Have Christians strayed from Scripture? Have Christians adopted the world’s ways of addressing human maladies and injustices?
When Yeshua walked the sands of Judea in His GODMAN body the Romans were cruel and dictatorial, intoxicated with power. They beat, killed, and taxed the Jews to poverty and that was just for starters. Yet in Scripture, I find no recordings of Yeshua organizing groups to march in the streets with signs and angry shouts; nor kill Roman officers, loot, or burn Roman businesses. (No. I am not saying Christians are doing the latter.) Neither have I found it recorded that He instructed His disciples to do so. There was that time Peter got heated and afraid and sliced off a man’s ear and Yeshua immediately put it back and instructed Peter otherwise. (Check it out atLuke 22:49-51 and John 18:10-11) The Bible tells me Jesus went about preaching His Gospel, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and fellowshipping with A N Y O N E who wanted His company.
How beautiful is this?! Take a look with me at Matthew 11.
Verse 2. John is in prison. Actually, it is most likely a dungeon – dark, dank and other things . . . .
This follows his having preached at the Jordan and having baptized Yeshua there; the Holy Spirit having given testimony that this Yeshua was indeed The Son of the Living GOD; having proclaimed that the Messiah had arrived. (See Luke 3:22)
In verse 4 Yeshua gives a response for the messengers to take back to John.
And in verse 7 JESUS begins speaking to the crowd about John. Does He ridicule or belittle John? Let us see.
7 Now as they were leaving, Yeshua began to talk to the crowd concerning John. “What did you go out to the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 No? So what did you go out to see? A man dressed in finery? Look, those who wear finery are in the palaces of kings! 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, even more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written,
‘Behold, I send My messenger before You, who will prepare Your way before You.’
11 “Amen, I tell you, among those born of women, none has arisen greater than John the Immerser. . . .source
Not a word of condemnation! Not a word of disparagement. So unlike what we do!
Instead, He said in part:
A prophet? Yes, I tell you, even more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before You, who will prepare Your way before You.’ 11 “Amen, I tell you, among those born of women, none has arisen greater than John the Immerser. . . .
Do you hear it? Do hear the compassion? Do you hear the love in His voice? Do you hear GOD speaking?
I do and I am so grateful. This is a warm and soft and welcomed blanket rested lovingly around me. My soul is comforted because I too have doubted. I too have been afraid and more. And with this passage, I know GOD is not mad at me. He loves me. And He loves you too just as much!
1 In the meantime, after so many thousands of the people had gathered that they were stepping on one another, Jesus began speaking firstof all to His disciples, “Be continually on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees [that is, their pervasive, corrupting influence and teaching], which is hypocrisy [producing self-righteousness].2 But there is nothing [so carefully] concealed that it will not be revealed, nor so hidden that it will not be made known.3 For that reason, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.
Hypocrisy still lives today. Let us not be named among it. Verses 2 and 3. I am counting on this!
4 “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do.5 But I will point out to you whom you should fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority and power to hurl [you] into hell; yes, I say to you, [stand in great awe of God and] fear Him!6 Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? Yet not one of them has[ever] been forgotten in the presence of God.7 Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are far more valuable than many sparrows.
Verse 5. When the Love of GOD does not reach the Stoney, Self-righteous, Hypocritical heart, nothing remains but the Justice of GOD for that soul. Let us beware. Let not the heart of man become so callus that the LOVE of GOD does not get his/her attention. Verse 6. Let not the fools of this world tell you GOD does not care; that He does not pay attention; that He does not LOVE YOU.
8 “I say to you, whoever declares openly and confesses Me before men [speaking freely of Me as his Lord], the Son of Man also will declare openly and confess him [as one of His own] before the angels of God.9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied in the presence of the angels of God.10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit [that is, whoever intentionally discredits the Holy Spirit by attributing the authenticating miracles done by Me to Satan], it will not be forgiven him [for him there is no forgiveness]. 11 When they bring you before the synagogues and the magistrates and the authorities, do not be worried about how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say;12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” source
This is truly GOOD NEWS spoken before thousands that day and now having been read these thousands of years by millions. The WORD of GOD does not fail, nor pass away! Let us rejoice!!
We are glad you are here; stay a while, look around, and be encouraged. We estimate there to be over 3,000 posts here at The White Stone Blog. Please know my hope is ALWAYS to help and NEVER harm. I have voiced many opinions and thoughts here since 2007 and by now I MAY NOT EVEN AGREE with all of them and some of my grammar and punctuation likely needs editing. But this is changeless: JESUS is our ONLY Savior and Hope. Do you KNOW Him?
