Luke 7:18-23 (NIV)

Jesus and John the Baptist

18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: 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. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

Reflection:

We find John the Baptist, like many others, questioning who this Jesus really is. What was His true identity - basically, are you who you say you are, the Messiah? Where do we find Jesus, and what is He doing? Once again, we see Jesus among the “poor” - the sick, the disabled, the lepers, the blind, the widows, the orphans - the ones that lack the resources to provide for their basic needs. It is among this group of people that we see Jesus in the midst of revealing who He really is: “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.”

Responding to the Transmission:

Who do you say Jesus is? As we seek to follow in the footsteps of our Lord, may we rejoice that we are worshipping the true Messiah. May there be no doubt in our hearts and minds that we are living for Him. Let us rejoice together that it is in Him – who He is - that we are enabled to proclaim this good news.