Sunday of Moses (G)

Luke 7:18-35

¹⁸ The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, ¹⁹ calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” ²⁰ And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’ ” ²¹ In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. ²² And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. ²³ And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

²⁴ When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵ What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. ²⁶ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he of whom it is written,

“ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

who will prepare your way before you.’

²⁸ I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” ²⁹ (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, ³⁰ but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

³¹ “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,

“ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’

³³ For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ ³⁵ Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”

Moses was given two or three signs to prove that he was actually called by God. He needed proof to show to those people he was the actual hope they had been waiting for. John sends his two disciples to find out whether Jesus is the one they have actually been hoping for. Jesus offers: “In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight.”

I really find enjoyable the question of “what did you go out to see?” Jesus gives an example of someone in rich clothing. Moses was once dressed in fine cloths. He lived in the Pharaoh’s palace. But this was not the messenger people were looking for. Likewise, today many people look for stadiums filled and preachers in fancy clothing ($3,000 suits).

They went out to see a man journeying through the wilderness. They saw a man who was humbled by the lifestyle of a shepherd. The man, they were really looking for, was the one speaking the truth. God placed his word in the Mouth of Moses and John. Amazingly, God even made his Word into flesh. Jesus Christ comes to save Sinners. He comes to redeem you from your sins, and call you to an eternal hope.