What went ye out for to see?...the Wayfarer 6/5/13

6/5/13

What Went Ye out for to See?

“And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?”

Luke 7:24

We take today’s message from Jesus’ comments to both his disciples and the people who had gathered to hear his sermon and comments to the Pharisees and lawyers.

These comments are made after Jesus sent an answer back to John the Baptist to affirm exactly who he was, and his purpose for being here. Let’s go back and pick up at the 19^th verse to gain the full context of the lesson to be taught by our Savior.

“And John calling two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying art thou he that should come? Or look we for another.

When the men were come unto him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee saying, Art thou he that should come or look we for another?

And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities, and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind  he gave sight.

Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

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

Luke 7:19-23

Note that Jesus’ answer was to tell John to make up his own mind, based on the evidence given by the miracles having been performed, and the gospel of God being preached.

 This was done with no disrespect to John, but to encourage his own disciples and those gathered to make the same decision.

The last part of his statement that “Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” Is an expression of love and of warning. 

It tells us, those who choose to believe in him will indeed be blessed, and that those who choose not to believe will, in fact, be offensive to the entire Godhead. 

Denial of Jesus and who he is, in fact, blasphemes the Holy Spirit, and this is the only unforgivable sin.

Our lesson does not end here however, but continues in the content of the remarks with which I opened;

“And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John,What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment?

Behold, they which are gorgeously appareled, and live delicately, are in kings courts.

But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea I say unto you, and much more than a prophet.

This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

Luke 7:24-28

Jesus asked a very pertinent question of the people gathered and of his disciples. What did you go to see! 

This is a question that needs to be asked time and again of ourselves. 

For what reason do you attend church, listen to the TV evangelists, do community service or anything else that you do?

 If the answer is to glorify God, you have the right answer, if however, it is to appear more righteous to others around you, to impress your peers, or to make a connection to benefit YOUR life and no  one else’s, guess what....... wrong answer!

If you are impressed by people wearing expensive suits, who have lots of things, you have missed the point of worship all together.

The ones in soft raiment whose goal is self-aggrandizement and self-enrichment are not there to attain the goal set out by our savior. 

They are indeed shaken like a reed in the wind, and will preach anything they think you want to hear as long as you put a little jingle in the offering plate. 

Those not shaken like a reed will not compromise the teachings of Christ for whatever is politically correct at the time, but will only strive harder to reach the souls that they were sent to reach.

If you look for a prophet, pay attention to whose words he uses, if they are God’s and not their own it will show!

Christ went on to tell the people that not only was John a prophet, despite his rough dress and his unusual diet, but was the messenger sent by God himself to prepare the way for Jesus.

 He did this not by preaching the popular, but by preaching repentance to the sinner and the priests, scribes, Pharisees and lawyers of the time as well. He preached that the kingdom of God was at hand and that self-righteousness would never suffice.

 He went on to tell them that even as great as John was in the sight of God, that the least of the ones already in the Kingdom of God.

Our lesson is not yet concluded!

Take note that the ones who repented chose to be baptized by John to show repentance and death to the sin that had infected their lives. The self-righteous that gained fame and fortune for themselves that so looked down on the common “sinner” chose not to be baptized, or to even admit their failure to live up to the expectations of God.

And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I the men of this generation? And to what are they like?

 They are like unto children sitting in the market place, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you and ye have not wept.

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.

The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!

 But wisdom is justified of all her children.”

Luke 7:31-35

The same self-righteous attitudes still are as prevalent today as they were in Jesus’ time. The same would be “Christians” who fail to see the truth of Jesus ministry, and the purpose of his sacrifice are still leading far too many people astray piping for them to dance, and giving them false tears as a show of empathy for those that can be convince that the only ones with the answers are themselves.

I have news for them, the only one with the real and true answers is Jesus! Those answers are found not in the judgmental attitudes toward others, but in the one simple commandment He gave us to love one another!

Jesus finished up this particular message reminding the people that John was not acceptable to the scribes Pharisees and lawyers because he wouldn’t bow down to their version of how he should live and they considered him mad. (having a devil) Jesus was also unacceptable to them and they accused him of being a glutton and drunkard merely because he shared the meager meals of those that he taught.

Jesus would find his behavior unwelcome in many homes that claim to be righteous today. Unfortunately he would find his teachings unwelcome even in many houses of worship today as well.

I close with the love of my savior, and with the joy of salvation through his sacrifice and based on faith in the things He taught, myself merely a simple sinner saved by the grace of our Lord to whom all glorification and credit is due and asking none for myself, and a simple soldier in His service.

2 Timothy 1:12
 ¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

AMEN and AMEN
the Wayfarer