Good morning! It's time to rise and shine! ☀️
Here's your devotional text for Sunday, December 17.

 

 

For the past six days, we have studied Bible stories with a happy end. We might not have dwelt on the happy ending, but we know it’s there — that moment of relief at the end. Job received twice as much as he had before and lived for another 140 years (Job 42:10-17). Joseph got out of prison after two long years and became the most influential person in Egypt (Genesis 41:41). Daniel got out of the lions’ den without scratches (Daniel 6:23). Even the three Hebrew boys did not smell like smoke after coming out of the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:27).

 

But there is a tragic story in the New Testament that does not have a happy ending. Everyone was waiting for deliverance. People were praying. Others were one hundred percent sure that God would come through. But He didn’t. It has been a mystery to millions of Christians over the centuries.

 

Why was John the Baptist in prison? See also Mark 6:17-20.

Why did he ask Jesus this question in verse 3?

 

It’s very difficult for us to imagine what those months in prison must have been like for John. He went from being outdoors every day, breathing the fresh air, and having large groups of people hearing him preach to now being shut in by large walls of a dungeon cell. Week by week passed, no change was in sight, and doubts and fear crept into John’s mind. His disciples weren’t helping him; they were injecting even more doubts. “Why doesn’t Jesus help you? Is He the Messiah?”

 

Just like Jesus’ disciples, John and his followers didn’t really understand the nature of Christ’s kingdom. They were all looking for a new earthly king, revealing Himself with fire, just like back in the days (1 Kings 18:19-24). John had been pointing out specific sins to specific people. He didn’t care about popular opinion or his own reputation. He just wanted to do the work God called him to do. But it seemed like there was no new kingdom coming. Jesus was enjoying life, laughing and eating with tax collectors, healing and teaching women and children, and John was in prison. The Jews were oppressed more heavily than ever before, King Herod was a cruel dictator, and Jesus wasn’t fixing the situation!

 

John was disappointed. He had hoped that his ministry would have been way more successful. He had expected that his preaching, combined with Jesus’ power, would have the same effect as when the law was read in the days of Josiah and Ezra (2 Chronicles 34; Nehemiah 8, 9). He had hoped that people would repent, confess their sins, and turn back to the LORD. He had sacrificed his entire life for the sake of this mission! Was it all for nothing?

 

Obviously, he couldn’t share all of these thoughts with his own followers. They were already a little mad at Jesus. So, he chose to send a message of inquiry to Jesus. He gave this task to two of his disciples, hoping that a little talk with the Saviour would confirm their faith and bring assurance to the other disciples. And John himself longed for some word of encouragement from Christ directly addressed to him.

 

Think about the last (or the biggest) trial you went through in your life.

Maybe you’re going through something horrible right now.

Does Jesus want us to ask him questions when we’re suffering?

What did Jesus tell John to do? What does He ask us to do in moments like these?

 

Yes, it seems pretty ironic that John asked this question so shortly after he himself had preached so boldly that Jesus was the Messiah (John 1:29, 27). But that’s what trials do to us. Satan has mastered the art of injecting doubts into our minds. He wants us to lose faith. But John never lost his faith. In fact, Jesus’ practical answer allowed John to understand the real mission of the Messiah.

 

What did Jesus do instead of directly answering the question?

What intentions did He have in mind? Remember that John knew the Old Testament very well. See also Isaiah 61:1-2; 29:18-19.

 

When the disciples came back, they told John everything that happened. That was more than enough for him. The way Jesus answered this question not only showed John that He was indeed the Messiah but also showed him in what manner His kingdom was to be established. John learned the same lesson that Elijah learned way back in 1 Kings 19:11, 12. It’s the soft whispering, the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to the hearts of the people. Not the clash of weapons, fire, and thunder.

 

In what ways were (or are) you expecting God to deliver you? Why do you think like this? What shapes your thinking (world, people, culture, etc.)? What new insights can you gain from John’s story?

 

Does God want to free us from ALL the trouble we experience on earth?