The reading from the Treasury of Daily Prayer this morning was from Luke 7:18-35, the account of John the Baptist's disciples asking Jesus if He is the Messiah. There is debate concerning the nature of the question, meaning, were the disciples asking for themselves, or were they asking because John had doubts. This question, in the end, doesn't matter. Did John doubt or did he want his disciples to hear the message first hand? The answer that matters is, "How did Jesus respond?" Jesus said, "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. ²³ And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” Jesus did not send the disciples back saying, "Don't worry John, your thoughts are the right thoughts. Don't worry John, you've done a good job and have nothing to worry about. Don't worry John, Jesus did some awesome miracles in our sight so He must be the One who is to come." NO, Jesus preaches to both John's disciples and to John Himself that He is the Savior, the One who is to come, the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world.

The message of this text is that, no matter if we are in doubt ourselves or desire other's to be comforted, the message is the same. The message is that Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed Savior of the World, the Lamb of God who bears our sins and put them to death on the cross. Jesus is He who preaches good news to the poor in spirit and the poor of the earth, good news that this life is a temporal one and that in Him we have a mansion prepared for us in Heaven before the foundations of the world were created. Did John doubt? Probably, because he was a sinner. Did his disciples need encouragement after John's death? Yes, because they were sinners. DO YOU need to hear the same message Jesus preached to John and John's disciples? Yes, because you and I are sinners who doubt, worry, fail, and sin on a daily basis.

My friends, this text is for our comfort because Jesus says, "I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”  John the Baptist was the greatest man born of woman, and He needed to hear the message of Jesus. The message is that Jesus became least in the Kingdom of Heaven in order that you and I may be the greatest in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. Jesus comforted John in the midst of his physical and spiritual affliction and Jesus does the same for you today. In the midst of your temptations, your failures, your doubts, anxieties, and royal meltdowns, Jesus preaches to you that He is your Savior that will never leave you nor forsake you, no matter how dark the dungeon is in which you dwell. The forgiveness that Jesus won and preaches to us is certain and sure and is proclaimed to us in all our trials and afflictions. Our salvation is not a fickle thing, as Luther says in the Smalcald articles, "Nor can our satisfaction be uncertain, for it consists not of the dubious sinful works which we do but of the sufferings and blood of the innocent Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the whole world" (Smalcald Articles III.3.38 Tappert 309).

My friends, may this be kept in your mind this day, that Jesus is your Savior, He is the True God who became man for you and died for you so that you may live forever with Him. NO matter how dark and chaotic your day will be today, repeat this to yourself, "Jesus is the Lamb of God who bears my sin. I am His and He is mine forever."

Peace be with you. May the devil be silenced, the world be hushed, and the Old Adam be drowned anew so that you hear only the voice of your Savior Jesus who says, "I am the Lamb of God that bears your sin. Worry not, I have your life and salvation under control and everything is going to be alright, " Amen.

Jesus' Sheepdog,

Pastor Hull