As we continue our journey toward Christmas, we reflect on the profound humanity of John the Baptist, who found himself questioning his life’s work and Jesus’ identity while facing execution in prison. We recognize that even the most devoted among us can experience a crisis of faith, yet we understand that these moments of doubt do not invalidate our status as Christians; rather, they highlight our human need for reassurance. We argue that the vital response to such moments is not to retreat, but to turn toward the truth of Scripture and the support of our faith community. By bathing our minds in the Word now, we ensure that we have a firm foundation to lean on whenever we find ourselves asking if we have “done it right.”

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It’s a wonderful Thursday morning, and we are just one week away from Christmas! It is getting so close. I hope you have at least started your Christmas shopping. Thankfully, I have a wife who does most of the shopping for our family; if it were up to me, everyone would be getting socks and bubblegum. If you get a good gift from the Starters this year, it’s because of her, not me!

Today and tomorrow, we are looking at Matthew 11. Specifically, we are looking at the figure of John the Baptist. John is a pivotal figure in the Advent story, and today we see a part of his journey that I find incredibly encouraging because of how human it is.

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Let’s look at the text from Matthew chapter 11, verses 2 through 6:

“When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.’”

A Hero in Crisis

John the Baptist was in prison because he did the right thing. He had been obedient to God’s call to preach against Herod’s immorality, and it landed him in a cell. He was likely realizing that his execution was near.

Think about who John was. He wasn’t just some bystander; he was Jesus’ cousin and perhaps his closest friend. Luke’s Gospel tells us that when Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, John actually leaped in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Jesus. John was the one who preached that he wasn’t worthy to untie Jesus’ sandals. He saw the Spirit descend like a dove at Jesus’ baptism. John knew who Jesus was—intellectually and spiritually.

Yet, sitting in that dark prison, facing death, John has a moment of profound doubt. He asks, “Are you really the one? Or was I wrong?”

The Humanity of Doubt

I love this passage because it is so human. We have all been there, praying, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” John the Baptist—the greatest of the prophets—had a crisis of faith. This teaches us something vital: Doubt does not invalidate our faith.

You can love Jesus deeply, live for Him boldly, and be a devoted disciple, and still have moments where you wonder if you’ve got it all right. As a pastor, I’ve sat by the bedsides of many saints who have loved Jesus their whole lives. Even then, as the end nears, they sometimes look at me and ask, “Have I done it right?” Like the famous moment in Saving Private Ryan, we all have those “Tell me I’m a good man” moments.

These moments don’t make us unfaithful; they just make us human.

What We Turn To

The real question isn’t whether we will have doubts—we will—but rather, what do we turn to when they come?

When John’s disciples came to Jesus, Jesus didn’t scold John. He spoke truth to him. He pointed John back to the scriptures (specifically the prophecies in Isaiah). This is why it is so important for us to “bathe” ourselves in the truth of Scripture. We need to have the words ready for when the darkness hits:

• When we feel condemned: We turn to Romans 10:9 and remember that if we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart, we are saved.
• When we feel we’ve messed up too much: We turn to 1 John 1:9, knowing He is faithful and just to cleanse us.
• When we feel forgotten: We turn to Psalm 139, knowing that even if we make our bed in the depths, He is there.

The reason we spend time together every day reading Scripture, why we worship, and why we stay plugged into community is to build that foundation. We do it so that when the crisis comes, we know exactly where to turn.

Don’t be afraid of the questions. Just make sure you know the One who holds the answers. Have a great day, and we’ll see you tomorrow!