“You are longing for a get-out-of-jail-free card, and [Jesus] wants to give you abundant life. He’s worthy of your hopes. But he’s aiming to do something better than you’ve dreamed. Like John [the Baptist], we have trouble seeing past our limited cell. In Christ, however, there is no limitation that can hinder us, no opposition that can stop us, no execution that can silence us.”- Kyle Idleman and Mark E. Moore
In today’s blog, Kyle and Mark cover the third passage the New Testament uses to form a portrait of the Messiah.
3. Christ revealed to John the Baptist. About halfway through Jesus’ three-year ministry, tragedy struck John the Baptist. King Herod threw Jesus’ relative, friend, and forerunner into prison. And John the Baptist’s crime? He spoke out against Herod’s incestuous and corrupt marriage to Herodias.
Therefore, Kyle and Mark observe, is it any wonder that:
- John the Baptist railed against their personal indiscretion and political corruption?
- Herodias despised John the Baptist, plotting his execution?
- John, a political prisoner of Herod, wanted to know if Jesus was, in fact, the Messiah?
As a result, while John rotted away in a prison cell in a remote desert fortress, he sent a delegation to Jesus. Because John wanted to ask if his hopes had been misplaced.
Consequently, in Jesus’ response He combined Isaiah 35:4-6 and 61:1. Thus, Jesus replied:
“Go back and report to John what you hear and see. The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”- Matthew 11:4-5 (NIV)
Tomorrow Kyle and Mark conclude their study of this third passage.
Today’s question: When do you find yourself longing for a get-out-of-jail-free card? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Peter’s great confession”