Malachi 3:1-5
The Messiah Will Have a Messenger
1 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.
5 “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty.
Malachi 4:5-6
Elijah to Return
5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”
Luke 1:11-17
A Messenger in the Spirit of Elijah
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
John 3:22-36
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.)25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”
31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
Matthew 11:1-15
John the Baptist is Prison Wondering About Jesus
1 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.
2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written:
“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
Matthew 14:1-6
1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.
6 On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
Matthew 5:1-12
Sermon on the Mount
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
John 15:13
Love and Relationships
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
I seem to like life more when it is comfortable and less troubled...When life swings my moods back and forth for one reason or another -I do not particularly like those days...It is nice when things are in order...And when things get out of order, it is nice when they get back in a positive and organized order....I just like and want things to be comfortable...
Faith helps keeps things in an order and better perspective, but even the strongest ones of faith can and have their lives very uncomfortable and get their mood and beliefs knocked around...The first one that comes to mind is Job...Job was a man of great faith...The next man of great faith that gets doubts and shaken (that I think of) is John the Baptist...
The Old Testament Prophets predicted a messenger would come before the Messiah came...Many thought that the Prophet Elijah would return before the Messiah, because of what Malachi had written about him...Malachi, the Prophet did say a messenger was coming for the Messiah, and then later mentions Elijah's name...He wrote“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me...Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty...Jesus even says that there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist, and he is and was the Elijah to come...Imagine the honor and the compliment to have the Messiah speak of you like this...Just imagine also how great it would be, if you were John the Baptist, and have been the one to have gotten to introduce Jesus...
John the Baptist is mentioned in all four gospels...His parents were Elizabeth and Zachariah...They knew he was Spiritually special...He was the baptizing messenger sent by God for Jesus...And yet, one so special sent by God and recognized widely by Jesus as His forerunner had a life that ended in a very difficult way...John would go to prison...While in prison it seems his faith gets shaken...He start having doubts about Jesus...No doubt being alone in prison can shake one's beliefs and thoughts...John the Baptist had his disciples while he was in prison, go and ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”...John, a great man of great faith who had testified and given witness to and had said the Father had placed everything into the hands of His Son...He also said whoever believes in the Son, has eternal life, but whoever does not believe in Him will not have life...Prison and troubled times can change us and make us doubt...
John, it seems, has much reason to doubt...If Jesus is really the Messiah, why is he in prison?...Why is he threatened by Herod and Herod's family?...Later, Herod's wife would have John the Baptist beheaded...John has literally laid down his life for Jesus...If Jesus is, who He says He is why are and why did these things happen to John?...John the Baptist, is no doubt one of the greatest messengers of all time...Yet, he is thrown in prison, his life, beliefs, mood, and attitudes shaken, and then beheaded...He was not comfortable at all, in his last days...Why didn't Jesus get John out of prison and save his life?...It would have been simple for a Man who calmed raging storms...
When I first read the Sermon on the Mount, it really confused me...I did not know many interpreted blessed as being happy...But years ago, I even got a birthday card with Scripture on it...The word blessed was replaced by happy and happiness...After reading the card I went and reread the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain, because I remember those verses being covered by that word "blessed"...I still was confused, but many theists say two of Jesus greatest Sermons are the Sermons on the Mount and Plain...I have read there is much wisdom in these two sermons...When I think of Job, and John the Baptist, I can see why they are blessed by the Father and Son, but I did not see why or how they could be happy...
I have reread the Sermons many times...Jesus is not talking about today on earth (in these Sermons), He is talking about the future and His Kingdom...Having the quality of character that Job and John the Baptist had takes great faith and great strength...Poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness, a desire for righteousness, a purity of heart, and to seek righteousness and the Truth while being punished and suffering is to be blessed by God...These are the very keys to His Kingdom...
Our faith can have doubts, and our faith can be shaken...Jesus sees this and allows this...Turning to God and not drifting from Him is not always easy...Job and John the Baptist saw and felt these hard times...They even questioned Him...God wants us to make Him and His Son more important in our lives than any earthly comfort...Earthly comfort is not a lasting treasure...And when we are in doubt and being shaken, it is His hope that gets us through...This is not an earthly hope, but a hope from above...And maybe -just maybe, we really can't live until we understand the things that are really worth dying for...