A Word from God's Word

“Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

Matthew 11:3

This question comes from John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, who announces Jesus’ coming. However, John can’t ask the question directly because he is in prison, so he sends his (John’s) disciples to Jesus. But the imprisonment is also significant in another sense: this imprisonment likely motivates John’s question. It’s as if he is thinking, “I am in prison because of my ministry of proclaiming who You are, Jesus. And possibly worse is going to come. (Indeed, three chapters later in Matthew’s Gospel, John is beheaded by Herod.) Therefore, I need to know if it is worth it. Are You the One?”

Jesus then sends the messengers back with an answer. “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.” I can only imagine John, having received the answer, then sits back in his prison cell and says, “Fine. In that case, bring it on, Herod.”

But John here is asking the question that each one of us needs to ask, “Is Jesus really the One? The One whom He claims to be?” I urge you to ask that question of the Scriptures. Search diligently! Read of the blind who see, the lame who walk, and most importantly, of the gospel that is preached. And as a result, do not be offended by Jesus, but rather, embrace Him by faith as Saviour and Lord.

Pastor Craig publishes  "A Word from God's Word" weekly in the "Kootenay News Advertiser".