2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” (Matthew 11)
We live in an age where people are most easily offended. If someone looks at, speaks to, or talks about them, or anything that remotely affects them, and what is said or done causes the least bit of hurt, anger, or conviction, the "offender" is deemed to be a "problem" to be punished or banned. Jesus was in effect "replacing" John the Baptist on the spiritual scene; John was about to "lose his job" of pointing to the Messiah. If anyone had reason to be "offended", it was him; he was not. He was blessed, because he had been able to see where he "fit in" with the plan of God, and He had seen the Messiah come in his time. We can be blessed as well, if we are willing to not be offended when Jesus calls us sinners needing a Savior, selfish people who need to submit to God's way, and sheep who are willing to come through the one and only Door - Him. Another great "offense" in our day is the thought that "in Christ alone" we can be saved. Such "narrow gate" thinking draws the ire of self-righteous people. How about you? Are you offended by Jesus, or saved by Him?
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