Patience that Leads to Joy, Matthew 11, Isaiah 35, James 5

John the Baptist sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the one to come. John has found himself imprisoned while pursing obedience to the Lord. He has also wanted his disciples to leave him and follow Jesus. What are we to make of John’s question? Is he question Jesus’ messiahship? Or is he wanting his own disciples to hear from Jesus’ lips what he is doing? Either way, we are given encouragement to know the work of the Lord and how he continues to work in our own lives to change and renew us while we await his coming.

Image: The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Storming the Gates of Heaven, Matthew 11:2-19

John the Baptist’s disciples come to meet with Jesus and ask him about his messiahship and Jesus simply points to his words and actions instead of giving a direct answer. Why does he do this? What does he mean when he goes on to say that the violent are laying hold of the kingdom? All of this goes together as we consider the. nature of repentance and who is repentant in most cases during Jesus’ ministry.

Image: Peasants Carrying Sticks, by Camille Pissarro, National Gallery of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Praise and Joy in the King, Psalm 146

In the Psalm, the psalmist is praising Yahweh and recognizing his works of healing for the people. These healings were a part of Jesus’ own ministry here on earth, linking his Messiahship not to just being sent by Yahweh, but to being Yahweh himself in the flesh. This psalm tells us about Yahweh and thus tells us about Jesus and the praise and joy that he can illicit from us when we see him as king.

Image: Christ Preaching (The Hundred Guilder Print) by Rembrandt (Public Domain {{PD-US}}). Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RembrandtHeal.jpg