Does God really say His way is easy? (Part 4)
I missed a night, and I might not get a good chance for posting more over break, so let’s tackle a second one tonight. John the Baptist was the last prophet, if you will, before Jesus arrived on the scene – the “Elijah who was to come” as prophesied by Malachi (Malachi 4:5-6) and confirmed by Jesus (Matthew 11:14). John suffered the life of what we might see as a crazy man.
4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
(Matthew 3:4)
In fact God ensured people wouldn’t see him as just another drunk, as they thought of those during Pentecost (Acts 2:13).
14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
(Luke 1:14-15)
It wasn’t long before John had to deal with the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 3:7-10) and then had a run-in with Herod.
19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
(Luke 3:19-20)
John endured his ministry until Jesus’ arrival, but was now in prison. After some time, still in prison, his trust in God began to waver.
2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
(Matthew 11:2-6)
John was in prison, perhaps expecting to not suffer himself with Jesus finally on earth, and wasn’t so sure now that Jesus was Messiah. How did Jesus respond? He reminded John what Scripture said – what God had promised back in Isaiah.
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;(Isaiah 35:5-6)
1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;
(Isaiah 61:1a)
Perhaps John expected all of Isaiah 61 to be fulfilled, which he wasn’t seeing yet, and he was losing faith.
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;
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
4 They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
5 Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;
6 but you shall be called the priests of the LORD; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast.
7 Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.
8 For I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.(Isaiah 61:1b-11)
Jesus points out John’s mistake as He turns to talk with the people there after responding to John’s messengers.
7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
(Matthew 11:7-11)
Jesus said John was the greatest prophet (what a complement!), yet also said those trusting in Him, even the least of them, was right now greater than John. John’s story tells us one more thing – sometimes God saves us through death, in John’s case at the hands of Herod.
25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
(Mark 6:25-29)
John ultimately held on to God until his end – he did not have to wait long for deliverance from his enemies. And this now brings us to Jesus… I’ll tackle His ministry in two parts (his life and his teachings) a few days from now, likely.
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