Our paragraph topic is: (Christ's witness concerning John) Part 2.
Christ has called John the Baptist a prophet, a great prophet, in order to dispel Scandal that was brought by the disciples of John. The disciples of John brought to Christ the question, using the name of John as their authority, asking if Christ was the Messiah or should they look for another one. Christ sent them away with an offering of salvation. He sent them away with the message of his miracles. He sent them away with a blessing that they not be cursed in Scandal. For the disciples of John sought to become known again by bringing John back into the picture and seeking to take Christ out of the picture.
Christ called John a prophet because John spoke of one, coming after him, who is greater than he. John told the people to repent for the kingdom of God was at hand and the Messiah was coming. John spoke the truth to the people about Christ and he was a prophet. Christ continued to speak about John and to tell the crowd about the John the person. John was not s soft man. He lived in the desert and feasted upon locus and honey and the people respected and loved John. But Christ came into the picture and John left the picture. John told the people of Christ and now Christ was telling the people about John the Baptist, the person.
Christ told the crowds, "This is he of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall make ready thy way before thee.' " John the messenger was written about in the scriptures and most Jews knew of his coming. But Christ tells the people that John was the messenger that came before him to make ready his coming. As it was written John was the messenger of God who came before Christ. John brought the message to the people to repent. John was a bold man who had no fear because he was God's messenger. If the crowd knew anything about John the Baptist, they knew that he was anointed of God and that he brought a message that was spread throughout all of Judea.
So Christ was reinforcing the beliefs of the crowd by demonstrating that John was a prophet and a messenger that pointed towards his coming and that they should not allow Scandal to enter into their minds. For Scandal wanted to come. Scandal wanted to be heard. Scandal wanted to spread. But Christ repelled her. Christ would not allow her to come. Christ sent her running for she could not find a corner to hide, a rock to crawl under, a hole to jump into. And Christ would not allow the name of John the Baptist to be used as a vehicle for Scandal to ride in. So he reminded the crowd of the faith that they had in John. He reminded the crowd of the prophecy about John. And he reminded the crowd that John pointed the way to his coming.
Are you a messenger for Scandal? Are you a soldier for her lies and deceits? Be not deceived. Become a messenger for Christ, a messenger of truth, a messenger of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. You will be rewarded greatly.
Christ has called John the Baptist a prophet, a great prophet, in order to dispel Scandal that was brought by the disciples of John. The disciples of John brought to Christ the question, using the name of John as their authority, asking if Christ was the Messiah or should they look for another one. Christ sent them away with an offering of salvation. He sent them away with the message of his miracles. He sent them away with a blessing that they not be cursed in Scandal. For the disciples of John sought to become known again by bringing John back into the picture and seeking to take Christ out of the picture.
Christ called John a prophet because John spoke of one, coming after him, who is greater than he. John told the people to repent for the kingdom of God was at hand and the Messiah was coming. John spoke the truth to the people about Christ and he was a prophet. Christ continued to speak about John and to tell the crowd about the John the person. John was not s soft man. He lived in the desert and feasted upon locus and honey and the people respected and loved John. But Christ came into the picture and John left the picture. John told the people of Christ and now Christ was telling the people about John the Baptist, the person.
Christ told the crowds, "This is he of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall make ready thy way before thee.' " John the messenger was written about in the scriptures and most Jews knew of his coming. But Christ tells the people that John was the messenger that came before him to make ready his coming. As it was written John was the messenger of God who came before Christ. John brought the message to the people to repent. John was a bold man who had no fear because he was God's messenger. If the crowd knew anything about John the Baptist, they knew that he was anointed of God and that he brought a message that was spread throughout all of Judea.
So Christ was reinforcing the beliefs of the crowd by demonstrating that John was a prophet and a messenger that pointed towards his coming and that they should not allow Scandal to enter into their minds. For Scandal wanted to come. Scandal wanted to be heard. Scandal wanted to spread. But Christ repelled her. Christ would not allow her to come. Christ sent her running for she could not find a corner to hide, a rock to crawl under, a hole to jump into. And Christ would not allow the name of John the Baptist to be used as a vehicle for Scandal to ride in. So he reminded the crowd of the faith that they had in John. He reminded the crowd of the prophecy about John. And he reminded the crowd that John pointed the way to his coming.
Are you a messenger for Scandal? Are you a soldier for her lies and deceits? Be not deceived. Become a messenger for Christ, a messenger of truth, a messenger of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. You will be rewarded greatly.
