Messengers from John
Notes
Transcript
A review, John the baptist. He was the cousin of Jesus. He was one who people though would be a little on the wild side, living in the wilderness, wearing a tunic of camel hair, eating locus’. He is the one who prepared the way for Jesus, confirmed Him as the lamb of God and baptised Him. John is now is prison because He had confronted Herod the ruler of the day about his sin.
From within prison is when John sends messengers to Jesus.
Doubts arise
Doubts arise
John had devotion.
John had publicly declared that he was not even worthy to untie the sandal of Jesus. The job that is reserved for the lowliest of servant in a household, John says that he isn’t even good enough for that task.
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,
22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
John saw the Holy Spirit and even heard the audible voice of God.
What happened?
(Speculation)
John had been preaching the imminence of the kingdom of God. John had been preaching the coming is at hand; and now he’s in prison.
This isn’t what he’d expected, he was waiting for Jesus to come and the kingdom to be turned over to Him. Jesus should be ruling, not Herod, Jesus should have been able to free him by now.
John questioned because it wasn’t playing out the way he had expected.
Do you doubt?
This gives me comfort, in v.28 Jesus says that their is none greater than John, and he even wanted reassurance.
There are those times when we question, “Am I saved? Am I doing what God has called me to do? Is Jesus really the only way? Can I trust that he is the creator of all things?
Though I’m not condoning doubt, I’m also not condemning for it.
We need to recognize these doubts, concerns are spiritual warfare.
Let’s look at it like another aspect of Spiritual warfare.
Your kids are being crazy, they aren’t listening and you let your anger get the best of you and yell at them.
Are you standing condemned for yelling? Is there no forgiveness. No
You need to repent, ask you kids for forgiveness. Retrace your steps on what you should have done to conduct yourself in a godly way and next time do that.
We don’t want to always be doubting God, but when we do, God gives us a way to retrace our steps so we can conduct ourselves in a godly way.
Examine the facts
Examine the facts
Jesus doesn’t say “yes I am.” He tells them to examine the facts.
People believe cult leaders and heresy because they are unwilling to do this. They are unwilling to examine the facts.
v.22
Scripture speak for itself.
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
Last week we spoke of the year of the Lord’s jubilee, this week we see it again. The year of liberty, of restoration.
Jesus shows that the works being done are the same as in Isaiah 61 speaking of what the messiah will do when He comes.
One day when Jesus returns, he will restore all things again.
v.22 list
Jesus is telling John to examine the facts against scripture, things that he knows the messiah will do. The truth is found in scripture.
Apply to Us
When we find ourselves doubting Jesus, do you examine the facts? Do you look for the truth that God has revealed to us in his word to confirm your faith?
Your faith in Jesus must be solid. Not a faith because you didn’t know what else to believe in, or your friends believe in Jesus so you do to. Or you go to church on Sunday so you must have faith. That’s not faith, that’s religion. Why? your faith is in your actions not in the actions of Jesus.
You must have faith because you have examined the evidence for God, and you find the bible true, and you know that Jesus is the only way. Because you know this you have faith believing that you are saved from your sins because of what He has done, and you believe you will spend eternity with Him.
Our faith is in the unseen, but it is in no way blind.
Offended by me v.23
Offended by me v.23
There are things that Jesus says, that are a little on the harsh side.
Jesus wasn’t the messiah the people were expecting.
This is why Jesus was reminding John don’t stumble, trust me.
Trust Jesus
Trust Jesus
Either things were progressing wasn’t the way that John had expected, or he wanted assurance since he was about to lose his head.
Jesus was reassuring John that even though it isn’t happening the way John had pictured it, don’t stumble, don’t trip over this. He is the messiah and look at the evidence. Things were still progressing the way that God had intended it to, just not the way John had anticipated.
Application
Sometimes in our lives it doesn’t go the way we intend.
This doesn’t mean that God isn’t working, it doesn’t mean God isn’t in control, it just means that God’s ways aren’t our ways.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Heaven isn’t here on earth! God doesn’t promise us our best lives now He promises that all of our trials will work out for the good of those who love Him.
When we have doubts, remember that doubt isn’t God’s best for us, but there is still hope for even the greatest prophet ever born struggled with this. Examine the evidence and remember that we can trust in Jesus, that He won’t let us down.
Communion:
1 Cor 11:23
This is my body broken for you.
In Exodus God gave them manna. They would have died without it. Now Jesus tells us in John that he is the living bread that came down from heaven. We eat this bread in remembrance of the living bread who came down from heaven. That we are spiritually dead if we don’t take part in.
We were instructed that the cup is the new covenant. Just as the blood of lambs and bulls purified us in the old covenant. The blood of Jesus seals the new covenant. When we drink the juice we remember the new covenant that He sealed with His blood, until He comes.