Good News to the Poor
Advent III: Isaiah 35:1–10; Matthew 11:2–19
Discipleship
Our vision statement at St. Dunstan’s states that we want to see the world, especially the places where we live, work, and worship, filled with disciples of Jesus Christ. However, this raises the question of what it truly means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
In today’s culture, we often use the term ‘disciple’ as if anyone who believes in Jesus is automatically a disciple. However, in the first century, ‘disciple’ was a precise, technical term. You wouldn’t simply call yourself a disciple of someone just because you agreed with their general philosophy or liked some of their sayings. A ‘disciple’ was someone who traveled with an itinerant preacher, lived, worked, and ministered alongside them, and learned to imitate their ways. It could also refer to someone who sat at a teacher’s feet for an extended period, much like in a classroom. In either case, the purpose was the same.
So, when we talk about being disciples, we need to be clear. We’re not just talking about people who have signed a card, said a prayer, and crossed some line from non-believer to believer. When we talk about disciples, we’re talking about people who have chosen to sit at Jesus’ feet. Or, in this case, the better metaphor is that a disciple is someone who follows Jesus on the way, learning to live as he did.
Expectations
The goal of discipleship is imitation, but there’s a problem. Before we become disciples, we come to Jesus with expectations. Sometimes those expectations are correct; other times, perhaps many times, they are flawed—even severely flawed. One of the most important things you can do to grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ is to stop making him who you want him to be or even who you’ve been told he is, and instead focus closely on what he said and what he did.
Now, this will require you to open your Bibles regularly—preferably daily—and read the Gospels. I know there are many plans, even in the prayer book, to read through the Bible in a year or in chronological order, along with many other Bible reading plans for Christians. But if you want to understand who Jesus is truly—that is, what he said and what he did—there are only four books in the Bible that genuinely help you.
Since we are Christians, that is, disciples of Christ, and not Biblians, I suggest that, as a New Year’s resolution, we all commit to spending time every day reading the four Gospels to learn who Jesus is, what he said, and what he did. Once we’ve done that, we can discuss reading the entire Bible in a year, but let’s start with the Gospels.
If we commit to that, many of us will discover that the Jesus of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is quite different from what we expect. Recognizing this fact would also mean we’re in good company.
John’s Question
For many of us, it’s probably hard to imagine John the Baptist asking Jesus what we hear his disciples asking him on John’s behalf. John is the voice crying out in the wilderness; he is the forerunner of the Lord. John said that Jesus was mightier than he was and that he was not even worthy to carry his sandals. And now, John is starting to have doubts?
Jesus did not meet the expectations of his contemporaries because they came to him with a list of what the Messiah was expected to say and do, and, in many cases, he did the opposite. Surprisingly, at least to me, Jesus also did not meet John the Baptist’s expectations. So, through his disciples, John asks Jesus,
“Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matt 11:3 ESV).
How could John ask such a thing? Maybe the fact that John was in prison had something to do with it.
John in Prison
I have mentioned before that when we think about the kingdom of God, we should consider the stone from Daniel 2 that strikes the feet of the idolatrous statue and topples the empires of this world. If this is how the kingdom of God will appear, it’s unsurprising that people expected a militaristic, revolutionary messianic figure.
Let’s consider John as an example. We hear in Matthew 4 that John has been arrested, but the details aren’t provided until chapter 14. There, we learn that John was taken into custody by Herod Antipas, the tetrarch and son of Herod the Great, a servant of the Roman Empire. So, there’s John, under arrest by Rome’s representative, with the prophecy from Daniel 2 and the stone that crushes the empires of this world echoing in his mind, waiting for Jesus to ignite the revolution and start the war that will eventually bring his freedom. But Jesus isn’t starting a war, nor is he initiating that kind of revolution.
The Works of the Messiah
Notice how Matthew introduces John’s question. He writes,
“Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples” (Matt 11:2).
The Greek phrase Matthew uses is τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, the works of the Messiah.
John is essentially saying, “Jesus, the things you were supposed to do as the Messiah—things that would lead to my release from a Roman prison—why aren’t you doing them? Where is the revolution? Did I misunderstand? Should we be looking for someone else?”
Jesus answers John’s question by telling his disciples to report back what they hear and see, specifically that:
“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” (Matt 11:5).
These are τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, the works of the Messiah.
With one exception, they all explicitly concern the restoration of the physical body. The blind receive sight. The lame walk. Lepers are cleansed. The deaf hear. The dead are raised. Jesus is alluding to our Old Testament reading, where Isaiah prophesied that when God returned to his people,
“the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy” (Isa 35:5–6).
Jesus goes beyond what Isaiah prophesied, adding that lepers are cleansed and the dead are raised. He is doing even more than the prophet had promised.
What Jesus Did Not Do
I want you to note what Jesus was not saying and doing as the works of the Messiah.
He was not meeting people in their suffering and telling them how great it would be when they finally got to heaven. He was not sending “thoughts and prayers” online while getting around to the real kingdom-building business of debating various atonement theories to explain his impending death. He was not trying to get the right people in power within the Roman Empire so he could start formulating laws that forced people to live the way he wanted—or face the consequences.
Jesus did none of that.
Instead, what he did—the τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Χριστοῦ—was meet human suffering with divine mercy. He did what was within his power to alleviate human suffering in the world. He gave what he had so that others might see, walk, be cleansed, hear, and ultimately rise from the dead.
Good News to the Poor
And then Jesus adds,
“and the poor have good news preached to them” (Matt 11:5).
After alluding to Isaiah 35, Jesus here alludes to a different Isaianic passage,
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor …” (Isa 61:1).
The Greek word used in both Matthew and the Septuagint is εὐαγγελίζω, meaning “to preach good news” or “to proclaim the gospel.”
Think about that phrase “good news to the poor.” Given how Jesus has just defined the works of the Messiah, do you really believe that “preaching the gospel to the poor” means, “Yes, your life isn’t great right now, but don’t worry, there’s a better one waiting for you in heaven”? Or, “Hey, I know you’re wondering where your next meal will come from, but would you like to hear my thoughts about the New Perspective on Paul? What about the millennial kingdom? Women’s ordination? The sacraments?”
Is any of that good news to the poor? Is any of that good news to someone facing eviction? To someone who can’t feed their child? To someone living in the cold because they can’t afford to run the heat in their home? Is any of that τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Χριστοῦ to them?
The answer is obviously no.
The Question Advent Asks Us
So then, the question I want you to consider is: “Is the gospel you believe actually good news to the poor, or is it not?” And this is why that question matters:
If the gospel you believe is not good news to the poor, then it is not the gospel.
Becoming a better disciple of Jesus is not about becoming a better theologian, even though theology has its place. Nor is it about asking what the Bible is saying to me, as if the primary purpose of Scripture was merely to tend to my inner life. Becoming a better disciple involves fixing our eyes on Jesus, setting aside our expectations of who we think he should be, and learning from what he did and what he said. When we do that, what we consistently see is someone centered on the gospel—that is, on the world- and life-changing transformation that occurs when divine mercy meets human suffering. That is the good news, both in this life and in the next, and any gospel that does not proclaim both is no gospel at all.
God intends to transform this world and end human suffering. That work began with τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, the works of the Messiah, and if we call ourselves his disciples, then that must be our work too.
Amen.
Life Group Guide
Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we gather together today, we ask that You open our hearts and minds to receive what You want to teach us through Your Word. Help us set aside our expectations and preconceived notions about who Jesus is, and give us eyes to see him clearly as he is revealed in Scripture. May we be humble learners, ready to observe and imitate our Savior. Guide our discussion and help us to grow as true disciples of Jesus Christ. In his name we pray, Amen.
Ice Breaker
What is one skill or hobby you learned by watching and imitating someone else? How did that process of observation and practice help you improve?
Key Verses
Matthew 11:2-6
Isaiah 35:5-6
Isaiah 61:1
Daniel 2
Questions
How does Fr. Michael’s definition of discipleship as ‘observation and imitation’ differ from how you might have previously understood what it means to follow Jesus?
John the Baptist had expectations about what the Messiah would do, but Jesus didn’t meet those expectations. What expectations about Jesus have you had to adjust as you’ve grown in your faith?
Jesus defined his messianic works as healing the blind, the lame, the deaf, and the lepers, raising the dead, and preaching good news to the poor. What do these actions reveal about God’s priorities?
The sermon asks whether the gospel we believe is actually ‘good news to the poor.’ How would you answer that question about your own understanding of the gospel?
What does it mean that Jesus met ‘human suffering with divine mercy’ rather than offering only spiritual comfort or future promises?
Fr. Michael suggests reading one chapter from each Gospel daily. What challenges or benefits do you see in focusing primarily on the Gospels for understanding Jesus?
How might our churches and communities better reflect Jesus’ approach of meeting human suffering with divine mercy?
What is the difference between the gospel as ‘escapism’ versus the gospel as ‘world and life changing transformation’?
Life Application
This week, commit to reading one chapter from each of the four Gospels daily (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). As you read, pay special attention to what Jesus actually said and did, setting aside any preconceived notions. Also, look for one practical way you can meet human suffering with divine mercy in your community - whether through helping someone in need, volunteering, or simply showing compassion to those who are struggling.
Key Takeaways
True discipleship involves observing and imitating Jesus, not creating our own version of who we think He should be.
Even John the Baptist had to adjust his expectations about what the Messiah would do and how He would work.
Jesus defined His messianic mission as meeting human suffering with divine mercy through healing and restoration.
The gospel must be good news to the poor and suffering, not just theological concepts or future promises.
Becoming a better disciple requires regular study of the Gospels to understand what Jesus actually said and did.
Ending Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for showing us what true discipleship looks like through your life and ministry. Help us to be faithful observers of your ways and bold imitators of your love and mercy. Give us hearts moved by human suffering and hands ready to serve. May we be instruments of your good news to the poor, the hurting, and the broken in our world. Transform us to be disciples who truly follow in your footsteps, meeting suffering with mercy and bringing hope to the hopeless. We pray this in your precious name, Amen.