Go Tell John...the Wayfarer 9/29/18
Go Tell John
9/29/18
Luke 7:22 KJV
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.
23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
John, imprisoned, awaiting the next shoe to fall, awaiting completion of his purpose in life, his very reason for having been born to come to fruition, despondent and questioning in the face of certain death which he knew was fast approaching, sent his disciples to get the assurance needed to have the endurance to face that fate.
The message of redemption in return for repentance had been given through the birth, and gospel being preached by Christ. The assurance of forgiveness, the assurance of love, the assurance of the means for man to reconcile with his Creator had been proven through the miracles and preaching being done by none less than the only begotten Son of God Himself despite the unwillingness of his people to hear and heed that Gospel for which he had been imprisoned and for which he would willingly die the death predestined in the proclamation of Christ's arrival with the precious gift of eternal life brought by Him.
His life had not been lived in vain, but indeed foretold the completion of that same message brought and rejected by the prophets time and again.
Like those prophets most of whom were martyred for their efforts, John foresaw what lay both behind and to come within the plan begun in the very beginning once Adam chose death for his kind rather than life intended by that Creator.
John 3:16-36 King James Version (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
24 For John was not yet cast into prison.
25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.
26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
That message, bearing both promise and warning was and is given in perpetuity, echoing still, throughout the ages since having been given.
Yet, and still, the rejection of that message continues despite the approach of the coming time when it has been heard by the last willing to hear and heed it... prophesied also by all the prophets and the Savior himself as mankind continues to believe the lie first propagated in the garden to Eve, the belief of which has continued to bring the misery caused by the separation of man and God that will continue through eternity for all refusing and refuting that message.
Amos 8 King James Version (KJV)
8 Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit.
2 And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the Lord unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.
3 And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord God: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.
4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,
5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?
6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?
7 The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.
8 Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.
9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:
10 And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.
11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:
12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.
13 In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.
14 They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.
The time foreseen by Amos rapidly approaches, as does the promised return of our Savior despite man's refusal to accept the rapidity with which the wrath draws nearer, a time that will, of a necessity finalize the plan, as originally given by God, and the finalization of the fate of believer and non believer as well.
Romans 14:10-12 King James Version (KJV)
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
As that account is given, and fate is forever sealed, so too will account be given for the endurance and steadfastness shown, or the lack thereof, and surrender of those choosing lie over truth.
Jesus' command to John's disciples has been extended beyond the word sent to comfort John, and that comfort also given to those having heard the commandment make one and all aware of both promise and warning.
Matthew 28:18-20 King James Version (KJV)
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
When, like John, doubt springs up as death approaches, we need to continue the endurance required in the certainty of faith in the promise and dread for any and all not in acceptance of either, as both are halves of a whole that must be preached.
As my own time given shortens, I remain in complete confidence of that faith in both warning and promise, assured that, like John, my purpose remains in that commandment so long as breath is given, so long as any reachable and teachable remain.
This simple sinner, saved by grace through faith in that promise remains His servant, remains on the battlefield, soldier in that service so long as it pleases Him to allow me the privilege of that service, looking forward to the day that service is complete, the journey finished, and HOME is reached finally, once for all, and forever.
2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)
12 For 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
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