Make Up Your Own Mind – Luke 7.18-23

“John’s disciples informed him about all these things. So John called two of his disciples and sent them to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’” 

At that very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight to many who were blind. So he answered them, 

“Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them. Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

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From a prison cell (Matthew 11.2) John the Baptist sends men to ask, essentially, if Jesus is the Messiah, the long hoped for redeemer and rescuer of Israel. Back in Luke 4.21 Jesus read a piece of Scripture and announced Himself as such, and here draws heavily from the same source:

The Words, ways, and works of Jesus all substantiated this claim that He is the Messiah. By pointing to fulfilled Scripture (vv.22-23) Jesus was allowing the conclusion to be drawn by John’s disciples. A quote often attributed to J.G. Holland goes like this:

“God gives every bird its food,

but He does not throw it into its nest.”

The point in pointing to Scripture is that John’s disciples – and you – need to make a personal decision.

God has promised, the food is there, but did they believe that Jesus was the Messiah?

Do you believe that Jesus is the Messiah?

We are encouraged again and again in Scripture to think, to evaluate, to reference, to check (1 Thessalonians 5.20-21, Acts 17.11, 1 John 4.1-6, for example).

Today then, if there any doubts in your mind about who Jesus claims to be, and consequently what this means for you, I would encourage you to think, to evaluate, to see what is written about Him, to see what He said, and then to make up your own mind.