A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (June 16, 2016)
And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. (Luke 1:66)
John the Baptist was one of the most influential and unique individuals in the New Testament. He was fervent in his love for God from the womb to the tomb. Here was a man that dressed in camel hair, wore a leather belt, and went about preaching in the wilderness, “Repent, repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand”! His daily meals consisted of locusts and honey.
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. (Matthew 3:1-3)
John the Baptist was the messenger that announced the coming of the Lord. He was the one that baptized Jesus in the River Jordan and was eye witness to the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus and he heard the Father announce from Heaven that Jesus was the Son of God.
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:16-17)
That is a pretty impressive spiritual resume. Jesus said this about John the Baptist: Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:11)
What happened to John the Baptist? Herod had is head cut off and delivered to a young lady that danced for him. No surprise, they crucified the Lord of Glory! Now you might be thinking, but that was way back there in a medieval culture where they did such things like that. Really? Have things changed that much?
We are living in a time of political correctness where truth becomes almost impossible to speak without a major backlash. People that have the boldness to speak the truth are regularly branded as bigots and worse. We have become so accustomed to political correctness that the truth is often labeled as hate speech.
Be honest! What if the two greatest men of all time (John the Baptist and Jesus) came to visit your church, your home, your government, or your business? How do you think they would be received? How would you receive them? It is very important how you answer that question because the amount of truth you are willing to let into your heart depends on your honest answer.
So Pilate said to Him, “Then You are a King?” Jesus answered, “You say [correctly] that I am a King. This is why I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth [who is a friend of the truth and belongs to the truth] hears and listens carefully to My voice. (John 18:37)
