Thursday, August 16, 2012

From John to Jesus: Wutz Up?

fortune message and sunglasses

Matthew 11
Messengers from John the Baptist
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?'”
This sounds like doubt. Isn't this John the Baptist that was so aware of Christ's prominence and authority in Matthew 3, he didn't think of himself as worthy of completing His water baptism? What had occurred between chapter 3 and chapter 11? Persecution and trials.

The best of men are men at best, and unassisted by God, falter often. We regularly prove true the words of Matthew 26:41: the spirit is willing but the body is weak. The story many of us share is that of trying hard to be strong and good on our own, all while taking the blows of life while doing our darndest to smile It doesn't really work that way. Our mind and bodies require rest in Christ. 
 
And Jesus answered them, '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.'”
We serve a God that's not all about talk but real power (1 Corinthians 4:20). He doesn't just make hundreds of promises about a new covenant but actually comes to earth to fulfill them!
Notice how Jesus didn't answer the question, though He had adequate reason to be annoyed and answer with sarcasm; He demonstrated grace, encouraging John in who he was.
Jesus continues by calling John greater than a prophet, the greatest man that ever lived.

But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,
“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.
Jesus recognized the problem of un-repentance didn't just depend on how people presented the message of salvation, the Jews wouldn't even accept it from the Son of God Himself.
May we pray that our hearts are never so hardened to God's instruction and warning.

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