Jesus and John the Baptist
18 The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples, 19 and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”
20 John’s two disciples found Jesus and said to him, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?’”
21 At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. 22 Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. 23 And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.’”
24 After John’s disciples left, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 25 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces. 26 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 27 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,
‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.’
28 I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!”
29 When they heard this, all the people—even the tax collectors—agreed that God’s way was right, for they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and experts in religious law rejected God’s plan for them, for they had refused John’s baptism.
31 “To what can I compare the people of this generation?” Jesus asked. “How can I describe them? 32 They are like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,
‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t weep.’
33 For John the Baptist didn’t spend his time eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it.”
This section of Luke 7 provides a fairly good understanding of the character of John the Baptist. He was a man that was totally committed to Christ and the message that Christ would share with the world. John the Baptist lived out in the wilderness, separate from the society of worldly possessions. While living in the wilderness, John the Baptist was able to serve Christ without being distracted by worldly possessions. He was able to fully commit himself to Christ and His teachings. We too should separate ourselves from worldly possessions and completely commit to Christ. We should be able to commit to Christ’s teachings without any distractions.
Now we most likely are not able to separate ourselves from society by going to live in the wilderness. However, we are called to remain separated from the possessions of this world. Let’s take a deeper look at the comparison of Jesus and John the Baptist in verses 33 through 35. John the Baptist had totally disconnected from the world by living in the wilderness. Because of this, many people felt he was possessed by a demon. Jesus, on the other hand, was in the world surrounded by sinners. Jesus lived right in the middle of society and all the worldly possessions. Many people felt he was a glutton and a drunkard. However, just because Jesus was living in the world, does not mean Jesus was living of the world. Jesus instead was a light in the darkness of the world.
The above comparison shows us that even though we do live in this world and are unable to separate ourselves from society by living in the wilderness; it is no excuse to live of the world. With God’s wisdom, we all should be like Jesus and be a light in the darkness of the world. We are called to live a totally separate lifestyle than that of the world.
This week RLM would like to challenge you to first and foremost commit yourself to Jesus. Make the commitment to live a separate life just as John the Baptist did. Secondly, do not live of this world merely because you are living in it. Be the light in the darkness this week.
Prayer: Dear God, I pray that everyone this week remember you and remember what it truly means to be a Christian. I pray they will completely commit to you and they will live for you and not for this world. In Your name, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment