WEBVTT 00:00:05.246 --> 00:00:10.414 Hi, it's Pastor Jonathan and thanks for downloading the FBC El Dorado Sermon Podcast. 00:00:10.414 --> 00:00:17.733 We hope today's message will challenge and help you take the next step as you follow Jesus. 00:00:17.733 --> 00:00:30.914 It's good to be with you here today at First Baptist Church of El Dorado. 00:00:30.914 --> 00:00:43.887 Becky and I always look forward to being in South Arkansas, which, of course, I've told you for years is our home and we love it, and El Dorado was the capital of South Arkansas. 00:00:43.887 --> 00:01:05.510 As far as I'm concerned, going up in Cullendale, and Becky growing up in Elliott, this is the big town, this is where we'd come if we're doing something special or whatever it would be, and so I've had great respect for this church and for this community for a long, long time and it's really good to be with you today and I'm grateful for the opportunity. 00:01:06.659 --> 00:01:13.888 I want you to turn your Bibles to the gospel of Luke, and we're going to look in the seventh chapter in just a few moments. 00:01:13.888 --> 00:01:25.828 Before we get there, I want to introduce it by just talking a moment about John the Baptist, one of the most interesting, arresting characters and all of God's work. 00:01:25.828 --> 00:01:31.150 John the Baptist you know he was prophesied before he was born. 00:01:31.150 --> 00:01:39.522 Remember the angel appearing to his father, zacharias, and telling him in an old age he was going to have a son and the son was going to be. 00:01:39.522 --> 00:01:48.308 Interestingly, in chapter one of Luke, about verse 13, 15, somewhere in there, that from birth he would be filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:01:48.308 --> 00:01:57.804 From birth, john the Baptist Talked about the life that he had lived, what he would eat, what he wouldn't drink, these kinds of things. 00:01:57.804 --> 00:02:12.787 And then his mother, you remember, went to see Mary and she said when she walked in and saw Mary, who was the mother of our Lord, the baby leaped within me when I came in here. 00:02:12.787 --> 00:02:29.603 Then the Bible says in Luke 1, about verse 43, 45, somewhere in there, that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and from those moments, even before they were born, jesus and John the Baptist lives were linked together. 00:02:29.603 --> 00:02:41.687 They mirrored each other John the Baptist, the messenger, the forerunner, the one to prepare the way of the Lord, and Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.068 There's an interesting verse and you don't need to turn to it. 00:02:47.068 --> 00:02:52.643 I'll read it, passage from John, chapter one, in verse 29,. 00:02:52.643 --> 00:02:57.963 I want you to put this in your mind as well as a beautiful song that Mary Pat sang. 00:02:57.963 --> 00:03:02.162 I looked today, when I came in at the Lord of service, so when she was singing. 00:03:02.162 --> 00:03:04.127 That's my closing illustration. 00:03:04.127 --> 00:03:10.429 So help me, you know, sometimes preachers of comedy reminds them of a good story. 00:03:10.429 --> 00:03:17.487 Well, I had this one before I knew she was singing, and so I'm going to give you a little back story of that song as we conclude. 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:37.372 Jesus and John were now young men and Jesus was inaugurating his earthly ministry and remember, he came to John to be baptized and John said of him, john, chapter one in verse 29,. 00:03:37.372 --> 00:03:45.691 The next day, john saw Jesus coming toward him and said Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 00:03:45.691 --> 00:03:54.002 This is he of whom I said After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me. 00:03:54.002 --> 00:03:57.769 I did not know him, but that he should be revealed to Israel. 00:03:57.769 --> 00:04:06.068 Before I came, baptizing with water, and John bore witness, saying I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and he remained upon him. 00:04:06.068 --> 00:04:23.846 I did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me upon whom you see the spirit descending and remaining on him, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, holy Spirit living in John, directing him and his mother. 00:04:23.846 --> 00:04:29.329 After Pentecost and all of us as believers, when we're saved, the Holy Spirit comes to live in our lives. 00:04:29.329 --> 00:04:31.447 The Holy Spirit was bearing witness. 00:04:31.447 --> 00:04:33.346 I want you to hear verse 34. 00:04:33.346 --> 00:04:35.444 This is John the Baptist. 00:04:35.444 --> 00:04:37.908 It's important with the passage I'm going to read next. 00:04:37.908 --> 00:04:54.343 John the Baptist said, and I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God Powerful, isn't it powerful? 00:04:56.605 --> 00:05:04.565 Luke, chapter seven, and reading it causes me to ask this question what happened to John the Baptist? 00:05:04.565 --> 00:05:07.565 Have you ever said that about people? 00:05:07.565 --> 00:05:08.322 I know you have. 00:05:08.322 --> 00:05:10.423 What happened to them? 00:05:10.423 --> 00:05:11.901 What happened? 00:05:11.901 --> 00:05:22.733 Maybe something bad had happened, maybe something different, but whatever it may be, maybe some reversal of fortune, maybe some bad choices what happened? 00:05:22.733 --> 00:05:30.545 Well, you can't read Luke chapter seven without kind of asking a question, or one similar to that about John the Baptist. 00:05:30.545 --> 00:05:33.286 What is it that happened to John the Baptist? 00:05:33.286 --> 00:05:41.983 So what we're going to see now, beginning in verse 18 of Luke chapter seven, is what happened, what was going on? 00:05:41.983 --> 00:05:43.504 Matthew wrote about it too. 00:05:43.504 --> 00:05:54.422 Matthew said that he was in prison because he had rebuked Herod Antipas, because he had taken his brother's wife. 00:05:54.422 --> 00:05:57.807 Do you remember that story and how that? 00:05:58.307 --> 00:06:14.952 New Testament scholars think that John the Baptist probably had been in prison now, about six months or so, damp, dark, for a guy who loved the outdoors and the wilderness to be confined in prison for this time and more to come. 00:06:14.952 --> 00:06:19.095 And so we see a question that's going to be asked. 00:06:19.095 --> 00:06:21.110 John's going to ask a question. 00:06:21.110 --> 00:06:23.935 He's going to send his disciples to ask Jesus this question. 00:06:23.935 --> 00:06:38.293 Jesus is going to give an answer maybe not an answer that you might expect and then the Lord is going to close our passage that we studied this morning with another testimony John. 00:06:38.293 --> 00:06:40.105 I just read a testimony about Jesus. 00:06:40.105 --> 00:06:45.845 At the end, jesus is going to give a testimony about John. 00:06:47.269 --> 00:07:01.110 So, following your Bibles, if you would, luke, chapter seven, chapter seven, beginning in verse 18, the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things, all these things that were happening. 00:07:01.110 --> 00:07:07.906 For instance, at this particular time, jesus had just raised the widow of Nain's son. 00:07:07.906 --> 00:07:14.391 Luke, chapter seven, records that he had healed the centurion servant, healed him, brought him up, raised him. 00:07:14.391 --> 00:07:17.810 Luke, chapter seven Jesus is doing these things. 00:07:17.810 --> 00:07:22.055 So they're reporting to what Jesus was doing to John the Baptist. 00:07:22.055 --> 00:07:23.269 They came to see him in prison. 00:07:23.269 --> 00:07:24.689 Here's what Jesus is doing. 00:07:24.689 --> 00:07:25.413 Here's what we hear. 00:07:25.845 --> 00:07:35.475 John, verse 19, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying are you the coming one or do we look for another? 00:07:35.475 --> 00:07:41.456 And when the men came to Jesus, they said exactly what John had told them to say. 00:07:41.456 --> 00:07:48.651 John the Baptist has sent us to you saying are you the coming one or do we look for another? 00:07:48.651 --> 00:07:55.050 What happened to John when Jesus was baptized? 00:07:55.050 --> 00:07:55.773 What did he say? 00:07:55.773 --> 00:08:01.375 I testify and see what's happened. 00:08:01.375 --> 00:08:04.810 The one who sent me to baptize said the one who. 00:08:04.810 --> 00:08:21.290 The dove rest upon, the Holy spirit rest upon him, and I'm testifying to you that this is the son of God, son of God, messiah, christ, all you, somewhat interchangeably, this is the sent one, this is the anointed one. 00:08:21.290 --> 00:08:22.944 I testify of that. 00:08:22.944 --> 00:08:31.713 But now he said guys, I want you to go to Jesus and I want you to ask him. 00:08:31.713 --> 00:08:33.024 I want you to ask him. 00:08:33.024 --> 00:08:34.910 Tell him, I'm asking, I'm sending you. 00:08:34.910 --> 00:08:44.576 Ask him, are you the one who was to come, or should we expect another? 00:08:44.576 --> 00:08:47.769 Should we look for another? 00:08:47.769 --> 00:08:52.471 That's the question that he asked and it's a penetrating question. 00:08:52.471 --> 00:08:55.373 And it's a question that, if we're not careful, we'd be troubling. 00:08:56.154 --> 00:09:02.506 Dr Luke, who wrote the gospel of Luke and acts, had no question about Jesus being the son of God. 00:09:02.506 --> 00:09:05.275 His gospel, the acts testified of that. 00:09:05.275 --> 00:09:15.277 But in his honesty, as a doctor who was given to meticulous detail, he wrote about the humanity of people along the way. 00:09:15.277 --> 00:09:20.164 He didn't hide our questions, our doubts, our sins, our frailties, our faults. 00:09:20.164 --> 00:09:22.644 And so it was with John the Baptist. 00:09:24.047 --> 00:09:29.960 I had a seminary professor who always referred to the Bible as a divine human book. 00:09:29.960 --> 00:09:38.416 And this shows you the divine human book Jesus, divine God, and man, divine human. 00:09:38.416 --> 00:09:44.404 But it also shows John, human John, at this particular time in his life. 00:09:44.404 --> 00:09:54.004 You don't see him right now, do you as the messenger, as the prophet, as the preacher about repent, repent. 00:09:54.004 --> 00:09:56.664 You know he preached repentance. 00:09:56.664 --> 00:09:59.293 What you see now? 00:09:59.293 --> 00:10:02.585 As a man who seems to have lost his way. 00:10:02.585 --> 00:10:06.596 He's lost his way, at least temporarily. 00:10:08.264 --> 00:10:18.857 I mean, even if you had been in John's place and had thought those thoughts, would you send people to Jesus and say to Jesus John the Baptist wants to know. 00:10:18.857 --> 00:10:32.057 Of all people, john the Baptist wants to know are you the coming one, are you the one we've been expecting, or do we need to look for somebody else? 00:10:32.057 --> 00:10:38.259 Well, I want to just give you some thoughts of what may have happened to John. 00:10:38.259 --> 00:10:42.254 His circumstances had changed. 00:10:42.254 --> 00:10:57.918 That's one thing John's used to being out and about and preaching, living off the land, free to come and go as he pleases, and now he's in a damp, dark prison cell. 00:10:57.918 --> 00:11:03.543 His circumstances has changed Two or three other things. 00:11:05.288 --> 00:11:09.779 Perhaps we see that his impatience has gotten the best of him. 00:11:09.779 --> 00:11:14.904 You're probably like maybe I am, some of you. 00:11:14.904 --> 00:11:20.443 God's been working on giving you patience all your life and we're still not quite there. 00:11:20.443 --> 00:11:22.273 Yet John was maybe one that was impatient. 00:11:22.273 --> 00:11:28.884 He preached a message of judgment, judgments coming. 00:11:28.884 --> 00:11:32.884 The one who's coming is going to take the axe and put it to the root. 00:11:32.884 --> 00:11:37.022 Oh, he expected, even in the all of that, that Rome would be overthrown. 00:11:37.022 --> 00:11:38.996 True, I'm sure he threw that in. 00:11:38.996 --> 00:11:40.572 And what did Jesus do? 00:11:40.572 --> 00:11:49.565 He comes with a message of mercy and love of all people and caring about everybody. 00:11:49.565 --> 00:11:54.414 And maybe he just got impatient with the way that Jesus was doing things. 00:11:54.414 --> 00:12:01.485 And and, of course, the, the evolution, the, the movement is just going too slow. 00:12:01.485 --> 00:12:03.852 And he was impatient. 00:12:03.852 --> 00:12:20.485 Something else he was no doubt tired and weary, discouraged, even depressed About his situation, about what he thought was going to take place. 00:12:20.485 --> 00:12:24.802 He was just down, he was at a tough time. 00:12:24.802 --> 00:12:27.330 And one other thing I would just mention. 00:12:27.330 --> 00:12:31.938 I think it may well be that he was fearful of the future. 00:12:31.938 --> 00:12:38.916 He was fearful it didn't end well for him on this side and he was just concerned, just fearful. 00:12:38.916 --> 00:12:48.360 Circumstances changed, impatient down, fearful about the future. 00:12:48.566 --> 00:12:50.739 Can you identify with John? 00:12:50.739 --> 00:12:52.577 I can, I can identify with him. 00:12:52.577 --> 00:12:56.504 What about for you and me? 00:12:56.504 --> 00:13:00.529 Yes, identify with John, I can, I can identify with him. 00:13:00.529 --> 00:13:02.852 What about for you and me? 00:13:04.976 --> 00:13:07.322 What happens when our circumstances change? 00:13:07.322 --> 00:13:10.880 When things are good, what do we say? 00:13:10.880 --> 00:13:14.855 Thank Jesus, thank God. 00:13:14.855 --> 00:13:18.197 And when things go south on us, things are not good, what do we say then? 00:13:18.197 --> 00:13:23.056 Why me, why me, why us? 00:13:23.056 --> 00:13:26.421 Same God in control, same Jesus loves us. 00:13:26.461 --> 00:13:32.341 But when our circumstances change so often it's the circumstances that impact us so greatly. 00:13:32.341 --> 00:13:37.861 Then what we know foundationally to be true about God and about Jesus and about His work. 00:13:37.861 --> 00:13:45.164 But circumstances change, we can get down, we can get discouraged, we can be depressed just as well. 00:13:45.164 --> 00:13:59.107 Like John the Baptist, we want Jesus to exact justice on people, judgment on people, with one exception me. 00:13:59.107 --> 00:14:05.222 Judge everybody else, but meet me with mercy, with mercy. 00:14:05.222 --> 00:14:13.865 We're a lot like John the Baptist asking the question, being concerned, wondering. 00:14:13.865 --> 00:14:16.798 And then there's something else. 00:14:16.798 --> 00:14:21.480 Friends, we too get fearful about the future, don't we? 00:14:21.480 --> 00:14:29.658 Different seasons of life, we're concerned about different things, naturally Part of the human experience. 00:14:29.658 --> 00:14:49.964 We may be fearful about something related to our family, or about our finances, or about our health, or about our coming, passing from this world death, and it causes some alarm, some fear within us. 00:14:52.258 --> 00:14:58.677 Through all these years I've learned where to go to in those questions about the future and being fearful. 00:14:58.677 --> 00:15:02.139 That's a good time to live in the Psalms. 00:15:02.139 --> 00:15:03.964 To live in the Psalms. 00:15:03.964 --> 00:15:06.721 You'll find strength and you'll find hope. 00:15:06.721 --> 00:15:14.840 In fact, I jotted a few things down taken out of two Psalms Psalm 34, psalm 46, and talking about God. 00:15:14.840 --> 00:15:18.523 Now listen to this and David and the other writers of Psalm. 00:15:18.523 --> 00:15:23.381 They knew about discouragement and sin and failings and all that stuff and fear. 00:15:25.294 --> 00:15:27.842 Here's some of the ways God has referred to in just two Psalms. 00:15:27.842 --> 00:15:45.969 God is our refuge, our fortress, our resting place, our rock, our shield, our deliverer, my glory, my hiding place, my shepherd, my light, my redeemer, my tower, my hope, my Father. 00:15:45.969 --> 00:15:53.168 Now, if you just, in that condition, begin to recite who God is, that helps, doesn't it? 00:15:53.168 --> 00:15:59.999 When you begin to think about God and all those attributes and all the way that he's known, that helps us, that squares us up. 00:15:59.999 --> 00:16:01.799 That hits the reset button for us. 00:16:03.674 --> 00:16:18.799 So the question that the disciples of John accurately delivered are you the one to come or should we expect another? 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:28.359 Another way of saying it would have been you're not quite matching up to what we thought the Messiah would be. 00:16:28.359 --> 00:16:30.456 They didn't go there. 00:16:30.456 --> 00:16:31.923 But that's the question, isn't it? 00:16:31.923 --> 00:16:35.342 Are you the one to come, or should we look for another? 00:16:35.342 --> 00:16:39.403 Well, let's look at the answer that Jesus gave. 00:16:39.403 --> 00:16:44.485 It's an answer that you may not expect. 00:16:44.485 --> 00:16:45.719 I would not expect. 00:16:45.719 --> 00:16:48.000 It's probably not an answer that we would have given. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:53.729 It would have been in our Lord's shoes, which, of course, thank God, we're not. 00:16:53.729 --> 00:16:59.604 We would have said something like this John, how much do I have to do to prove to you who I am? 00:16:59.604 --> 00:17:02.701 I mean, how far do we have to go? 00:17:02.701 --> 00:17:06.242 How often do we have to have this conversation? 00:17:06.242 --> 00:17:08.839 When are you ever gonna learn? 00:17:08.839 --> 00:17:10.999 Don't you have any faith? 00:17:10.999 --> 00:17:13.538 On and on, we could go, but not Jesus. 00:17:14.434 --> 00:17:16.182 Look with me, beginning in verse 21. 00:17:16.182 --> 00:17:35.404 And that very hour, that very hour, the time that he came to ask the questions of the disciples, in that very hour, jesus cured many of infirmities, afflictions and evil spirits, and to many blind he gave sight. 00:17:35.404 --> 00:17:43.266 So while John is in prison asking these questions, jesus is out doing what Jesus came to do. 00:17:43.266 --> 00:17:50.363 I mentioned to you about the Centurion servant, about the widow of names son being raised, but those are just examples. 00:17:50.363 --> 00:17:52.742 It's not an exhaustive list of all Jesus was doing. 00:17:52.742 --> 00:17:56.461 So in this very time period, jesus was doing all of these things. 00:17:57.855 --> 00:18:08.307 So Jesus very interesting, very interesting to me did not reprimand John, neither did he rebuke John. 00:18:08.307 --> 00:18:11.161 That would have been an easy thing to do, wouldn't it? 00:18:11.161 --> 00:18:13.298 He did not reprimand him. 00:18:13.298 --> 00:18:14.363 He did not rebuke him. 00:18:14.363 --> 00:18:16.077 What did he do? 00:18:16.077 --> 00:18:18.820 He reminded him. 00:18:18.820 --> 00:18:24.064 He just reminded him and I would say, gently reminded him. 00:18:25.134 --> 00:18:49.743 Jesus answered verse 22, and said go and tell John the things you have seen and heard that the blind see the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them and post-scripts. 00:18:49.743 --> 00:19:00.242 And blessed is he who is not offended because of me, blessed is he who does not stumble because of me. 00:19:00.242 --> 00:19:09.861 Jesus said Now you can tie this in Luke's gospel back to the first, we could say the first recorded public message of Jesus. 00:19:09.861 --> 00:19:19.484 When he went home he went back to his home area where he had grown up and he taught them in his first sermon what he had come to do. 00:19:19.484 --> 00:19:22.201 And that's what Jesus still wants to do. 00:19:22.875 --> 00:19:28.420 Luke said, in this very hour, he was doing those things when Jesus gave this message. 00:19:28.420 --> 00:19:31.798 I'm gonna read just a part of he was saying those things. 00:19:31.798 --> 00:19:43.222 And, friends, brothers and sisters, today, in this very hour, jesus still wants to do the same things and hear what he was doing, what Jesus announced to the home congregation. 00:19:43.222 --> 00:19:52.548 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. 00:19:52.548 --> 00:20:11.518 He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable, the acceptable year of the Lord, the year of the Lord. 00:20:11.518 --> 00:20:13.744 That's what he came to do. 00:20:15.615 --> 00:20:16.759 Interesting answer, isn't it? 00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:21.684 Did Jesus know what John was feeling? 00:20:21.684 --> 00:20:34.122 Well, the Bible in the New Testament, another place, says Jesus didn't have any need for people to tell him about men or humankind, we could say, because he knew what was in the heart of people. 00:20:34.122 --> 00:20:39.605 Jesus knew, but he had known of the struggle of John the Baptist. 00:20:39.605 --> 00:20:51.528 He would know Jesus responded to his disciples in different ways at different times, just like he responds to us with your children. 00:20:53.282 --> 00:20:56.741 You sometimes need to treat your children differently, why they're just made. 00:20:56.741 --> 00:21:01.494 Different Coaches know how to deal with the athletes. 00:21:01.494 --> 00:21:04.315 Some need a kick in the pants. 00:21:04.315 --> 00:21:08.015 That's the way you communicate with them and they understand that. 00:21:08.015 --> 00:21:12.686 Others respond when they just know you're disappointed, you blew an assignment. 00:21:12.686 --> 00:21:13.795 You could do better than that. 00:21:13.795 --> 00:21:14.525 You're better than that. 00:21:14.525 --> 00:21:15.798 Just a word and they crush you. 00:21:15.798 --> 00:21:16.946 Something they wanna do better. 00:21:16.946 --> 00:21:19.503 Jesus is like that with you and me. 00:21:19.503 --> 00:21:37.490 He knows how we're made, he knows how to communicate to us and he knew where John was, and what John did not need at this time was the proverbial kick in the pants. 00:21:37.490 --> 00:21:47.608 He did not need him to say, oh, come on, john, be a man, strengthen yourself, don't quit now, don't be a quitter on me. 00:21:47.608 --> 00:21:49.355 But that's not what he did. 00:21:49.696 --> 00:21:54.763 And then he gave a powerful testimony about John the Baptist. 00:21:54.763 --> 00:22:00.273 Now, friends, this is a very powerful testimony that he gave to John the Baptist. 00:22:00.273 --> 00:22:02.882 This may be at about the lowest point. 00:22:02.882 --> 00:22:11.762 John had ever been the lowest point and the people kinda got the gist of it. 00:22:11.762 --> 00:22:26.459 I mean, there have been people around when the disciples asked the question and they might've been thinking, oh, my goodness, what has happened to John, that rough, strong, loud preacher of repentance. 00:22:26.459 --> 00:22:31.045 And Jesus just reminds them of what he's doing. 00:22:31.045 --> 00:22:35.606 Then he gives a testimony about John the Baptist. 00:22:38.576 --> 00:22:42.335 Jesus said verse 24, the messengers of John departed. 00:22:42.335 --> 00:22:43.465 He began to speak. 00:22:43.465 --> 00:22:47.144 Look, it's the multitude concerning John, a lot of people, a multitude. 00:22:47.144 --> 00:22:49.675 And he said to them, he asked them what? 00:22:49.675 --> 00:22:56.229 Did you go out into the wilderness to see A reed shaken by the wind? 00:22:56.229 --> 00:23:11.067 Sometimes you wonder and you need to go back to the context of the day what would a wreath shaken by the wind be in that wilderness area, that part of the world? 00:23:11.067 --> 00:23:15.818 It'd be common, a common sight. 00:23:15.818 --> 00:23:23.417 Did you go out there to see a common sight, a common man, a wreath as common as a wreath shaken in the wind. 00:23:25.414 --> 00:23:26.780 But what did you go out to see? 00:23:26.780 --> 00:23:29.121 A man clothed in soft garments. 00:23:29.121 --> 00:23:39.249 Did you go out to see a guy who was luxuriously dressed, tailored suit, whatever it may be? 00:23:39.249 --> 00:23:41.741 Did you go out to see somebody like that? 00:23:41.741 --> 00:23:45.536 No, he said. 00:23:45.536 --> 00:23:49.463 Indeed, those who are gorgeously apparel and live in luxury are in the king's courts. 00:23:49.463 --> 00:23:53.140 But what did you go out to see? 00:23:53.140 --> 00:24:05.381 A prophet, yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet, and he quotes Malachi Behold, I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way before you. 00:24:06.343 --> 00:24:14.765 And look at what Jesus said, for I say to you, among those born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist. 00:24:14.765 --> 00:24:20.842 It's awesome what Jesus did for John. 00:24:20.842 --> 00:24:30.223 I'm telling you that, in my mind, what Jesus said and what was reported, no doubt back to John by somebody, was enough to see him the rest of the way. 00:24:30.223 --> 00:24:45.261 And when the king decided to take his head and usher him into heaven that way, I don't think John was down a bit like he was at this particular point, and Jesus said what did you go to see? 00:24:45.261 --> 00:24:46.385 A common person? 00:24:46.385 --> 00:24:54.701 Did you go to see a person of means and position and prestige, or did you go to see a prophet? 00:24:54.701 --> 00:24:56.119 He said that's what you went to see. 00:24:56.119 --> 00:25:04.067 And then Jesus gives this highest word of love appreciation. 00:25:04.067 --> 00:25:08.340 Jesus said I want to tell you something about John the Baptist. 00:25:08.340 --> 00:25:15.523 There's not been a greater person born of woman than John the Baptist. 00:25:15.523 --> 00:25:23.846 Was that not a soothing balm for a troubled guy? 00:25:23.846 --> 00:25:39.634 A man who in his heart of hearts knew but needed a word, who seemed to be getting off track a little bit, who was discouraged, who was depressed, who was impatient, who was fearful. 00:25:39.634 --> 00:25:41.750 And what did Jesus do? 00:25:41.750 --> 00:25:43.509 He didn't play off any of that. 00:25:43.509 --> 00:25:53.192 He just told him, john, this is who I am you tell, remind John who I am and then remind John of what I think of him. 00:25:53.192 --> 00:25:57.127 Remind John of what I think of him. 00:25:57.127 --> 00:26:03.910 I mentioned the song that Mary Pat sang. 00:26:06.964 --> 00:26:15.758 Jim Simba and his wife have served a Brooklyn Tabernacle, new York City, for many years. 00:26:15.758 --> 00:26:25.769 In fact, at our state convention in October, simba scheduled to speak the pastor that come to speak to us a time or two. 00:26:25.769 --> 00:26:41.512 Like everybody, they went through, have gone through, continued through, like we all do, tough and challenging times, some of our own making, some that are not, but everybody faces them. 00:26:41.512 --> 00:27:00.695 Years ago, when this song was written, jim and his wife were going through a terrible time because of the rebellious nature and action of one of their children, and he recounts in one of his books how that for two and a half years he struggled. 00:27:00.695 --> 00:27:08.731 He just struggled with it, didn't know what to do, but as a preacher he knew what he had to do. 00:27:08.731 --> 00:27:23.453 So he put on the front, put on the face, said the things a preacher's supposed to do, did the things a preacher's supposed to do, took care of the folks, tried to minister the best he could, but inside he was grieving, as was his wife. 00:27:23.453 --> 00:27:27.490 During that time, his wife had serious surgery. 00:27:27.490 --> 00:27:30.586 As if things couldn't get worse, they did. 00:27:30.586 --> 00:27:36.576 And during this difficult time he didn't know what to do. 00:27:36.576 --> 00:27:37.688 And his wife talked. 00:27:37.688 --> 00:27:48.086 And his wife said let's leave Brooklyn, let's get our family out of here, let's go somewhere else, let's try to help our kids, let's do something. 00:27:48.086 --> 00:27:57.919 And he said, during that time, the evil one the devil, however he did it came to him. 00:27:57.919 --> 00:28:13.047 He said, or whispered to him and said you can have your big church and you can have your great choir, but I've already got one of your kids and I'm going to get the other two as well. 00:28:17.384 --> 00:28:30.092 It was at this time that his wife went to the piano and began to write a song that you have heard beautifully sung today. 00:28:30.092 --> 00:28:37.707 Let me remind you of some of the words in this context and in the context of John the Baptist. 00:28:37.707 --> 00:28:44.556 In my moments of fear, through every pain, every tear, there's a God. 00:28:44.556 --> 00:28:54.667 There's a God who's been faithful to me when my strength was all gone, when my heart had no song. 00:28:54.667 --> 00:29:00.297 Still in love, he's proved faithful to me. 00:29:00.297 --> 00:29:04.571 Every word he's promised is true. 00:29:04.571 --> 00:29:10.029 What I thought was impossible, I see my God do. 00:29:10.029 --> 00:29:14.826 He's been faithful, faithful to me. 00:29:14.826 --> 00:29:17.570 Looking back, his love and mercy. 00:29:17.570 --> 00:29:24.327 I see, though in my heart I have questioned, even failed to believe. 00:29:24.327 --> 00:29:37.273 Yet he's been faithful, faithful to me, and the symbolists continue on and God's grace and mercy is enough. 00:29:37.273 --> 00:29:39.988 Back to John the Baptist. 00:29:42.744 --> 00:29:44.691 The guys returned to the disciples. 00:29:44.691 --> 00:29:47.308 They said John, we told him. 00:29:47.308 --> 00:29:48.752 In fact, we were careful. 00:29:48.752 --> 00:29:53.695 We asked exactly the question with the same words that you told us to ask. 00:29:53.695 --> 00:30:12.494 We asked him and he said remind John the Baptist of this Blind folks are seeing, the lame are walking, the oppressed are being set free and the gospel is being preached to the poor. 00:30:12.494 --> 00:30:15.609 And they report back. 00:30:15.609 --> 00:30:19.387 And they said not only that, we saw some of the evidence of all of that while we were there. 00:30:19.387 --> 00:30:24.413 Well, john says just imagine with me. 00:30:24.413 --> 00:30:26.407 Did he say anything else? 00:30:26.407 --> 00:30:30.308 And they smile and said yeah, they did. 00:30:32.025 --> 00:30:36.175 John must have thought oh boy, here comes the main part of it. 00:30:36.175 --> 00:30:36.688 Here it comes. 00:30:36.688 --> 00:30:53.508 He said John, jesus said of all the people ever born, there's never been a greater man than you, born of woman. 00:30:53.508 --> 00:31:04.388 What would you do or say if you were John? 00:31:04.388 --> 00:31:18.924 Some of us would weep, some of us would laugh, some of us might say oh, come on, that's not funny. 00:31:18.924 --> 00:31:27.434 I like to think, and I guess, well, I know, we'll wait to heaven. 00:31:27.434 --> 00:31:29.422 I'll wait to heaven to find out for sure. 00:31:30.655 --> 00:31:52.487 Here's what I think happened, I think, when John the Baptist heard that, he stood a little taller, threw out his chest a little bit and smiled a broad smile and thought to himself that's Jesus. 00:31:52.487 --> 00:32:03.583 That's Jesus, that's the one that's come, that's the Son of God, only the Son of God. 00:32:03.583 --> 00:32:06.281 That is Jesus. 00:32:06.281 --> 00:32:09.682 Would you bow with me please? 00:32:09.682 --> 00:32:13.576 Now? 00:32:13.596 --> 00:32:28.487 There's no doubt that even now, or in the past or in the future, we need Jesus to show up to us, for us, and he will. 00:32:28.487 --> 00:32:36.862 And you might think that when he does, he's going to come just simply to judge you, to criticize you, to condemn you. 00:32:36.862 --> 00:32:47.443 But I want to tell you something Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost, those who've lost their way, just like John the Baptist. 00:32:47.443 --> 00:32:50.824 And he loves you like nobody else loves you. 00:32:50.824 --> 00:32:51.518 He really does. 00:32:51.518 --> 00:32:53.959 He knows you. 00:32:53.959 --> 00:33:02.326 I like to say he knows us better than anybody, he knows us best and still loves us the most. 00:33:02.326 --> 00:33:15.727 Today you might just need to hear him say to you I love you, I'm for you, I believe in you, I'm here to help you, and if so, you just speak with him. 00:33:17.224 --> 00:33:18.535 It may be in the balcony, the main floor. 00:33:18.535 --> 00:33:22.255 There's an individual, a couple of family that you know. 00:33:22.255 --> 00:33:35.154 This is where the Lord has led you to link your life, to become a part of this church family, to serve and worship together, to impact Delta Rata, south Arkansas and, through your giving and going, impact the world for Jesus. 00:33:35.154 --> 00:33:36.273 Would you come? 00:33:36.273 --> 00:33:42.874 Brian will be at the front to receive you any decision, or you may just need him to pray with you to the Lord, whatever it is. 00:33:42.874 --> 00:33:49.854 Father, thank you for this time of worship and thank you for the worship time, the praise, the singing. 00:33:49.854 --> 00:33:52.315 Thank you for opening your word together. 00:33:52.315 --> 00:33:57.673 Now, bless Lord, this word and this worship service to the hearts and lives of people. 00:33:57.673 --> 00:33:58.463 Help them to respond. 00:33:58.463 --> 00:34:09.677 Help them to respond in a way that would honor Jesus but also Lord, that would allow Jesus to help them right where they are. 00:34:09.677 --> 00:34:13.043 In Jesus name, I pray amen.