Week 45 Devotions

November 5 - - Jesus made no secret about the fact that he would bodily resurrect on the third day after being placed in a tomb (Luke 9:22; 24:5-8; Matthew 16:21; 28:6; Mark 8:31). His disciples knew it. The women who followed him knew it. Even the Jewish religious leaders knew it. In order to make sure that no one stole Jesus’ dead body and then tried to lie and others that he had resurrected from the grave, the religious leaders had a request for Pilate. “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will be raised from the dead.’ So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he came back to life!” (Matt.27:63&64). So, Pilate placed some of his guards at the disposal of the religious leaders to be posted at the tomb and prevent such an event from happening. But, when God proposes to do something, there is nothing man can do to prevent it. When an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled the stone away, these brave, highly-trained, very-powerful soldiers “shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint” (Matt.28:4). When the women came to the tomb early on the first day of the week to finish embalming Jesus, “they found that the stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside. So they went in, but they couldn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus” (Luke 24:2&3). While they were trying to imagine what could have possibly happened to Jesus’ body, two angels appeared to them and asked, “Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He has risen from the dead!” (Lk.24:4&5: Mk.16:5&6; Matt.28:5&6). The fact that Jesus had bodily risen from the tomb seemed too good to be true when it first happened. When the apostles first heard it from the women, they didn’t believe it because the story sounded like nonsense (Luke 24:10&11; Mark 16:10&11). Even after the disciples saw Jesus alive for themselves, they still had questions. The same is true for us today. We have not had the privilege of actually seeing Jesus alive following his death and burial, as Jesus’ disciples did. Thomas didn’t believe the other disciples when they told him they had seen Jesus alive. And Thomas said he wouldn’t believe their story unless he saw Jesus for himself (John 20:25). To be sure, when Jesus did appear to Thomas, the doubting disciple proclaimed Jesus as Lord (20:28). But, as Jesus said to Thomas, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway” (20:29). Like Thomas, we have not had the privilege of seeing Jesus alive. But, we have seen his resurrection power at work in our lives (Philippians 3:10). There have been miraculous answers to our prayers, unexplainable changes in our lives and the lives of others, and unusual occurrences in our lives that have all confirmed a power greater than we can understand at work. The question for us, is, will we live our lives expecting Christ’s resurrection power to show up on a regular basis? Or, will we continue in our skepticism to downplay that truth and the power of Christ’s resurrection? The choice is ours, but so are the consequences. November 9 - - The Bible tells us, “But, Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand” (Acts 7:55). As the song, “I Can Only Imagine” asks, “Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus, or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing ‘hallelujah’, will I be able to speak at all?” When Andrew met Jesus, he was compelled by his experience to bring his brother, Simon, to see Jesus, as well (John 1:41&42). When Philip met Jesus, he was compelled by his experience to bring his friend, Nathaniel, to see Jesus, as well (John 1:45&46). Later, some curious Gentiles approached Philip with a request to see Jesus (John 12:20-22). It seems that everyone who sees or meets Jesus Christ, is forever changed by that experience. Our knowledge of Jesus Christ is only a partial glimpse of all there is to know about him. But, what we do know of him and what we have seen of him should be more than sufficient for us to want to know more and see more of the One, who is called the Christ. The Bible promises that those who put their faith in him now, will see him and know him fully in heaven. “Now we see things imperfectly, as though looking in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now” (I Corinthians 13:12) John adds this magnificent hope: “Yes, dear friends, we are God’s children, and we can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is” (I John 3:2). What will that be like? We can only imagine. No, it is in truth, beyond our imagination (I Corinthians 2:9).

Week 44 Devotions

October 29 - - Christians are oftentimes called upon to humble themselves and do acts of compassion and kindness others simply will not do; whether it’s Mother Teresa and her fellow servants meeting the needs of the poor in Calcutta, someone cleaning the physically disabled, etc. Jesus showed how and why a Christian would be willing to be so kind. It was the last night of his life here on earth. Jesus is about to share the last meal with his twelve closest disciples. He “knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He now showed the disciples the full extent of his love” (John 13:1). It was the custom for first century Jews to provide a slave to wash the feet of one’s guests and visitors. Obviously, there were few roads and most were not paved. People wore sandals and by the time they arrived somewhere, their feet were dirty. But, even after spending over three years with Jesus, his disciples still debated between themselves as to who would receive the prominent seats of position beside Jesus in his coming kingdom (Mark 10:35-45; Matthew 20:20-28). And while everyone knew their feet were dirty, none of them thought of serving the others. So, Jesus did what the others were not willing to do. And, in humbling himself, he not only gave them “an example to follow” (13:15), but he also gave us an example to follow. Jesus was doing more than showing them the necessity of washing each other’s feet. He was showing them the importance of serving one another. Here’s how Jesus was able to do what no one else did. “Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority and that he had come from God and would return to God” (13:3). In other words, Jesus knew where he had come from, where he was going, and why he was here. His worth was found in knowing those three things and not in what everyone else around him thought of him. And, when we understand, like Jesus, where we come from, where we are going, and why we are here, we will be able to do for others what Jesus has done for us, and what Jesus would do for others. We are created human beings, fashioned in the Divine image of the Almighty God. We are not the products of billions of years of evolution with our immediate ancestors being some monkeys. We were placed by God here on earth for the express purpose of reflecting His light and in the process bringing Him the glory all creation should give Him. Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, which was the ultimate act of unselfish humility, we now have a place in heaven secured and prepared for us by Jesus (John 14:1-3). When we know where we’ve come from, why we are here and where we are going; we will also be able to do for others as Jesus has done for us. November 1 - - There are some truths in scripture we really don’t know the full meaning of and probably won’t ever know the full meaning of, until God reveals them to us in heaven (I Corinthians 13: 11&12; Deuteronomy 29:29). For instance, does anyone truly understand the concept of the Trinity, and how God can be three persons and yet only be One? God knew that our finite minds could never comprehend His infinite truths. Another difficult truth to wrap our minds around is the idea that Jesus Christ was fully human and fully God at the same time. There are times as God, when Jesus knew things that were going to happen before they ever actually took place. For instance, John tells us that Jesus already knew who would believe in him and who wouldn’t. Jesus also knew from the beginning of time which disciple would betray him (John 6:64, 70&71; 13:11). Jesus knew when he came to earth that while he inhabited this planet, the Father had given him authority over everything; that he would be able to command the waters to be still, the deaf to hear and the lame to walk (Matthew 28:18). Jesus also knew where he had come from and where he was going to (John 13:2). And as God, Jesus knew ahead of time, the horrors and the pain which awaited him during his trials and crucifixion. John writes, “Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him” (18:4). We also see that Jesus is fully human by his reaction to what he knew was soon going to happen to him. As he went to the Garden of Gethsamane to pray, he told Peter, James, and John, “my soul is crushed with grief to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). He left them to pray for him while he went a little farther to pray by himself. We are told that during this time, “he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). And in that moment, Jesus prayed, “if it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me.” Jesus was asking his father to accomplish our redemption any other way than what he knew lie ahead for him. Nevertheless, Jesus was willing to accept whatever the Father deemed necessary. “Yet I want your will, not mine” (Mark 14:36; Matthew 26:39). Jesus knows what lies ahead for each of us in our lives, as well. And if he wants, he can send thousands of angels to protect us at any time (Matt.26:53). Sometimes he will and some-times he won’t. We must have the same faith in him that he had in his Father. God gives each of us the freedom and the privilege to ask anything we want in Jesus’ name (John 14:13&14; 16: 23&24,26; James 4:2). But, faith implies trust in the One who already knows what we need and when we need it and being able to honestly say, “Yet I want your will, not mine,” even as Jesus did. Are we able to do that in all situations?

Week 43 Devotions

October 22 - - A blind man named Bartimaeus, is sitting beside a road when he hears a crowd approaching. When Bartimaeus learns that Jesus is in the crowd, he cries out for mercy. And even though those in the crowd told him to shut up, Bartimaeus shouted even louder. He had heard the many stories about Jesus; how he healed those with leprosy, cast out demons from those who were possessed, enabled those who were lame to walk again, and, given sight to the blind. Jesus was near! Jesus was here! This opportunity to see may never come his way again. He must get the attention of Jesus! If only Jesus knew Bartimaeus’ condition, Jesus could help! So, he shouted all the more louder. “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard Bartimaeus shouting among the whole crowd, the two had a brief conversation. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. Could it be? Was this too good to be true? “Teacher, I want to see!” “You may go. Your faith has healed you.” And instantly, the man could see (Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43). Contrast his attitude with that of James and John. They, who had been with Jesus nearly three years also had a favor to ask. But, it was far different from that of Bartimaeus. “Teacher, we want you to do us a favor.” “What is it?” Jesus asked. “In your glorious Kingdom, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one at your right and the other at your left” (Mark 10:35-37; Matthew 20:20&21). Like ourselves, there were so many things the disciples didn’t understand (Luke 18:34). Unlike Bartimaeus, James and John did not immediately receive what they had requested of the Master. Jesus still asks of us the same question today, “what do you want me to do for you?” When our request comes from our faith in him, and when our request will honor and glorify him (Colossians 3:17,23; I Corinthians 1:31; 10:31), and when our request is made with the right motive (James 4:3&4), our answer will be the same as that of Bartimaeus; and not like the one received by James and John. So, what is it you want the Lord to do for you? October 25 - - As Jesus’ time of death drew near, his stories became very pointed. Whereas, there were times earlier in his ministry when neither the crowds or his disciples understood the meaning of his teachings, Jesus made sure they knew exactly what he was saying in his final days on earth. Jesus told a story about two sons, one with good intentions who didn’t keep his promise to his father, and the other who did help his father in spite of his initial refusal to do so (Matthew 21:28-32). In another story, Jesus told of a vineyard owner whose tenants horribly treated his servants sent to collect their rent, even killing some, including the owner’s son (Matt.21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19). And in a third story, Jesus told of a king ready to throw a great banquet. But, those who were initially invited, shamefully treated the servants sent to invite them, even killing some (Matt.22:1-14). The Jews knew exactly what Jesus was saying. God had been sending prophets to the Jews for centuries and they continuously beat those prophets and even killed many. Finally, God sent His Son and they were plotting even then to also kill Jesus. There was no doubt about Jesus’ meaning in his teachings. So, in order to justify arresting Jesus and doing to him what he prophesied they would do, the religious leaders tried to trip Jesus up with questions about religious law. If they could entice him to give an answer the people disagreed with, they could also justify arresting him. In their first question, they brought some “supporters of Herod” along. “Should we pay taxes to the Roman government or not?” If Jesus replied that Jews should not pay taxes, then he would alienate the Roman officials. But, if Jesus said that Jews should pay taxes then he would upset the Jews who hated the Roman taxation. Jesus said there is a time and a place to render unto the government what the government asks and a time and method for giving to God what belongs to Him (Mark 12:13-17; Matt.22:15-22; Lk.20:20-26). Those who heard his answer were completely amazed. When the Sadducees, who did not believe in a Resurrection of the dead, tried to trap Jesus with a hypothetical example that was so far-fetched it could never happen, Jesus exposed their ignorance with his answer (Matt.22-23-33; Mk.12:18-27; Lk.20:27-40). Not only were the crowds impressed by what Jesus said, but so were the Sadducees who asked the question. The Bible says, “that ended their questions, no one dared to ask any more” (Lk.20:40). The apostle Peter writes, “if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way” (I Peter 3:15). Peter had watched how Jesus dealt with difficult people and difficult questions. May God grant us the grace to be as wise, as clear, and as bold as Jesus was when people ask us why we believe what we believe.

Week 42 Devotions

October 15 - - Even though biological children have different parents from their adopted brothers and sisters, most adoptive parents view all their children; biological or adopted, in the same way. They live under the same roof, eat of the same food, and are subjected to the same set of rules. In fact, if parents have anything to leave as an inheritance, all their children are entitled to mom and dad’s estate, regardless of whether they were biological or adopted children. What is true physically is also true, spiritually. When we become “children of God through (our) faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26), we become heirs of all God’s promises made to our spiritual ancestors, including our spiritual father, Abraham (3:29). Because of Jesus Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin, “but God’s own child. And since you are His child, everything He has belongs to you” (4:7). And what all does God have? Everything. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1; I Corinthians 10:26; Ps.50:10&11; Haggai 2:8). God doesn’t need anything from us because everything belongs to Him (Acts 17:24-26; I Cor.4:7). But, as God’s children, we have access to all of His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19). If, we as earthly parents will take care of our physical children, how much more does God know how to take care of His spiritual children (Luke 11:11-13; Matthew 7:9-11)? We have a choice whether to be the spiritual children of Satan or the spiritual children of God, the Father. “Anyone whose Father is God listens gladly to the words of God. Since you don’t,” Jesus told one of his audiences, “it proves you aren’t God’s children” (John 8:47). The fact is, Jesus wasn’t even accepted among many of those who shared the same physical ancestry, the Jews (John 1:11). “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan - - this rebirth comes from God” (John 1:12&13). And Jesus assured us over and over, “anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!” (John 8:51; 5:24; 11:25&26). We all have a choice. We can listen to the words of Jesus Christ, obey those words, be adopted as one of God’s children, and gain access to His glorious riches both in this life and in the life to come, OR, we can do nothing and we will be the children of the Devil. He is a “liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). He does not care for us, but actually hates us. So, choose carefully. A lot is riding on whether you make the proper choice. October 18 - - There is something within all of us that likes to root for the underdog. We all love a good story where the poor climb out of their poverty, the oppressed discover their liberty, and those used to losing taste victory. Maybe, that inner desire comes from our heavenly Father. Scripture spends a lot of time honoring the character trait of humility (Numbers 12:3; Proverbs 3:34; Ephesians 4:2), while condemning the character trait of pride (Isaiah 13:11; James 4:6). Because a proud person thinks of himself better than others, he will expect to sit in the place of honor when he attends to a banquet. In a proud person’s mind, anything less would be demeaning and disrespectful to him/her. On the other hand, Jesus said that a humble person is one who sits at the foot of the table. The host of any party has the prerogative of moving people from one position at the table to another. Jesus says that most of us would prefer being moved to a better place at the table than we would the embarrassment of being moved to a less prominent place at the table. A humble person is one who immediately sits at the foot of the table. If they remain at that place, they are okay with it. If they are moved to a more prominent place at the table, they are okay with that, as well. “The proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored” (Luke 14:11). He also said that at the judgment, some “who are despised now will be greatly honored then; and some who are greatly honored now will be despised then” (Luke 13:30). The world uses a different standard for measuring worth and success than God does. The world looks at the outward signs of success; awards won, degrees achieved, salary earned, possessions owned, etc. On the other hand, God looks at the state of a person’s heart (I Samuel 16:7). In fact, God wants to bless those whose heart is fully sold out to Him (II Chronicles 16:9). All too often, we care more about how the things we do will benefit ourselves in the long run or how what we do appears to the rest of the world. Jesus encourages us to do things the rest of the world would not honor us for, but God would (Luke 14:12-14). It is interesting that even though Jesus was the Son of God, rarely did he draw attention to himself. Jesus did not go around patting himself on the back. Jesus was humble in heart (Matthew 11:28-30; Philippians 2:3-11) and expected us to be the same. Are we?

Week 41 Devotions

October 8 - - The apostle Paul wrote that Christians are people who “live by believing and not by seeing” (II Corinthians 5:7). Christians recognize that a life lived for God involves trusting in His promises even if we can’t comprehend how He will keep them, rather than walking in the comfort of things we can already see and understand. Thomas was only expressing what most of us would have naturally felt when his fellow disciples informed him they had already seen Jesus resurrected bodily from the dead. “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side” (John 20:25). Not until Jesus appeared to Thomas so that he could see, did Thomas then acknowledge Jesus as, “my Lord and my God!” (20:28). Jesus then pointed out the difference between walking by faith and walking by sight. “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway” (20:29). The fact is, “it is impossible to please God” without this kind of childlike faith and trust in Him (Hebrews 11:6). Those who do walk by faith in God have a confidence that He is able to do, “infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask of Him or hope that He could do” (Eph. 3:20; Proverbs 3:5&6). These bold individuals will be blessed for their faith, while those who walk by sight in only what they can understand and comprehend with their human mind, will miss out on the blessings of God. When two blind men followed Jesus, they dared to impose upon the Master with a request. “Son of David, have mercy on us” (Matthew 9:27). Jesus asked them whether they were men who walked by faith in God or by sight in what they could understand. “Do you really believe that I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord, we do.” So Jesus touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen” (9:28&29). Just like that, the two men were able to see. Contrast their attitude and the subsequent results, to that of the people living in Jesus’ home-town of Nazareth. When Jesus taught, he did so with a wisdom and an authority never observed before in the Jewish religious teachers (Matthew 7:28; Mark 1:22; Luke 4:32; John 7:46). So, when Jesus began teaching in the synagogue of his hometown, people were astonished. They asked, “where did Jesus get all his wisdom and the power to perform such miracles? He’s just a carpenter’s son. We know Mary, his mother. And we know his brothers and sisters. What makes him so great?” (Mark 6:1-4; Matthew 13:53-57). Many of these people had watched Jesus grow up. While they had to acknowledge that he was an exceptionally nice boy, it was still hard to comprehend someone coming from among them who knew and did so much. One of the saddest statements in the Bible appears in this portion of our text. “And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief” (Matt.13:58; Mk.6:5&6). What about you? Do you see Jesus doing many miracles around you? If not, maybe it has to do with the size of your faith, or the lack thereof. Jesus said that faith as tiny as a mustard seed could move mountains (Matthew 17:20). Have you moved any mountains lately? Why not? October 11 - - It is amazing to read about Jesus feeding over 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fishes, and still have over twelve basketfuls of food left over (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15). And as if the people had not seen enough, he fed over 4,000 on another occasion with only seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. And that time there were seven large baskets of leftovers (Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10). When the people saw Jesus do what he did the first time, they readily exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!” (John 6:14). The Gospels record miracle after miracle after miracle that Jesus performed. When Jesus healed a man who was both deaf and mute and in doing so, enabled him to hear and speak, he “told the crowd (who witnessed the miracle) not to tell anyone. But the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news, for they were completely amazed. Again and again they said, ‘Everything he does is wonderful.’” (Mark 7:36&37). On another occasion, “a vast crowd brought him the lame, the blind, crippled, mute, and many others with physical difficulties, and they laid them before Jesus. And he healed them all. The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking around, and those who had been blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel” (Matt.15:30&31). And yet, in spite of all these miracles, most of which were done right before their eyes, most of the Pharisees and Sadducees refused to believe in Jesus. They preferred arguing with Jesus to dialoguing with him. They would rather have believed that Jesus was sent from Satan than accept that he was sent from God (Matt.12:22-30; Mk.3:20-30). On more than one occasion the two groups asked Jesus for a sign to prove he was from God (Matt.16:1-4 & Mark.8:11-13; Matt. 12:38&39 & Mk.8:11&12; Luke 11:14-16). How true it is that we see what we are prepared to see and we hear what we are prepared to hear. How often do we find ourselves still asking Jesus for some kind of proof that he exists or that he cares when he has in fact proven himself over and over? Are we like the common people who praise Jesus because we see him at work in our lives on a daily basis? Or, are we like the Pharisees and Sadducees who refuse to see Jesus at work no matter what he has already done?

Week 40 Devotions

October 1 - - “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy,” was God’s command to His people (Exodus 20:8; Deuteronomy 5:12). God had completed His creation work in six days and then rested the seventh day, not because He was tired, but as an example that human beings should follow (Genesis 2:1-3). How does one keep the Sabbath holy? In His commandment given through Moses, God said, “Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any kind of work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; then He rested on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy” (Ex.20:9-11; Deut.5:13-15). When the people of God left Egypt and needed food, God provided them manna that appeared fresh on the ground every morning. God told the people not to keep any of the manna overnight because it would be full of maggots and stink by the next morning. God wanted His people to trust Him every day. But, on the sixth day, the Israelites were to gather twice as much manna so they would be able to observe the Sabbath as a holy day and not have to work. God preserved their manna on the sixth day, unlike the other days (Exodus 16:14-31), so it would be edible on the Sabbath. By Jesus’ day, the religious leaders had come up with a long list of things they defined as work so people would know what they could and could not do on the Sabbath. These regulations were not given to humans by God, but by man. These religious leaders were more concerned with being “keepers of the Sabbath” than they were in personally “keeping the Sabbath.” They loved being moral police more than they did pointing people to God. When Jesus came, he did not question the importance or the value of the Sabbath. But, he did question the legalistic list the Pharisees had comprised. Because their definition had not come from God, but from man, Jesus looked right at these religious hypocrites and asked, “If you had one sheep, and it fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you get to work and pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than sheep! It is morally right to do that which is good on the Sabbath.” And then he healed a man with a deformed hand (Matthew 12:9-14; Luke 6:6-11). “Is the Sabbath a day to save life or to destroy it?”, he asked them (Mark 3:4). Jesus was concerned that God’s people understand the purpose of the Law as it relates to the Sabbath and observe it as best they could so their hearts could be close to God. He wasn’t as interested in people obeying man-made rules and regulations with hearts that were far from God. “I, the Son of Man, am master even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28; Matt.12:8; Lk.6:5). For, “the Sabbath was made to benefit people, and not people to benefit the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). God didn’t establish people so they could worship the Sabbath. He established the Sabbath as a benefit to people. We would all be wise to give God honor and worship every day of the week, but especially on the Sabbath. October 4 - - Four hundred years before the time of Jesus Christ, God spoke these words through the prophet, Malachi, “I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents” (4:5&6). Malachi was the last prophet to speak to God’s people before a prophet, like Elijah, would enter the scene and prepare God’s people for the Messiah’s coming. John the Immerser had been preaching a message of repentance, declaring that people needed to turn from their sins and turn to God (Mark 1:4-8; Matthew 3:1-12; Luke 3:2-14). When Jesus did arrive, he asked to be baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness, to do the right thing, and to set an example for others (Mark 1:9-11; Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:21&22). At that time, John began to point his disciples and anyone else who would listen, to Jesus (John 1:19-28). John even declared Jesus to be, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Even though John continued his ministry, fewer people gathered to listen to him because more and more were being drawn to Jesus. When John’s disciples showed concern over this trend, John assured them, “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less” (John 3:30). John knew he had been sent by God to prepare the way for Jesus. And John also knew the satisfaction of being successful in his mission. Rather, than feel sorrow because more were following Jesus, John drew delight in knowing he had completed what God had sent him to do. Having said all that, there must have been a little sliver of doubt yet, in John. While in prison because he dared to also preach against Herod’s sins, John sent disciples to inquire of Jesus if he really was the Messiah. The scene is reminiscent of the father who brought his demon-possessed boy to be healed by Jesus. Jesus told the father, “Anything is possible if a person believes.” And the father replied, “I do believe, but help me not to doubt!” (Mark 9:23&24). It also reminds us of Christ’s disciples after Jesus had resurrected from the dead. He had already appeared to them on several occasions and yet, just before he prepared to ascend into heaven, “some of them still doubted” (Matthew 28:17; Luke 24:41; John 21:12&13). Jesus’ disciples were sure this resurrected person they saw was really Jesus, but it was such a tremendous miracle, there was still a little doubt. So, Jesus assures John’s disciples that he really is the Messiah (Matt.11:4-6; Luke 7:21-23). And then Jesus teaches the people a tremendous truth about the Kingdom of God. “I assure you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the most insignificant person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!.....if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand” (Matthew 11:11-15; Luke 7:24-28). As great a man as John was, Jesus promised that the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven was more privileged than even John. Are we listening to what Jesus is telling us? Or, are we so busy that we miss a message intended for each of us? Do we now believe this great truth or do we still doubt?