Luke 7:18-22 English Standard Version

Messengers from John the Baptist

18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.

John the Baptist was jailed by Herod and would soon be put to death. He did not get to see all the works of Jesus. He knew his time was drawing to an end and he wanted some sign that his ministry had not been in vain. His only immediate concern was that he had done all that was asked of him.

If we look to the healing ministry of Jesus as stated above it is proof to those who received healing that Jesus did come from God. They only looked to their immediate concerns but Jesus gave them that and much more, the promise of a better life after this one was over.

Then there were those who only cared about the removal of the stranglehold Rome had over their region. They wanted to rule over the land and not answer to the oppressors. To them this was an opportunity for a power play. If they could use Jesus to get rid of Rome great, they could get rid of Him later. Sadly for them that wasn’t God’s plan.

1 John 3:17

But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

This was God’s plan for His people, to share His abiding love.

How’s that going for you? Are your needs being met? Are you sharing His love with others?

1 John 3:17

But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

We do not teach on the issue of God’s abiding love nearly enough. Perhaps it is because so much emphasis is placed on the saving of the soul. The soul is composed of the mind, will and emotions of a person. All three are flesh and do not exist without a body. The saving of a soul cannot happen without the body also being taken to eternity.

1 Corinthians 15:53

For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

That is a desire of the flesh not of the spirit because the spirit is already eternal and cannot die. All mankind shall put off this mortal coil and become eternal. That does not mean we will all get to stay in the presence of God. The rest of those eternal souls will go with that other group.

Revelation 14:14

The Harvest of the Earth

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.

Revelation 14:18

And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.”

Two separate harvest, the later being the grapes of wrath.

All will be harvested. Which harvest festival will you attend?