God and Your Expectations: Following God When Life Makes No Sense

That very day, when he dismissed that crowd and sent them home, the next day before daylight, he left and went to another town. There were people in that city who had children with withered hands, and those hands were never healed, and the mother had to look at that child as it went through adulthood. And that adult had to look at that hand and go into old age, wondering throughout his whole life: why did the Lord Jesus dismiss that crowd? Why didn’t he heal me that night? There were mothers who took sick babies home that night, who in a few days later died, and they had to look into the face of an inexplicable God and wonder why. Many were healed, but not all.

That didn’t help John.

How about the second one? The gospel of the kingdom is being proclaimed. John knew that. He had proclaimed it himself. He had seen many repent, and he knew the Lord was. Wherein was comfort in that? Where was a straight answer in that? There wasn’t any.

And now the Lord gives the third answer, and it is just as unencouraging as the other two, if not more so. Listen to His words. The demons are cast out. The lame walk, the blind see, the gospel is preached. And blessed is he who is not offended with Me. And blessed is she who is not offended with me.

I get a little frightened when I meet someone who is very, very easily offended with other people. Listen, if you can be offended by other people, you don’t stand a prayer. Wait until you meet God…Now, there’s somebody who knows how to offend. And if you get offended with God, wherein is your hope? But I want a clear answer. You won’t get one. And blessed is he who is not offended with me.

In the cell next to John’s dungeon and pit is another man. This man was wealthy. Herod wanted his wealth, came in and arrested him, threw him in prison on false charges, and stripped him of all of his goods. He was going to keep him there until he rots. And if you walk down there to visit John the Baptist, there’s this man in the cell next to him ranting and raving against Herod. Herod’s a big stink. Herod’s a this and this. I hate him. If I could get out of here, I’d kill him.

Well, Herod arrested that fellow. Did Herod arrest John the Baptist? Herod put that one in prison. Did he put John the Baptist in prison? Say yes. Prove to me you’re still awake. This man is offended with Herod. Excuse me, brothers and sisters, but open your eyes. That man is not offended with Herod. He thinks he is. His offense is with the living God. Some of you have been hurt by men and by movements, and you’ve received unjust treatment, and you’re offended with people, a person, and a pain inside eats like a worm. No, you are not offended with another man, nor a movement, nor a woman, nor any cause. Your offense ultimately and only is with God.

Who put John the Baptist in prison? It was not Herod…and John knew it. Do you know it? Do you know who put John the Baptist in prison? Your Lord put John the Baptist in prison. Well, Gene, that’s terrible. Of course, He wouldn’t do that. Ask John the Baptist. John knows that it is the sovereign hand of God that has allowed him to be there. You can blame men, but if you raise the backdrop of the stage, you may find something spiritual there. And if you raise that backdrop and that curtain, you might find something else. But raise another one, the last one, you’ll find your Lord, the very God whom you love and worship. Your offense is not with man. Your offense is with your Lord. And ultimately, you’ve got to do business where John the Baptist did business. You’ve got to do business with the Lord over that enormous pain that’s been inflicted on your soul.

The Lord Jesus is hurting right now. If there were anybody He could ever give a straight answer to, it would be his cousin. Listen, John the Baptist is the closest to a spiritual equal Jesus Christ will ever know. The one person who would have ears to understand, and your Lord didn’t answer him, and never forget it. All He said was, Blessed are you…if you’re not offended with Me.

John, when you’re 14 years old, go live in the desert and grow up there alone and lonely. Never know the love of a wife, or the joy of fatherhood. You’ve been called to my work. You’ll have none of that. You will live in austerity. And blessed are you, John, if you’re not offended.

John, go preach in the desert until they come to you, and stand there in the broiling sun and preach and preach again and gather the multitudes to you. Spend your days and your nights counseling them until you’re weary and tired. And John, know that you may never see the ends of my calling in your life. And blessed are you if you’re not offended with Me.

John, stand there in front of 20,000 people who are following you. Baptize my son, and know that before this day is over, 10,000 of them will leave you as I purpose, and they will follow him. And tomorrow, John, the other 10,000 will be gone, and all of your work and all of your fruit will go to another man who will not labor for them. They will be his as a gift…and you will lose them all. And all of your life’s work will be gone. And blessed are you if you’re not offended with Me.