Blessed is the one

 And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."

Luke 7:22,23 ESV

John the baptist had sent some men to see Jesus to find out if He was the one that was expected. John himself wanted to know for sure that Jesus was the messiah. Jesus didn't disappoint him in his response.

Jesus told them to let John know about everything they had seen themselves. He listed all the miracles they had witnessed. Jesus had healed many diseases, birth defects and even raised the dead. On top of all the miracles attesting to who Jesus was, He also preached to them about the coming kingdom and His role in establishing it.

Jesus ends His interaction with John's disciples with this statement; “And blessed is the one who is not offended by me”. In this statement Jesus is saying, that those that believe in Him and are not offended by Him and His message will be happy.

When we think about what Jesus is saying in this brief exchange it is quite profound. He wants John and everyone else to know that the miracles He performs are proof of who He is and the authority He has. As well as letting everyone know that God was fulfilling prophecy in their midst. If anyone is offended by Jesus, they are offending the one that sent Him.

We must look at it in the same way when we share the good news. If someone is offended by what we are saying concerning the good news about Jesus, we shouldn't be offended. Because it is not us that offends them, it is the truth of God's word that offends them. The choice is theirs, they can accept Jesus and be happy or be offended by Him and live a less than happy existence.

© 2012 Leo J. Woodman

Jesus gave him back to his mother

 The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother

Luke 7:15 NASB

Read Luke 7:12-16

As you read through this passage in Luke, I hope you kept in mind that in this interaction between Jesus and the widow of Nain, you saw God meeting the needs of that woman. He met the needs of a woman that had not asked Him for it. The passage says that Jesus had compassion on her. Jesus acted out of compassion.

This passage helps us to see how compassionate a God we have. He is willing to provide even if He isn't asked. He sees the needs of one of His and He wants to meet it.

As always the actions of Jesus are lessons for us. His whole ministry teaches us how we are to minister to others. In this particular passage He wants us to see that we serve a compassionate God, that wants us to feel compassion and act on it. When we see a need we are to do what we can to meet that need.

Look around your world today, see if you know someone with a need. Have compassion on them and do what you can to give them what they need. Jesus did something we cannot do. He raised a man from the dead and gave him back to his mother.

We however, can do many things to help others and we know others that can help where we can't. Lets put our hearts and minds into it and let God work through us to serve others, just like Jesus did.

Lets be like the teacher

© 2012 Leo J. Woodman