The Ministry Evaluation: Luke 7:18-23
“18) The disciples of John reported to him about all these things. 19) Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?” 20) When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’ ” 21) At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. 22) And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23) Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”” Luke 7:18-23
Jesus was increasing, John was decreasing. But there was a problem. John was expecting Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom and return national sovereignty to Israel. He was expecting a political King that ruled with a rod of iron! It was reflective of John’s own strong and abrasive approach.
But Jesus was preoccupied with preaching the gospel, healing people from sickness and diseases, casting out evil spirits and interrupting funerals. Jesus was falling short of John’s expectations. Jesus was setting up a different kind of Kingdom.
So John sent some of his disciples to do an evaluation of Jesus and His ministry. John was preparing to sift through some more resumes!
What are your expectations of Jesus? Has He ever let you down? I guarantee the problem is with you and not Jesus!
With the inquiry from John’s disciples, Jesus doubled down on His ministry. Verse 21 says; “At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind.” He was doing what only Jehovah Rapha can do. He was being “The Lord Who Heals You!”
There is no record of John the Baptist ever healing anyone or performing a miracle, but it was common for Jesus. John was the thundering preacher. Jesus was the compassionate healer. He was working from His role as the Savior and great physician. He came to take away the sins of the people and destroy the works of the devil.
His public ministry was a foretaste of His work on the cross. (Compare Isaiah 53:4-5 and 1 Peter 2:24) For some reason, John was overlooking the prophecies about the cross and instead was focusing only on the prophecies about restoring the Kingdom to Israel. He was looking for the crown apart from the cross.
After doubling down and healing many and preaching the gospel, Jesus told the disciples of John to report back what they had “seen” and “heard.” The gospel is intended to be both “seen” and “heard.”
I find no biblical exception to this in the gospels, the book of Acts or the Epistles. Put on your study glasses and look at texts like Mark 16:14-18; Acts 1:3-8; Acts 2:43; Acts 4:29-41; Acts 6:8; Acts 19:11-12; Hebrews 2:2-4; and 1 Corinthians 12-14. Study the word “power” through the whole New Testament. The power of God is to be “seen” while the gospel is being “heard!”
However, I do see strong warnings against a powerless gospel. Look at texts like 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 and 1 Corinthians 4:18-20. Paul was appalled at a gospel that came in word only but was void of the power of the Holy Spirit. He did not accept exceptional theological peaching that was void of power of the Holy Spirit. This “word only” approach undermined dynamic faith in the power of God!
If it continued long enough, people might start believing in a God who no longer does miracles. They might accept an intellectual Jesus based on human logic and reason but totally absent of the Holy Spirit and power. They might accept a different gospel.
So Jesus doubled down with the disciples of John the Baptist. He told them to go and report to John about a gospel that could be both “seen” and “heard.” He was making the point that good preaching and the power of the Holy Spirit should go hand in hand!
The true gospel has the power to radically heal and change lives. It doesn’t merely add another layer of legalism and condemnation. Jesus came to set captives free and radically transform them into new people. That takes the power of the Holy Spirit!
Notice verse 23; Jesus sent the disciples back to the Baptist with the strong words; “And blessed is he who keeps from stumbling over me.” Beware of putting Jesus in a box. He created the universe, He doesn’t fit in man made boxes. Never remove the power of the Holy Spirit from the preaching of the gospel. It results in a naturalistic gospel. It leaves people religious and legalistic, but morally shipwrecked.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global Sent from my iPhone
“18) The disciples of John reported to him about all these things. 19) Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?” 20) When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’ ” 21) At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind. 22) And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23) Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”” Luke 7:18-23
Jesus was increasing, John was decreasing. But there was a problem. John was expecting Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom and return national sovereignty to Israel. He was expecting a political King that ruled with a rod of iron! It was reflective of John’s own strong and abrasive approach.
But Jesus was preoccupied with preaching the gospel, healing people from sickness and diseases, casting out evil spirits and interrupting funerals. Jesus was falling short of John’s expectations. Jesus was setting up a different kind of Kingdom.
So John sent some of his disciples to do an evaluation of Jesus and His ministry. John was preparing to sift through some more resumes!
What are your expectations of Jesus? Has He ever let you down? I guarantee the problem is with you and not Jesus!
With the inquiry from John’s disciples, Jesus doubled down on His ministry. Verse 21 says; “At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind.” He was doing what only Jehovah Rapha can do. He was being “The Lord Who Heals You!”
There is no record of John the Baptist ever healing anyone or performing a miracle, but it was common for Jesus. John was the thundering preacher. Jesus was the compassionate healer. He was working from His role as the Savior and great physician. He came to take away the sins of the people and destroy the works of the devil.
His public ministry was a foretaste of His work on the cross. (Compare Isaiah 53:4-5 and 1 Peter 2:24) For some reason, John was overlooking the prophecies about the cross and instead was focusing only on the prophecies about restoring the Kingdom to Israel. He was looking for the crown apart from the cross.
After doubling down and healing many and preaching the gospel, Jesus told the disciples of John to report back what they had “seen” and “heard.” The gospel is intended to be both “seen” and “heard.”
I find no biblical exception to this in the gospels, the book of Acts or the Epistles. Put on your study glasses and look at texts like Mark 16:14-18; Acts 1:3-8; Acts 2:43; Acts 4:29-41; Acts 6:8; Acts 19:11-12; Hebrews 2:2-4; and 1 Corinthians 12-14. Study the word “power” through the whole New Testament. The power of God is to be “seen” while the gospel is being “heard!”
However, I do see strong warnings against a powerless gospel. Look at texts like 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 and 1 Corinthians 4:18-20. Paul was appalled at a gospel that came in word only but was void of the power of the Holy Spirit. He did not accept exceptional theological peaching that was void of power of the Holy Spirit. This “word only” approach undermined dynamic faith in the power of God!
If it continued long enough, people might start believing in a God who no longer does miracles. They might accept an intellectual Jesus based on human logic and reason but totally absent of the Holy Spirit and power. They might accept a different gospel.
So Jesus doubled down with the disciples of John the Baptist. He told them to go and report to John about a gospel that could be both “seen” and “heard.” He was making the point that good preaching and the power of the Holy Spirit should go hand in hand!
The true gospel has the power to radically heal and change lives. It doesn’t merely add another layer of legalism and condemnation. Jesus came to set captives free and radically transform them into new people. That takes the power of the Holy Spirit!
Notice verse 23; Jesus sent the disciples back to the Baptist with the strong words; “And blessed is he who keeps from stumbling over me.” Beware of putting Jesus in a box. He created the universe, He doesn’t fit in man made boxes. Never remove the power of the Holy Spirit from the preaching of the gospel. It results in a naturalistic gospel. It leaves people religious and legalistic, but morally shipwrecked.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global Sent from my iPhone
