St Matthew, Chapter 11, verses: 10, John the Baptist, the messenger.

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.     

St Matthew, Chapte 11, verses: 7-9, The Scandal of John the Baptist.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ's witness concerning John) Part 1. 

The disciples of John leave Christ after he has dispelled the lies of Scandal.  Christ would not allow Scandal to come forth.  He would not allow doubt to rear its ugly head.  He would not permit the lies and deceit that Scandal brings to come into his mist.  Instead he offered the disciples of John redemption.  He offered the disciples of John salvation.  He reached out a hand to them and told them to be blessed.  He told them that when they do not find Scandal in themselves that they would be blessed.  For they wanted fame.  They wanted notoriety.  They sought to be restored to their position with John when he was the main attraction in the desert.  Then Christ came along and changed all that.  He became the main attraction.  

Christ performed miracles.  Christ healed the sick.  Christ made the lame walk.  Christ raised the dead.  And these acts put him in the center of attraction.  The word spread of his deeds.  Many talked of seeing, first hand, the performance of his miracles.  They were the news anchors who spread the word of Christ, the miracle healer, the all powerful, the Messiah has come.   And many came from miles around.  Many came to hear his words of freedom.  Many came to hear his words of justice.  Many came to touch him, to be near him, to see him.  Faith was in their hearts.  Hope was in their minds.  And belief of a new beginning was in their needs.  They had lived a life of pain and suffering with no idea of any presence of hope.  They had lived a life of desperation.  They had lived a life of despair.  And Christ came to lift them up.  Christ came to give hope.  Christ came to help their belief.  He came to show them the way and the truth and to provide light that they might see.

Christ witnessed to the greatness of John the Baptist.  For the crowd had heard the question of the disciples of John.  The crowd knew them of former fame.  The crowd had once believed in them.  But now Christ was here and the disciples of John wanted to regain their fame.  Christ put a stop to the spread of Scandal.  He testified to the greatness of John and the mission that he performed.  Christ asked the crowd, '' What did you go out to the desert to see?  A reed shaken by the wind?  But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments?"    He tested their memories of John.  He created a picture of John in their minds.  John was not a soft man.  John was a man raised in the desert.  He was a strong man with outspoken beliefs.  He did not wear fine clothes or soft shoes or speak with proper language.  John was bold.  He was daring.  He was loud and he spoke of the coming of the Messiah to the people, telling them to repent and make way for the coming of the Lord.  He was a prophet in the true sense.  

Christ told the people, "But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet."   For John indeed was a prophet who spoke the coming of the kingdom of God.  And the people believed in John because he was a true prophet.  What the prophets speak about, come to pass and Christ wanted to emphasize this fact in the minds of the people.  He wanted to refresh in their memories the affection that the people had for John and his prophesies.  He wanted to dispel Scandal that was brought by the disciples of John.  John spoke of the coming of the Messiah.  John spoke of repentance to the people so that they would be prepared to receive the message of the Messiah.  And the Messiah was here.  The Messiah that John preached about was speaking to them just as John had spoken. 

There are many voices in the world.  The world itself calls us everyday, of which we cannot escape.  Yet Christ has given us defenses to negate the voice of the world.  Scandal calls us also to become her voice and her messenger.  We must beware the snares that she places in our paths, that we do not become her spokesperson as is accepted in the world today.  Seek the voice of the prophet.  Listen for his words.  Seek the justice of a just man.  For he walks with Justice and is her child.  Seek the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit and you will be blessed all the days of your life.  For the Holy Spirit will teach all things.  The Holy Spirit will guide you through the traps of the world.  And the Holy Spirit will lead you down the narrow path to salvation.  Do you seek the voice of the Holy Spirit?  Do you know Him?  Many will speak the words of Christ for their own glory and edification.  But few will lead to the Holy Spirit.  For what does it profit to hear a few words of wisdom when Wisdom calls you herself.  What does it profit to teach verses of understandings when true understanding awaits your call.  Teach the whole Gospel.  Preach the complete word of Christ and point to the understanding of his words and you will understand.  Read the whole New Testament Bible and receive Christ.  These are the only words that should fill ones mind daily and not partial verses.  Encourage others to read.  Spread the word.  The Holy Spirit awaits your call.

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!!