Expectations Vs Reality

Shall We Look For Another

Matthew 11:2-3 (ESV)

“Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’”

The question posed by John the Baptist should give us all pause. This wasn’t a question coming from a skeptic or someone unfamiliar with Jesus. It was John—John, who had leapt in his mother’s womb at the sound of Mary’s greeting (Luke 1:41). John, who had boldly proclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). John, who had witnessed the heavens open and the Spirit descend like a dove upon Jesus, with the Father declaring, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

And yet, here he was, questioning: “Are you the one, or shall we look for another?”

What had changed?

When Expectations Collide with Reality

John’s doubt wasn’t born from ignorance but from unmet expectations. Like many Jews of his time, John anticipated a Messiah who would come with power and might to overthrow oppressors, restore Israel, and establish God’s kingdom visibly and victoriously. Yet Jesus, though powerful in word and deed, wasn’t meeting that vision. Instead of rallying armies, He was healing the broken, forgiving the sinful, and teaching about a kingdom that seemed far less immediate and tangible than what John had hoped.

Adding to this was John’s personal suffering. From the confines of Herod Antipas’s prison, John watched as Jesus performed miracles for others but seemingly left him forgotten. The man who had prepared the way for the Messiah now faced the harsh reality that his own way might end in execution.

Have you ever been there? Have you ever felt the sting of unmet expectations? Maybe you prayed fervently for healing, but the illness lingered. Perhaps you trusted God for a breakthrough, but the prison of your circumstances remained locked. It’s easy to feel like God is showing up for others but passing you by.

Jesus’ Answer: A Reassurance and a Challenge

When John’s disciples carried his question to Jesus, the response was both tender and profound. Jesus didn’t rebuke John for his doubt. Instead, He pointed to evidence of His work: “The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news preached to them” (Matthew 11:4-5).

This was a direct reference to messianic prophecies in Isaiah (Isaiah 35:5-6; 61:1), confirming that He was fulfilling God’s promises. Yet, Jesus didn’t stop there. He added, “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me” (Matthew 11:6).

Why would anyone be offended by Jesus? Because His ways often challenge our expectations. He doesn’t always move on our timetable. He doesn’t always answer prayers in the way we hope. Sometimes, like John, we find ourselves waiting in the dark, wondering why the light seems slow to come.

Jesus’ words to John were both a reassurance and a challenge: “Yes, I am the One. But no, I won’t always act according to your plans. Trust Me anyway.”

The Call to Trust Beyond Understanding

This is the crux of faith: to trust Jesus not for what we want Him to do, but for who He is. It requires surrendering our expectations and embracing the truth that His plans are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).

John had to decide: Would he cling to his preconceived notions of the Messiah, or would he trust Jesus as He revealed Himself to be? Would he believe, or would he look for another?

There Is No Other

The truth is, there is no other Savior. No one else can open blind eyes, heal broken hearts, or bring life out of death. No one else can conquer sin and defeat the grave. Peter’s declaration remains as true today as it was then: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

So, shall we look for another? No. When life doesn’t make sense, when prayers seem unanswered, and when hope feels distant, let us anchor ourselves in the truth of who Jesus is. He is the One who is always faithful, even when His ways are beyond our understanding.

Jesus promises a blessing for those who are not offended by Him as He exercises His authority and power as Savior and Lord. He didn’t come to forgive my sins so that I could keep committing them; He came to forgive my sins and free me from their power. He didn’t come to make me feel good about the way I am; He came to change me, transform me, make me like Him. He didn’t come to rescue me from every unpleasant thing I face; He came to give me eternal life and raise me from the dead, so that my eternity will be with Him, in peace and joy and holy perfection and delight.

Bringing it Home 

A few points to make. 

1. First, as we live in Christ, we will find ourselves facing hard circumstances. The mark of Jesus’ love is not that He makes those hard circumstances go away, but that He keeps us faithful in the midst of them. 

2. Second, it’s easy to interpret suffering and difficulties as some sort of punishment from God, or a sign of His anger. For the Christian, suffering and difficulties are where the Lord reveals His love, as He stands with us in the midst of them. 

3. Third, it’s also easy for us to get jealous about what the Lord does for others. He heals others, He blesses others, He gives things to to others – why not me? That’s a question only Jesus can answer, and you aren’t going to get it answered in this life. Keep trusting Him, keeping following hard after Him, and you can ask Him about His purposes in eternity – although I strongly suspect that once you are with Him, you won’t have questions about minor events on earth. 

4. Finally, the hard call of discipleship is the call to pick up our crosses and follow Jesus. It seems that John the Baptist wavered for a moment, but Jesus’ answer steadied him. Why do I say that? Because John soon died at Herod’s order. He didn’t apologize to Herod, and try to make friends with his enemy. He remained faithful to His God and His Messiah; he took up his cross. 

Pick up your cross, and trust in Jesus Christ. You won’t understand very much about His moment-by-moment purposes, so don’t try. Be faithful to Him. Call upon Him. Look to Him.