“Do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice” (Matt. 23:3). Jesus said this about the scribes and Pharisees, some of the foremost religious authorities of that time. Sadly, the dynamic He observed among them is common, even today. How often do we see religious leaders exposed as being at the center of some tawdry scandal? Saying the right things does not mean you actually do them.
Unless you are Jesus.
He stood out for the way He taught “as one who had authority, and not as the scribes” (Matt. 7:29). Yet this was not simply a matter of style: it was also His substance. We see this when John the Baptist – in prison and facing execution – sent his followers to Jesus to confirm that He was in fact “the one who is to come” (Matt. 11:2-3).
When Jesus replied, He did not give a soundbite from an authoritative sermon. He did not recite His family tree or give His last three addresses to reference against the prophecies about the coming Messiah. He could have. In fact, the Apostle Matthew did, powerfully showing how these details about Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures (cf. Matt. 1:1-17; 2:1-6, 14-15, 23; 5:17-20).
When Jesus replied, He said, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 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. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me” (Matt. 11:4-6). Notice that He did not directly answer the question. Jesus let His work speak for itself. Then He challenges us: what will we do?
As Christians, we follow what Jesus taught and what He did. This means our faith is both believing the right teaching and doing it. Are we? Is His teaching shaping how we raise our families and live with our neighbors? Is His example showing in the work we do each day? Before we say a word about the Scriptures, can people see them in how we live?
Jesus’ identity was clearly seen through the work He did. As His followers, the same should be true of us.
Ready to work with God everyday? Check out our sermon series “Don’t Quit Your Day Job: Glorifying God from 9 to 5”!