What signs of the Messiah were prophesied? How did Jesus fulfil these signs?

1. SIGNS OF
THE MESSIAH

2. GRACIOUS JESUS
(MATTHEW’S PERSPECTIVE WITH GOSPEL PARALLELS)
1. Presenting the King (Matt 1-4)
2. True Blessedness (Matt 5:1-12)
3. Kingdom Lifestyle – Part 1 (Matt 5:13-
48)
4. Kingdom Lifestyle – Part 2 (Matt 6)
5. Kingdom Lifestyle – Part 3 (Matt 7)
6. Master Strokes (Matt 8)
7. The King Calls (Matt 9)
8. The King Commissions (Matt 10)
9. Signs, Sinners and the
Saviour (Matt 11)
10. Power Games and Names (Matt 12)
11. Hidden Wisdom (Matt 13:1-43)
12. Hidden Treasures (Matt 13:44-14)
13. The Gall and the Glory (Matt 15-17:9)
14. Winning Others Over (Matt 17:10-
18:35)
15. Kingdom Values, Kingdom Wealth
(Matt 20)
16. The King Enters Jerusalem (Matt 21)
17. The Chosen Few (Matt 22)
18. The King’s Glorious Coming (Matt
24:1-44)
19. The Final Countdown (Matt 24:45 –
25:46)
20. The King’s last days (Matt 26)
21. Desertion (Matt 26:36-75)
22. God’s Lamb Sacrificed (Matt 27: 1-50)
23. The King Conquers (Matt 27:51-28)

3. GRACIOUS JESUS
9. SIGNS, SINNERS AND THE SAVIOUR
1. Signs of the
Messiah
2. True Greatness
3. Children of Wisdom
4. When Profanity
Surpasses Piety
5. Wisdom of Children
6. Soul Rest

4. SIGNS OF THE MESSIAH
BIBLE PASSAGE
Matt 11:1 After Jesus had finished instructing
his twelve disciples, he went on from there to
teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.
2 When John, who was in prison, heard about
the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples
3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come,
or should we expect someone else?”

5. SIGNS OF THE MESSIAH
BIBLE PASSAGE
Matt 11:4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to
John what you hear and see: 5 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. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not
stumble on account of me.”

6. PRESENTATION
OVERVIEW
• Bible Passage: Matt 11:1-6, Luke 7.18-23
• Background
• Is John confused?
• He reconfirms
• He reaffirms
• He redirects
• Christ’s response
• The new reality

7. OBJECTIVES
To understand:
• Why John the Baptist asked for confirmation if Jesus is
the Messiah
• Biblical evidence that Jesus is the Messiah

8. BACKGROUND
In the second year of
Jesus’ ministry, he is
already
excommunicated from
his home town
Nazareth. John is in
prison in the house of
Herod’s first wife who
is his supporter. She
allows visitors to meet
him and even sends
him food from her
table. In the second
half of the year, she
leaves for her father’s
house.

9. IS JOHN CONFUSED?
Why is John clarifying Jesus as
Messiah?
Did he not say “Behold the Lamb of
God who takes away the sin of the
world”?
Did he not witness the Holy Spirit on
Jesus as God’s confirmation of His
Son?

10. IS JOHN CONFUSED?
While we may not
understand the great
man’s mind, we can
but guess his
thoughts. One of
Jesus’ roles as
Messiah was to
release prisoners as
Jesus himself earlier
quoted in Luke 4:18,
repeating Isaiah’s
messianic prophesy

11. IS JOHN CONFUSED?
Maybe, he thought
that the promised
Messiah was to
rule, to judge. In
John’s words “his
winnowing fork is
at hand”. None of
these seemed to be
happening. Jesus
was being rejected,
John was in prison.

12. GOD’S SECRET
WISDOM
On the flip side, God’s work through
Jesus was probably still a secret. In 1
Cor 2:7 and 8, Paul says 7 No, we
declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that
has been hidden and that God destined
for our glory before time began. 8 None of
the rulers of this age understood it, for if
they had, they would not have
crucified the Lord of glory.

13. GOD’S SECRET
WISDOM
God’s mystery was
a secret even to
Satan. Jesus’
humble manhood
and service, hid his
majestic power and
greatness. Even his
disciples and
family really
understood only
after His death.

14. JOHN RECONFIRMS
Knowing he has
limited time, John’s
questions “Are you
the one who is to
come, or should we
expect someone
else?”. The
question probably
implies “is my work
done or is there
more to do?”

15. HE REAFFIRMS
This question can
also be a
reaffirmation for
his disciples
whom he is
leaving behind.

16. HE REDIRECTS
In the course of
this question he is
redirecting his
disciples to the
Messiah. Andrew
and possibly
others have already
followed Christ.
The remaining are
still hovering
around John.

17. HE REDIRECTS
He sends them to
find out from
Christ Himself,
not only for him
but for
themselves

18. CHRIST’S RESPONSE
Matt 11:4 Jesus
replied, “Go back and
report to John what
you hear and see: 5
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.
6 Blessed is anyone
who does not stumble
on account of me.”

19. CHRIST’S RESPONSE
You haven’t
missed the true
Messiah
Jesus points to
the Messianic
prophecy in
Isaiah 61:1
Don’t trip over the
new reality

20. THE NEW REALITY
In the eyes of the
world the Messiah
was to rule in the
worldly sense.
Jesus’ reign begins
spiritually.
So it is written: "The
first man Adam
became a living
being"; the last
Adam, a life-giving
spirit. 1 Corinthians
15:45

21. THE NEW REALITY
Adam was the first
man in the world
with a soul. Jesus
brought a means of
awakening our
dead spirits (that
Adam darkened by
sin). Jesus gives
us the opportunity
to be spiritual
beings.

22. THE NEW REALITY
While he
demonstrated his
Messianic nature
by raising the
dead, healing he
sick, his purpose
was to bring
spiritual life and
keep it healthy. To
reign in the hearts
of His people.

23. THE NEW REALITY
We are quick to
link material and
physical benefits
to our status in
Christ. Christ’s
focus is spiritual
prosperity.

24. THE NEW REALITY
Are we ready to dig
deep into the
spiritual riches God
has and believe in
them at the cost of
what the world
offers? Even
churches today
revolve around
worldly parameters
– positions,
programs

25. THE NEW REALITY
Many today are
tripping over the new
reality. They are
veering towards,
Good works, external
righteousness, etc. –
Satan’s counterfeit
form of Christianity –
without Christ,
without
transformation of
soul.

26. THE NEW REALITY

27. DISCUSSION
1. Discuss the statement “Blessed are
those who do not stumble because of
me”. Give examples of how we can fall
into this trap.
2. Explain the statement, “the blind, see,
the lame walk, the dead are raised” in
the spiritual context.
3. How do we get and maintain soul vision?