His Answer is STILL His Answer

Friday, January 23, 2015

Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see:  the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.

Matthew 11:4-5 (NRSV)

John the Baptist is in prison and has one simple question for Jesus:  Just answer this one thing and I can die a happy man; Are YOU the Messiah? 

And what does Jesus say? 

He tells the condemned man to figure it out for himself! 

Really great, eh? 

I used to wonder why Jesus just couldn’t give his poor imprisoned cousin John a straight answer; just tell him “yes” or “no,” Jesus! 

But we serve a God who never wastes an opportunity to increase our faith.  Had Jesus just given a simple “yes” John would have been in the same spot, and still wondering to this day! 

But, by pointing to the evidence, Jesus kept the issue of faith and personal decision in the forefront.  John had to exercise his faith in Jesus, or be content with his unbelief.

Jesus’ indirect answer to John helps us understand the very same answer today, because Jesus asks us to consider for ourselves the same question he had asked the disciples….Who do YOU say that I am?

In other words, Jesus tells us mortals, prisoners of our own sinful nature and this lost world, that our task here on earth is to consider the evidence…which is:

Jesus has done it all – healed the deaf, gave sight to the blind, enabled the disabled, and even raised the dead…and by Easter morning an empty tomb would be the final proof that a dead man really would live again.  His sacrifice would make it possible for us to be saved from our sins, and know God…personally. 

The evidence tells us our task is to come close to God and experience his love just as certainly as the blind, deaf and dead felt the compassionate touch of Jesus two thousand years ago.  The Psalmist gave us the same advice:

O taste and see that the LORD is good;  Psalm 34:8a (KJV)

Jesus isn’t hiding, but if you want to find out how good he really is, you’ve got to taste that goodness personally…nobody else can use your taste buds!

For You Today

How “personal” is your relationship with Jesus Christ?

Church can be overly-corporate with our spoken confessions of faith, unison readings of Scripture and Denominational identity. 

But when it comes down to your soul, it is YOUR will, your “spiritual taste buds” that are deciding whose side you’re on; YOU decide who He is!

[Title image:  By Shakko (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons]

Of Baptisms and Beatings

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River.  As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove.  And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”  The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days.  He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.   Mark 1:9-13 (NLT)

From Hero to Zero it would seem; Jesus is basking in the coolness of a Jordan River baptism as the Spirit descends like a dove to add visual power to the Father’s approving voice – my son…you bring me great joy!

In the next heartbeat the Spirit is driving Jesus like a whipped dog into the dry, hostile desert, surrounded by wild animals to be tempted by Satan.

Does that sound like your life?  One minute you’re riding the crest of the wave; the next you’re at the bottom of the cesspool!

Do you ever want to pray, OK, God, which is it…baptism or beating today?  Am I dearly loved or are we headed for the woodshed?

I confess I’ve had my share of both….and prayed just like that. 

When we were attending seminary there were so many times of mountain-top joy.  Then there were those other times; sick kids, too many bills, incredibly small living area for two adults and three kids.  There were car problems, homesickness and too little sleep combined with too much work.  Baptisms and beatings, it seemed.

For Jesus, it turned out to be part of His ministry to those of us who choose to follow Him.  How often would his followers need to remember what Jesus suffered in the wilderness as He prepared to defeat temptation once for all?  How often would they need to be bolstered by the remembrance of the Lord overcoming Satan as they themselves would face Satanically-inspired Roman emperors and magistrates? 

Power, it seems, is never inherited or granted; power is earned and learned.  And the greatest teacher of spiritual strength is adversity.

Remember that this text tells us it was the Spirit of God that drove Jesus into the wilderness.  Jesus went because he was willing to trust the Father, even when it seemed like it was going to be a beating rather than a baptism.

Years ago when I first got out of the Army I worked for an insurance company.  The district manager was a tough boss; he demanded progress, excellence and the highest level of effort from his sales force.  To be called into his office usually resulted in long nights of extra work, or worse…the axe, canned, fired!

I got called in once.  Fearing the worst, I got the surprise of my life when he told me (quite gently) that he was pleased with the results of my work and he was putting me in charge of the office for the next two weeks while he was on vacation. 

For You Today

No matter what you’re expecting today – beating or baptism – remember it isn’t in the hands of the disciple what the Master will lead you through.

But it is in your hand to respond in a way that will honor your Master.