Luke 7:18-35
We met with John the Baptist in Luke 3. We meet with him again, here, in Luke 7. In chapter 3, we saw that John the Baptist was a man of faith. He was proclaiming the Word of God to the people. His message was clear. He was speaking with great boldness. His message is summed up in Luke 3:4 - "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him." Here, in chapter 7, everything is very different. John is uncertain. He doesn't know what to think about Jesus. He asks the question, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" (Luke 7:19). Here, we see John's changing emotions. Sometimes, he is full of faith. At other times, he is full of uncertainty and confusion. We see ourselves in John. Our emotions are in turmoil. Our thoughts are confused. Everything seems so confusing. Sometimes, our faith is strong. At other times, we are very unsure of the things that matter most to us. It seems that our faith has almost gone.
As we think of John the Baptist, we must also think of Jesus. When John was preaching the Word of God boldly, Jesus was John's Saviour. When John was confused and unsure about who Jesus really was, Jesus was still John's Saviour. This is still true today. Jesus is "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). When our faith is strong, Jesus is our Saviour. When we are struggling to hold on to our faith, Jesus is still our Saviour. We look at John the Baptist and we see our great need of keeping close to God. we look at Jesus and we see that God is very close to us, even, in those times, when it may seem to us that He is very far away from us.
In Luke 7, our thoughts turn to two men who took part in a service of baptism. These men are John and Jesus. John conducted the baptismal service. He baptized jesus. Jesus came to John. Jesus was seeking baptism. Jesus was baptized by John. As we think about baptism, we learn from the story of John and Jesus.
* We learn the importance of continuing in the way of faith. Faith is not to be a passing phase. It's not to be something that only seems important to us at a particular time in our life. We are to press on in the way of faith. we are to grow in our knowledge of God.
* We learn the importance of living in dependence on the grace of God. We cannot believe in the Lord Jesus Christ without the grace of God.
* We are like John. Our faith wavers. We need to be challenged to keep on going in the way of faith in Christ. Again and again, we need to hear the challenging words of Jesus: "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me" (Luke 7:23).
* Like John, we have a great Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus gives us His strength. This is the strength we need if we are to keep on walking with God in the way of faith and obedience.
In our baptismal service, we are reminded of the Lord's power to keep us in His way. We sing the words, "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26). We are reminded of the Lord's power to keep us in Himself and for Himself. This great message of encouragement also comes to us from the marvellous words with which the letter of Jude ends: "To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore" (Jude 24-25). Let's think of the Lord's great power at work in us. He is able to keep us from falling. He is able to present us before His glorious throne without fault and with great joy. We think of the Lord's great power at work in us. We say, "To God be the glory!"
When John the Baptist seemes so confused, Jesus recalled the strength with which John had preached the Word of God. Jesus saw the strength of God in John. Jesus rejoiced in God. Jesus gave glory to God. Often, we are weak. Sopmetimes, we are so weak that we feel like giving up. Jesus comes to us in our times of weakness. He reminds us that the strength of God has been given to us. Think of the encouraging words, spoken at our baptismal service: "The blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, descend upon you, and dwell in your heart forever."
* How do we know that the Lord will always love us? How dow know that He will always give us the strength that we need if we are going to live for Him? The answer is given in Luke 7:34. Here, Jesus is described as "a friend of tax collectors and sinners." What a wonderful thing this is! Jesus is the Friend of sinners! Many times, we have failed Him. He has never failed us. He will never fail us.
* He loves us with a perfect love. his love for us is always so much greater than our love for Him.
* He loves us with an everlasting love. Our love for Him is so weak. His love for us is so strong. His love will never come to an end.
* His perfect love is an unending love. It is a life-changing love. Let His love change you.
As we think of John the Baptist, we must also think of Jesus. When John was preaching the Word of God boldly, Jesus was John's Saviour. When John was confused and unsure about who Jesus really was, Jesus was still John's Saviour. This is still true today. Jesus is "the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). When our faith is strong, Jesus is our Saviour. When we are struggling to hold on to our faith, Jesus is still our Saviour. We look at John the Baptist and we see our great need of keeping close to God. we look at Jesus and we see that God is very close to us, even, in those times, when it may seem to us that He is very far away from us.
In Luke 7, our thoughts turn to two men who took part in a service of baptism. These men are John and Jesus. John conducted the baptismal service. He baptized jesus. Jesus came to John. Jesus was seeking baptism. Jesus was baptized by John. As we think about baptism, we learn from the story of John and Jesus.
* We learn the importance of continuing in the way of faith. Faith is not to be a passing phase. It's not to be something that only seems important to us at a particular time in our life. We are to press on in the way of faith. we are to grow in our knowledge of God.
* We learn the importance of living in dependence on the grace of God. We cannot believe in the Lord Jesus Christ without the grace of God.
* We are like John. Our faith wavers. We need to be challenged to keep on going in the way of faith in Christ. Again and again, we need to hear the challenging words of Jesus: "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me" (Luke 7:23).
* Like John, we have a great Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus gives us His strength. This is the strength we need if we are to keep on walking with God in the way of faith and obedience.
In our baptismal service, we are reminded of the Lord's power to keep us in His way. We sing the words, "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26). We are reminded of the Lord's power to keep us in Himself and for Himself. This great message of encouragement also comes to us from the marvellous words with which the letter of Jude ends: "To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore" (Jude 24-25). Let's think of the Lord's great power at work in us. He is able to keep us from falling. He is able to present us before His glorious throne without fault and with great joy. We think of the Lord's great power at work in us. We say, "To God be the glory!"
When John the Baptist seemes so confused, Jesus recalled the strength with which John had preached the Word of God. Jesus saw the strength of God in John. Jesus rejoiced in God. Jesus gave glory to God. Often, we are weak. Sopmetimes, we are so weak that we feel like giving up. Jesus comes to us in our times of weakness. He reminds us that the strength of God has been given to us. Think of the encouraging words, spoken at our baptismal service: "The blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, descend upon you, and dwell in your heart forever."
* How do we know that the Lord will always love us? How dow know that He will always give us the strength that we need if we are going to live for Him? The answer is given in Luke 7:34. Here, Jesus is described as "a friend of tax collectors and sinners." What a wonderful thing this is! Jesus is the Friend of sinners! Many times, we have failed Him. He has never failed us. He will never fail us.
* He loves us with a perfect love. his love for us is always so much greater than our love for Him.
* He loves us with an everlasting love. Our love for Him is so weak. His love for us is so strong. His love will never come to an end.
* His perfect love is an unending love. It is a life-changing love. Let His love change you.
