, often to the exclusion of other things and people, and/or a detriment to me.
For example, I love to play organized sports, and have been in many different leagues— soccer, softball, kickball, and volleyball. But I’m not as young as I used to be and Snow and then, have suffered some aches and pains, and the occasional “minor” injury. But I love to play and didn’t ever want to miss a game—I mean let me team down. So I played through the aches and pains… and sometimes the injury.
A couple years ago after dislocating my shoulder, my doctor told me my kickball season was over. Well, I disagreed… respectfully, of course! I was singularly focused on what I wanted, and what I wanted to do. And that’s how a singular focus goes, right? They’re what we mostly talk and think about. Or maybe we read and study about it. In all kinds of ways, we give this singular focus our time and energy, and we’re fully invested in and committed to it. I was certain I was fine to play through my injury, despite what my doctor told me. And it’s in times like them that Julie will challenge me, saying things like, “You think that’s a good idea?”
To which I say, “Don’t worry honey, it’s fine. I know what I’m doing.” And if I’m truthful, I really do know what I’m doing. I’m so focused and locked into what I want to do, and what I want, that I am putting on blinders. Because if I don’t put on the blinders, and I look around at what’s really happening—look at what’s really real— then I don’t get to do what I want to do, and I don’t get what I want. And not getting to do what I want to do… not getting what I want… is not something I want. But if I put on blinders…
Move 3
Often our singular focus on getting what we want, becomes our blinders. But with blinders on we become imprisoned; incarcerated by our inability or unwillingness to see more; to imagine other ways or possibilities; to consider something new, different, or totally unexpected.
And so often we don’t realize that almost anything can become blinders. Blinders can range from the ecstatic and joyful, to the tragic and painful, to the certain and unwavering.
For John, wrath, ax, and fire are the blinders that keep him from recognizing the Messiah who comes with compassion, healing, new life, and hope. And I don’t say that as a judgment or criticism of John. I say it in recognition that I’m not any different from John—and you probably aren’t either. I suspect we all have had blinders on at some point in our lives. Each of us has our own version of wrath, ax, and fire; our own version of “Don’t worry, it’s fine. I know what I’m doing.” Each of us wears blinders that narrow and limit our vision of ourselves, of one another, the world, and perhaps most especially, God. Some blinders we are born into. Some grow over time like a cataract. But some blinders we choose.
The blinders we’re born into, or grow over time—these are the kind of blinders John had. For his whole life he was taught God’s Mesiah would come with “wrath, ax, and fire.” And what we are beginning to see in our text for today is an Advent-like transformation of John. He’s seeing Jesus differently than ever before, and he’s growing because of it. But the blinders that are chosen… those are the tough ones to take off. They cause us to see only the singular focus and miss everything else. They imprison us in a one-dimensional view of a multi-dimensional life and world. They take away our peripheral vision and hide a larger reality. They tempt us to believe that what we want is what should be. They keep us from the really real Good News.
Move 4
When it comes to playing through aches and pains (and injuries), and defying doctors’ orders to do and get what I want, I admit I put on blinders. But if I am really honest, I have to admit also, I choose to put on other blinders as well.
Sometimes the shadows of violence and injustice keep me from seeing and hearing how others are working for peace and change. Sometimes my feelings of being overwhelmed and powerless to make a difference keep me from seeing what I can actually do. My sorrow and grief over so much violence, hate, and vitriol keep me from seeing and embracing hope, peace and joy. That I am white, educated, heterosexual, middle class, and male often keep me from seeing the experiences and needs of those of different races, genders, sexualities, and socioeconomic class from me. Blinders of past guilt and regret have made it difficult to see the gift of forgiveness and the possibility of reconciliation. Sometimes my fear, suspicion, or prejudgment of another are blinders to another person’s humanity and dignity. Busyness and exhaustion become blinders to the beauty around me and keep me from being fully present to those I love.
And like John, there have been times when my expectations of who and how Jesus should be, have prevented me from recognizing the divine presence all around me. But just like John, I know I can transform and grow. I can learn that compassion, grace, forgiveness, acceptance, mercy, dignity, openness, hope, peace, joy, and unconditional love can have a far bigger impact on the world than wrath, ax, and fire.
Conclusion
In this season of Advent, John has called out for us to prepare the way of the Lord, and those preparations, he has shown us, requires us to ask… “Are you the one I’ve been waiting for, or am I waiting for someone else…the someone I want to come? Tell me Jesus… Am I wearing blinders?”
Are you wearing blinders? Maybe you’re wearing some of the blinders I listed. Maybe you’re wearing others—if so, what are they? In what ways have they imprisoned you? But don’t stop there. Next ask… What is the good news you need to hear today?
Do you need to see the light through all the dimness and shadows? Good news…“The blind receive their sight.” Do you need to know the way the world can change and you are not powerless to help? Good news…… “The lame walk.” Do you need to feel comfortable in your own skin and know beauty isn’t what is shown on the internet? Good news… where the world sees “lepers” Jesus sees true beauty cleansed through compassion and love. Do you need a word of encouragement, affirmation, or guidance? Good news…… “The deaf hear.” Do you need to know there is in fact a bright future ahead filled with new possibilities? Good news…… “The dead are raised.” Do you need hope, peace, and joy because the world has robbed you of such? Good news…… “The poor have Good News brought to them.”
*******
I wonder what knowing the Good News you need to know means for you today. I wonder what knowing the Good News you need to know does to the blinders you wear today. Because when we know the Good News, it is Jesus showing us, just as he showed John, what life is like when we take off our binders and stop anticipating, stop expecting only what we want. A blinder free, Good News filled life of hope, peace, and joy. That’s the life I want, don’t you?
If it is then tell me… Is Jesus the one coming to you, or are you waiting for another? Amen.
Pastoral Prayer, December 14, 2025, Advent 3
Gracious God, our Advent hope, peace, and joy, we gather today with the questions of John the Baptist echoing in our hearts: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”
We admit, Lord, often our vision is narrow, our minds confined by our expectations of how and where You should appear. We look for You in power and judgment, perhaps even expecting fire, ax, and wrath that John once spoke of, and in doing so, we risk missing You in the quiet, the humble, the everyday.
Open our eyes and minds, we pray, to see the world more broadly; to recognize Your presence in unexpected places—most especially, in all children. Help us to hear Your responses to the world, not in thunder, but in acts of mercy and grace, where…
The blind receive their sight in moments of clarity and compassion.
The lame walk when we support one another in our struggles.
The outcast and disregarded are cleansed in communities of acceptance and love.
The deaf hear the cries of the marginalized and respond.
The dead are raised as hope is restored to those in despair.
And the Good News is proclaimed to the poor as we work for justice and equity.
Remind us Holy God, then when we are part of this work, we are filled with Your everlasting joy, a joy that is active, and moves us to bring Your light into the world.
So dispel our anxiety and fear, reminding us You are among us. Strengthen our weary hands and steady our trembling knees, that we may be Your messengers of Good News to a world in waiting. And help us to know in our deepest selves, the joy of your salvation, and to share with others, through our words and deeds, Jesus came to bring this joy to all your children.
We ask that you would listen now to the prayers of our hearts as we lift them to you in this time of Holy Silence.
All this we pray in the name of, the one who is indeed coming, Jesus the Messiah, who taught us to pray saying, “Our…”