St Matthew, Chapte 11, verses: 4-6, The Scandal of John the Baptist.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The Baptist's deputation) Part 2. 

Now we know how scandal is spread, through the mouth of others.  Those who have been bitten by Scandal will desire to tell others of the news and thereby pass it on to others.  And the flame spreads, the flame of scandal.  Christ was able to see Scandal for what she is, a witch clothed in partial truths and lies.  And he saw it in the disciples of John the Baptist.  Christ knew that John did not doubt his origins.  John had baptized him and witnessed the heavens open and the descent of the Holy Spirit.  John knew Christ even when he was in his mothers womb, so how could he allow Scandal to take hold of him.  Yet his disciples wanted to regain their position.  They wanted the fame that they had when John preached in the Jordan and thousands came to see him from the surrounding territories.  They missed their main attraction.  

When the disciples approached under the guise of a question from John, Christ saw Scandal approaching.  They asked their question allowing Scandal to come forth doubting the origin of Christ.  But Christ closed the door and prevented Scandal from taking hold.  He told the disciples of John,  "Go and report to John what you have heard and seen: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise, the poor have the gospel preached to them."   This was something that they already knew.  They had reported to John while he was in prison all the miracles that Christ performed.  They had stirred up this hatred for Christ and brought forth the doubt in their minds of his origins.  John listened to all of their issues until he could stand no more.  So he sent them to the one who would cancel their doubts.  He sent them to the one who would destroy their fears.  He sent them to the one who would lock Scandal in a prison and not allow her to run loose.  

You see, Scandal had to have a platform.  She had to run on the name of an authority.  She had to have someone of notoriety to pitch her claims.  And she used the disciples of John and the name of John the Baptist to start her campaign.  When she approached through the disciples of John Christ saw her coming.  He told the disciples to carry the message back to John, but he also told them, "Blessed is he who is not scandalized in me."   This is a better statement than cursed is he who scandalizes me.  For this is what the disciples of John sought to do by asking the question and allowing doubt and thereby Scandal, to come forth. 

Christ opened the door for the disciples of John to gain salvation.  He stopped Scandal from coming forth.  He offered the opportunity for the disciples of John to be blessed, a far better choice than Scandal offered.  Christ offers us the same choice today to be blessed.  Scandal wants you to be cursed.  Scandal wants to spread her rotten lies and deceits to destroy those who hear them.  She wants to pull down those who would be exalted and crush their dignity and character.  She wants to bring shame and dishonor.  She wants to destroy.  Her tools are the one thing that we use easily and most often, our mouth.  It is the one thing that speaks often without our having control, only because she has placed her web of lies within us to be passed on to others. 

Are you a disciple of Scandal?  Do you spread her lies and deceit at will, without hesitation or forethought?  She will destroy both you and the person with which she talks about.  She will shame you.  She will cause you pain.  Yet she tempts you with the momentary pleasure of having spoken her words to your satisfaction.  For in that moment she gives you a sense of power.  She allows you to think that you are in control when you scandalize others.  But this is only a temporary pleasure like taking a drug that gets you high for a moment and then brings you crashing down hard.  Do not allow yourself to become her tool.  Do not accept her false promise of power.  Beware of her deception and lies.  For just as she spreads them about others she will spread them about you also.  Christ said blessed is he who is not scandalized in him.  As a disciple of Christ and a believer, do not be cursed by Scandal.  Are you ready to stop Scandal from taking hold of you?  Be blessed in Christ!!

St Matthew, Chapte 11, verses: 1-3, The Scandal of John the Baptist.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The Baptist's deputation) Part 1. 

Now it came to pass that after Christ had finished instructing his disciples and training them for their solo journey in which they would preach to the lost sheep of the tribe of Israel, he preached through the towns and villages also.  After all this had passed, this verse says that John  the Baptist heard of all that Christ was doing while in prison.  John did not see for himself the miracles of Christ.  He did not hear for himself the words that Christ preached in the Sermon on the Mount.  John had been captured and put into prison by Herod for proclaiming the sins of Herod with his brother's wife.

The disciples of John came to him and spoke to him of all that Christ was doing.  They told him of the healings.  They told him of the cures.  They told him of the dead being restored to life.  They were the ones who brought John the news.  And that news had a way of being transformed, deleted, transposed by the persons bringing it, so that, it may reflect the views of that person.  John knew that Christ was the Messiah.  He had witnessed the heavens open and the spirit of God descend upon Christ when he was baptised.  So there was no doubt in John.  There was no scandal in John.  There was no fear or concern in John about Christ.  But his disciples had doubt.  They had fears, they had misgivings and reserevations in themselves.

Christ had told the disciples of John that one does not place new wine into old wine skins.  He had said to them that one does not place a new patch of cloth on an old garment because the patch will tear and a worse rent will be made than the one before.  Christ had indicated to the disciples of John that they would not become his disciples because he needed new wine skins to carry this new message.  This was not to the liking of the disciples of John.  They had made themselves to be the messengers of the new gospel preached by John.  They had become his spokesmen proclaiming the need for repentance.  And then Christ comes and ignores them completely.  Christ comes  and changes the plans altogether.  Christ comes and they are on the outside looking in.     

So the disciples of John were scandalized.  They were looked down upon by the people.  They were turned away from by those who had looked upon them with favor.  John was in prison, they were turned out by Christ, and the people turned against them.  Restoration was their desire.  Glory was their need.  Fame was their calling.  But John was not there to assist them.  And they were scandalized.  So they brought the news to John while he was in prison.  They told him of the things that Christ was doing.  They filled his ears and his mind with the talk of Christ according to their view and their slant.  For they needed to be restored.  They needed fame.  They needed glory.  So, John sent them to Christ with the question that was on their minds.  The doubt in their minds led them to ask Christ through the words of John, "Art thou he who is to come, or shall we look for another?"

And with these words scandal was released.  Doubt was brought forth.  The question of credability was asked.   Scandal is an aweful witch.  She seeks to destroy subtly.  She weaves lies and deceit in a fine tapestry that seems to create a real picture.  Yet time reveals the gaping holes and the rotted material that is used in its creation.  And it is that same material that is accepted as real, the false beauty of which allows it to be accepted by many.  Scandals today are like wildfire sweeping across a dry field of grass.  It is unstoppable.  It eats everything in its path and sets afire all who receive it.  For the burning is not in the receipt of it but in the unquenchable desire to tell others thereby passing the flame of lies and deceits to others. 

Do you love Scandal?  Are you the first to hear it and the first to spread it along?  Scandal loves you if you do.  She will cling to you like flies to the dead.  You are her messenger.  She will always find you to help her spread her lies and deceit.  Do not be caught with her for she will corrupt you. When she comes leave her.  Do not allow yourself to become her messenger.  Separate yourself from those who would bring her to you.  For they have become her slaves and desire to enslave you also.  They desire to make you a messenger of Scandal.  Spread  not lies and deceit.  Our God is a God of truth and his wrath awaits Scandal and those who are her messengers.  Stop the lies and deceit!  Stop Scandal!