Show Don't Tell: Matthew 11:1-6

Instead of saying "John the Baptist had doubts," feel the dungeon walls closing in. John—the bold prophet who confronted Pharisees, baptized Jesus, saw the Spirit descend—now sits in Herod's prison. He hears reports of what Jesus is doing. And he sends messengers: "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?" The question stings. John announced the Messiah, and now he's not sure? But Jesus doesn't rebuke. He points to evidence: "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." Isaiah's prophecy—let John connect the dots. "Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me." Faith sometimes wavers in prison. Jesus meets doubt with evidence, not condemnation.