Calvary Chapel St. Cloud

In Matthew 24:12, Jesus warns us that because of the increase of wickedness in the last days, the love of most will grow cold (Matthew 24:12). There is a slow-moving, seemingly unstoppable wave of what the Bible calls wickedness. The only way to withstand this flood of wickedness is to have your life firmly founded on the rock of Jesus Christ. Otherwise, you too will be swept up and carried away without even realizing it's happening. Watch our study on 2 Timothy 3-4 for encouragement from Paul's words to Timothy.

Jesus is a gentle man. He calls out to us because He loves us. He corrects us gently and comes alongside us, asking for permission to take His rightful place upon the throne of our hearts. But Jesus doesn’t do this forcefully. He knocks at the door of our heart, but He will never pound and demand entry. He patiently convicts and convinces until a decision is made—either an invitation to enter, or a dismissal of His offer. And like a gentleman, when the knocks go unanswered, He will eventually stop knocking.

In Matthew 11, we read of Jesus addressing two vastly different groups. On one side were the arrogant, overfed, unconcerned, and self-righteous religious elites who either opposed Jesus or were indifferent to Him. On the other side were the seventy Jesus had sent out to minister to the surrounding cities. These were the foolish, the forgotten, the unworthy, and unimportant in the eyes of the religious elite. Jesus rebuked the first group with a warning and received the second group with rejoicing. But some of the self-righteous just needed a clear invitation for salvation. And so Jesus addresses them and invites them to come to Him.

As Jesus went to preach and teach in the cities in Judea, He encountered the religious elite who were either indifferent to Him or actively resisted Him. Even after witnessing all that Jesus did, they still did not believe. This prompted Jesus to call out to them with a broken heart, warning the hard-hearted and self-righteous. But even when the majority of people in cities or countries are indifferent to or resist Jesus, there is always a remnant of individuals that accept His invitation to come to Him and find salvation, forgiveness, and rest for their souls.

It’s difficult to appreciate just how good the good news truly is without first working through the bad news. Part of that was the responsibility of John the Baptist. He prepared the way for the good news of Jesus Christ by preaching repentance, which meant bringing to the forefront the bad news of sin. Some readily receive the bad news that they are sinners, which prepare them to receive the good news of complete forgiveness and the gift of righteousness. But some reject the good news of Jesus Christ because they reject the reality that they are sinners. In their self-righteousness, they are unable to believe, receive, and respond.

John the Baptist was the greatest prophet, and yet he still needed to learn how to be content in any and every situation, that God’s grace is sufficient, and that His power is made perfect in weakness. And yet, at times John still wondered about Jesus: “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” This wondering and doubt is something that we struggle with too. Jesus’ answer should be enough for us, but we are still learning the same things that John was learning.

“Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” This is the tough question that John the Baptist asked Jesus. But he didn’t ask Jesus directly because he was in prison. He sent his disciples to ask Jesus, Who didn’t even give an answer right away. Have you ever endured so much pain and uncertainty that you desperately attempt to muster up enough strength and faith to move the hand of God? In those times, does it seem like the Lord is silent towards you but responding to everyone else? It’s enough to question whether God is actually God…or if it’s time to look for another. Watch our study in Matthew 11:1-6 and Luke 7:11-23 as we consider the tough answer Jesus gives to John's tough question.

In Matthew 10, we read of Jesus sending the twelve Apostles on their first mission trip and giving them several Christian principles to put into practice. In those principles, we learn that what Jesus was sending them to do had no guarantee of total success. There was a chance that people would treat them poorly. But what often draws us into a deeper and more reliant relationship with Jesus is the pain that comes when people treat us poorly. Not everyone will listen when you share the love of Jesus with them. As Jesus experienced, some may betray and even persecute you—including the very people that you laid down your life to serve.