Introduction
- One of the most frustrating things about believing in God is when God seems Inattentive, Uncooperative, or Late
- When you feel neglected, when your prayers are not only unanswered, but things go the other way, we are often tempted to believe that “If God is silent, He must be absent.”
Arrest of John the Baptist
- Herod Antipas fell in love with his brother’s wife (Herodias) and convinced her to leave his brother to marry him.
- John the Baptist heard of this marriage and made Herod Antipas and Herodias his targets as it was against Jewish law to marry one’s sister-in-law while the brother was alive.
- To please Herodias, Herod Antipas had John arrested.
Confusion of John the Baptist
- John was imprisoned for doing what God had called him to do.
- Meanwhile, Jesus is running around preaching and healing people.
- John was not feeling the care of Jesus and began to have second thoughts about him.
- John sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who was to come?”
- Pain and discomfort had a way of shrinking John’s world (down to the size of ME)
Answer from Jesus
- Jesus asked John's disciples to go back and tell John what was going on outside of his misery.
- Look outside of his own circumstances and reflect on all God has done.
- Tell John not to let his faith get swallowed up in his immediate surroundings.
- Blessed is the one who did not fall away on account of Jesus.
- Our personal circumstances do not necessarily coincide with how God feels about us.
- God’s seeming inactivity in our lives is not a reflection of his activity in the world.
When God seems inattentive …
- Look back and remember all God has done for and in you.
- Look outside your circumstances and reflect.
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