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FAITH in Him

Matthew 11:6
"And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me."

John the Baptist is the GREATEST prophet. 
He was SO BOLD and SO BRASH that he ended up in prison. While there he may have had some doubts. John sent two of his people to Jesus to ask Him if He was the Messiah? Jesus's answer was to remind John of the things He has done that were fulfilment of prophecies!

John needs to also remember Jesus's apostles; they were poor, they were mainly fishermen; they were unlearned men, they had no formal learning, and were contemptible, in the sight of men like the Sadducees and Pharisees. In fact they were despised, and reckoned as cursed by them. Like John they are in stark contrast to the religious leaders of the day.

Jesus has to know that John is suffering in prison. The message he sent via his followers was impatient, at best. Today's verse is a very tender and patient reply from our Lord and Savior; "And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me." Jesus did not respond with a warning, and He doesn't show offense to John's question. Instead He offers a beatitude that John can claim and make his own. Blessed is he who does not find a stumbling-block in the how Christ actually came. Don't second guess how GOD'S plan unfolds.

And, this is true for John the Baptizer, the Apostles, the poor and hurting that listened to Jesus's message, the Sadducees and the Pharisees. AND it's true for everyone today! We all have to come to terms with how GOD interacts with us; by the Holy Ghost and through His Son. Many stumble on the Virgin Birth. Some take exception with the manger. We might not like that Jesus grew up a poor boy in a nowhere town. Some don't like that His prophets may have been a little unhinged. Many hate the strictness of the Ten Commandments and the Old Testament. Some are offended by the things that Jesus taught. Others are horrified by His sacrifice on the cross. And, many are put off and maybe even fearful of the possibility that Jesus will come again! There are many reasons for a person to be "offended" by Jesus Christ. With the help of the Holy Ghost we can all get past our stumbling-blocks and embrace believing in Him as the Savior of the lost and the sinful. That we can have FAITH in Him.

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