Is Jesus the One?

Luke 7:13a
“And and blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

I chose this photo because unlike John, my path and ministry are not yet complete....

The end of one’s life-work is always a difficult time, and John the Baptist was facing that reality in his own life.  Obviously, he has known that his work was to prepare the way for the Messiah, and in this passage, we find John in prison with his public ministry and message of repentance silenced and probably ended.  Information came to John about all that Jesus had done and was doing.  So John, from his silent and solitary place in prison, sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus if He were indeed the One about whom John had preached.

Jesus’ remarkable answer is not just a simple “yes,” but he demonstrated His power as the Anointed Messiah by healing the sick and lepers, restoring sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, raising the dead, and preaching the gospel to the poor.  The proof of Jesus’ identity as the “Coming One” was in the works that completely fulfilled Scripture (see Isaiah 35:5-6; 61:1).

A person can make any claim, but the proof of one’s reality is in his alignment with God’s Word.  No matter how good a man’s message may sound, it must be completely consistent with and supported by God’s Word.  Anything short of that is false and worthless.

In these events, I also see the mercy of God.  When Jesus came and John’s ministry was complete, God took John home to Glory.  God did not leave John to languish or to labor on in futility for a task that was already complete, but He called John “out of the game.”  I have seen similar examples of this mercy throughout my life that God often removes His servant when their work is finished.

Since I am still here, I must continue in the work He has for me to do.  I pray for His power and wisdom to keep on going.

Coram deo