End Times and Current Events

This post originally came from
http://matthew18twenty.com/viewtopic.php?f=193&t=353

This weeks verse of the week comes from Luke chapter 7. What we have is John the Baptist is in prison and he hears the things that Christ has done (Luke 7:17-18) and he sends two disciples to Jesus to question Christ to find out I he is the one. (vs. 19). In the sense that I like to give the most detailed picture of what scripture is stating I like, most of the time, to give out scripture either before or after a verse I am looking into so as the context can be clear or perhaps to give a little more information on the passage from it's surrounding text. So I will do this and highlight the verse that we will focus on and bold the main part which will be the main focus.

(KJV) Luke 7:16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.
(KJV) Luke 7:17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.
(KJV) Luke 7:18 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.
(KJV) Luke 7:19 And John calling [unto him] two of his disciples sent [them] to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
(KJV) Luke 7:20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
(KJV) Luke 7:21 And in that same hour he cured many of [their] infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many [that were] blind he gave sight.
(KJV) Luke 7:22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
(KJV) Luke 7:23 And blessed is [he], whosoever shall not be offended in me.

I picked this passage because while reading my daily bible study I ran across this same story in Matthew 11 and thought it rather interesting, especially the part that us bolder above which was "the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached." and right when I read it I said, "this is technically what Christ does to all of us that are lost," and I thought that this was an excellent foreshadow of what he would do for those that trust in him. If you are not following me, please keep reading because it will make sense in just a moment.

How does this passage show Christ and what he does for us? Simple let's look at what he told the two disciples to tell John.

The blind see
Before we came to Christ, we were blinded to God's love and plan for our individual salvation by sin. That's right and once the Holy Spirit pricked your hearts and your eyes were open and you could see you were a sinner in desperate need of a saviour you answered the call and came to Christ. You were blind and by the grace of God you were given your sight so you could see and accept the Gospel.

(KJV) Psalms 146:8 The LORD openeth [the eyes of] the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:

(KJV) John 12:39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
(KJV) John 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with [their] eyes, nor understand with [their] heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Those lost in sin scripture calls blind
(KJV) Romans 2:19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
(KJV) 2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

But beloved when our eyes are open by hearing the gospel preached we can the be made whole and alive in Christ.

The lame walk
The fist thing that came to my mind is that once our eyes are open to the truth then we can stand in the faith and trust the saviour.

(KJV) Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
(KJV) Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
(KJV) 2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

And another interesting note to add on is that once we trust in Christ then we are ready to do his work and then God will guide our steps.

(KJV) Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

So once our eyes are open and we accept Christ we are made alive and can walk in the spirit, stand in the faith and be moved in our life according to God's will.

The lepers are cleansed
When we come to Christ we are cleansed of our sin and forgiven and made a new creature, made alive in the spirit and are made righteous in the sight of God however before we are saved through Christ our righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God. In Christ we are cleansed from our sin like the leper was cleansed from his sickness)

(KJV) Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

(KJV) Psalms 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

(KJV) 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
(KJV) 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The deaf hear
At one time everyone was deaf to the Gospel. However once our eyes are opened it is only natural that God opens our ears as well so we can hear the message of Salvation and come to accept his free gift of eternal life through His Son's attonement on the cross. Before our eyes are open we are deaf to the things of God, but after we can understand his word by guidance of the Holy Spirit.

(KJV) Luke 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

(KJV) John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word.

(KJV) 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.

But we have access to God's word and through the holy spirit we can understand the things of God and hear him speak to us by his ministers and through his word.

The dead are raised
Oh this is best part. Once we are able to see and hear the gospel and accept Christ as our Lord and saviour and are then cleansed of sin and made alive in Christ scripture teaches us that first of all we will never see spiritual death, and those of us that die physically we will be raised from the dead at the rapture. Jesus will raise us all one day.

(KJV) John 8:52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.

(KJV) John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
(KJV) John 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

(KJV) 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
(KJV) 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

And all this comes to you by praching the gospel to all men.
(KJV) Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
(KJV) Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
(KJV) Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
(KJV) Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

For it is by hearing the Gospel that the Holy Spirit is able to bring sinners to repentance. So in reading this passage we can see that Christ did all those things to the individual people but for those that knew the scripture at that time, say John the Baltist, he would also not only get confirmation on what Christ was doing in the present but what he would do on a world wide scale in the future.

I hope you are blessed by this as I was.

Striving to being the gospel to the Lost,
tbd matthew18twenty.com