John the Baptist and Jesus were cousins. They were born just a few months apart with John being a few months older. I think we all know John was set apart to go ahead of Jesus and proclaim the coming of the Lord to the people.
I imagine those two grew up together as little kids. Perhaps they even played together. But at some point, John took to his calling and started his ministry. And after that, when Jesus was around 30 years-old, He started His work as the Lord.
John probably got to witness a lot of stuff with Jesus that is not written anywhere. Imagine playing a game of baseball when Jesus is the pitcher. Or imagine trying to beat Jesus running home from school. Yes, John probably witnessed a lot of stuff.
But, even with that, John had his questions. He had his doubts. Not questions about Who Jesus was, but questions about if Jesus was. John knew Who Jesus was, but he didn’t know if Jesus was the One that he was proclaiming to come. How on earth could that be?
In Luke 7:22-23, John has been put in prison by Herod. He sent some of his disciples to Jesus to inquire if Jesus was the One. So, the disciples came to Jesus and said to Him, “John is wondering if You are the One Who is coming or should they look for another.”
Jesus answered and said to them, “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 blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
John had a moment when he forgot all that he had witnessed in his life and in the life of Jesus. He was in prison for proclaiming the Coming One, but he let his circumstances move him to doubt if Jesus was the One.
Sometimes, we are like that today. We are so busy with doing the work of the Lord that we forget sometimes to let the work of the Lord do its stuff with us. Jesus’s response to John was a reminder to John of the things done in life that only the Lord could do.
Sometimes we need a gentle reminder of the amazing things the Lord is and has done, not just in our lives, but also in the lives of the those around us. Jesus told John’s disciples to go tell him what they had witnessed. Sight restored to the blind. Lame people walking again. People healed of leprosy. Deaf people hearing.
Like John’s disciples, we need to remember to be witnesses to the things we see and hear. I have never seen sight restored to the blind or hearing restored to the deaf. But here are some things we have all witnessed:
God tells the sun where to go and sit for the night.
He tells the wind where to come from and where to go.
He causes the ocean tides to come in and out.
He causes oxygen to sustain the humanity of our lives.
He keeps the stars above from falling down on us.
He tells the clouds when to stay put and when to move on.
He decided we didn’t need an ocean in the atmosphere, but it is from there rain falls to sustain us.
He tells the day where to go when night comes.
And though we cannot see love, He makes sure we can know it because He is love.
We are a witness to a lot more than we think or know. We just have to open our eyes to the wonder of the things around us.
So, let this be your time. Go and tell someone what you have seen and heard and witnessed. And when they question you on these things, just let them know you’ve witnessed it all because we serve a living God and Lord who doesn’t live in a stone.
No, God is not a stone or a carved figure. He is not the result of our imagination. He is a living God.
Jesus lives in a place called anywhere. And He operates in a time call anytime. And He can be found in a place called any place because He is a living God.
Let people know you’ve witnessed that for yourself. It’s there for them to see and hear for themselves.
Live a Delivered Life. Love you.
Live Delivered 