Rejoicing in What Jesus Thinks and Says About Us 
As [John’s disciples] went away [back to John to tell them what they had seen and heard from Jesus], Jesus began to speak to the to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold those who wear soft clothing in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,
“Behold, I send my messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.”
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
What do other people say about you when you and your friends are not around?
It’s a dangerous question to think about, isn’t it?
How do people speak about you behind your back?
Jesus has a wonderful opportunity speak poorly about John the Baptist in our reading.
John’s in prison. Jesus had just sent John’s disciples away – they aren’t there anymore. The crowd is there – and everyone know crowds like a juicy story about other people.
Just ask the newspapers and TV news commentaries what often gets the highest ratings. Crowds like gossip – whether it’s true or false.
John certainly had some friends and followers in that crowd. Matthew tells us all of Judea had gone out to hear John and be baptized by him.
Some in the crowd were even followers of Jesus now because John had pointed them to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and had told his followers that he must decrease and Christ must increase.
But the crowd likely has also made up by a lot of people who didn’t like John.
Calling whole groups a brood vipers – who warned you of the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance….every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Luke 3:7-9) gets you some enemies.
Reproving the powerful King Herod for all the evil things he had done (Luke 3:18-20) got John some enemies. Powerful enemies. John’s in prison because of that preaching.
If Jesus had wanted to gain some major popularity among the crowds for a brief moment, throwing John under the bus and speaking poorly about him behind his back would likely have been a good strategy.
And Jesus might have had some ammunition.
John seems like he could be questioning, doubting whether Jesus is the One who is to come or should he look for another.
John was a powerful and bold preacher, but being a prisoner in Herod’s dungeon could make anyone seem timid and weak.
“C’mon John, can’t you take a little suffering!”
We expect from Jesus at least an, “O ye of little faith. Why do you doubt? Why are you so afraid.”
But when the time comes for Jesus to speak about John to others, Jesus is John’s biggest defender.
“John’s not swayed by public opinion folks,” Jesus says. “John doesn’t wave back and forth.
John is strong.
John knows what is good, true, and beautiful.”
What did you go out to see a reed shaken by wind? No
Jesus continues to speak well of John saying John also didn’t come to spend his life focusing only a worldly pleasures. John is also not removed from the common people, the poor, the sick, the lonely, the sinners.
What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? No. Behold those who wear soft clothing are in kings houses.
Jesus is not ashamed of shame. Jesus is not offended by John – his preaching or his person.
When it comes to speaking about John to others, Jesus says John is God’s messenger, that God had sent John before Jesus’ face – John will prepare Jesus’ way.
Among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.
What a statement! What a tribute that tells us what Jesus truly thinks about John!
He’s Jesus’ messenger! He’s Jesus’ prophet! He’s just Jesus’ really! Jesus isn’t ashamed to call John His! John belongs to Him! That’s what Jesus thinks of John so that’s what Jesus has to say about John!
And so also you.
What does Jesus have to say about you? What does He really think about you?
Behind your back – in conversation with God the Father and Spirit and in the presence of the angels and the archangels and all the company of heaven.
Or straight to your face today or on judgment day – what are you going to say to the Judge of the living the dead?
What does Jesus have to say about you?
He’s got plenty of ammunition to speak poorly about you, doesn’t he?
What could He say?
That’s you’re too often a pushover? You know the right thing to do and say and yet you are often swayed by the world and your sinful flesh.
A reed shaken by the wind.
Or that you’re spoiled and yet unthankful? You wear soft clothes and sit in kings houses. You have a pretty easy life that He has given you and yet you often whine and complain and don’t say, “thank you,” often enough.
What could He say?
All the evil things that you have done. All the evil things you have said – especially about other people.
What could He say?
That you’re often disobedient, unfaithful and lazy. That you’ve hurt others by your words and deeds. That you have been neglectful and wasteful. You’ve lost your temper and gossiped.
That you’re full of doubts and fears despite all that He has done, despite all that He has said and promised.
No – that’s not what He says about you, because that’s not what He thinks about you! Isn’t that amazing!
When you come to church, you get a window into the heavenly conversation between Christ and the Father and Spirit – what is happening when your name is mentioned among God, the angels and archangels and all the company of heaven.
And two words might summarize that conversation and that is joy and peace.
There is joy in heaven at the mention of your name. You are Christ’s. You belong to Him. You are not His enemy. You are His friend. He likes you.
You have been given the gift of His Spirit Who enlightens you so that you have begun to know your sin and want to do better. You know your Savior.
Joy! There is joy in heaven over the repentance of one sinner. There is joy in heaven over you. That’s what Jesus thinks of you and that’s how Jesus speaks about you.
And there is peace in heaven. God is not mad at you. God doesn’t gossip about you. God does not speak ill of you.
Christ has shed His blood. Christ took on the wrath we deserve. Christ is risen and has answered for you – your sins are removed as far as the east is from the west.
God sees you in Christ.
God sees you as righteous and holy.
God has covered your shame and also sees you as a His beautiful bride, without spot and blemish.
God loves to hear you, even if you think your prayers are silly – He loves to hear you.
God loves to see you, even when you can’t stand yourself – He thinks you are precious, fearfully and wonderfully made.
God knows that your enemy the devil would love to hear all about your failures, but we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous One, defends us and gives the evidence of our goodness in the sight of God – the evidence of His blood shed on the cross.
And so, dear saints, with that window into heaven about what God really thinks about you, Jesus pronounces this blessing,
Blessed in the one who is not offended by me.
What do you say about God behind His back, as if there is such a thing?
What do you think about His Words when He’s not around, as if there is such a thing?
Blessed is the one who it not offended by me.
In Christ, you are not offended by Him and His Words.
In Christ, you desire to decrease and He increase – Thy will be done.
In Christ, by His power working through His Word and the Body and Blood you receive, God is helping you not be so soft, swayed by the world’s opinions or your sinful flesh’s desires.
The grass withers and the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever.
Through His Word which stands forever, God is helping you not be offended by Him, even when you suffer, because you know there is peace with God and that works in you joy, even in suffering.
Rejoice in the Lord!
Rejoice Him – His Words, His deeds –
Go also and tell others what you have seen and heard –
the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the poor have good news preached to them –
the poor, like you, good news – about what Jesus really thinks about them.
And He changes your heart to begin to think about them the way He thinks about them.
He has joy in you and them and He is at peace with you and them. Rejoice in the Lord, ya’ll! Again, I’ll say rejoice.