JESUS SPEAKING
And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to him, “Are you the coming one, or do we look for another?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of me” (Mathew 11: 2-6.)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
After baptizing Jesus, John came to believe that Jesus was the messiah they had been waiting for. He, like so many in Israel believed the Messiah would set them free from their oppressors. Everyone was waiting for Jesus to usher in an earthly kingdom of God and put an end to Roman Rule. John (who had been imprisoned by Herod) was growing impatient with Jesus and sent messengers to him to ask if he truly was the messiah. Jesus simply responded by quoting an Old Testament prophecy that stated the messiah would cleanse lepers; heal the blind and the lame and the deaf; and would also raise the dead and preach to the poor. Jesus wanted John to know he was accomplishing all of these tasks. The Lord finally addressed John’s impatient heart, saying, “blessed are those who are not offended because of me.” Jesus had not met John’s expectations; John had expected a conquering messiah, not a messiah that would conquer sin through crucifixion (the lord was encouraging John to accept him as he was.) Many today, like John, have an inaccurate view of Jesus Christ. Knowing the real Jesus is essential for happiness (blessedness.) Simple bible reading is the best way to avoid making this mistake.
Early on in my relationship with God I made the decision that I could no longer call myself a Christian unless I actually knew who Jesus Christ was. I knew I had to read the bible; I also knew it was going to change and challenge my beliefs. In my heart, I had an unclear picture of God. I chose to let go of what I thought I knew in order to learn the truth. As I read, I began to know the one true God; instead of being disappointed, my heart has been filled with wonder and amazement. The real God is far greater than any God I could have ever imagined.
Do you know Jesus Christ? Do you know his words, or are you holding on to your own expectations. Have you invented a Jesus for yourself, or have you come to know the real Jesus? Read his words, get familiar with his works, his message, his truth, and I promise you, you will not be disappointed; instead, you too will find something more amazing than anything you have ever known, and your life will never be the same again.
“Lord Heavenly Father, we desire to know the real Jesus. We want to know Your Son and his message. Implant his words within our hearts and help us to be his disciples, that we might be pleasing to You Father. Help us to let go of our fear of the truth, and give us a hunger and thirst to know our messiah; your gift to us all. Give us a yearning to read your word and to know the truth. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.” God bless all of you.
Jesus Speaks 