When You Have Questions Series

LUKE 7 19-20

19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

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

I WANNA TALK TO US THIS EVENING ABOUT QUESTIONS

JOHN A MAN BORN TO ELIZABETH THE COUSIN OF MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS

BORN IN HER OLD AGE, JOHN WAS CONCEIVED FOR A SPECIAL CAUSE, EVEN BEFORE HIS BIRTH HE LEPT IN HIS MOTHER’S WOMB WHEN GREETED BY MARY

A CONNECTION WAS THERE EVEN FROM THE WOMB, JOHN WAS SET ASIDE FOR THIS PURPOSE, HE WAS DIFFERENT

HE HAD A STRANGE DIET OF WILD LOCUST AND HONEY, HE WORE STRANGE CLOTHINGS, HE WAS A FORE RUNNER FOR JESUS

HE IS THE VOICE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND

THEN JESUS COMES ON THE SCENE AND HE FINDS JOHN AT THE JORDAN RIVER BAPTISING, AND INSTEAD OF JESUS BAPTISING JOHN, JOHN IS ASKED TO BAPTISE JESUS

JOHN SAYS I’M UNWORTHY TO EVEN UNTIE YOUR SHOES, AND JESUS SAYS THAT THE SCRIPTURE MAY BE FULFILLED LET IT BE SO

THEN A DOVE ASSENDS FROM HEAVEN AND A VOICE FROM HEAVEN IS HEARD STATING THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, HEAR YE HIM, AND OTHER SCRIPTURES SAYS THIS IS MY BELOVED SON OF WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED

AND AS JESUS WALKS AWAY TO BE TEMPTED OF THE DEVIL, JOHN SAYS TO THE DICIPLES STANDING AROUND “HE MUST INCREASE AND I MUST DECREASE

HERE WE HAVE JOHN IN CHAPER 7 HERE HE IS NOW IN PRISON FOR PREACHING AGAINST THE MARRIAGE OF HEROD WHO MARRIED HIS BROTHER WIFE

PRIOR TO BEING LOCKED UP HE HAD PREPARED THE WAY FOR THE MESSIAH TO BEGIN HIS MISSION, HE HAD URGED HIS LISTENERS TO REPENT, WARNED OF GOD’S COMING WRATH, AND FORTOLD OF THE BAPTISM OF FIRE THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD BRING.

AFTER RECEIVING WORD ABOUT ALL THAT JESUS WAS DOING, JOHN WAS BEGINNING TO WONDER IF HE HAD BEEN WRONG

SO, HE SENDS HIS DICIPLSES TO JESUS TO ASK HIM A QUESTION

ARE YOU THE ONE, OR SHOULD WE LOOK FOR ANOTHER? HERE JOHN WAS EXPECTING THE KINGDOM OF GOD TO COME, YET NOW HE WAS LOCKED AWAY IN PRISON WITH NO KINGDOM

THE LATE REV JAMES CLEVELAND WROTE A SONG STATED WHERE IS YOUR FAITH

I DON’T CARE HOW STRONG YOU ARE IN YOUR FAITH THINGS WILL GO WRONG SOMETIMES

YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW JOHN MUST HAVE BEEN FEELING WAITING ON CHANGE TO COME, AND HE ENDS UP IN PRISON FOR HIS FAITH, LIKE PAUL HE IN PRISON BUT HE’S NOT HEROD’S PRISONER, HE’S A PRISONER OF CHRIST

JOHN SAID I HEAR ABOUT ALL THE THINGS GOING ON OUT THERE YET I’M IN HERE

BUT SINCE I’M IN HERE AND IT DON’T APPEAR THAT I’M GETTING OUT, I NEED TO KNOW! ANYBODY EVER BEEN THERE?

I PUT MY ALL ON THE ALTAR, I NEED TO KNOW!

I’M GOING TO DIE IN THIS PRISON BECAUSE I PREACHED YOUR COMING, I TOLD MY DISIPLES TO FOLLOW YOU THE LAMB OF GOD

I TOLD THEM THE I MUST DECREASE AND THAT YOU MUST INCREASE

I NEED TO KNOW IF YOU’RE THE ONE

HE DISIPLES GOES TO JESUS WITH JOHN’S QUESTION

JESSUS COULD HAVE EASILY SAID TELL JOHN YES, I AM THE ONE BUT MY BIBLE TELLS ME THAT HIS WAYS IS NOT OUR WAYS

HE SAID INSTEAD GO TELL JOHN ALL THE MIRACLES THAT THEY HAD SEEN AND HEARD, THE MIRACULOUS WORKS HE WAS PERFORMING WERE FULFILLING ISAIAH 61.1 AND JESUS WANTED JOHN TO BE ENCOURAGED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE FAITH IN HIM DESPITE HIS CIRCUMSTANCES

WHEN EXPERICNCING SUFFERING, HARD TIMES, HARDSHIPS, BURDENS, IN THE FURNACE OF AFFLICTIONS, HEARTACHE AND PAIN

THE QUESTION IS ASKED GOD ARE YOU THE ONE

AND SOMEBODY ON THIS LINE THIS EVENING MAY WANNA ASK THE LORD A QUESTION LIKE JOHN

GOD I BEEN LIVING RIGHT THE BEST I KNOW HOW, YET I’M THE ONE SICK

GOD, I WANT TO KNOW WHY TROUBLE CAME TO MY HOUSE

WHY IT SEEMS LIKE I ALWAYS GET THE SHORT END OF THE STICK

WHY DOES BAD THINGS HAPPENS TO GOD’S PEOPLE?

WHY IS OUR YOUNG MEN BEING GUNNED DOWN, WHY IS JUSTICE NOT FOR ALL, WHY IS THE INNOCENT DYING

WHY IS THIS PANDEMIC STILL HERE

GOD ARE YOU THE ANSWER? ARE YOU THE ONE? OR SHOULD WE BE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER?

JESUS RESPONDS GO TELL JOHN WHAT YOU SEE

THE BLIND CAN SEE, THE SICK IS HEALED, THE LAME IS WALKING, THE DEAD IS RAISED AND THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL IS BEING PREACHED

LIKE JOHN I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, I MAY NOT BE LOCKED AWAY IN A JAIL, BUT THE TROUBLE OF THIS WORLD GETS ME DOWN AND SOMETIMES I ASK GOD HOW LONG, GOD SAID GET YOUR EYES OFF YOUR TROUBLE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO MY THRONE, HASTEN TO THE THRONE