Matthew 11:3
“Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
The circumstances of life often cause us to question God. It is hard sometimes to reconcile what we are going through with who God is; compassionate and good. This happened to John the Baptist. From the words of Jesus, we know John was the greatest man to have ever lived. He was a man that preached the gospel to thousands, the man who pointed the way to Christ, and the man who baptized Christ, Himself. Yet, in our text, we read he was also the man who doubted. Laying in a prison cell, the cold, the dampness, the suffering, all seemed to squeeze his faith and cloud his vision of Christ.
The response of Jesus, to John’s question of doubt, gives us great insight into the solution when we are facing the same dilemma as John.
Matthew 11:4-5 “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: the blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.’”
In other words, Jesus answers John’s doubt by reminding him of who Jesus is and what He does. I think the solution in times of difficulty and doubt is to go to the Word and be reminded of all that Jesus is.
Pastor Jim
Jesus declared the whole Bible testified of Him. Sometimes, the testimony is the form of prophecy, other times, it is in the form of a type, or illustration. Here, we find a vivid illustrative picture of the cross of Christ. Let’s examine the details.
These twelve ordinary men were chosen, empowered, and sent by Jesus into the world with the simple message of salvation. As a result, their lives have transformed the world.
Abraham’s journey had led him to the far south of the promised land, to an area that had begun to be occupied by the Philistines. Because of the reputation of the Philistine people, Abraham and Sarah decided the best approach to guarantee their safety was to lie about their relationship. They would tell anyone who asked, they were brother and sister. Thinking Sarah would not be taken and Abe would not be killed. It seems their plan backfired, because when the Philistine king of Gerar saw Sarah, he took her into his harem and sought to make her his wife.
I remember growing up with the story of Paul Revere riding through the New England countryside, heralding the message that the British were coming. In the version I was told, he rode from town to town warning the people who responded by preparing themselves for battle. Lot, like Paul Revere, was given a warning. His warning came by the hand of two angelic messengers, explaining that the Lord was coming to judge. When Lot began to broadcast the message, those closest to him responded with laughter, thinking he must be joking. I have always been stunned by their reaction. Lot lived in such a way that no one would believe he was truly a follower of God.
Juliet asked Romeo, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” That question takes on a whole new meaning when seen in light of the events recorded in Genesis 17. This chapter chronicles God changing the names of Abram and Sarai, as well as providing the name of their long awaited son.
This chapter introduces us to a man who is facing one of life’s greatest challenges; that of a terrible physical disorder. Being a paralytic would mean he not only missed out on much of the experiences of life that we take for granted, but also, he would be totally dependant upon others. He was not even capable of getting to this home on his own.
This question was not asked on a theology exam, but in a real life situation. A one hundred year old man, and a ninety year old barren woman, were promised a child from whom a great nation would be established. The promises of God were met head on by the circumstances of life, making them seem so far-fetched, both Abraham and Sarah laughed. It was not improbable for a 90 year old woman to have a child, it was impossible. Not only was she passed the age of child bearing, but she had been infertile her whole life. What did not happen in her youth, could not happen in her old age. Yet in these circumstances, God made a promise. When the promise was doubted, God asked them a question, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
Out on the Sea of Galilee, in the midst of a great tempest, we find the disciples fearing for their lives. When they cry out to Jesus for help, He responds with a question. “Why are you afraid?” Naturally, they had much reason to fear. The storm was great, many in the boat were unaccustomed to the sea and it’s ways, and fear has a way of spreading from one to another. To make matters worse, when they looked to Jesus, He seemed to not care about their plight. He was sleeping while they were suffering. It seems they had reason to fear. On the other hand, they had been traveling with Jesus. They lived through the chapter we just read. They saw Him cleanse the leper and heal the crowds. If they had only looked back at what Jesus had done, they would have had great comfort for what they were facing.
We have four sons and had to select names for each of them. When making our decisions, we looked through name books, considered family names, then ultimately chose names that we liked. Very little consideration was given to what, if anything, the names actually meant. In Biblical times, names mattered much more than they do today. A person was named for an event that transpired around their birth, or to describe a particular character trait. A son who came out of the womb with a lot of hair was called Esau or Hairy, and his twin brother who held on to his heel, was called Jacob, or heel catcher. This principle is particularly true as it relates to God. The names ascribed to God in Scripture are more than titles to distinguish Him from others. These names are like miniature portraits and promises that identify who He is and what He does.
