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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