FC’s mission is to culture like Christ, and our vision is Jesus. We have been studying the Red
Letters-what Jesus said. Through His words, we have learned who He is and for what He
stands. Two weeks ago we met the Roman centurion who had a sick servant. The Roman came to the Lord to plead for the healing of his sick servant. It was a study on authority and faith.
This week the event took place in a village whose name meant beauty or pleasant. Jesus and
his disciples went to Nain, where they observed the funeral of a widow’s only son taking place. Jesus responded with compassion for the grieving mother.
“Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the
bearers stopped. ‘Young man,’ he said, ‘I tell you, get up.’
Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus
gave him back to his mother.” Luke 7:14-15 (NLT)
Jesus did not even need to touch the dead son; he just touched the coffin. He was bringing the spirit back to the body, for “nothing is impossible with God.”Luke 1:37 (CEB) When death meets life at the gate of the city of beauty, who wins that match? Life does! Jesus walked in, and the whole atmosphere changed. Nain (meaning beauty) became a beautiful place of life.
We also are agents of change because “if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because
of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness.” Romans 8:10 We bring His Spirit into
every situation and place that we go. That is why we need to stay grounded in His Word and
seated at His feet, so we can be busy doing God’s business. “My school is different because of me. My workplace is different because of me. My home is different because of me,” said Pastor Josiah. Everywhere you set your feet, you bring the Lord. May you be salt and light wherever you go.
The news of Jesus spread, and John the Baptist’s disciples told John everything that Jesus was doing. Previously, Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, announced
“Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
He is the one I was talking about when I said, ’A man is coming
after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before
me.’ I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been
baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.’
Then John testified,’I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a
dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn’t know he was
the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me,
‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one
who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen
One of God.” John 1:29a-34 (NLT)
At the beginning when John was baptizing, he saw that Jesus was the One. He saw the Holy
Spirit resting on our Lord Jesus and knew Jesus was the One.
However, after being imprisoned and isolated, John was not sure. He sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus,”Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” Luke 7:19 (NLT) Imprisonment weighed on John, and he was discouraged. Circumstances have a way of deteriorating our faith in the truth. Life can get in the way. But when challenging circumstances are present, we must let the truth outweigh the
facts. For example, the oncologist told Larry that his “cancer is treatable but not curable.”
However, we serve a living, miracle-working God who is bigger than cancer and can heal it. The truth of God out weighs the facts of the doctor.
Sometimes our feelings affect how we respond to the truth. John while in prison did not see
Jesus as He healed the sick and restored sight to the blind. In answer to John’s question, Jesus instructed 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.” Luke 7:22 (NLT)
The proof was in what Jesus was doing-the healings and sharing of the Good News. John
needed to know that there was life beyond his cell walls. We need to know that there is life
beyond our circumstances too. We need to cling to the Truth-Jesus who is the only way to our Abba Father. We need to actively participate in God’s business. We’re not in a ”business as usual” season!
After John’s disciples left, Jesus began questioning the crowd about who John was.
He asked,
“Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, he is more than a prophet.
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. 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!’” Luke 7:26-28 (NLT)
Jesus honored John for what he did. John’s ministry was one of preparation for the Messiah. He is the last of the Old Testament prophets., and he was the last to prepare for the Messianic Age. The time of preparation was over. John told his disciples, ”You yourselves can testify that I said,’I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’” John 3:27b (BSB)
John continued,”That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must increase; I must
decrease.” John 3:29b-30 (BSB) The paramount point is Jesus increase. For “Jesus said,’I
am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’”
John 14:6 (NLT) May we live that fact every day so that we can be light and salt in this dark
world.
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