sermon from July 4th

THE PROBLEM OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (AND EVIL)!
Luke 7:18-23; Matthew 14:1-12
Series on “The Gospel of Luke”

Sometimes people hear that if you follow Christ you will have a life of prosperity, and well-being. This story however flies in the face of that premise. It tells the story of “the greatest man” John the Baptist. He had humbly pointed people to Christ and perhaps thousands had been baptized and become followers of God. However, now he finds himself in prison. While in prison he begins to wonder, “Is Jesus really the Christ, the Messiah?” He struggles with doubt, and sends messengers to inquire about Jesus’ validity. Jesus sends word back, “Tell John… the blind receive 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 then Herod cuts off the head of John the Baptist!!! Christians seem to have the same rate of cancer, heart disease, are the victims of injustice as much as others. How can we be strong and have hope and “stand” when the evil day comes” (Ephesians 6)?

• The messengers sent from Jesus to John quote Isaiah 42. What they do not quote is that when the Messiah comes “prisoners will be set free”!

• John is killed by a wicked king who is sexually attracted to a young teenage girl who asks for the head of John the Baptist.

• How shall we handle “the evil day?” You have to know good Biblical doctrine that talks about the mystery of (1) the utter evilness of evil; (2) the utter goodness of God; (3) the utter sovereignty of God. These find their greatest expression in the cross of Christ. You also have to know Christ Himself.

• Read Revelation 6 which describes the lamb who opens the scrolls from which come the four horsemen of death. The good news is the lamb summons and controls them.

• The lamb who is slain (Jesus) and his cross are also the promise that He will also bring in a new heaven and a new earth. Heaven is here on this earth not in the sky!

• “We have to get past the idea that God is most glorified when we are rich, and healthy. He is most glorified when we look around a universe and cannot feel the presence of God and trust him anyway.”

TABLE TALK: How well do you understand the cross of Christ and how it deals with the problem of evil, and yet reveals the goodness and sovereignty of God? Why is this perhaps the most important thing for you to understand in life?

NOTE: Resources for this message: Christ Wright “The God I Don’t Understand”, C. S. Lewis, “The Screwtape Letters”, and Matt Chandler.



Listen to the sermon online