A Strange Answer

From my own personal experience, I am sure that any believer who has taken Christianity seriously has faced countless doubts about the various aspects of faith - sometimes about even the basics. This happens at various stages of our spiritual growth. When one doubt is cleared (after a period of struggle with it), next one comes. This question had no relevance before, but when the earlier one is clear now, it has popped up.

'The more you believe, the more you understand; and the more you understand, the more questions we face. The more questions we face, the more hard we seek. The more hard we seek, the more we understand. The more we understand, the more we believe...'

Even as we struggle with these questions, a strange assurance keeps us move forward. ie. The answer will be found. "Seek, and you shall find... everyone who seeks finds.." - Mat 7:7,8. He has revealed His ways before, He will do it again for me.

The disciples of John the Baptist were placed in a strange situation. Wanna know what? Once their teacher pointed his finger at a man named Jesus and told them - (John 1:29-34)

29 "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

30 He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'

31 I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel."

32 John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him.

33 I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.'

34 Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."

And now the same teacher, a prophet of God, has asked them to get a confirmation from Jesus about Himself!!! And this happened when Jesus became very famous after He raised from the dead the son of a window in a place called Nain.

Luke chapter 7:17-19

17 This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

18 The disciples of John told him about all these things. John summoned two of his disciples

19 and sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"

I am sure the disciples of John got confused. They fully trusted John. They had spent quite some time with him, saw him, heard him, watched him carefully... and truly believed that he was a man of God, speaking God's message. His ultimate mission as they knew was to prepare the way for the Lord, the Messiah, the Son of God. And they saw him clearly pointing to Jesus with great conviction that He is the lamb of God. He even saw the testimony of the Spirit as was promised to him by the Father. They were preparing themselves for the time when their teacher would ask them to join Jesus and His other disciples. Now why is he in doubt?? Or should we really wait for someone else?? But people say Jesus is doing a lot of miracles and signs, and why doubt Him??

And they went to meet Jesus.

20 When the men came to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?'"

What to expect now? Will Jesus give a theological sermon explaining the eternal truths? Or will Jesus rebuke St. John the Baptist in harsh words about his lack of faith? Imagine what was going through the minds of Apostles, all the people gathered there, the Pharisees and Scribes (who were waiting to criticize Him), and the disciples of John themselves?

21 At that time he cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; he also granted sight to many who were blind.

Oh!!! What is He doing now? Did He not hear the question? Or is He trying to evade the questions and distract the people by doing miracles?

22 And he said to them in reply, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.

23 And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."

I see!!! He was giving them an answer. It was a fullfilment of the prophesy from Isiah 61:1-2

(1) "The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, (2) to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God, to comfort all who mourn;"

By fulfilling the promise and prophesy about the Messiah, Jesus confirmed His identity. His actions always underscored His teachings. He taught with authority, and a genuine seeker of truth gets enough confirmation as he opens his ears to His Words, and his eyes to see Him and His works.

Jesus once tells the Pharisees who questioned Him - (37) "If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me; (38) but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize (and understand) that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." (John 10:37-38)

Now the people thought that Jesus would rebuke John the Baptist. But they got a totally different response from Jesus. He said:

26 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

27 This is the one about whom scripture says: 'Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, he will prepare your way before you.'

28 I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

29 (All the people who listened, including the tax collectors, and who were baptized with the baptism of John, acknowledged the righteousness of God;

30 but the Pharisees and scholars of the law, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of God for themselves.)

O.. Oh!!!! If it's so, then how did he doubt Jesus??

I can't help admiring the wisdom of John. He knew who Jesus is. He did not need any confirmation to believe that Jesus was the "One who is to come". His disciples too believed it, because they were sure about the integrity of John, whom they regarded as a prophet. But John knew that it was not enough. He wanted his disciples to have a "personal experience" of Jesus. A time will come when his testimony alone cannot keep them in faith. Every believer must go through the struggle of questions about the truth, and must explore and experience this truth themselves. And John, as a wise and loving teacher and guide, allowed his disciples to go through this struggle, only to come back to him confirmed in their faith and full of joy.

Many Samaritans came to know Jesus through the sinner woman who had a personal encounter with Jesus at a place called Sychar in Samaria. John 4:4-42

And this is what it is written in the end.

(41) Many more began to believe in him because of his word, (42) and they said to the woman, "We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."

We lament about people who leave the faith and Church so often. These days I read that many people got confused when they read the book "Da Vinci Code", and that more and more youngsters who read "Harry Potter" series ended up developing hatred for Jesus. A large chunk of Christians in this world are Christians by chance, and not by choice. I am sure that prople leave Christianity because they have not had a personal encounter with Jesus. If we do not help our children and youth have a kerygmatic experience (experiencing the salvation through a real conversion of heart, accepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Master, and experiencing the works of the Holy Spirit), no amount of Catechesis (teaching to those who who already believe and experience God) will help them in their trying times to hold on to a faith they have never experienced.