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

Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ's witness concerning John) Part 3. 

Christ has witnessed to John the Baptist.  He has told the crowds that John was the messenger that was written about in the scriptures.  He was the one who would proclaim the coming of the Messiah as was written.  John was the choosen prophet of God who would be sent before the face of Christ and would prepare the way of the Lord by preaching repentence and baptizing the people in prepapration for the coming of the kingdom of heaven.

Christ now proclaims the greatness of John.  He tells the people,  "Amen I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen a greater than John theBaptist."   Christ wants the crowds to know of John.  He wants them to understand that John was the real deal, that he preached truth and knowledge and wisdom.  John knew the Messiah.  There was no doubt or scandal in John for he was a holy man and Christ proclaims his greatness.  For of all men born before John, including all the prophets, John is the greatest.  He was loved of God and spoke God's message to the people.  There is not scandal in his words.  

So John the Baptist is great on earth, but Christ tells of John's presences in heaven.  He tells the crowds, "Yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."     John is great on earth but in heaven there is one greater.  The least in heaven is greater than John.  The least in heaven has received more glory than John.  The least in heaven has more power and prestige that John, because the least in heaven is Christ.  Christ came to serve mankind.  He came to give of himself and not to be served, though he deserves to be served and honored, he choose to give up his heavenly power and glory to come to earth to save mankind from damnation.  Christ is humility.  He is the source of all humility.  For he humbled himself for the sake of those who knew not humility.  He humbled himself for those who knew not love.  He humbled himself so that we could all have life in the father and salvation in the kingdom of heaven.

Are you humble in the eyes of God?  Do you know who is the least in heaven?  In our society today humility is not a trait to be desired.  We are to be bold.  We are to be daring.  We are to be people of passion and power.  For this is the way of the world and the way that the world tells us that we are to succeed.  Be bold!  Be daring!  Be full of power!  But do not be humble for the humble are walked upon.  The humble are laughed at.  The humble are scoffed at, ridiculed, and belittled.  They are the ones who do not succeed in this world because they do not take the world by the horns.  Christ was a humble man who died for us all.  He came to earth to show us how to live a humble life.  And he is the King of Kings and the Lord of Hosts and sites at the right hand of God.  Are you the least at work?  Are you the least at home?  Are you the least at church?  Are you the least in the market, at the mall, in the grocery store, at the club, in the restaurant, wherever you are?  Are you the least?  Christ gave us the example of humility to follow.  When will we learn the power in being the least in Christ?

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.