EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
8/23/2026 9:53 PM
My Worship Time Focus:
“PT-2 “John’s Doubt”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Luke 7:18-20”
Message
of the verses: 18The
disciples of John also reported to him
about all these things. 19And after summoning two of
his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the
Coming One, or are we to look for another?” 20When the men came to
Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask,
‘Are You the Coming One, or are we to look for another?’”
I desire to continue looking at these verses, praying
that what I write will bring glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
John MacArthur writes “While their
teacher was in prison, some of the disciples of John followed Jesus
(Matt. 9:14) and kept John informed with reports (Matt. 11:2).”
(Matt. 9:14)
“14 ¶ Then the disciples of John came to him,
saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’”
(Matt. 11:2)
“2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds
of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples.”
“After
some of them reported to him about all the things Jesus was
doing, John’s doubt became so acute that he took action. As all believers should, John took his doubts
directly to the Lord and asked Him to resolve them. Since he was still in prison, John summoned two
of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask Him on his behalf,
‘Are you the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’ So 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?’’ Four reasons may be discerned for the
doubt John’s question expressed. By
extension, they are also
the causes for doubt in many believers.
“First, John was experiencing a
personal tragedy. His ministry had been
the most significant of all the Old Testament prophets, since he was the
forerunner and herald of the Messiah.
John had faithfully, selflessly, and fearlessly carried out his
prophetic duty. Yet despite that, he
found himself locked in a prison cell.
That seemed inconsistent both with his faithfulness, Messiah’s power,
and God’s purpose. Surely the Messiah
had the power to free him. And when
Messiah came, bad things should have happened to evil people, not to His
faithful forerunner.
“After all, John had done exactly
what God had called him to do. Though
like all people he was a sinner, there is no hint of faithlessness in his
ministry, or gross sin that could have caused him to view his imprisonment as
God’s chastening. Further, he had been
filled with the Spirit from his mother’s womb and was faithful to a Nazirite
vow—the epitome of separation and dedication to God (Luke 1:15).”
(Luke 1:15)
“15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he
must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy
Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.”
“John’s
doubt, like Job’s, arose in part from his inability to understand why God had
allowed his negative circumstances, since he rightly perceived himself as a
loyal, sacrificial servant of the Lord.
His situation was the opposite of that of the repentant thief on the
cross, who freely acknowledged that his terrible circumstances were exactly
what he deserved (Luke 23:41).”
(Luke 23:41)
“41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the
due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’”
“Every
situation that believers find themselves in is subject to the sovereign purpose
of God whether it is perceived as deserved or undeserved.”
Now I want to look at the second reason
that may be discerned for the doubt John’s question expressed, and that is of
John’s doubt was popular influence. He
was in part a victim of current misconceptions about the Messiah. Contemporary Judaism ignored the prophecies
of suffering (Ps. 22) and sin-bearing work (Isa 53) of the Messiah, focusing
instead on His coming to crush Israel’s enemies and establish His glorious
kingdom. Now as one looks at Psalm 22
and then Isaiah 53, actually looking at the end of Isaiah 52 and then all of
chapter 53 we can see that they have many similarities in them as they both look
forward to the cross of Christ and the suffering that He would entail in order
to produce salvation for those who would accept his offering of dying on the
cross. In a sermon this evening at our
church our Pastor stated that there are only 14 or 15 verses in the New
Testament that describe what happened to Jesus while on the cross, but looking
at Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 we can see much more detail of what He went through
on the cross in order to produce salvation for those who will only admit that they
are sinners, and then accept Christ as their Savior and Lord.
MacArthur then goes on to write “So
deeply ingrained was that perception among the Jewish people that even after
Jesus rose from the dead the apostles asked him, ‘Lord, is it at this time You
are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).
“Jesus, however, showed no sign of
throwing off the yoke of Rome, or destroying the wicked, or establishing Israel’s
sovereignty, or creating or destroying the wicked, or establishing Israel’s sovereignty,
or creating prosperity for all. On the
contrary, He deliberately defused an attempt to make Him king by force (John 6:15).”
(John 6:15)
“15 ¶ then that they were about to come and take him
by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.”
“Nor could
the disciples understand the Lord’s repeated prediction of His death (e. g.,
Matt. 16:21-23; 17:22-23; 20:18-19; Luke 24:6-7, 46).”
(Matt. 16:21-23; 17:22-23; 20:18-19;
Luke 24:6-7, 46)
“21 ¶ From that time Jesus began to show his
disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders
and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
22 And Peter took him aside and began to
rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get
behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind
on the things of God, but on the things of man.’”
(17:22-23)
“22 ¶ As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said
to them, "The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men,
23 and they will kill him, and he will
be raised on the third day." And they were greatly distressed.”
(20:18-19)
18 "See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And
the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and
they will condemn him to death 19 and
deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he
will be raised on the third day.’”
(Luke 24:6-7, 46)
“6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he
told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7
that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and
be crucified and on the third day rise.’”
“46 and said to them, "Thus it is written,
that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,”
“Such
behavior was puzzling to many of Jesus’ followers, including John. Illegitimate, unbiblical expectations can
only lead to doubt and loss of joy when they are not met.
“Jewish tradition also held—with no
biblical warrant—that a series of prophets would reappear, culminating in the
Messiah. That led to confusion and doubt
about Jesus. Was He the Messiah, or one
of those resurrected prophets (Luke 9:19)?”
(Luke 9:19)
“19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But
others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.’”
“That is
why in reply to the Lord’s question, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?
(Matt. 16:13) the disciples replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; and others,
Elijah; but still others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets’ (v. 14). John’s question to Jesus, Are You the
Expected One, or do we look for someone else? Reflects that popular
misconception.”
8/23/2026
10:49 PM
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