Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of Scripture, but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
Everywhere you go in the world, people judge things by appearances. When you go into the grocery store, foods are packaged in such a way to get you to purchase them. It might not taste very good, but the packaging is what catches your attention, and causes you to pay for it up at the counter. They judge people in the same way. For example, someone might put on a police uniform and pretend to be an officer. They might even pull somebody over and give them a ticket. Most people will believe them simply because of their outward appearance. Others will try to appear religious by putting on certain clothing, such as long robes, clerics outfits, or even three piece suits. Once again, people will accept and believe what they see, judging simply based upon their appearances.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
The Lord Jesus warned not to judge by appearances. Jesus called John the Baptist the greatest prophet born of women, yet what were people expecting to see when they went out to Jordan? He wasn’t dressed in fancy robes or have shiny diplomas hanging on a stick. He didn’t have a big desk and a huge office, nor did he have people construct a huge pulpit for him to talk from. What were people expecting to see? He didn’t have an ornate building with a steeple and stained glass windows. There were no pews and fancy carpeting, or a paved parking lot for people’s wagons. What they saw was a true Prophet of God, living an ascetic and humble life, who denied himself of the temporal frivolities of this world, in order to please God completely.
Luke 7 ²⁴ And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? ²⁵ But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. ²⁶ But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. ²⁸ For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
As we near the return of Jesus, many people are going to be led astray by false prophets and apostles because they judge according to what they see on the exterior.
“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” John 7:24
The world wants a presentation of religion, something that they can see. They place their trust in visual things, rather than the unseen things of God. The devil has known this for thousands of years, and wants to give people their money’s worth, so he puts on the sheep’s clothing, gives the people a big show, and then laughs himself silly on the way to the bank.
Luke 20 ⁴⁵ Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, ⁴⁶ Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; ⁴⁷ Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
People’s senses are stimulated by bright lights, fancy clothing, and a theater-like atmosphere. They do it all the time in Las Vegas, why should it be any different in these false forms of Christianity? These false prophets have adopted the same mentality, smiling for the cameras as they strike a pose of prayer, in their ostentatious and self-conceited vanity. Just like the religious leaders of old, the same types of people have reappeared.
Matthew 23 ⁵ But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, ⁶ And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
While the false prophets fight over center stage, the true man of God is humble, waiting to be lifted up by the Lord Jesus.
“For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 14:11
Rather than accepting the truth and judging themselves, they chose to judge John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus over their diets!
Matthew 11 ¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
¹⁹ The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
“And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.” Matthew 3:4
Some people judged the Apostle Paul simply because he didn’t speak very well, once again, judging by appearances rather than looking at the Spiritual knowledge that God had bestowed upon him.
“But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.” 2 Corinthians 11:6
“Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.” 2 Corinthians 10:7
Like John the Baptist, God chooses the base things of this world.
1 Corinthians 1 ²⁶ For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: ²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: ²⁹ That no flesh should glory in his presence.
“He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.” John 5:35
As this world judges by what they see, men of God are to walk by faith not by sight.
“(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” 2 Corinthians 5:7
John the Baptist was a Prophet of God who came out to be separate from the world. Like Moses, the treasures of Christ were worth more to him than anything in this world. When religious leaders of his day were more concerned about their wardrobe, he was completely focused on the will of God. After all, that’s the only thing that matters in the end, isn’t it. What did they see when they ventured out to Jordan, and….
….. What Did They Expect?
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious goups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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