Luke 7 - Steve Wiggins Daily Devotional

“The dead man sat up and began to speak and Yeshua gave him to his mother. Then fear came over everyone, and they glorified G_d, saying, ‘A great prophet has risen among us,’ and ‘G_d has visited His people.’ This report about Him went throughout Judea and all the vicinity. Then John’s (the “Baptist”) disciples told him about all these things. So John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the L_rd, asking, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?” Luke 7:15-19

Yeshua was immersed in the Jordan River, by John (the “Baptist”). The apostle John’s gospel informs us that the next day, John (the “Baptist”) told two of his disciples, “Look! The Lamb of G_d!” John 1:32-42 One of those disciples was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.

After Yeshua was tempted in the wilderness 40 days, He heard John (the “Baptist”) had been arrested. At this time, Yeshua went to the Galilee region and began His public ministry. Mark 1:14, Matthew 4:12

In prison, John (the “Baptist”) began second-guessing his message…the primary reason for his chains. Faith is easy, in theory. In reality, faith requires whole-self devotion. No doubt, John (the “Baptist”) was coming to grips with the reality that he would die in prison because of his faith. News that Yeshua had raised someone from the dead, must have given John hope.

The concept that a prophet could raise people from the dead, was very familiar. Both Elijah and Elisha had done this. The people, whom a prophet raises to life, will eventually die of some other circumstance. When Messiah raises the dead, it has eternal implications. In essence, John (the “Baptist”) wanted to know: “If my life is required of me, will Yeshua raise me up?” More importantly, “Will He raise-me-up into eternity?”

John (the “Baptist”) was created to herald Messiah. Now, he questioned whether he really believed his own testimony concerning Yeshua. In this, he chose to question the Holy Spirit’s testimony, in exchange for a human report. That was sin of the worst kind. Nobody knows if John ever repented and fully believed in Yeshua. Yeshua’s opinion on John’s faith, at that moment, was clear: “The least in the kingdom is greater than he.” Luke 7:28.

This scenario is important to us, in light of Yeshua’s “Beatitudes” message. If we seek to follow Yeshua, to the extent that He calls us, we must take-on a prophet’s mission. If a prophet’s mission we are called-to, then a prophet’s wages we will most likely receive: Poverty, Hunger, Weeping, Insults & Slanders because of the Son of Man. John 6:20-23

But if you lay down your life in order to follow Yeshua, even unto death at the hands of men, will you not receive much more than you gave-up on earth, in Heaven? John 6:38

Is serving G_d becoming uncomfortable? Rejoice! Sow a mortal life on earth; reap eternal life in Heaven.

Blessings,
~Steve Wiggins, Assistant Rabbi
Shuvah Yisrael
Daily Devotional, Sunday, June 9, 2013


 




 

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