Try the Virtue of the Word of God

03/13/2024

Try the Virtue of the Word of God, for the week May 29-June 4, 2023.
Matthew 26; Mark 14; John 13

“As I have loved you, love one another.”

In this week’s reading we review the Last Supper. There are many things we can learn and ponder including how Jesus was anointed with very expensive oil, how Jesus introduced the Sacrament, how Jesus was both betrayed and denied, and especially His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. This week’s focus will be how Jesus washed the feet of his Disciples.

Jesus was always teaching in parables. This time his parable was presented with his actions. After their supper, and Jesus was alone with the Apostles, Jesus took a basin of water and began washing their feet. He reminded them of their tradition of washing the feet. He said, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean.” (John 13:10 NLT.) After washing their feet, Jesus asked them if they understood why He did that. He explained that even as He washed their feet as their Lord and Master, they should wash each other’s feet. They should follow His example and serve one another. He said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35 KJV.) In the face of the terrible things that were about to happen to him, Jesus wanted the Apostles, and us, to focus on the one thing that is most important: Love for our fellow man, shown through service.

One of my favorite hymns is “Love One Another” by Luacine Clark Fox. The lyrics are just the words of those verses in John.
I found a link on YouTube of a church group, mid pandemic, from London, Ontario virtually singing this hymn. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIcrDsrgBvQ.

For me, the washing of the feet is very personal. My wife of over 52 years has Alzheimer’s disease. For the last 5 or 6 years I have seen her disease progress gradually. Just about daily I remind her of how many years, months, and days we have been married. She frequently needs to be reminded of our children’s names. Every day there is something new. For years, even before Alzheimer’s, she had had trouble with her feet, so nearly every day before she went to bed, I would rub her feet with lotion to ease the pain. A couple years ago she asked me to wash her feet. This has become a sacred time for me. As her Alzheimer’s progresses, so does her anxiety. Recently on a trip she was having an especially hard time going to bed. She wanted to be home in her own bed. In desperation, I prayed to know how to help her. The words came into my mind. “Wash her feet.” I did that and she was able to relax and go to sleep.

"As I Have Loved You" arranged by Larry Thompson and performed by the London Ontario Stake Virtual Choir

03/13/2024

Try the Virtue of the Word of God, for the week May 22-28, 2023.
JS-Matthew 1; Matthew 24-25; Mark 12-13; Luke 21

“There will the eagles be gathered together.”

The last week of Jesus’ life must have been terribly confusing for His disciples. After Jesus left from preaching in the Temple and they were leaving, the disciples commented on the massive stones of the temple walls. They were sightseeing. But Jesus quickly had them back on task. In Matt 24 Jesus not only said that the stones of the Temple would soon be destroyed, but He took the opportunity to warn his closest disciples that life would be hard for them going forward without him. But he also gave them some tools they would need to be prepared and taught them about His own second coming.

We can get into the nitty gritty of the signs of the second coming of Jesus, but the most important thing for us is that Jesus gave us the tools we need to be prepared. He taught his disciples…and us in parables:

- In the parable of the fig tree, we know that summer is near when the leaves appear.

- In the parable of the ten virgins, He teaches us to be always prepared.

- In the parable of the talents, He teaches us to develop and magnify the talents that He gives us. We also learn in this parable that regardless of what talents we have been blessed with, and if we work on improving, our reward is the same. But if we don’t use it, we will lose it.

- In the parable of the sheep and the goats we learn that God will recognize our value. Even though we look like everyone else, it’s what we do that contributes to our value. When the King separated the sheep from the goats, he described which was which. He said, “I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” (Matt 25:34-35)

Jesus gave His disciples the signs of his second coming, but he also quoted other prophets who foretold of his second coming. If you study the scriptures, you can get a glimpse of what they saw. If we focus on the bad things, we may think that Jesus’s second coming will be like the zombie apocalypse, but if we focus on Jesus, we can see that His second coming will be a wonderful thing. True, the conditions of the world will be very bad, but we can be like His sheep and as we serve others, we will separate ourselves from the “goats”. How do we do that? We stand in holy places. We will be like eagles, gathered together in His Church, serving God’s children.

03/13/2024

Try the Virtue of the Word of God, for the week May 15-21, 2023.
Matthew 21-23; Mark 11; Luke 18

“Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down…”

This last weekend we went to the farmer’s market. Along with the flower, fruit and vegetable vendors and the arts and craft vendors and the all the variety of food vendors, there was a man walking around with a huge sign warning of impending eternal damnation if we didn’t repent and come to Jesus. While I admire his zeal, I think maybe his approach is a bit different from the approach Jesus would take.

In Matthew 23 Jesus gave the most scathing sermon directed at the scribes and Pharisees. Not unlike the farmer’s market sign waver, He made no bones about saying they were certainly doomed to a fiery hell. He called them hypocrites seven times. Jesus told two parables pointed directly at the scribes and Pharisees that showed how they were so focused on their own importance that they failed to see the real Messiah, and real salvation, who was right in front of them.

But the real Jesus wept for Jerusalem. (See Luke 19:41-44). Even as he strenuously admonished the scribes and Pharisees, he pleaded with them, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matt 23: 37)

Jesus always asked us to “come, follow me.” Even in John 12: 47 Jesus said, “for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.” That is His intent. Jesus loves us. He wants us to be happy and He knows that our greatest happiness will be with Him.

Consider the story of Zacchaeus. He was a short man. And everyone knows that short people have a tough time in this life. In addition to that, he was a publican. In the Jewish society, that occupation paid well, but came with absolutely no status. Publicans were the tax collectors and were ranked down there with harlots. When Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming, he ran ahead and climbed a tree so he could see Jesus coming. When Jesus saw him, he called out to Zacchaeus, “Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.” Not only did Jesus know his name, but while He abode with Zacchaeus, Jesus looked beyond his stature and his status and discovered that he was really a good man. Like Zacchaeus, Jesus knows our names. He knows our hearts, and He looks beyond our past. As we come to Jesus, He welcomes us with loving arms.

03/13/2024

Try the Virtue of the Word of God, for the week May 8-14, 2023.
Matthew 19-20; Mark 10; Luke 18

“What lack I yet?”

There was a rich young man that obviously loved Jesus. He must have recognized the great work that Jesus did and agreed with His teachings. He came running to Jesus and knelt before Jesus saying, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”

Jesus responded two ways. First, Jesus showed his own humility and reminded the man that only God is good, and secondly, that the young man should keep the commandments. The man said to Jesus, “All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?”

This story is told essentially the same way in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But in looking at several different translations, it is apparent that the rich young man was looking for one good deed that he could do to assure himself of eternal life. After all, he was rich. He had the means to do many great things and he wanted to make sure that he did the one thing that would lock in his eternal salvation. He didn’t anticipate the response he got from Jesus.
When the rich young man responded that he had kept the commandments all his life Jesus looked at the man and could sense his sincerity. Jesus loved him for that. Then Jesus said, “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” To that, the scriptures say the man was sad, disheartened, deeply dismayed, even stunned. And he went away grieving because Jesus asked was much more than he expected.

All of us, when we come to Jesus, ask that same question in our own way? And we sincerely do what we can. We want to please Jesus by what we do. But we usually come to Him in steps, sometimes baby steps. We repent of sins, but that is an ongoing process. Like the rich young man, we have kept some of the commandments “from our youth up.” For some sins repentance is easy. Well, maybe not easy, but we at least recognize those sins and want to repent. But for some sins we may need to be convinced that they really are sins. We have rationalized away those sins so we can be comfortable with ourselves. But when we hear Jesus say to us, “come and follow me” do we go away grieving? Know this: Jesus is patient. He will accept us where we are and how we are. When we sincerely ask, “What lack I yet?”, we won’t want to stay where we were. His grace will fill in and give us the will and strength to follow Him and not go away grieving.

03/13/2024

Try the Virtue of the Word of God, for the week May 1-7, 2023.
Luke 12-17; John 11

“Jesus wept”

This, the shortest verse in all of scripture, is found in John 11:35. The back story is this week’s message.

As Jesus went about his ministry, he made many friends. Of those friends were two women: Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus. We read about how Martha went about preparing and serving a meal to Jesus and his disciples while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus in Luke 10:38-42. In John 11, we read about Mary and Martha again when they sent a message to Jesus that their brother, and Jesus’ good friend Lazarus was sick. They must have hoped that Jesus would come and miraculously heal their brother and make him well.

But Jesus delayed going to see them. Mary and Martha lived in Bethany, a village less than two miles from Jerusalem. His disciples warned him to not go because the Jews in Jerusalem had threatened to kill Jesus. After two days, Jesus decided to go to Bethany. His disciples didn’t know that Lazarus was already dead, but Jesus knew. When they arrived, Martha came out to meet Jesus. She told Jesus that if he had been there sooner, Lazarus would still be alive. She also declared her continuing faith regardless of her brother’s death. Then Martha went and got Mary, who was still at home with friends, mourning. When Mary came to greet Jesus, the mourners followed. Jesus perceived their sorrow. The scripture says, “…he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled”. He asked to see the grave and then, “Jesus wept.”

When Jesus asked them to roll back the stone that covered the grave, Martha protested saying that Lazarus had been dead four days and would stink. When they did roll back the stone, Jesus prayed aloud, thanking God, His Father, for hearing his prayers. He prayed aloud so that Mary, Martha, and the other mourners would believe that Jesus was sent from God. After that, Jesus said with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.”

This miracle set the stage for the resurrection of Jesus. In the resurrection of Jesus, He would do for us what he did for Lazarus. And for the blind man who received sight. And for the lepers he cleansed. And for the woman taken in adultery to whom He said, “Neither do I condemn thee”. Because Jesus wept, I know that he is troubled with our troubles. He mourns with us. He also rejoices with us when we are like Martha who said to Jesus, even before Lazarus was raised from the dead, “Yea, Lord: I believe…”

03/13/2024

Try the Virtue of the Word of God, for the week April 24-30, 2023.
John 7-10

Who is Jesus, really?

Have you ever accomplished something that was pretty awesome? And those closest to you were sort of nonplus? Jesus was in that position. He lived and did most of his work in Galilee approximately 85 miles north of Jerusalem. His kinsmen were impressed with his teachings and the miracles that he performed, but most of them couldn’t or wouldn’t understand that this carpenter’s son could actually be the Messiah, the one that was prophesied to come and save them.

About six months before the crucifixion of Jesus at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, they wanted Jesus to go from Galilee to Jerusalem with them to celebrate. They said, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles? You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” (John 7:3-4 NLT). But Jesus declined. His purpose wasn’t to become famous but for the people to believe that he was the Son of God, the Messiah, who would save them from their sins.

After his family went to Judea, Jesus decided to go. He went, hiding himself from public view. The Jewish leaders were looking for him and asked about him. Many people liked him and believed, but the Jewish leaders wanted to arrest him, and Jesus knew that. During the festival Jesus went to the temple and began to teach.
The message he taught was about who he was. He said that he was sent from God and was the Son of God. He said that he was the Light of the world. He said that He was Living Water. He taught the people about spiritual blindness by restoring the sight to a man who had been blind from birth by having him wash in the pool of Siloam, their source of fresh, living water. He claimed to be the Good Shepherd. In everything he taught, he accused his accusers because of their refusal to look beyond their narrow, self-serving perspective, but taught mercy to those who believed. Even after the Jewish leaders refused to believe, Jesus encouraged them to just compare his works to his Father’s word, because it was the same.

I encourage you to “try the virtue of the Word of God” and read for yourself the testimony of John. Read chapters 7-10. What I write is just a brief digest. Be like those who followed Jesus out of Jerusalem. “And many who were there believed in Jesus.” John 10:42 NLT.

03/13/2024

Try the Virtue of the Word of God, for the week April 17-23, 2023.
Matthew 18; Luke 10

Jesus had a problem…

Jesus’s disciples and followers believed him…but they didn’t. They could not fathom the big picture of the mission and purpose of Jesus Christ. All the house of Israel were looking forward to the Messiah, who would rescue them. But rescue them from what? That’s where they didn’t quite get the full picture.

Soon after the Transfiguration, where Jesus established the Kingdom of God, or His Church, His disciples were discussing between themselves about who should be the greatest in His Kingdom. According to biblehub.com and the reference, cross references, and commentary for Matthew 18:1, Jesus heard the conversation between the Apostles on their way to Capernaum. When they arrived, he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” (Mark 9:33). When asked, they kept silent. They must have been embarrassed, because they were disputing about who of them would be the greatest. Even they envisioned a future where Jesus, leading the Kingdom of God, would overpower the governments that ruled harshly over them, and they would have positions of prominence.

Previously, when Jesus told his Apostles that he would soon go to Jerusalem where he would “suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day” (Matt 16:21) Peter rebuked Jesus and said, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” There are other times where, even though his disciples loved Jesus and did follow and help him, there is evidence that they just didn’t get the big picture.
But Jesus loved his disciples, and he showed them who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of God with a lesson on humility. From Matthew 18: 2-4: "And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

It took until the resurrection of Jesus for His disciples to finally understand that Jesus, the Messiah, would rescue them from something more comprehensive and everlasting than mortal rulers or challenges: He would rescue them, and all of us, from both physical and spiritual death.

03/13/2024

Try the Virtue of the Word of God, for the week April 10-16, 2023
Matthew 15-17; Mark 7-9

“Hey Google…”

Where do you get your news? Where do you get information on just about anything? It wasn’t that many years ago when the primary source for news was printed in the daily newspapers. In-depth knowledge came from books. But now we can get just about anything we need from Professor Alexa at Google University. True, there is a lot to be gained from a YouTube apprenticeship for just about any task. But where do you learn about God?

In Matthew 16 when Jesus was with his disciples, he asked them, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” They responded saying that people said that he was one of the great prophets of the past. But then He asked them a more pointed question: But who do YOU say that I am? It was then that Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus responded, “Blessed art thou…for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which art in Heaven.”

How is that so? Peter has spent nearly the past three years following Jesus. He has witnessed the miraculous healings; people being raised from the dead. Peter even tried to walk on water. Certainly, Peter knew that Jesus was the promised Messiah just from what he had seen and experienced by following Jesus. But Jesus told Peter that his knowledge that Jesus was “the Christ” didn’t come from his experience, but from God. How does that work? We know about learning things by the scientific method: Ask a question, make a hypothesis, make a prediction based on your hypothesis, test the prediction, evaluate the results and then repeat. If you can repeat it, then it must be true. That’s the flesh and blood method of learning. Peter knew that Jesus was the Messiah because it was revealed to him by God though the witness of the Spirit. That is the revelatory method. We can get to the revelatory method by using the scientific method. It’s like planting a seed. Given the right conditions, the seed will grow, but we need to go through the steps. The most important step is sincerely asking the question to God in our prayers. He will answer. And you will know.

The point I would like to make this week is that given all the different ways that we can get information, the best way to learn about God is to try the virtue of the Word of God. Read the scriptures. Pray about what you read. Listen for answers… and repeat. He will answer!

01/29/2024

Try the Virtue of the Word of God, for the week April 3-9, 2023.
Easter
“He is not here: for He is risen”
This is a very special week, even the Holy Week as we prepare to celebrate Easter. The week before Jesus was crucified, he came from Galilee to Jerusalem. He was not forced to come, but he came because he knew and was ready for what was to come. On what we call “Palm Sunday”, he entered the city with great acclamation from his followers. Those in the city who weren’t aware of Jesus exclaimed, “Who is this?”
For us, that’s a question that we need to ask ourselves. In previous weeks I have selected and highlighted one story or event to share my own personal study of the New Testament. But this week is too extraordinary for what I find compelling from my own study of the New Testament, but a challenge to you to discover, “Who is this?” through your own reading, The following events of the Holy Week leading up the crucifixion and resurrection of the Savior will help you in your own study:
- Triumphal entry into Jerusalem: Matthew 21: 1-11; Mark 11: 1-10
- Jesus cleansing the temple: Matthew 21: 12
- Jesus’ teaching in Jerusalem: Matthew 21 – 25
- The Passover, last supper, Christ’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane; the betrayal of Jesus: Matthew 26
- The trial, crucifixion and burial of Jesus: Matthew 27
- The resurrection of Jesus: Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20
One thing that I find astonishing is that those closest to Jesus could not believe what had happened. Regardless of the earlier prophecies of the death and resurrection of Jesus, even after Jesus himself told them that he would die and be resurrected, even his closest disciples could not fathom that Jesus was so suddenly gone, let alone be resurrected…at least until they received additional witnesses that he truly was alive again. Consider the witnesses of the resurrected Jesus:
- Mary at the tomb (John 20: 11-17) (she saw 2 angels and Jesus) (Luke 24:10 adds other women)
- Two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24: 13-35)
- Ten of the Apostles that same day (John 20: 19-20)
- Thomas 8 days later (John 20: 24-29)
- Peter and 6 other Apostles at the Sea of Galilee (John 21)
We can be just as sure as these witnesses. Remember the angel’s words to Mary, “He is not here: for he is risen…”

In the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ,
Jesus appeared to about 2,500 people. Their additional witness of the resurrection of Jesus if found in 3 Nephi 11:
6 And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which they heard; and it said unto them:
7 Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.
8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.
9 And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:
10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.
11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.
12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.
13 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:
14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.
15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.
16 And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:
17 Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.

01/29/2024

Try the Virtue of the Word of God, for the week Mar. 27 – Apr. 2, 2023.
Matthew 14; Mark 6; John 5-6
“I will tell you in your mind and in your heart”
When we pray, we are talking to God. But how do we hear the answers that God promises us? When Jesus heard the news that John the Baptist had been killed by Herod Antipas, He must have felt sorrow. In Matthew 14 it says that Jesus departed, “into a desert place apart.” He wanted to have time away from the pressing crowds to pray. But the crowd followed him, and because of His love for the people, he ministered to them. You can read how Jesus used this time to miraculously feed the 5,000 with only “five barley loaves and two fishes”. Afterwards, Jesus sent them away and told his Apostles to take a boat to the other side of the lake before him. When Jesus was alone, he went to the top of a mountain to pray. The different accounts say that he prayed long into the night, even “the fourth watch”, which means between 3 AM and 6 AM.
Have you considered why Jesus went up to a mountain to pray? All throughout scripture hearing the word of God and mountains are connected. When Moses first heard the voice of God, it was while he was working, but on Mount Horeb (Exodus 3). After Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt it was on a mountain where Moses received the Law. Nephi was commanded to go to the top of a mountain to receive instructions from God. The prophet Isaiah said, “let us go up to the mountain of the Lord…and he will teach us of his ways…” (Isaiah 2:3)
I think we can all agree that the top of mountains is “a place apart”, a place where we can be alone and away from clamor of the world around us. But we don’t necessarily need to go mountain climbing to pray or get answers to our prayers. Jesus’ instructions are. “…enter into thy closet.” (Matt. 6:6). The point is, to hear the answers to your prayers, you need to get away from the distractions. Sometimes we need to make the extra effort to go to the “mountain of the Lord’s House” but start in your closet.

01/29/2024

Try the Virtue of the Word of God, for the week Mar. 20-26, 2023.
Matthew 13; Luke 8 & 13
Do you really know how to pray?
The ministry of Jesus was replete with healing miracles, but His most common method of teaching was through parables. Experts who study this stuff say that Jesus gave as many as 29 different parables. We love the parables of Jesus. We have even given them names. But at least one specific time, he didn’t use a parable. He gave a specific example and went on to further explain. (He must have wanted us to really get this principle.)
Frequently Jesus retired from his friends and followers to pray. In Luke 11, one of his disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. So, Jesus did in the most direct way. He taught them by giving them examples. In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus suggests words and format. These few lines of the Lord’s Prayer are probably the most quoted in all of scripture, but His teaching doesn’t end there. Jesus goes on to teach by giving an example that they (we) would understand. I like the New Living Translation version (v. 5-8):

“… Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.”

Then Jesus goes on to say that our Father in Heaven is a loving father that will give us answers to our prayers.
Have your prayers been answered? If not, have your prayers been “shamelessly persistent”? We pray with faith that we will receive an answer. It’s an act of faith when we continue to pray until we get an answer. He will answer!

01/29/2024

Try the Virtue of the Word of God, for the week Mar. 13-19, 2023.
Matthew 11-12; Luke 11
What do you do when you know you are right…but you aren’t?

Nearly all drivers think they are excellent drivers. Actually, most drivers are pretty much average. We all make mistakes, and we are grateful when those mistakes don’t get us a ticket or worse, cause an accident. Also, we all do things and believe things that we are sure are right. But what if they aren’t?
When John the Baptist was in prison (Matthew 11), he sent his followers to Jesus to ask Jesus if he was the Messiah or if they should look for someone else. Do you think John was doubting Jesus? Or do you think maybe John’s disciples were more concerned with following John than with following Jesus and John knew that they needed to find Jesus for themselves? One of the things that Jesus told them was, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.” (v. 6, NLT) That was a reminder to John’s disciples that in the big picture, John the Baptist’s purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus.
There were others in their community that didn’t get this bigger picture. The Pharisees were the religious leaders and vigorously defended their traditions and what they thought was their religion. However, they failed to see that Jesus was truly the fulfillment of the words of all the prophets before them.
Do we need a little self-examination? Are we so certain of what is right that we fail to see the truths Jesus taught? Were John’s disciples so fixed on John that they would not consider Jesus? What notions do we have that prevent us from coming to Jesus?