#DailyDevotion Blessed Is The One Not Offended By Jesus
Luk 7:18-23 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, (19) calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (20) And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” (21) In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. (22) And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. (23) And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
There is a lot of debate over whether John sends his disciples to ask Jesus this question for himself or for his disciples. Well I don’t think it really matters all too much. On the one hand John probably knows his time is short and he wants his disciples to follow Jesus. At least on two occasions John in his ministry knew who his cousin was, as he baptized him and as Jesus was walking nearby. On the other hand verse 23 seems to point it was for John. John may have needed to be encouraged that Jesus was the Christ.
What is for certain is the Holy Spirit had John send his disciples to Jesus to ask this question for you and for me. These words were written down to encourage us and strengthen us in our faith with doubt was knocking at the door. For the devil most certainly wants to make us doubt in Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah of God.
The devil may try to cause us to doubt through supposed contradictions between the scriptures and current scientific theories. He may try to cause us to doubt through ancient heresies which taught that Jesus was only human on one hand or a spirit on the other by means of ancient heretical books via new books, TV shows, movies and the like whose ‘facts’ wouldn’t stand up to any sort of critical historical analysis. The devil may try to cause us to doubt through disease and deaths, ours or someone we love. He may go the hard route and bring persecution upon you and your family. It is then we need to hear Jesus’ word.
Listen up, the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and poor have the good news preached to them. These actions which John’s disciples had seen Jesus do point to Jesus as the very Messiah of God. Jesus is the promised seed of the woman, the blessed seed of Abraham, and the royal seed of David. The things the messiah, the servant of the Lord was to do, Jesus did.
Blessed is the one who is not offended by Jesus. Jesus gave a similar blessing in the beatitudes in Matthew 5. Though the devil, the world and even your own sinful flesh may try to have you be ashamed of following Jesus, if you would not be offended by Jesus as your Messiah, you will be blessed with eternal life. The accolades of the world fade away but Jesus’ blessing endures for all eternity. Put and keep your trust in him.
Heavenly Father, grant us strength to never be offended by having Jesus as our Messiah that while ridiculed in this life, we may receive his blessing for all eternity in your presence. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.