WHO IS OFFENDED AT BEING SAVED ETERNALLY? JOHN THE BAPTIST AND THE OFFENSE OF THE LEGALISTS

WHO IS OFFENDED AT BEING SAVED ETERNALLY? JOHN THE BAPTIST AND THE OFFENSE OF THE LEGALISTS

We will do John 6: 25-71. But let us do this first.

JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS THE LAST PROPHET OF THE OLD COVENANT. IN OTHER WORDS, HE WAS THE LAST PERSON GOD SENT TO THE WORLD IN THE ORDER OF THE OLD COVENANT.

Hear Jesus confirm that;

Mat 11:

13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

IF YOU COULD RECALL, THE OLD TESTAMENT ENDED ON THIS NOTE; THAT AN ELIJAH WOULD COME TO USHER IN THE MESSIAH. JOHN WAS THAT ELIJAH.

Mal 4:

4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse

IN OTHER WORDS, THE LAW OF MOSES REMAINS RELEVANT UNTIL YOU SEE THIS ELIJAH WHO WILL USHER IN THE LORD

SO JOHN'S LIFE ASSIGNMENT WAS TO POINT TO JESUS.

John 1:29

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

HE WAS THE AUTHORISED VOICE TO ANNOUNCE THE CHRIST.

So, as a man who loved God and did not want to fail in His assignment, he still wanted to be sure he got his life assignment right before he bowed out.

AT THE TWILIGHT OF HIS LIFE, JUST BEFORE HE WAS BEHEADED, HE SENT HIS DISCIPLES TO CHRIST TO CONFIRM IF HE WAS THE MESSIAH.

Mat 11:

2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

WHAT 'WORKS' DID JOHN HEAR THAT PROMPTED HIM TO ASK FOR CONFIRMATION?

IF WHAT HE HEARD WAS CONVINCING, WOULD HE HAVE NEEDED CONFIRMATION? NOT LIKELY.

THIS IS WHAT JOHN (MOST LIKELY) HEARD. IT WAS THE RUMOUR IN TOWN AMONG THE JEWS. SEE IT HERE;

Mat 11:

19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, AND THEY SAY, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners...

OKAY. MAYBE NOT.

SO JESUS HAD TO REASSURE JOHN. HE TURNED HIS FOCUS BACK TO THE SIGNS OF THE MESSIAH. HEAR HIM;

Mat 11:

4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

THERE YOU SEE.

JOHN WAS GETTING OFFENDED.

THE MESSIAH ? FRIEND OF SINNERS ? NO NOW. HOW CAN ?

IF YOU RECALL HOW JOHN DID HIS OWN. FIRE AND BRIMSTONE MINISTRY. HE WAS THE SCARE OF SINNERS. SEE IT HERE.

Luke 3:

7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

JOHN MUST HAVE THOUGHT;

I COULD NOT EVEN EAT. HOW CAN THEY GET THE MESSAGE IF YOU NOW EAT WITH THEM?

WHATEVER JOHN HEARD OF JESUS ALMOST GOT HIM OFFENDED.

JESUS' STYLE SEEMED TO FALL SHORT OF MOSES'.

SO JESUS REASSURED HIM. TOLD HIM THE REAL WORKS OF CHRIST. THE SIGNS THAT THE JEWS DID NOT SEE. THE SIGNS THAT EVEN JOHN WAS ALMOST MISSING.

Mat 11:5

The blind receive their sight,

and the lame walk,

the lepers are cleansed,

and the deaf hear,

the dead are raised up,

and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

YOU SEE, IT IS A WISE WAY TO SPEAK WHEN YOU LIST SOME THINGS AND ALLOW THE VERY LAST ONE TO EXPLAIN OR FULFIL THE ONES MENTIONED BEFORE.

Just one example.

2 Sam 11:

22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.

23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.

24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

THE REAL GIST FOR DAVID WAS IN THE LAST STATEMENT. OKAY.

SO JESUS TOLD JOHN, THE GOSPEL IS BEING PREACHED!

THAT WAS ALL JOHN NEEDED TO HEAR!

But what else can we find in the list of signs Jesus mentioned?

WE CAN FIND THAT THE GOSPEL IS NOT JUST ABOUT MAKING BAD PEOPLE GOOD.

IT IS ABOUT MAKING

BLIND PEOPLE SEE

LAME PEOPLE WALK

LEPERS MADE CLEAN

DEAF PEOPLE HEAR

IT IS ABOUT GIVING DEAD PEOPLE LIFE!

ONLY THE GOSPEL CAN DO THAT; NOT THE LAW.

ONLY GRACE CAN. THE GOSPEL OF GRACE.

AND JESUS WARNED JOHN...

FOR HE KNEW JOHN MEANT WELL BUT WAS ONLY BEING MISLED...

MOST LEGALISTS MEAN WELL, IF ONLY THEY TAKE THIS WARNING;

Mat 11:

6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

THIS IS THE BLESSING THE LEGALISTS MUST RECLAIM.

AS THE SEE THE NEED TO RETURN TO CHRIST TO CONFIRM WHAT THE GOSPEL TRULY IS AND IF THE GOSPEL IS BEING PREACHED.

IF NOT, THEY WILL BE IN CHRIST, BUT BE OFFENDED. AND FORFEIT THE BLESSINGS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THEIRS IN THE GOSPEL.

#expectmore

- Adeolu O. V