Thursday, May 17,
2012, 8:25 a.m. – The Lord woke me this morning with the song “Our Eyes on Jesus” playing in my mind. Speak,
Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Matthew 11:1-19, 28-30:
After Jesus had
finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and
preach in the towns of Galilee.
When John heard in
prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the
one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”
Jesus replied, “Go
back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the
lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are
raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does
not fall away on account of me.”
As John’s disciples
were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go
out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go
out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are
in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you,
and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:
“‘I will send my
messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
I tell you the truth:
Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the
Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From
the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been
forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. For all the Prophets and
the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the
Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear.
“To what can I compare
this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling
out to others:
“‘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, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax
collectors and “sinners.”’ But wisdom is proved right by her actions.”
My Understanding: I
find it interesting how the Lord often has me go through personally in my life
what he is having me teach so that I get it, and so that I apply it to my life.
The last several lessons, this one included, have spoken right to my own life
situations. God is doing a work in my heart in teaching me to trust him more
and to not give way to discouragement. He is teaching me to take my eyes off
the things of this world, and to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus. He is teaching me
to focus my heart and mind on what has eternal value, and to not sweat the
small stuff. He is helping me to not be distracted by the things of this world,
but to keep an eternal perspective, to know he is in control over all things,
that he allows everything he brings into my life for a purpose, and that I am
to just trust him to work it all out for my good, the good of others, and for
the praise and honor of God.
Doubt and
Discouragement
John the Baptist was a pillar of faith. He was chosen by God
to be the forerunner of Jesus Christ, and to prepare the way for the coming
Messiah. He demonstrated much faith and perseverance, even in the face of much
opposition throughout his ministry. Yet, he was human, too. No matter how great
our faith and resolve may be, we are still clay vessels in earthly bodies that
wear out and have minds that are not always as sharp and responsive as we would
like them to be. We still bleed. We hurt, we get tired, and sometimes
discouragement, disappointment and/or doubt can begin to settle in and to take
over.
John was in prison, perhaps for a long time. We don’t know
exactly what he faced while in prison. Yet, he was not shut out entirely from
the outside world. He was able to receive news of what Jesus Christ was doing.
Yet, the reports appear to have brought some kind of confusion to his mind,
because he sent his disciples to inquire of Jesus as to whether he truly was
the promised Messiah, or if they should expect someone else.
This seems an odd question of John to ask of Jesus. After all,
he is the one who said about Jesus: “I baptize with water, but among you stands
one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose
sandals I am not worthy to untie.” And, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes
after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him,
but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to
Israel.” “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I
would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water
told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will
baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is the Son
of God.” [Taken from John 1]
So, how is it that John was moved from such a public and
profound declaration of Jesus Christ; of who he was and is, to sending his
disciples to inquire of Jesus if he truly is the one? What caused
discouragement and/or doubt to settle in to one of such great faith and determination?
He was human. He was in prison. Perhaps there were aspects of Jesus’ ministry
that he felt should be different than they were, and so he began to question
whether he had completely understood who Jesus was and what he was supposed to
do.
I’ve been there. There have been times in my life when
circumstances seemed to dictate or else opposition seemed to indicate that
maybe I was not hearing God correctly, or that I did not understand his word
like I thought I did. And, so I inquired of the Lord during those times and
asked him, “Did I get it right or wrong?” I wanted to make sure before I
proceeded. Perhaps this is where John was, too.
There was much opposition to Jesus’ ministry. Some believe
John expected Jesus to also come in judgment at that time, because scripture
prophesied that he would not only come to take away the sins of the world, but
he would also come in judgment (see Isaiah 61). Whatever the reason, John was
experiencing doubt, and so he looked to Jesus for some kind of reassurance.
I’ve been there, too. Sometimes Jesus chastised me ever so
gently for my lack of faith. Other times he came through with strong
reassurances that calmed my fears and that brought peace. Sometimes he has had
to correct my faulty thinking or to make a heart attitude adjustment in my
life. I believe Jesus did so with John the Baptist, too. He let him know, by
the things he reported, that he was indeed the fulfillment of prophesy (Is.
61), and that he was the promised Messiah. John had it right. There was not
another to come. Yet, he also gently rebuked him for doubting and fearing while
at the same time he encouraged him to persevere and to not give up hope, just
because of opposition or because Jesus had not completely fulfilled, at that
time, all prophesy concerning himself.
In Defense of John
John’s disciples began to leave. A crowd had gathered. Perhaps
the crowd overheard what Jesus told John’s disciples to tell him. Jesus had the
advantage of knowing what people were thinking or what was in their hearts.
Perhaps the crowd was passing judgment on John because of the question he asked
Jesus. It is so easy to judge by outward appearance, and maybe the crowd was
being quick to draw wrong conclusions about John. Whatever the reason, Jesus
decided to set everyone’s minds straight on who John was, and who Jesus was,
too.
John was not easily swayed by public opinion. He didn’t lack
judgment and discernment. He was not unstable or faithless in his devotion to
God. He just had some questions in his mind, and he needed some clarity. Then,
he was good. I understand that. John also was not a wealthy man or a man of
power and great influence. He was a humble and obedient servant of Almighty
God. And, he was a prophet, i.e. he spoke the very words of God to the people. Yet
Jesus said he was more than a prophet, for he was the fulfillment of prophesy
of scripture concerning the one who would come before the Messiah to prepare
the way for him. In that statement Jesus was also declaring himself to be the
Messiah.
Jesus said that, from the days of John the Baptist, which
also included the beginning of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, the “kingdom of
heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.” The
kingdom of heaven has its embodiment in Jesus Christ. John was sent to prepare
the way for Jesus. So, he was part of the “forceful men” who were advancing the
kingdom. He preached the need for repentance (turning from sin) because the
kingdom was near. Forceful means “characterized by strength and power”
(Encarta). He had the strength and power of the Spirit of God on him, and it
was in that strength and power that the kingdom was advanced (spread;
progressed; moved forward; proceeded). Jesus was dispelling any myths that John
was no longer one of those “forceful men” who lay hold (grasp; seize) of the
kingdom and who cause it to move forward. John’s character and mission had not
changed. He just needed some clarification and some answers.
Then Jesus addressed the people of his generation (his
contemporaries). Again, he knew their hearts, but he also heard the words they
said and saw their actions. This was evidently in reference to the ministries
of Jesus and John, i.e. that the people wanted Jesus and John to be something
other than who they were, and who they were called to be. The word “dance” has
the connotation here of being asked to change one’s behavior, so when it says
here, “You did not dance,” it means that you did not give in and change who you
are. John and Jesus were both being criticized and rejected because of the way
they lived. Yet, “wisdom is proved right by her actions,” i.e. in God’s
providence these men were exactly who they were supposed to be, and doing precisely
what they were predestined to do. Basically, the people did not like the
messages Jesus and John were preaching, so they wanted them to change and
become more like men, rather than obeying God the Father.
You and Me
We are going to have times in our lives when we question our
own abilities to understand clearly the words of Jesus. John wasn’t doubting
Jesus, but his own understanding of who Jesus was. He had some confusion in his
mind because his understanding was not complete. None of us have perfect
understanding all the time. Sometimes we will need clarification. Yet, that did
not mean that John was no longer a godly man or that he was less than who he
was called to be. He just needed some reassurance from Jesus. And, there will
be times in our lives when we will need reassurance, too. Sometimes Jesus will
have to correct our faulty thinking and/or to rearrange our priorities in order
to give us that reassurance, though. Often we will need to have our thinking
brought back into the right perspective. Yet, a correct response to Jesus’
correction in our lives will bring with it much wisdom.
Satan likes to hit us when we’re down. And, he will use
humans to do his work, whether they are willing participants or not. Some might
seize the opportunity of our obvious time of weakness to attack or accuse
falsely. Yet, Jesus will be our ready defense if we are living rightly before
him. Satan is the great accuser, and he will use these times to try to get us
to get down on ourselves and to give up working for the Lord, but we must not
give up ever! We must keep on believing, trusting and obeying, even if we don’t
understand everything. We will have people in our generation who think we
should be just like them, and that we should do all the same things they do, and
if we don’t, we are termed “not normal.” Yet, it is at these times when we must
stay focused on Jesus, and not on man or our circumstances, and we must allow
God to do his work in our hearts and lives to change us, to mold us, and to
make us into the people of God he wants us to be.
“Come to me, all you
who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and
learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Our Eyes on Jesus
/ An Original Work / April 23, 2012
Based off Hebrews 12:2-13
Let us fix our eyes on
Jesus.
Our faith starts and
grows in Him,
Who for the joy set
before Him
Endured all our sin.
Scorning the shame of
the cross,
He sat down beside God
above.
He was willing to die
for us,
To save us, in love.
Think about the
opposition
He endured from sinful
men,
So when you go through
life’s trials,
You stay strong
within.
Knowing all He went
through for us
Helps us not grow weak
of heart;
Not grow weary; don’t
give up;
And not from Him
depart.
In your struggle
against sin’s ways,
Resist not to shed
your blood.
Have you forgotten the
words
God spoke to us in
love?
“My child, don’t
ignore it when
The Lord corrects you;
do faint not,
Because the Lord disciplines
those
That He loves, of
God.”
God rebukes us all for
our good;
Share with Him in
holiness.
It produces a harvest
of
God’s own
righteousness.
Therefore, strengthen
all within you
That is weak and might
give way.
Stand firm in the
faith God gives you;
Trust Him and obey.
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